I don't think we're going to do that.

I don't think we're going to go to the page.

Thanks for being here.

We're going to call to order this meeting of the Nevada Commission for the Construct Reconstruction of the V and T Railway.

It is sharp, the crack of nine oh three.

What can I say?

We're just administrators.

We don't have to make the trains run on time, right?

Um we'll go ahead and uh call we call this meeting in order.

We'll move to item number two, which is a roll call and determination of quorum, if you would please.

Chair Mitchell.

I'm here.

Vice Chair Peterson present.

Treasurer Cruz present.

Secretary Hicks.

Here.

A quorum is present.

Thank you, Brianna.

I will move on to item number three, which is a pledge of allegiance.

If you'd like to join me with that.

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States.

Under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all.

Alright, at this time we will move on to item number four, which is public comment.

The public is invited at this time to comment on and discuss any topic that is relevant to or within the authority of this body.

Um I know there's lots of other stuff that I normally read, but I will just open it up for public comment at this time.

Is there any public comment here in the room?

All right, seeing none, um we'll take public comment online, but it doesn't look like we have anyone tuned in online at this time.

But I'll just pause a moment in case there is someone there that I'm not seeing.

Alright, with that, we'll move on to item number five, which is for possible action.

That's approval of the minutes from our April 15th, 2026 meeting.

Any comments or questions from the commission on those minutes?

Uh hearing none.

Is there any public comment on the minutes?

All right.

Uh hearing no public comment, I'll be happy to entertain a motion.

I move to approve the minutes of the April 15th, 2026 meeting.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Motion and a second.

Any final comments?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Uh passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Move on to item number six, which is uh for possible action.

This is discussion of possible action regarding the VNT Commission statement of accounts, payable checks paid March 1st through 31st, 2026.

Treasurer Cruz, do you have anything to add to here?

I do not unless anybody has questions.

Very good questions or comments from the commission.

Just a question, Mr.

Chair.

Please.

The Wood Rogers check.

Is that for the slope work that we were previously engaged them on?

Is that is that where are we finished with that now, or is that are we still owe them or is that it?

It's not finished.

So this is we're just kind of in the middle of the project still.

Okay.

Fair enough.

Thank you.

I just wanted to clarify.

Thank you.

Other uh questions or comments?

Hearing none, any any public comment on this item?

All right.

Uh no public comment.

I'll go ahead and take a motion.

Uh I move to approve the payable checks paid March third first through 31st, 2026 as presented.

Thank you.

I have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Motion and a second.

Any last minute comments?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passed unanimously.

Thank you.

Item number seven, which is uh discussion of possible action regarding the adjusted VNT Commission's fiscal year 2025-2026 budget reports for the period ending March 26 2026.

Uh Leah, any uh any updates on this one?

I don't believe so, no.

Um unless Sherry has anything she wants to talk about.

Okay, very good.

Questions or comments from the uh from the commission?

Hearing none public comment on this item.

All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion.

I move to approve the budget report as presented.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I'll second.

Very good.

Motion and a second.

Any last comment?

All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Hearing none.

Uh motion passes unanimously.

Alright, let's move on to item number eight, which is for discussion and possible action regarding the VNT Commission final budget for fiscal year 2027.

Um Sherry, do you want to take us through some of the basics on this?

Um, excuse me.

Pulling it up.

Do I need to put the budget report on the screen for what you have in front of you?

Is that okay?

Uh I think that's fine.

And there are copies in the back if someone else would like uh would like to take a look at it.

So just by way of explanation, what's what was in the packet or what was published are the official forms that we need to submit to the State Department of Taxation.

There is a uh a breakdown or a budget summary that's been uh provided for the public as well as to the commission here at the beginning of the meeting.

Please continue.

Thank you.

Um, there were a few uh adjustments that we made from the tentative budget, um, namely uh security.

We increased that budget by 5500 to be in more in line what was spent um in 2025, uh 25 26.

We also increased just as a buffer, um, the building maintenance because of the upgrades that we're hoping to be able to do in 27 to the Eastgate Depot.

We increased that by $10,000.

And the third change that brought us into a negative position was the capital outlay for the van.

We were anticipating being able to purchase that by the end of June.

That did not come to fruition, so we rolled that over um into the 26-27.

Um, however, we do have the capital funds for that.

So it did make keep us at a negative 75,800.

All right, very good.

Uh questions or comments on the final budget.

Just one from me.

Um, and I probably should have talked about this ahead of time, but here we are.

Um did we ever confirm for sure that that's what security is is running.

We just were way off on what we thought it cost.

Yes.

The allocations were a little bit different in previous years.

And um Tom, especially for Polar Express.

Tom has broken it out for me in the more recent.

So okay, thank you.

We got other questions or comments on our budget.

All right.

A little anticlimactic, but that's okay.

Um hearing no more discussion from the commission.

Is there a public comment on our final budget?

All right, hearing none, uh, I'll go ahead and entertain a motion.

Uh I'll happy to I'm happy to do that.

I move to approve the VNT Commission final budget for fiscal year 2027.

Very good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I'll second.

All right, motion and a second.

Any last minute inspiration that someone needs to talk about?

Hearing none, we'll go ahead and uh uh and take a vote.

All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you kindly.

Thank you for all the hard work on getting that done.

All right.

At this point, we will move on to uh item number nine, which is discussion and possible action regarding placement of a 12-foot interpretive railroad spike at the Eastgate Depot.

Second, Eastgate Depot inclusion in the fourth annual Carson City Murals and Music Festival, scheduled September 14th through 19, 2026 with for cost to the VNT Railway Commission not to exceed a thousand dollars, and then third, some discussion about future public art opportunities at the Eastgate Depot.

Who's gonna start us out with this one?

I just pretend like I know what I'm talking about and make it up as we go.

I'm happy to jump in if you like, Chair.

That would be helpful if you don't if you don't mind.

Okay.

Well, thank you for for the opportunity here to bring this uh item forward.

I'm I'm excited.

Uh I've got Eric Brooks here.

He's the Arts and Cultural Program Manager for Visit Carson City.

He also is the president of the Dust and Wonders Rail, which is what's really bringing this whole item uh forward, especially on the uh railroad spike front, but also I would say uh the murals of music piece of this, and so I'm just excited to have the eastgate depot plus uh Tom has been kind enough on the top end of the track on his property.

We're gonna have another 12-footer up there as well.

So uh I don't want to steal too much of Eric's thunder because I feel like it's really it's it's his baby, his show.

But everything we're doing with the Dust and Wonder Trail really does center around railroad and the history of the railroad in this area, and so um with that.

If it's okay, chair, if Eric might come up and just chat.

Do you want to take it one at a time, the ABC, or how do you just cover the whole thing?

Or pause or however you want to do it?

Yeah, I think I think maybe if we can take them one at a time and have some discussion in between, and then uh certainly certainly they're all on the agenda.

So if we stray from one to the next, I don't think we get in trouble, but uh, but I think it'll help us if we discuss them individually as we go.

Thank you, Eric.

My pleasure.

Thank you for having me, everyone.

Uh, my name is Eric Brooks for the record.

I'm arts and culture program manager for a visit Carson City.

And as Dave mentioned, the current president of the Dust and Wonder Trail.

We're looking for a treasurer.

Just want to put that out there.

Uh out of order, you may not recruit in our meetings.

So this is a really exciting uh project, and um to be able the ability to have the VNT tied into it so strongly is absolutely amazing.

So we've got a couple ideas to present to you today.

Um, we can go ahead and go to the next slide.

So there's a uh two-foot mock-up of what will be a 12-foot sculpture.

Three of those are going to be installed ideally at the VT Railroad Depot in Virginia City, the Eastgate Depot in Carson City, and the former southern terminus point, which would be Minden Mill.

So lots of partners on this, and these larger sculptures uh will tie in well with the 27 smaller ones that will be placed throughout the region, and the world's tallest railroad spike sculpture at the Nevada State Railroad Museum uh coming this fall.

So uh, talk a little bit, we'll talk a little bit about the Dust and Wonder Trail, uh, the 12-foot interpretive railroad spike sculptures that Seth Johnson is making just down the street, and then get into Joe C.

Rock and his mural, and then a possibility of a statement mural, which we have some brand new news to that as well since this uh proposal was put together.

We can go to the next slide, please.

