The Preservation Society has been ready for some time to start the projects to turn Nevada State Prison into a public historic experience.

We have the necessary funds to complete the planned projects without using public money. The current holdup is the process to obtain work permits from the State Public Works Department.

The request for these permits must be submitted by the property owner, the Department of Corrections. We cannot proceed until this happens.

We know of no precedent for the public/private arrangement that was created by Assembly Bill 377, so everything we do seems to be difficult. We do, however, remain hopeful that this important project will be realized one day. As a reminder, the short project list includes ADA-compliant restrooms, some handicap ramps, and the fire safety features required by the state fire marshal.

Terry Hubert does some weeding on the yard.

Weed abatement

While we wait on the bureaucracy, we are not letting the grass grow under our feet. Society members and directors Maurice White, Terry Hubert, Lee Perks and Joe Kinsley are implementing a weed program.

They recently laid down pre-emergent over the entire grounds of the historic portion of the prison. With the Society’s newly purchased commercial spreaders they made short work of it. Additionally, Terry Hubert worked on the existing weeds with a high-powered trimmer.

Sales tax

The Society has been given a letter of exemption from the State Department of Taxation. We wont be paying sales tax on the materials for our remodeling projects in the future.

Collections Committee

The Collections Committee, chaired by Sherry Griffin-Grundy, met at the Carson City Library on March 29 to review a draft policy to administer the management of our collections. This draft is a comprehensive and professional document which clearly describes the legal process to acquire, catalog, and manage collections.

Thank you, Sherry! We will also be moving our collection management office from its current location in one of the cottages to the NSP courthouse.

NSP used for active shooter training

The State Department of Public Safety, assisted by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, conducted active shooter training at NSP on April 25-27. NSP is perfect for a variety of training scenarios, including offices, open spaces, courtrooms, and school rooms.

The preservation society provided access for this three-day event.

Law enforcement officers from the Nevada Department of Public Safety and Carson City Sheriff’s Office train at the historic Nevada State Prison.