FEDERAL FUNDS COULD GO TOWARD METH TREATMENT, PLAYING FIELDS

Carson City elected officials have earmarked anti-methamphetamine
efforts and outdoor playing fields for local youths as their top
priorities for federal grant money expected to come to the community.

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada has asked for $253,000 to
construct a multipurpose outdoor field as a public facility. The
city's public works department also would like $267,600 to improve
sidewalks around Empire Elementary School so disabled residents could
get around more easily.

An advisory group comprised of residents and local government
officials reviewed requests from several sources within the
community. Their recommendations were provided to the supervisors,
who met on Thursday.

The supervisors will make their final decisions about how the money
will be spent after residents get an opportunity to comment on the plan.

The review group rated the sidewalk improvements as most worthy, but
the supervisors opted to fund the Boys & Girls Club heavily - their
entire request. Leftover money, roughly $54,300, would go to sidewalk
upgrades, part of which would come from last year's grant budget.

"While I usually defer to individuals on boards and commissions, we
have an entity that helps low- and moderate-income families," said
Supervisor Richard Staub.

Mayor Marv Teixeira didn't participate in this vote because of his
longtime involvement with the Boys & Girls Club board.

The public-service portion of the grant went to the Community
Counseling Center to pay for an employee to manage methamphetamine
treatment cases, $58,343. It had the second highest recommendation.

The other group vying for money is the Ron Wood Family Resource
Center, for mental health counseling of youths. It came in first with
the advisory panel.

The money is distributed this way: 65 percent for public facilities
and improvements, 15 percent for public service and the rest, 20
percent, for administrative work.

A 30-day public comment period is required before the allocations are
again put before the supervisors for their final approval. Residents
can turn in written comments between March 15 and April 13 at the
court house, City Hall, Carson City Library, and the Public Works department.

Supervisors will make their final decisions in May.

The grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, have been around for more than 30 years.

Last year's allotment went toward such things as the purchase of a
city fire truck and anti-meth efforts.

CDBG money is separated between public and private recipients. Last
year, the city received about $457,400. This year's total is expected
to be comparable, but hasn't been determined, said Javier Ramirez,
the city's citizen outreach coordinator and grant coordinator.