So, for those of you who haven't heard of the Dust and Wonder Trail, this is a grant that Visit Carson City wrote uh in partnership with Visit Carson Valley and the Virginia City Tourism Authority.

So, really, this is tying all of these areas into one visitor destination.

So people that come here they don't know uh when they've passed into Carson Valley or when they've gone through Silver City, they just think of this as one big amazing place.

And so that was the proposal we wrote, and we were awarded um what seems to be the second largest public art initiative in the state's history, uh 295,000 going straight to public art.

So what the one thing that really connects Carson Valley, Carson City, Virginia City, Silver City, Gold Hill is the railroad.

We have that amazing history.

Uh the Comstock Load changed the West, it changed the world, and we're very happy that uh we are living right in the middle of this history.

So, the one thing that's a little bit different is we're using art as the main capture point and then also history and culture to move people through our region.

We are coming close to the end of the first two years of this proposal, and this project started almost four years ago, so it's been a long time in the making.

And over the next six months, 33 sculptures and one site-specific mural will connect all of these destinations together.

So each of these sculptures will have a QR code that will link back to a digital map and extra assets on that.

And we're looking at that launching in the next couple of weeks.

Um, really excited to have that final piece out and to the public.

Any questions about the big picture of the Dust and Wonder Trail?

I know Leah, you were on that committee from way back when I'm happy to answer any specifics on it, even though we've just touched on it briefly.

Let's go to the next slide.

Wow, that's a 69-foot tall railroad spike, everybody.

Um, super excited that this is in production mode right now, the final engineering um they just got sent this morning, so we'll be looking at those.

So Seth Johnson lives here in Carson City.

He's done a lot of Burning Man art in the past, and he was chosen to be the fabricator.

Uh, well, he's got a team of fabricators, but he's the lead artist for driven a monument to connection.

So this is the world's tallest railroad spike.

It's a monument that will serve as the hub for the Dust and Wonder Trail at the Nevada State Museum, railroad museum.

So imagine the biggest anything people are going to come to it.

We've done some basic research, and we're going to have thousands and thousands and tens of thousands of people come look at this railroad spike.

So great traffic going to the museum.

They're going to scan that QR code, they're going to read the storytelling plates that we have built around it, and then they're going to have this map, and they're going to want to come see all the other small ones.

And what what better way than spend a day or two in a destination than to be able to learn about its history and not just the history-history, but also the culture, the heritage, and to be able to highlight the arts.

So we we expect a ton of people to be able to come down to this, and then that's going to trickle down into all these little businesses throughout the region.

So the three sites we mentioned earlier, the VC Depot, Eastgate Depot, and Minden Mill will have these 12-foot spikes, and they will become the framework to work along with the smaller 27 sculptures and guiding people into this larger story about movement industry and resilience.

We can go to the next slide, please.

Well, so this is in between two of the buildings.

You can see where it was a little bit wet from the rain.

That's where we're proposing to put this 12-foot sculpture.

Uh it's also going to be great for people taking pictures to have that backdrop.

And it would even be better to be able to have those buildings painted so they'll have a full uh connection, not just uh sculpture all by itself.

And having this location also is great for accessibility.

Families, children will be able to read uh the storytelling plates, which we'll we're working on currently, be able to get a selfie.

Uh, everyone's gonna want to take a picture of themselves with this sculpture uh throughout all of the events that you have throughout the year.

And interpretive art encourages pause exploration, reflection, and a deeper understanding of the area.

So not just for visitors, but also people that live here will be able to have a larger understanding of the history that they're in, and so that benefits uh the businesses and all the other attractions.

The visual experience results in photos, social media sharing, and organic promotion of the East Gate Depot and Carson City as a whole.

We can move on to the next, please.

So this is where we can tie the sculpture into a bigger project.

Uh, the Carson City Murals and Music Festival will be taking place in September.

This will be the fourth and final uh rendition of this one for well, we'll see if it ever comes back again.

But for now, fourth and final, and we're really proud of what we've been able to do.

So the top picture is the back of the old railroad depot in Elko, and Joe C Rock painted this in 2019.

So I we've been able to have a conversation with Joe.

He's actually currently painting in Winnemucca right now on the historic firehouse.

He's doing a firehouse scene in Winnemaka this week.

So we're gonna have this final festival, and we really want to hit on all cylinders, and that would be moving it outside of the downtown.

So far, primarily we've been focusing on having a walking tour for downtown.

But now this year we want to be able to reach out into more of the city.

We'll be doing a piece at the airport on their new building, uh, an airplane piece, and having a piece up at the depot would be absolutely amazing as well.

So we're gonna be adding to the 70 plus murals that make up this outdoor gallery, and it would be great to have a train piece up at Eastgate Depot.

So we have a couple opportunities.

One would be for the two walls on the bottom slide, and you can kind of see that shed tucked in there.

So it would be three surfaces that would be painted.

Uh, and we have talked to Joe, he's available and he loves doing trains, he loves doing history.

He would, I think, be a really really good fit.

Uh, and he would be able to work with myself and David and whoever else wanted to be on that conversation to be able to make sure that the piece is authentic and relevant and something for everybody.

So we can move over to the next slide, please.

So when we put this together a couple of weeks ago, there was a thought that maybe we would be able to do this wall in 2027.

And I've got a big exciting news for you here, but we'll go through some of this information first.

So we're Carson City's continuing to expand as a cultural anchor in Northern Nevada as an arts destination.

And these placemaking site-specific murals are something that welcomes people to our city and to individual businesses.

And if you're driving up to go to the train and you see that giant bare wall, if that was a mural, that would really be a welcoming wow factor.

And it would begin their cultural experience before they even get out of the car.

We thought about moving the dumpster candy, if that's okay.

Slide that over to the side.

For the record, Candy Duncan asked if we could paint the dumpster.

She was not at a microphone when she said it, but it's important to get it on the record.

Thank you.

So we have this amazing railroad heritage and history, and being able to create a landmark that people remember.

Again, it'll be a photo opportunity for people to take with them.

So an accessible and binding mural will generate all these photo opportunities, tourism exposure for the city, and organic digital marketing, which is the best kind.

So now Eastgate Depot is more than a departure point.

It's a cultural landmark and a part of this arts destination.

So here's the exciting news.

We found a pile of money, and it would have been ideal to write for this money last Friday.

But as it is, we can write for it today.

So a pile of uh the grant, the America 250 grant that we wrote to get the Carson City sculptures.

There's a small amount, 7,000 uh dollars, basically, that we can ask for on top of what we originally got, and we can use it for anything.

So if we put together a proposal, which really would be this afternoon and tomorrow, which I would be happy to do, we can find the funding to do this wall next month.

So that is the one caveat of this grant is has to be expended by June 30th for America 250.

So I have talked to Joe, he is willing and available to get together a design, a mock-up, and would be able to paint it in that time frame.

It would just need the committee to agree that that's something you wanted to do, and then since we wouldn't be able to come back to another board meeting, likely with this time frame to approve one of the members to take it to the finish line, so to speak, and to be able to approve what that design would be.

And then the other three walls we would do in September as part of the Music and Murals Festival, of which we've designated some funding to come from Visa Carson City and then a small amount from the VT.

I think we can go to the next one.

Well, I got way ahead of myself, getting all excited about mural.

So here's a rendition of what that 12 foot sculpture is going to look like and all of the fees, everything is paid for except for the installation, which is a great that we were able to get this all sorted.

So as part of the trail, uh a one-word describers attached to each sculpture, for instance, brewery arts.

They have chosen art.

Uh the prison, we're telling the Warm Springs Hotel story, not the prison story.

They've chosen beginnings in Chinatown.

Uh it's gonna be the word resilience, and we're working with the 1882 Foundation out of Washington, D.C, for some of that storytelling.

So we have the ability to have that one-word uh describer here at the Eastgate Depot, and we recommend that word would be gateway.

It honors Carson City's role as a historical entry point, speak speaks directly to the visitor experience and invites them to begin their personal journey.

So Joe C Rock, as we mentioned, he would have an original design in collaboration with the BNT Railway Commission, a thousand dollars sponsorship with a cash match by Visit Carson City would be required.

And that 2027 mural would cost between seven and ten.

He will be willing to do it for the seven instead of the ten, which is very generous of him.

