Mr. Shaun D. Carey grew up in Sparks, attended Dilworth Middle School and graduated from Sparks High School in 1975.  He began his professional career in 1981 as a civil engineer for Sierra Vista, AZ.  He later worked for Boulder County, CO as a traffic engineer, and then in Marysville, CA as the City Engineer and Public Works Director before returning back to Sparks.

 

In 1992, Mr. Carey was named Public Works Director for the City of Sparks. In 1999, he was named Assistant City Manager and was promoted to City Manager in January 2000. 

 

Mr. Carey holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a license in professional engineering in Nevada, California and Colorado.  He also holds the designation as credentialed manager from the International City / County Manager’s Association and has been active in a variety of community and civic activities throughout the Truckee Meadows.

 

When it comes to sharing the unique and positive attributes of the City of Sparks, Mr. Carey is undoubtedly one of the most passionate.  He fiercely loves the city he grew up in and has raised his two sons (Scott and Pat) with his wife Jane of more than 30 years. 

 

Mr. Carey is a dedicated public servant who has taken steps to reach out to all residents though simple grass roots efforts such as setting up a table display in front of local grocery stores in order to have conversations with Sparks’ residents on their views of City government and operations.  

 

Under Mr. Carey’s tenure, the City has grown exponentially and has experienced some of the strongest growth periods as well as the tremendous economic challenges of recent years.  

 

Mr. Carey has been steadfast in ensuring the City of Sparks remains a full service city, one that is the most responsive to it citizens as a government closest to the people.  He has spearheaded comprehensive efforts to streamline the city services provided to Sparks taxpayers while maintaining the appropriate service level.  Despite the economic challenges the City has and continues to face, Sparks’ debt is lowest in the region.  

 

Through Mr. Carey’s leadership, an abandoned and blighted hole in the ground is today the gem of Sparks known as the Sparks Marina.  Sparks has a whitewater recreation attraction on the Truckee River to complement downtown Reno’s.  A new community center was opened in the urban core of Sparks in 2007.  And Golden Eagle Regional Park boasts one of the largest artificial turf sports complexes in the world.  The City has become known as a premier event center for the region, particularly for those events occurring along Victorian Avenue at Victorian Square.

 

Mr. Carey worked with numerous parties to ensure development would later occur just east of the Sparks Marina. The Legends at Sparks Marina boasts the largest sporting goods store in the world.  Scheels and the retail and dining opportunities near the marina have transformed a blighted area into a visitor destination.

 

Most recently, in 2013, Shaun was inducted into the prestigious Sparks High School Hall of Fame.

 

Email Shaun Carey, City Manager at  scarey@cityofsparks.us