NOTES ON MEETINGS OF THE NEVADA COMMISSION TO RECONSTRUCT THE VIRGINIA AND TRUCKEE RAILROAD

These notes are prepared by me, Jim Lohse of Reno Railfans. I want to be clear these are NOT official meeting minutes and most likely contain my editorializing. Read at your own risk!

APRIL 2008 MEETING:

NOTES ABOUT WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN

Some other audience members and I were surprised that no discussion of the new Operating Committee had been agendized now that the full board was back in session. As noted in the 2008 Q2 Reno Railfans In the Trench newsletter (http://www.renorailfans.com/newsletters/2008Q2.pdf), the Operating committee was voted back in on a slim 4-1 vote (Millard abstaining, Teixeira in opposition, Tyson, Allen McPhereson in favor. I forget who the fourth was.) In the Nevada Appeal Commissioner Tyson was quoted saying the Operating Committee would work to purchase equipment. Later at the April meeting Tyson clarified that the Committee in no way intended to override the wishes of the full commission.

Other audience members and I were also surprised that Commissioner Millard's March request for a summary accounting of the railroad project was not handled publicly. Since this information is not clearly available on the project website (http://www.vtrailway.com) we were hoping to get an idea of how much money is left to spend.

ITEM 4 -- PUBLIC COMMENT

Virginia City resident Jim Clark spent about five minutes discussing photos of the V&T Commission's passenger cars being stored at the Portola Railroad Museum. He passed around a binder of photographs and suggested the Commission abandon those cars and purchase something more appropriate for the railroad. He said the cars at Portola are in poor condition, are too long to run on the railroad. He stated that he had experience running three railroads

In light of the recently reinstated (controversial) Operating Committee, I was confused why Mr. Clark suggested the Commission create a three-member committee with railroad experience to evaluate wide-ranging issues from equipment purchases to the type of rail to be used.

Jim Clark also said that the Commission should consider buying another locomotive more appropriate to the needs of the new V&T. He said there is a superheated 2-6-2 locomotive available similar to the #8 and urged the Commission to buy it.

Another member of the public whose name I didn't catch said rather gruffly that the Commission should take a fresh look at their feasibility study when considering what kind of equipment to purchase and run.

AGENDIZED ITEMS

ITEM 5 – CONSENT AGENDA – No Items on Consent Calendar

ITEM 6 – Ron Allen, Treasurer, Report

Ron said that since the Commission now was using their own accountant the 5% no longer needed to be paid to Carson City for accounting services. Mayor Teixeira said he wanted to be involved in this negotiation.

ITEM 7,8,9 – Ratify Bills, Engineering Report, Right of Way Acquisition, Attorney Report

The upshot of this was a positive report from Engineer Dorr and Attorney Rowe stating that of the “100 things they each had to do” 96-98 of the preliminary items were done.

ITEM 10 – Stone Consulting, a company that provides consulting services to the Commission on an as-needed basis had been bought by another company, Trans-systems. Trans-systems policy requires that the contract be re-signed between the Commission and the new company, and after discussion the Commission approved this.

ITEM 11 – Authorization of purchase of 90lb. Rail and other materials to protect phase 2a/2b

A rail supplier was grilled on his ability to meet the final terms of the contract by August. While the supplier stated that all the materials needed could easily be delivered from California, and the commission seemed satisfied, the Commission did authorize separate purchases of any materials that could not be delivered under the existing contract.

During discussion of this item, Commissioner Ron Allen suggested that the Commission could save over a million dollars through buying 90-lb rail for the mainline of the new trackage heading down the hill to Carson City. He felt the current plan to use 100+lb rail wasn't necessary. (There was further discussion of this after the meeting between interested parties.)

ITEM 12 – V&T Historic Railroad Society Report – No Report from Ron Allen

ITEM 13 – Virginia and Truckee Railroad Report – Tom Gray

Tom Gray was happy to inform the Commission that on Thursday, April 10 school tours would begin on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in Virginia City. Engineer Dorr raised the issue that inspections needed to be completed before the V&T Railroad runs on new trackage. Tom Gray stated that the school tours would only run on the V&T tracks between Virginia City and Gold Hill, which is owned by the Grays. The V&T won't run on the new tracks in American Flat until later in the season. Dorr was satisfied with this.

ITEM 14 – Northern Nevada Railway Foundation report – Janice Ayres, Stephen Sayles

The NNRF (steamtrain.org) reported much progress on the upcoming Railroad Reflections International Art Show: Carson City events were on track, new events were being added in Virginia City at Pipers Opera house, with proceeds going to support the reconstruction project.

In addition, Mr. Sayles reported that the NNRF was working to produce a line of 'V&T' beer and wine to be sold in stores throughout Northern Nevada, possibly including Ben's Liquors chain. He stated his hope that the “cans” would be collectible and would contribute to funding the reconstruction project.

ITEM 15 – PROJECT COORDINATOR REPORT – Kevin Ray

I forget the exact contents of Mr. Rays comments. He did state that website updates were underway. (Ed. Note The March Commission meeting minutes are now available at http://www.vtrailway.com/meetings.php )

ITEM 16 – COMMISSION CHAIRMAN REPORT – Chairman Robert Hadfield

At the end of the meeting it was time for Chairman's comments and Commissioners comments. Chairman Hadfield gave a rousing speech about the importance of finishing the project. He made an impassioned plea that people realize (in his opinion) that the decline in gambling is here to stay, and that in the face of increased competition from Indian casinos in California and around the country that gambling will no longer be the mainstay of Northern Nevada's economy. He stated this project is needed to maintain our way of life.

ITEM 17 – COMMISIONERS COMMENTS

Commissioner Baushke stated that through his association with the Nevada Counties organization he would do some promotional work sending out links to the existing websites such as the Historical Society, the Gray's V&T railroad, the Commission and the NNRF.

Commissioner Bonnie Weber of Washoe County recognized the efforts of Janice Ayres and the V&T Foundation. She spoke of the need for better marketing efforts, suggesting that if the commissioners had business cards they could hand them out when networking with community members to promote the V&T Reconstruction project.

Ron Allen spoke eloquently of the need to do a better job selling the proposed 1/8 percent sales tax hike in Carson City and County. He stated that when this was tried a few years ago the sales pitch was based on nostalgia and he felt it failed to show what the benefits going forward would be.

Carson City Mayor Marv Teixeira, who previously passed on making an end of meeting comment, joined in and agreed with Ron Allen that the project must be sold based on clear-cut economic benefit.

To the best of my recollection, Commissioners Flanagan, Millard, Hillyard and McPhereson didn't make comments.

Always one to stir up some controversy, KOLO 8 personality Commissioner John Tyson took his turn. Normally end of meeting comments are not meant to introduce new business, be debated, or opened up for public comment. In this case, however, Tyson stated that his Feather River Railroad Society locomotive #8 would soon be available after rebuilding work at the Gray's Virginia and Truckee Railroad. He asked the Commission if they would like to see the 8 running on the new trackage in American flat and talked up the benefits of doing so. After a couple minutes of discussion, Chairman Hadfield (properly) reminded John that there should be no discussion of non-agendized items.

Jim Clark stood at the podium and began to give his “Reader's Digest condensed version” of a response. Chairman Hadfield stopped Mr. Clark and said he would not allow a discussion of a non-agendized item. An amused audience member and veteran of public meetings jokingly asked if the item would be opened up for public comment (I wonder who that was.)

The meeting was adjourned.