Uh if we wanted to move down that path as well.

And I think that might be the last slide.

Yes.

So thank you all very much.

So what we're proposing are three separate things.

One is permission to place a twelve-foot sculpture that will be part of the Dust and Wonder Trail.

Uh secondly, we would and that would require the foundation to be done on uh on your end, which would be three to five hundred dollars approximately.

Secondly, we're proposing a three-wall mural that will surround the sculpture by Joe C.

Rock, Reno based artist Joe C.

Rock, and that design would be uh in collaboration with some of the members here of the commission for final approval.

And thirdly, we would propose to do the welcoming mural statement piece next month, uh that will have a train train history piece um mural.

I didn't explain that very well, but can I do three?

Yes, please.

Just a second two.

Winter vanna, please go ahead.

Yes.

Um thank you.

Uh I appreciate Eric taking us through this.

Obviously, the situation with the America 250 money came up after r in reality after we already had the agenda um pushed forward.

So I'm not sure, Lucas, uh if we have any discretion, you know, in here, um, even though we broke things down into into the three pieces, uh if we could consider uh putting a mural on the front of the actual depot building or not.

Um again, there wouldn't be a cost uh to the commission because we would I think I want to say we're augmenting our grant request, but uh maybe there's a different term for it, I just don't know, but we would do that as a visit Carson City.

So it wouldn't be an expectation that the commission would have to put that grant request together.

I think we're just adding to or modifying our pre-existing 250 grant or something like that.

Yeah, one of the grants ended up not happening, and so the money fell back into the general pool.

Yeah.

And so everyone was encouraged to write for that seven thousand dollars.

Yeah, which Eric is like the perfect person.

I mean, he lives in this in this world, so again, um with his help, you know, we could we could submit uh for that seven thousand if if the commission wishes to move in that direction on the large wall.

So um yeah.

So that's that's all we've got for you on this end of things.

So just again, uh chair Mr.

Chair, I appreciate the opportunity to bring some art to the depot.

Spruce it up a little bit.

So thank you.

Um right off the bat, any uh c questions or comments from the commission, and then maybe we'll uh take a little legal break and see see what we feel comfortable with um within the scope of design.

My um comment goes back to number one, the um railroad spikes.

Those are gonna be up all over um the area in all of the dust and wonder whatever.

So it really would and it doesn't make sense for us not to move forward with those with railroad spikes in town.

So um, I think it's gonna be pr a pretty cool thing.

Um, I was curious at first how it would move people around, and then I learned about you know the QR code and and how all that leads into the map and whatnot.

So from a tourism and the railroad perspective, I really think it's a great idea.

Thank you.

Other comments or questions.

Um I would just add to that.

I I think I think all three ideas are fantastic and really bring some synergy and we've been talking about wanting to make the depot look more inviting and bring people there for other reasons, and I think it just checks all of those boxes.

Um exciting that that one mural could happen so quickly, but um in regards to the railroad spike, what's the time frame on installation for that?

Uh Eric Brooks for the record, that would be soon as you would like to do it.

Uh they are uh just getting coded right now.

So basically they're getting the color placed on them, but they are built.

Uh we need to put together the final storytelling piece, but I would say August would be the day to shoot for.

And if the commission has to pay for installation, do you have somebody, a contractor that does that work, or would we have to find someone?

We would be happy to help facilitate that.

May I uh chair.

May I just respond to Stephanie on that?

Um I was hoping that Tom might be willing to help us because he would be doing the foundation on his property up top.

So basically it would just be a replicating uh the same thing, and I thought we could cover that cost through our secondary agreement with Tom.

I mean, I figure if he if he gets it worked out up top or starts down there and then goes up top.

Um they're identical basis correct.

I mean, there wouldn't be any any difference uh in the poor or anything like that from a concrete perspective.

So that was my thought.

I do have one question about the spikes.

Will there be any kind of like unveiling or or like a big to-do when all these are up so that will drive people to the spikes once they're up?

Yes is the short answer.

Okay.

And I'll I'll just add to that.

Um we're trying to figure out uh membership fundraising, we have the artist piece, placemakers, artisans.

So hypothetically, between now and I'm gonna say September, uh, budget-wise, we have six different opportunities.

Uh three, if I'm speaking correct me, Eric.

Uh three would be the fundraiser slash membership, um events.

I'm just gonna use the word event, and then three that are specific to those artists, artisans and place makers.

That's still kind of the plan, I believe.

So uh there's a lot of fluidity to the Dust and Wonder Trail, uh, because we're dealing with multiple jurisdictions, multiple vendors, contracts.

It's it's it's really something else, I'll be quite honest with you.

And so we have a vendor right now that's actually working and developing uh fundraising uh planning and membership planning and scope around that, and then we're trying to also tie in the artist specific um events separate and independent of those and all this you guys has to be wrapped up on the dust and wonder trial side has to be wrapped up by the 8th of October.

Whereas with the uh 250 money, that is a hard 630 deadline or for all of the the two fifty money.

So we kind of got a couple different grant things going on in-house at visit Carson City with some different deadlines that we're trying to manage and navigate through that process right now.

So but yes, there will be I think great opportunity.

What a great might be a really cool thing, especially if we had a train coming in on a weekend that would make sense.

I mean, my god, we could really really have a cool event up there.

So I think that's uh excellent idea and I appreciate uh my peer Leah being willing to take the lead on that.

So thank you.

Um Stephanie, do you have other questions or comments?

Okay, we're good.

Um uh Eric, I have I have one question.

Um I'm curious if the um the fact that it's not just a flat surface on those metal buildings makes it more challenging.

I'm sure it does in some regard, but from for murals with uh with whatever kind of the relief is with the uh the siding and what your thoughts are there.

It is more challenging, and that's why we wanted to approach Joe.

Uh he does primarily spray paint, and so that takes that issue out of the it's not not a problem at all.

And actually at the end result, because you have a little bit of texture on there, it makes the mural pop out a little bit better.

So it's harder to paint, but it gives a better finished image.

Very good.

Very good.

Um I'm gonna go to public comment in just a moment, but I thought maybe we'd consult with Lucas and just ask about kind of the scope of what we have here and and the potential to to make a modification.

It sounds like there's no fiscal impact.

And as I'm looking at kind of the um the proposed motion, it seems like maybe maybe it's just uh not to exceed amount for three murals instead of two.

Does that seem like it's within the scope of what we're doing here?

Or do or did we did we write the item too narrowly to be able to consider adding this mural project?

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So uh the answer to Vice Chair Peterson's question is that the agenda item has been drafted broad enough that this commission can consider and take action on additional public art.

As it's drafted right now, it's discussion and possible action.

Um there was proper notice that there may be possible action on future public art at the East Cate depot.

Um as we discussed via email and crafting the agenda, the only thing that would have to be changed for this uh item would have to be the motion has to be crafted to ensure that the project is specified, what is being approved by the commission, where it's being approved to be placed, and this is specifically okay because there is no fiscal impact.

If there would be, then we would have to come back on an agenda specifying that amount of money to be spent.

Um so as long as the motion is clear of what the project is, that there is no fiscal impact and where it will be placed, then it should be fine for this commission to take action for that additional mural under this drafting of the agenda.

Thank you very much.

Uh is it is it appropriate for us to do that just by basically discussing on on the record very specifically what those elements are and then the motion itself can just reference the discussion that we had on the agenda or on the on the record.

That would be fine.

Thank you.

That way you're not trying to craft specific wording into the motion.

I've I've got some PTSD around that.

All right.

Let's open up for public comment.

Uh any public comment on this item about uh several different aspects of art at the Eastgate Depot.

All right, hearing none, um, maybe if I can get started with trying to summarize the elements that are not currently in the uh in the proposed motion.

Um but I think the motion can reflect instead of two murals, three murals, and then as discussed on the record, and we'll kind of go through those.

So if I remember correctly, one of the elements that uh that we're being asked to do is to designate a commissioner to be kind of a primary liaison and work through details.

Um the second one would probably be uh sp specifically identifying what what and where uh and an additional mural.

Chair Mitchell, can I just ask Eric a quick just to clarify something?

On the Sherry, could you go back to the cover slide?

When we were chatting before, were we going to do that little part of the shed?

Okay, so technically speaking, there would be three walls then.

Three through three surfaces.

