BLM hopeful Douglas County parcel will sell in Spring

Some are calling it "wishful thinking," but the Bureau of Land Management has resurrected a "For Sale" sign on the 146-acre piece of public land in northern Douglas County.

The bureau put the sign in the ground last year to announce the public auction to be held Dec. 10. A "Coming Spring 2003" sticker has now been pasted over the original date.

The sale was stopped by Carson City officials who protested the sale in November. After Thursday's meeting between Carson and Douglas County officials, when Carson voted not to withdraw its protest, the bureau put the sign back up in anticipation of winning the protest.

"It's just in anticipation of resolving the protest and selling the land," said Chuck Pope, assistant director of the bureau's Carson City field office. "We're being optimistic. It's a target we're aiming at."

Pope said staff at the Carson City office will be sending BLM State Director Bob Abbey a package outlining the protest this week. The director is expected to rule on the matter shortly after, Pope said. If the protest is denied, Carson officials can appeal to Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton.

The process can take as long as two years to resolve.

In the past several months, residents have followed the contentious dealings between Carson City and Douglas County over the land sale. Resident and truck driver Russ Carpenter of Carson City hopes to put together a committee to explore the possibility of the two counties merging. Carpenter said he would like to see Carson City merged under Douglas County's authority.

He envisions the committee would compile information and present a plan to government leaders, possibly at the 2005 legislative session.

Carson and Douglas "are having their own miniature power struggle and I think there are many more people like me who want to explore the consolidation, which appears to be a solution," Carpenter said.

Carpenter can be reached at 885-8848 or by e-mail at rjc1955@msn.com.