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Carson City approves $1.7 million to start courthouse design work
Summary
The Carson City Redevelopment Authority recommended and the Board of Supervisors approved releasing $1,700,000 from redevelopment funds to begin courthouse design and associated costs in fiscal year 2025.
The Carson City Board of Supervisors on June 5 voted unanimously to authorize $1,700,000 from redevelopment funds to begin design and associated work on a courthouse reconfiguration project.
The vote followed a Redevelopment Authority recommendation earlier in the meeting. Assistant city staff told the Redevelopment Authority on May 1 the board had previously allocated $5.6 million for FY 2026 courthouse redesign; staff proposed accelerating $1,700,000 into FY 2025 so design could begin sooner. "There are funds available this year in fiscal year 25 and there's the ability to start the design work in fiscal year 25," Redevelopment Program staff member Tamara Sullivan said during the Redevelopment Authority presentation.
City Engineer Darren Anderson explained the consultant selection process to supervisors: the city issues an RFP for professional services and then matches projects to qualified on-call firms. "We reviewed those proposals and TSK was the most qualified," Anderson said, noting TSK also conducted the project's feasibility study.
During the Redevelopment Authority portion of the meeting a motion to recommend the expenditure to the Board of Supervisors passed unanimously. The Board then adopted Resolution 2025-R-11 to authorize the $1.7 million expenditure; the vote was unanimous at the Board meeting.
The staff report and public comments noted the authority had previously authorized $5.6 million for the FY 2026 courthouse redesign. With the additional FY 2025 allocation, staff said the redevelopment designated project account balance would be $486,602.
No detailed scope, schedule, or contract documents were finalized at the meeting; staff said the action authorized the funds and allowed design work to begin. Legal counsel flagged that some procurement language reflects professional-services exemptions included in state law; Deputy District Attorney Dan Yu explained those exemptions allow selection through qualifications-based processes for some professional services rather than a simple low-bid public solicitation.
Public comment included questions about the overall redevelopment program and growth-related concerns. Resident Denny French urged stronger fire-prevention building codes for residential development near open space, and expressed general concerns about high-density housing.
The Board did not amend the amount or add additional conditions; staff said further project-level presentations and contractor agreements will return to the Board as required.
Ending: Supervisors and staff said the next steps are completing consultant contracts and issuing a project schedule; staff will return with contract documents and design milestones as work proceeds.