Separate from the main depot building, which would give us a fourth wall or a fourth surface.

Correct.

Yeah.

So, so Chair.

We would have.

Now it might technically it might it might wrap around the front where the bench is.

I so I don't know if we have to articulate uh potentially five walls or how how to do that uh Lucas, but hypothetically it's four murals.

Four surfaces.

I would call it two murals.

One mural will span three multiple walls.

Ah, okay, okay.

Okay.

So okay, so we're still okay then because we oh no, because we did say two murals, I guess.

You're right.

So we is that fair, Lucas, or do we have to specify the walls associated with each mural?

What's what's the best course of action there?

Thank you.

Uh specifying just the number of murals should suffice.

So the idea, Eric, uh jump in, please, if if you don't mind, but uh this would tie this whole section together, right?

The these different uh surfaces that you see on that image, even if it wraps around to where the benches uh the idea was to tie that all together.

Correct.

The imagery would be a flow, you could maybe call it.

So it it'll entail different images within those three walls, but it will have one story with it, if that makes sense.

Okay.

Um so I think I can summarize those elements uh and then someone can make a motion that references that.

Um and I guess the only decision that we need to make is who who we are going to appoint if um as kind of a liaison just to handle details as we're moving towards a deadline on this project.

Mr.

Chair, if I may.

Yes.

But there should still be a delineation between the murals that the commission is approving expenditure funds for and any murals that there will be no fiscal impact for, so there shouldn't just be baked into the motion just three murals at all.

It should be separated by what you're spending money on and what is not going to be spend money on.

Okay.

Lucas, it's it it still would only be two murals, though not three.

That's my understanding.

We thought it was going to be two, but it's actually s multiple surfaces.

So in the the one referenced in the motion is a not to exceed amount of a thousand dollars for a mural with multiple.

Yes, and that would be this one.

Multiple walls.

Yeah.

Correct.

Additionally, a second mural with no fiscal impact to replace facing the parking lot.

Yeah.

All right.

I think I can summarize all that and someone can say ditto.

Uh but we do need to but but we do but we do need to um decide who uh one, two, three, not it, who's gonna be the commissioner that uh.

Um I'm certain I'm certainly happy to do that if if we need to.

Um, although I'm Eric's a super nice person to work with.

No, I have no doubt.

Um I I may be I may be um out of communication next week for most of the week.

I don't know if that throws uh a wrench into things, but otherwise I'm happy to be a point of contact.

Good to two of us, and that way I can keep things moving, and then when you come back, since we can always work in groups of two, I'd be an idea to work with you on it, especially because I will be in and out too, just to get this thing over the finish line.

And I'm not jumping in because you guys have volunteered me for enough today.

What are you taking on today?

I've not seen anything other than it's also event season, so I'm busy.

Our events end the second weekend of November.

I mean, come on.

And if I can just jump in there, Brooks for the record, uh the immediate next steps would be upon a approval, I will draft the um grant to secure those funds.

I'll actually call person on when I'm in the parking lot to let her know that I'm doing that.

Uh I will have Joe start working on a design next week, and I was think by mid mid-June we would be able to have something to approve or to tweak, and then painting likely the third week, depending on his schedule.

So it'll it'll be a rapid fire.

Absolutely.

Great.

Okay.

So then uh just to provide a bit of wrap-up.

One last chance for final uh public comment, any input before we try to get through this thing.

So I'm just gonna summarize the the discussion that we've had here on the record, um, so that it can be referenced in the motion.

Um, and the first one is to um so in addition to the the things that are in the motion itself, um, we would we would add an additional or second mural uh authorization to proceed with a second mural by Joe C.

Rock um to be grant funded, so no fiscal zero fiscal impact to the commission.

Um that would make it a grand total of two murals.

What's in the motion was representing multi multiple faces or multiple walls of one that would have a fiscal impact not to exceed a thousand dollars, and then the second one that we're adding would be facing the parking lot, and then we would also be authorizing the chair and vice chair to work as liaison um to make sure this gets done in a timely fashion by the end of June of this year.

So if that represents our understanding, if someone's willing to take a stab at a motion, um that includes the things that are that were already kind of in the recommended motion, but then also to by reference the things that we just discussed.

I'll make that motion.

Um so I move to approve the placement of the 12-foot interpretive railroad spike, the East Gate Depot, uh the expenditure and the amendment not to exceed the thousand dollars for the mural that was discussed on the record with multiple walls as it relates to the fourth annual Car City murals and music festival, uh September 14 and 19, 2026, and for a mural to be put on the call it south facing wall of the depot building at no cost to the commission and for the chair and vice chair as stated on the record to work on all items included within this motion.

Fair.

Alright, very good.

We we have a motion nicely done.

Uh, do we have a second?

I second.

All right.

It would have been fun if it died for lack of a second.

After all that work.

Any final discussion on this item.

Hearing none, I'll call for the vote.

All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you, Eric.

Appreciate all your work on this and for taking us through it.

Thank you, Dave, for that masterful motion.

And uh thank you everyone for your consideration.

Thank you.

Go.

He's got to get to the airport.

All right, very good.

Uh, we will move on to item number 10, which is discussion of possible action regarding a proposed request for proposal or RFP for Polar Express decorating services and direction to staff for publication of the RFP and designation of two commissioners to review RFP responses and provide a recommendation to the commission.

Sherry, do you want to take us through the basics on this?

Thank you.

Uh so we are asking for the commission to approve an RF to put it out an RFP for the decorating of the Eastgate depot for Polar Express inside and outside.

Um we're looking for someone to commit to until 2030, so four-year contract.

Um they will have to comply with rail events guidelines.

Um, and we're looking for a budget between ten and twelve thousand dollars.

Oh, excuse me.

I'm also asking for two commissioners um to have input on the final decision.

Very good, thank you.

And um Sherry, just to clarify that budget amount is an annual amount on the correct on the contract that we're anticipating.

Very good.

All right.

Uh questions, comments, discussion from the commission.

Yes, how is 2030 only four years from now?

The answer is you get hold.

Um do we know if there are is like so is there a pool of people that we think that will actually apply for this, or is it gonna be slim pickings?

Um I'm only asking because we run into this problem sometimes up in Story County where we go out to bid for stuff and we have nobody that responds.

So I'm just curious if you know of anyone they could reach out to and tell them that it has been posted and you know, that kind of thing.

So that's my biggest concern is that is there gonna be any interest in wanting to do this.

I would hope, given the fact that it's not a year to year situation, which we've heard from our vendors is difficult for them, uh especially due to the timing of when we can even get something brought forward in front of a this group.

Um that maybe other folks other than you know the the vendors that we've worked with might be interested in it because it would give them the next four years uh to work with us and lock something in.

So I mean, I appreciate the work that's been done um to put these next couple agenda items together uh to get a long-term situation and lights.

So uh my answer is I hope, you know, that having a multi-year contract would be uh would open up the the pool of potential prospects, you know, to respond to the RFP.

So and then I guess that my next question would be what do we do if no one if there is no response?

Like how do we do we put it forward again?

Do we know what I mean?

There's a there's a process uh that we can go through uh to publish in the newspaper basically that we've attempted to go through this RFP process, it resulted in uh nobody responding to it and then that process, once you go through and you do all that, you can actually engage anybody directly at that point.

But you know, forgive me, Stephanie probably didn't describe the process better than me, but but um that would be I would say our plan B.

Right.

But at least I feel comfortable with a multi-year uh contract that we're being transparent, we're being open, and we're doing an appropriate solicitation following 332 and everything.

So you know, I'm definitely for the the process that we're undergoing.

100%.

And I agree, I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page if something doesn't come.

Hopefully, I'm just being the negative Nelly and hopefully it will actually we'll get tons of responses and it will be great.

Not tons.

Could we not have that many?

Could I ask a quick question chair about so on the on the dollar amount?

Um the the 10 to 12, are are we going will allow folks to basically uh put a submission together, you know, they could have up to 12,000 per year.

So would the maximum uh be 48k that we're uh more or less allowing here?

I mean, somebody could come in and say, Oh, we can I can do it for 10, you know, and they put a 40k bid together, but that would be the maximum that we're looking at basically is forty-eight for the four for the four years.

Okay.

Okay, great.

Yeah, uh I mean to some extent the the way the way it's written in the overview is an anticipated contract value for for the first fiscal, um, with some understanding that there will likely be some adjustments, I would imagine um going forward for inflation or or what have you, and so um so yeah, I don't I don't I don't know if I I'm I'm not I haven't quite been able to process yet what kind of flexibility we should maintain in that proposal process to allow people to build that in, or if um.

May I make a suggestion perhaps we could create a cost template that it would just be a one sheeter and then put in each PEX twenty six, twenty seven, 28, 29, 30, and then uh let them fill that in, you know, so we can see how they're breaking those costs down for fiscal year.

I think if we could have, you know, allow that flexibility, you know that that latitude.

We I mean we could we you you could say, well, you know, we don't want to go more than 48 or 50, you know, for the course of the contract, but um with it, you know, depending on if people are renting or buying, I don't know if that's gonna be a how that impacts I feel like we've had this discussion before for those folks where we we rent the we rent the stuff from them or whatever, and then sometimes they can't get it and I don't know how that works.

I think Carla probably know better, or you might have an idea.

No, she says no.

Never mind.

She knows nothing she's saying.

Uh but we can't see her.

Uh but no, did you remember I feel like this came up before about uh buying or renting or something, and then if we don't I my worst fear has been in the past, I feel like by the time we were able to get the contracts in uh like in front of us, some of the items that we wanted to have displayed were gone.

I believe they rented them at other people or they were contractually obligated to other locations or whatever.

So that's another concern I have is I would hope that wouldn't be the case now for the next four years, right?

You know, just depending on I don't know if they buy them, rent them, how they you know, lease them, loan them.

I don't know how all that works, but yeah.

Sure, Sherry, can you remind us just a little bit about uh the process in the past?

We've kind of gone on a uh a one-off year-to-year basis, and you recall what kind of lead time or time frame we were making those decisions considering that.

How I mean how what month?

How close, you know, or are we out in front of it or are we about where we have been?

I believe that this past year we we did give Celadon a I think I requested August or September, and that was plenty of time.

Um I do know that she does purchase and she does retain the decoration things.

Um she'll send different items that new ideas that she has.

And I think generally she tries to build just build on what she already has.

Okay.

So it sounds like if if we're able to uh put this out and get it back and processed within a a timely fashion, then we should have pretty pretty good advanced notice to to get the things we want to need, um, and especially with a multi-year.

I'm happy to help with this one if you're looking for people.

Okay.

Matter of fact, we are.

We're looking for two people.

As outlined in the staff summary.

Jeez.

Uh to and Stephanie's willing to.

Look at that.

Carson City representing Lee.

Are you gonna f you're gonna fight fight for this or uh graciously?

Graciously.

Look at that.

Yeah.

Don't break the ring.

I would have happily done it.

We have another one.

That's the best.

Do you get credit for the wanting to without actually having to do the work?

Yeah.

All right.

Um very good.

Other other questions from the commission.

We'll open it up for public comment, public comment on this item.

All right, hearing none.

I guess we can go uh I'll go ahead and entertain a motion and it looks like we have the fill in the blanks would be Stephanie and Dave on that motion to um to review the responses and provide recommendations, if that's okay.

All right.

Does someone have a motion?

I'll make a motion.

I move to approve the request proposal as presented, direct staff to publish the request for proposals and designate Stephanie Hicks and David Peterson to review the responses to the RFP and provide a recommendation to the commission at the July Commission meeting.

Does that uh work?

Yeah, does that feel like it works with the time we need to get this out and get it back and worked on July meeting?

Does that seem yes?

That's I did have have it planned for and then the contract to begin August 1st.

All right, very good.

Um and I will just point out for the for the sake of clarity, while the contract runs through 2030, that is January of 2030, meaning through the 2029 polar year.

So it's not just it's not including that 2030 season.

So all right, very good.

Uh we have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Motion and a second.

Any final discussion on that?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you kindly.

We will move on to item number 11, which is uh for discussion and possible action regarding a proposed request for proposals for photos with Santa services and direction of staff for publication of the RFP and two to designate two commissioners to review RFP responses and provide a recommendation to the commission.

Sherry.

It's me.

So our next RFP, it will be for the photos with Santa that we operate at Polar Express.

The vendor will run the Santa photo station next to the gift shop and provide um the photographer and Santa for every single performance.

Um instead of paying them, it will be a revenue revenue share as it has been in the past.

Excuse me, of 35% of gross sales.

Um the vendor will excuse me.

The vendor will also have to have their photo folders approved by rail events um ahead of time.

That's why I want to get on this, because it can take a bit.

Um there we will restrict them from selling their photos to the general public.

There will only be for our Polar Express people.

Got to be a little bit of a cluster this past year, not so um, and again, I would like two commissioners to be able to make the decision once I the RFPs have been submitted.

Very good.

Thank you.

Questions or comments from the commission?

Yeah, just to clarify, that means that people can't just go to the depot and get pictures taken with that Santa.

They have to be ticket holders.

Correct.

Okay.

And have we and this is a we haven't done that before, right?

It did happen a bit last year, and it it did interfere with our past.

Because I remember when my I'm only saying anything because I remember when my kids were little, they were like, oh, if you're not if you don't want to ride the train, you can go get a picture with Santa.

So I didn't know if that was still something that was being said.

That was a long time ago.

My kids are grown.

So I don't know if that was something that people thought they could still do or not.

I think up until yes last year we didn't realize that we needed to have that as part of the the agreement.

Okay.

So now it's no outside just a ticket holder.

Correct.

Okay, got it.

Would they show their ticket then in order to have their photo with their kids taken?

How would we manage that?

Well, what is the plan?

Uh I think last year it was publicized on Facebook come and take your and oh, so now we could.

I don't think we have to get there to basically say the pictures are for, you know, kids that are riding the polar express train only.

I don't think we need to.

I think I think the abs the absence of outside marketing is the control, right?

So you don't have to put a negative message, but you just literally don't invite others.

Well, who put, could I just ask who the photographer did?

The photographer, that was part of the agreement.

I guess that's kind of part of a follow-up question that I would have is from from the photographer's perspective, is that going to be seen as limiting their potential?

Does that uh when we talk about the revenue share, does that potentially make it a point of contention?

Uh if if they're capped at the number of people we're bringing through for the train rides.

I think we we provide them a very good amount of traffic.

Okay.

Other questions or comments?

Remind me, you don't have to sign up ahead of time to get the pictures.

You can decide to do it when you're there, right?

Correct, okay.

Yeah, thank you.

And if I remember correctly, we within the last year or so we did have interest from more than one photographer, and I believe that we decided that for last year since we were kind of taking on at a fairly late date, we would continue with what we had, but then we'd kind of do the open process for a longer term.

And does the the term on this one match the term on the last one the same what we were just looking at?

Okay.

Good any other discussion?

Open up for public comment.

Any public comment on this item?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, take your time orderly in a line.

We'll get to all of you.

For the record, that was sarcasm.

There is no public comment.

All right.

Um, I would before anybody else says anything, I will happily volunteer myself to review the RFPs on this.

Dave, write that in your journal.

Very good.

So Commissioner Cruz is volunteering.

Is there someone else who'd like to volunteer to review these RFPs?

I can review this one as well.

Thank you very much, Steph.

All right.

Almost like a cultural corridor.

All right.

Does someone like to make a motion on this?

I can make this motion as well.

Thank you.

Uh I move to approve the request for proposal as presented.

Direct staff to publish the request for proposal and designate Stephanie Hicks and Leah Cruz to review the responses to the RFP and provide a recommendation to the commission at the July Commission meeting.

Good.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

I second.

Motion and a second.

Any last minute commentary?

Hearing none, all those in favor, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

And motion passes unanimously.

Thank you kindly.

All right.

We will move on to our monthly non-action items.

Um we will open it up for so I don't know if I don't know if I'm just not seeing online.

Regina, are you by chance there online with us?

I wonder if I think they got that um the the artifact invite from last month with the one p.m.

there was a new one sent.

I received the new one.

Okay.

I did as well, yeah.

Okay.

Sounds good.

We'll move on to uh B, which is track maintenance update.

Mr.

Chris Fredder.

Chris Fredder, Battleborne Rail.

Um just the yearly stuff.

You know, we just replaced a bunch of signs.

We uh finished a couple retaining walls.

Um the list goes on.

We'd uh gonna be starting the ditches here soon and everything looks good.

Plugging away.

Very good.

Thank you.

Questions uh for Mr.

Fredder?

Alright.

Thank you kindly.

Uh overall uh a little bit lighter winter, um, easier in some ways, possibly, maybe not so much.

What's uh what's the take?

Definitely easier.

Uh we're making headway.

I think that like a lot of the ditches this year, half as full as what they were.

Welding up the signs last year, all the ones that say VNT, they actually stayed through the winter, so that was awesome.

Instead of replacing a ton of them down with downwind.

Um, yeah, the retaining walls just to help uh conserve the ballast from sloughing off and stuff like that, so we won't have to dump in in the future.

So uh yeah, we're getting a good hold on the maintenance.

Very good.

All right, thank you kindly.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh we'll move on to our operations and train report.

It's Candy Duncan andor Tom Gray.

Yeah.

She said the buck doesn't stop with me.

Uh Tom Gray BNT Railroad.

Um I was thinking on those uh on those sculptures, you know, you need to build the foundation that there is a fiscal impact on that.

You know, he dig it out and concrete.

I don't think you need to permit from Carson City to build those.

Um same with Virginia City.

But yeah, that's it's not small amount, you know, to dig up probably uh four by four by three foot deep with concrete and rebar and bolts and all the stuff that it takes.

Um so yeah, we're uh 18s running really good.

Uh we're starting to get really bad flangeware.

Um we'll go out this week and grease the tracks and hopefully we don't overgrease it.

Um that's always a fear we have, but it's running really good or getting some new crews developed, so that that's good.

Um, pasture cars are working out good.

Um the uh we had the rail bike, you know, a new rail bike testing with David there, and I think it was pretty good.

I think it's a pretty, you know, I feel comfortable with that machine itself.

Um we do need to talk to David about we need to build out uh some capital improvements around it, you know.

Wherever we stop the rail bikes, you know, we need to maybe add a bunch of uh walking, you know, like a hundred feet or plus more of walking pathways so people don't is it so it's less likely to trip over the rails and some kind of barricades, maybe even concrete blocks that the the manufacturer write by there for people to sit on and keep the off roaders and you know, little stuff like that, and then at the depot.

We also need to put in some semi-permanent uh hydraulic turn cables, you know, one at Eure Rica and one at Eastgate and then one wherever else, you know, in the future, but um and then I think uh probably the worst thing we'd have to do uh would be uh we need to build about a hundred feet of some uh you know they have these containers with double end doors.

I think I need to put those at the end of the siding track for the rail bikes to go in and out for storage in between the week.

But also, you know, if uh David has a tour on a Wednesday, you know uh an operator could go down there, pull them out really easily.

Not easily, but the most easy way to and then uh operate a tour.

So all that's coming up.

Um we haven't done the electrical improvements at Eastgate yet.

Uh you know, for the we we need to put in, I think three or four more circuits for the during the Polar Express.

All the circuits are so overloaded, so that that's on the radar screen, and now that all the decorations are down, you can get it done before the season starts.

I think those are the main things.

Um I I just assume that David and I are gonna kind of be the contact for the rail bike as that develops.

I'm okay with that, but I have to defer to the chair.

Um, if I could just say I really appreciated Tom uh with this new rail bike bringing it out.

I had my whole team come down, also had uh spike from the VAC.

So everybody got to take uh an opportunity either down and and uh or back on both.

Uh very well constructed, like safety.

Uh nobody was concerned at all about the safety.

It's got the floor, you know, built in parking parking brake, you can yank on the parking brake.

We don't have to worry about somebody going you know 40 miles an hour right off the corner or anything like that, so Tom can limit the the s the speeds and everything on it, and boy, um it was cool to be on the tracks on on a rail bike again.

My my team was uh Stu just was beside himself because he's the one everywhere he goes in the in the North America.

Everybody's asking him from a tour operator standpoint when are you guys gonna get the rail bikes back?

So uh now he can tease them a little bit and say I was on one.

So yeah, I and Tom and I choose we probably spent an hour and a half uh in Eureka walk all the way down and back and um I really like Tom's ideas, you know, with some additional I don't call it ballast but uh gravel, you know, to help so folks can just kind of step right off without tripping or stumbling and not having to cross over multiple sets of tracks down there.

So Tom's got a great idea with the uh hydraulic uh turn style or turn table as well.

So everything again I think is about safety of our riders, you know, and the employees uh who would be uh, you know, helping to to turn the bikes and so it's exciting.

But yes, I I agree with Tom, um some conversation, you know, for uh with with the chair and and probably the full commission, you know, as far as our involvement as the commission to help uh some of the the infrastructure improvements that would be needed and I do love the idea of having uh some of those connexes or containers or or whatever and and um yeah, because if if we had an opportunity or we've got some some tour operators coming in or we're working with our peers up in Reno and they're you know, bringing twenty folks from Mexico or Canada, uh my god to be able to get them out on a on a tour would be amazing and sometimes that stuff sometimes we know, sometimes we we we don't know right away, so it's it's hard to oh we gotta wait till you know uh Sunday or something along those lines.

But in talking to Tom when we were testing last week, the th or yeah, uh what I was excited about is the prospect that we could do morning runs and then we could do some things in the evening as well.

And I think that gives us some really cool opportunities for some thematic uh style rail bike runs into the evening, so and that way we're not out there when it's you know, hundred and five degrees in the shade.

So I think I think it's it's yeah, I don't know.

I'm just I'm excited, you know, at the prospect of of uh bringing the railbikes back.

So I thank Tom for for going down and engaging with with his uh peer down there and it was Monterey, I think you said or uh to to bring the it's just so cool.

I mean it's orange, it has the maple uh wood red, uh like like spoke and rim.

Just looks sharp, looks cool, you know.

Very, very photo uh genic uh rail bike.

So I think I think it's yeah, I don't know.

I love it.

I love it all.

So those are the comments.

You look at 'em and you want to ride 'em, you know, that's my the other ones we we we were building out, you know, we're looking at the mechanical aspects all the time, but you know, and I I don't think we got those to the point where I feel comfortable yet.

Like I said, and these came available.

Well, I'll I'll talk with them today and tomorrow tomorrow uh about them.

But um uh and but they're also they're uh they're made for couples for two people, but you can hook two of them together for a family.

Um the price point was uh is a hard one.

Uh I have no idea.

Um, you know, uh and uh, you know, the extremes right now is a mendocinos five fifty for a rail bike ride and three seventeen for that's a two person and then uh uh you know uh at Monterey they charged it was quite a bit, you know.

I don't think we're even near that, but it's like holy macro, that's what they felt to have, you know, successful operation.

It's not inexpensive with the number of people you have to have and all that and but uh I think I think it will be yeah, especially these bikes have nice lights on them.

I I like the way they they thought they they they didn't make these to resell, they made them for their own use, so they made them as reliable as possible.

You know, the motorcycle brakes, hydraulic brakes instead of bicycle and you know, the way he figured it out.

Uh Mason uh the young man that really developed the is a mechanical, he started out in the rail with rail bikes and I saw the velocipede in his uh in his shop, you know, that he patterned the the the the wheels after and uh I I he's a mechanical engineer now.

He grew up and then now he worked for Lockheed, you know, the skunk's works is doing something there, so but they did a good job on these, so um I it's uh it's only it's a so it's a one saw it just can't the opportunity came up.

So I I think that, you know, we need to go forward and then develop it as it as it goes.

So and if I could just add one thing to having ridden the other rail bikes that we had a few years back.

The vibration you know you get off those bikes.

Your teeth were still you know your head was shaking.

Nothing smooth like the whole way down the track.

It was it was really nice.

Um so yeah I they they seem to work really really well you know again we we only went down two Eureka and back didn't go back up.

I I didn't we didn't have that kind of time but boy um they were nice very smooth.

Very cool looking for sure so excellent.

Do I come back with MOU or how do I maybe more formalize it or just I mean it's kind of evolving but talk with David we're kind of on the same page you know as we I kind of see what David needs and wants and and what I I need and they take a lot of room you know it's amazing.

You don't realize it but uh they're spread out quite a bit.

That's the that is the question you know in talking to Tom while we were testing is to decouple the rail bikes from the train I think is still probably the way that the Tom wants to do that.

So I would think that might have to be a separate agreement between Tom and us as the commission just what we were banding about.

Of course chair for for your discussion with Lucas and and Tom but um kind of compartmentalize train operation over here and then rail bike over here you know to allow for some different um insurance requirements right uh not have that heavy burden you know from running the train and and those requirements I think that would uh just in talking to Tom that seems to be fair right so so anyway I don't know how that all all looks but um definitely we'll have to have some conversations about that moving forward and how how to how to orchestrate all this and work together.

Yeah, agreed and you know especially if there are some capital improvements that we're gonna need to do around the depot specifically to accommodate or make for better experience.

I mean we did just pass a budget that includes a a decent chunk of money to do a few things around the depot but I think we'll we'll need to prioritize what's what's giving us the most bang for our buck and and sequence that uh w when when we'll need it so um yeah happy I mean happy to have conversations and we can bring something back.

I guess the problem is going to look like the port of Carson City with all these shipping containers there now so yeah.

Does that give us more mural opportunities?

My goodness gracious yeah I could see Leah flying down the track on a mural or flying off maybe midair.

I wanted a lot of so do I but uh we have to err on the side of caution and safety Leah here.

Very good um Tom any um any thoughts on uh you know we just we've done a couple long line runs just how how things are going there any uh anything that we need to have on our radar as far as refinements from an operational perspective.

Um you know I'm I'm worried about the gas prices this year uh at least it's available we've we've operated when the gas wasn't available we had the big gas shortages you know the embargoes but um you know we'll see uh um so far I think ridership's been okay I don't think it's great but it's busy you know I mean um yeah with the equipment seems to be good I'm I'm feel comfortable now getting some crews developed you know that you know responsible guys um so that's we don't have a lot of redundancy for sure in people but um um yeah very good we keep you know we we put all new seats in the polar express train and the no you know every year we just kind of go through the cars and you know take bits and pieces so like the mount house has all new seat bottoms in it now you know they were kind of tattered so you know we just keep trying to improve them as we go try to build the life back into them so to speak.

Slowly.

Good.

All right.

If there are no further questions, thank you kindly.

Appreciate that update.

Come on up, Candy.

Oh no.

I I see the wisdom in waiting to be able to correct the the wrong things that Tom says.

Thank you, Candy Duncan, Virginia Truckee Railroad.

Um I thought I should maybe say as few words as possible since I don't know what I got, maybe Hontavirus when I went to Durango.

But anyway, I wanted to tell you a little bit about Polar Express Camp and of course the most important thing about Polar Express Camp, which Carla probably should tell you, but anyway, she wasn't there I got to help get it.

You are you got awarded the um best onboard experience for 2025.

So that is that is amazing.

And it's because of Carla and all her hard work and all the kids and everything that she puts up with every year, it's pretty amazing.

But anyway, so that was the important thing.

Um and I did actually um learn a few new things, but one of the main things that I wanted to make you all aware of, and I'm not quite sure how you will um what you will want to do with this, but I did meet with a company called Horizon Tickets, and they do eTix, which is the company that does the Durango Silverton's ticket system, and they are um specializing they specialize in railroads.

So they um unlike Fair Harbor, which does lots of hotels that are part of Book It, um ETIX and horizon ticket ticketing are all basic really railroads.

So I did get to speak with a couple of railroads that use um this program for their Polar Express now that we're assigning seats um had some ideas for me about ways that we could do it and make it much easier.

Um and I think that this is beyond what I can decide, you have to, you know, make that decision.

But if you wanted to um have the representative from Ryzen Tickets come and talk to you about it, or if you wanted to separate into a separate two-person committee to speak with them, um I'd be happy to give you my input now that I've been doing Fair Harbor for three years and um have experience with activity tickets before that and a couple other ticketing companies before that.

So if you wanted my um expertise of my opinion on the different ones, I'd be happy to help, but it didn't and if you don't want if we don't have time to do it for this year, it's okay.

I think their harbor has I've noticed now in the new uh manifest that they're putting out, they now show seat assignment zone, which would be car.

Um and so we m maybe they've finally figured out a way.

I haven't talked to them yet, I've been able to get a hold of them, but a way to make it easier than the way it was last year.

So I just basically wanted to tell you about that.

And then also, um, as far as this year's schedule is concerned, or so far the trains we've had.

Um and I think you probably know we didn't have we weren't in a complete sold-out situation for Mother's Day.

We had we sold out the private um rooms and tables, but not coaches.

Um it was a pretty good showing for Sunday, not quite as much for Saturday, but still we had a lot of happy people and that was all great.

The diesel training that we ran the following weekend ended up having two cars, which I was really happy about.

I just don't want everyone to see us in a one car situation again.

That's not good.

And then um last weekend was great.

It was uh steam, we were almost full both days and lots of happy people.

It was really a great day.

And then this coming weekend, which is steam again, is not looking so good.

And the weekend after that is diesel and it's not looking so good.

So I know that Clay has um spoken with uh Regina about upping our coverage and getting more out there, which is really important.

I hope that works.

I tried to look at my I have the program on my phone, but I can't get Wi Fi here, so I don't know what the current um status is, but we just have a couple of days, so but everything looks nice out at the depot.

Um everything is going great otherwise, and um I will I will I'm sure I'll be able to talk with Carl about some other things from polar, but nothing you need to worry about.

It'll be perfect.

We'll win another award for 2026.

So that's it.

Thank you.

Oh, we're here to very good thank you.

Questions for Candy?

Can I just uh say congratulations to all of you on that best on board experience.

I relayed that to my board uh last week and told them that's a result of you all refining the whole performance honestly and and this is why people want to come back I do believe year after year because they see something a little bit different right within the rules right of engagement and so I thought that was uh quite frankly amazing and uh really a culmination of you guys you know Tom.

And and what you do with your your cast and your crew and you know it's just uh I thought that was pretty darn cool for us to beat.

It's like a 30 something in the whole world and we we whipped them.

So yeah oh 50 oh geez oh I undersold this to my board.

I'll correct myself next month.

Good golly.

Um so yeah uh great uh great work you know hats off to all of you on on that end of things.

And uh so just a question on the increase for on the marketing side of things.

Are we still trying to go like couple weeks out so in other words uh last week say Wednesday Thursday Friday through the weekend were we trying to push this weekend and then obviously now we'll have a push for this weekend uh and the only reason I'm asking that question and I could certainly maybe get um Maria and the team to to chat with Lydia is just want to make sure however we can support things that were not competing you know with what they're doing digitally.

Uh I can't do the billboard stuff but from a digital perspective or from our paid social uh media efforts and with our our regular uh social media channels I uh I want to make sure that we're supporting you guys but we kind of wait and take the lead from whatever Maria and the Regina are doing.

So if if you guys change that up a little bit, just if there's a way to make sure Lydia is aware of that so that we can then complement those efforts um that would be that'd be helpful.

So I I know Lee's gotta be on uh and you're on already so so if we just keep Lydia in um since I can't be you know involved with the two of them um here to continue to support and and but I don't want us to suddenly get in there and then we're sort of competing with the efforts right that are I don't know if you remember but I had set up a while back um to meet with to get all the marketing teams together and we're still gonna move forward with doing that.

It kind of fell off a little bit with the beginning of event season and all that kind of stuff happening but hopefully we'll get that back on track and get my marketing team, your marketing team and um the BNT's marketing team on on one page.

Good yeah yeah and I the timing is perfect on that end of things because I just met yesterday as we're building our fiscal twenty seven media plans and then our strategy out one thing that we're gonna have as a part of our regular marketing effort is an evergreen piece uh specific to VNT right so I don't know when you might be able to have that meeting.

I mean we're we're we'll have dollars allocated toward that but of course we'll make it flexible enough if you all get together and give different direction you know that that you want uh us to use our marketing monies to you know help help support uh the the trains I'm totally okay with that, but just know that we're actually building that in.

And that's gonna be a part of our our general marketing, not arts and culture, but our general marketing efforts throughout the course of the year.

So it's good timing.

If if we if you can get that meeting uh in before uh the end of the fiscal year, that would even be better because our I I can't remember if I have to bring the the marketing pl uh the media plan to my board next month or July, but regardless.

I will work this week to get that back on our schedule.

Um I know that there was some changes in our marketing team, so like the people that were involved, um, one of them has left.

So I just gotta make sure that they're all good to move forward, and then yeah, but I'll work on getting that pre-scheduled so we can hash all that out.

Yeah, I appreciate that because my my thought is is you know, between us, you guys, and what Maria uh and everybody, you know.

I I know we've got um Jesus, why am I drawing a blank?

Uh she's gonna kill me.

Why am I not remembering?

Not Regina, but um Maria.

Melissa, yeah, sorry.

There's too many M's, yeah.

Oh, Melissa's on Jesus Melissa.

Now I feel horrible.

Good God, I could have been looking at you on the screen uh instead of I was looking at Leah.

Now I feel terrible about this.

Um but I I think if it, you know, if we are able to just collaborate and maybe we can fill in gaps or something like that, you know, that way we've got marketing presence and messaging out there uh throughout the whole time we're running the trains between the three of us.

Organizationally I'm saying uh I I just yeah.

So getting that meeting I think will be be really good because sometimes I feel like we're sort of just floundering a little bit on the visit Carson City side, and I do want to make sure that we're in more of an alignment with our two vendors, Melissa, Melissa, Melissa.

So thanks.

Yeah, uh thank you.

And and you know, Candy gave us the uh the kind of the update on the ridership numbers yesterday.

Lydia was on that conversation, and so I don't have any uh specifics as far as what the efforts gonna look like, but I did encourage them to push the budget up on the push over the next couple of weeks just to just to see if we can fill those seats.

I, you know, the way the way I look at it is we we have mostly fixed costs on the run, and so incremental increases in ridership.

Um, you know, I uh as long as we're getting a return, you know, the the ticket price.

I I'd I'd you know even if even if we're only clearing an additional five, ten, fifteen dollars after marketing efforts, um that's that's still money that we wouldn't have otherwise to help offset the cost of running the train.

So um so worth worth pushing a bit harder, and that's that's what I instructed them to do push uh even more so than they have been in the past, and let's see if it if it makes a difference.

So uh great.

We will we'll jump back.

Uh Melissa, you want to uh do you want to talk about anything?

Yes, I actually have a little bit to add.

Sorry for being late to the I don't know what I did with my calendar, but I messed this up.

But I'm glad you guys are all here.

So just to give everyone just a quick update on the spring campaign, our outdoor is up and running.

We actually are already into our second flight of this.

So we do two four-week flights.

Um, and so our first one was our Mother's Day flight, and with our five boards that we had posted during that period, we delivered over 1.3 million impressions.

And then our next flight is up right now.

That one posted on May 11th, and this is for our general session messaging.

Um, and with that and the low the five locations we have, we should deliver 1.356 million impressions.

So we've got a good outdoor uh campaign for this spring where we're delivering what 2.6 million impressions.

So, um, and then with our television, we did launch our our five-week flight starting on April 28th.

This is our last week of TV.

I don't have anything to report to you yet, only because I haven't received the invoices from the TV stations.

Uh April, like that last week of April uh falls into technically what they call their May broadcast period.

So I have to wait for them to send me my May and like all of my May invoices so that I can report back to you and say, hey, this is how many paid spots we received, this is how many bonus spots we received.

Um, we've had a little bit of movement with political messaging because we've had so many candidates come in at the last minute and and push, you know, they're very expensive spots in, and they pushed our less expensive spots out.

Uh, but the stations will be making those good.

I it hasn't been enough that I'm worried about it affecting our schedule, but there have just been a few spots that we've had to move around, but the stations are good about getting a hold of me before that has to happen and letting me say, hey, you know what, you can move this one, but you can't move that one.

So uh I can give you more details on that when I actually get all the invoices in.

Um, with radio, that one also started on April 28th.

Our radio campaign is gonna run all the way through June 21st.

So, and again, radio also follows in that those where they use that broadcast calendar, so I don't have my invoices yet for those last couple days of April.

Uh, I will let you know that we did we ran our Mother's Day campaign the first two weeks, and then right now we're running our general season campaign.

This will run through May 12th, and then we do have uh Father's Day spot this year that we don't typically run a Father's Day ad, but we're gonna go ahead and do that, and that one will start the week of June 9th.

Um, as far as digital, that was kind of really what's been carrying us what carried us through April with our online search and retargeting.

Uh, and then um our our display ads on our connected TV ads, those won't start or didn't start until May 1st.

So I'm sorry, this is so because this report is kind of late in the month, but it's before we start the next month.

I'm still reporting on April data to you guys, so bear with me.

This is just kind of the what happens when we have the the meetings kind of later in the month.

But um, once again, search was our workhorse this month.

Uh, it drove 618 clicks in April with a 16.71 click-through rate, and then our retargeting campaign, which includes both display ads and CTV ads, uh, delivered over 12,000 impressions, which is great because that just says that people who were going to our web to the website who were looking for more information, we were able to deliver another 12,000 uh impressions back out to those folks who had already shown some interest um in the VT.

So that's where we are on the paid media portion right now.

All right, very good.

Thank you, Melissa.

Questions from Melissa.

All right, thank you so much.

Move on to our executive assistant update from Sherry Bailey.

Good morning.

Um, see, I have a few things to update you on.

Um Mother's Day, as Candy said, coach tickets were lagging a little bit, but I did want to give a shout out to Lumont Media because I I called Regina Friday before Mother's Day with an SOS.

Please do something, please do something.

And it did significantly uh increase our ticket sales.

So Sunday we were 12 shy of being sold out, so that was great.

Um our first media invite days went went well.

I'm told they went well.

Um I thought we would have a little bit more participants, but talking with Molly or with our gentleman since we the invite was on a Sunday, having the 10 10 media folks show up was adequate, plus they had plus one.

Um a couple of them did enjoy the chili cook-off in Virginia City, so we already had a nice article in Carson now from that per from Carson now who joined us on the train.

Um, oh, we have rack cards.

I will real quick before you move on.

I will second the one she that was a great turnout for most media unless there's something really big going on to come on a weekend and take that time to get 10 was great, so yeah.

She won't she won't agree, but I wanted a full train of media with all their cameras everywhere.

We finally have officially rack cards.

Virginia City should have some.

We'll be getting some over to your office, Dave.

I have some in my car, Dave.

We'll be happy to put those up for a small fee.

I'll put them out myself.

Candy will take you to lunch.

Let's see.

Other than that, it's moving just moving forward on Father's Day coming up the twentieth and twenty-first.

Um, we'll have the two day event.

Working on those plans and little swags for for dads.

And um, toast of the can you will first kick off in July.

So it's sort of one thing after another for us.

Very good.

Thank you for that update.

Any specific questions?

Chairman, I just asked a question about how we're pacing for the Father's Day now that we're basically doing something akin to what we do for Mother's Day.

I'm sorry, I did not look, but I I know that the new advertising is just about to go out.

So I'm sure it's probably a little lagging.

We did sold some tickets, but it wasn't.

And and um with the new advertising, we'll share that it's basically more of a special kind of event style.

Right.

Yeah, okay.

Okay, good.

Cool.

Thanks.

Excellent.

All right.

Thank you kindly.

Um, our next meeting is forecast to be on Wednesday, June 24th at 9 a.m.

Any conflicts?

That sound good to everybody.

Well, right.

Uh great.

We'll we'll move on to our next item, which is commissioner comments or announcements and requests for information.

No action will be taken.

No discussion among the members or with staff will take place during this item of the agenda.

Do we have Commissioner comments announcements or requests for information?

All right.

Hearing none, uh, we have our placeholder for Lucas.

Are we suing anyone uh this month?

Sorry, just kidding.

Yeah.

I think we're clear.

All right.

Yeah.

Yes.

Well, you know.

Any put any port in a storm, right?

All right.

With that, we will come to our final item.

Uh, which uh actually we'll do.

Oh, do we do we just do public comment at the beginning?

Should I do public comment again at the end?

I'm not seeing it here on the thing, but I'll do we'll do it just to make sure.

Uh we'll ask for public comment.

This is the second and final time for public comment.

And uh anyone would like to get public comment, please come forward and do so at this time.

All right.

Seeing none, we will move right on to our final item, which is to adjourn.

I don't think that needs a motion.

I think that's just to go with it.

So we will adjourn this meeting at 1042 a.m.

Thank you, everyone.

We'll see you next month.

Um, uh, Mm-hmm.