BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHOE COUNTY, NEVADA
TUESDAY 10:00 A.M. March 11, 2025
PRESENT:
Alexis Hill, Chair Jeanne Herman, Vice Chair Michael Clark, Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, Commissioner Clara Andriola, Commissioner
Janis Galassini, County Clerk Eric Brown, County Manager
The Washoe County Board of Commissioners convened at 10:00 a.m. in regular session in the Commission Chambers of the Washoe County Administration Complex, 1001 East Ninth Street, Reno, Nevada. Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our Country, County Clerk Jan Galassini called roll and the Board conducted the following business:
25-0149 AGENDA ITEM 3 Public Comment.
Ms. Bridget Harris expressed her intent to discuss the Good Neighbors Warming Center, which she noted had concluded that day in downtown Reno. She described the center as a collaborative effort between different parishes in downtown Reno, providing an emergency warming center for women and families throughout the winter. She expressed her desire to share her experience from a volunteer perspective on what brought women to the warming center, and how the County resources were able to support more effective long-term solutions for those women. She noted that Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral served as a warming center for approximately 4 to 18 women a night. She expressed that a lack of space and a hesitance to return to some shelters due to prior negative experiences were commonly reported as to why women sought the warming center. She stated that staff from Our Place Family Shelter were present and ensured that the women utilizing the warming shelter had no history of violence or drug use by utilizing the Northern Nevada Coordinated Entry System (CoC). She reported that, as a result, there had not been a single incident of violence or drug use on the property during her three- week span of volunteering and emphasized the effort's overall success. Ms. Harris attested that three of those women were able to obtain permanent or transitional housing opportunities. She elaborated that one of those women, who she noted had mobility challenges, was placed into Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) housing with the help of Our Place staff. She reported that another of those three women felt safe and empowered enough to begin searching for work and low-income housing due to the shelter provided every night by the warming center. She requested continued support from
the staff of Our Place. She acknowledged the support given by Our Place staff and the success of the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality (RISE) program.
Mr. Gregg Rosenberg thanked Commissioner Clark for his $10,000 donation of district funds to Jewish Nevada’s Milk and Honey Festival. He thanked the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for supporting the donation and all the support they give to the nonprofits of Washoe County. He noted that he was a volunteer with Jewish Nevada and described the Milk and Honey Festival as vibrant, inclusive, and inspired by the rich heritage of the Jewish people. He stated that the annual event was free and open to the public. He attested that the festival brought people together to celebrate tradition, culture, and community. He reiterated the event's inclusivity and noted that it was a space for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together, learn, and celebrate. He described the event as a celebration of community spirit and cultural appreciation in Reno through its festive atmosphere and engaging programming that honored Jewish traditions, strengthened bonds, fostered understanding, and brought people together through shared experiences of joy and connection.
Mr. Bill Miller expressed concerns about the impact of global heating on the community and planet and displayed a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. He reported that Reno was the fastest-heating city in the United States (US) and that the temperature had risen 7.7 degrees on average and 11.1 degrees during the summer over the last 50 years. He stated that those temperature increases threatened the local snowpack and water storage and increased the occurrence of unpleasant and unnecessary deaths caused by heat strokes. He commended the BCC's efforts to proactively mitigate the severe heat increases and decrease future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that would raise temperatures further. He attested that their bold actions were making a difference. He acknowledged that long-term decisions were often politically unpopular and that it was not easy to invest taxpayer funds when there would not be a return for five to ten years. He elaborated that despite those difficulties, he was thankful that the Board was willing to take those risks to ensure a vibrant future. He stated that the sustainability team would present a plan for improving the quality of life of Washoe County residents and that he looked forward to hearing their report and working together toward implementation. He thanked the Board for their part in addressing the climate crisis in a way that benefited the land, water, sky, people, businesses, and future generations.
Mr. Terry Brooks recited a personal poem regarding the politics behind housing, hunger, and homelessness.
Mr. Paul White introduced himself to the Board and noted his affiliation with an organization called Education Crusade. Mr. White displayed documents, copies of which were placed on file with the Clerk. He expressed hope that the Board had received an invitation to a meeting regarding solving the issue of homelessness set to take place on March 20, 2025, at the National Automobile Museum. He reported that the Commissioners would be mentioned and discussed at that meeting and that the meeting would deal with eight specific causes that worsened homelessness in Washoe County. He reported that County Manager Eric Brown would also be mentioned during the meeting, particularly
regarding a previous comment about his intention for an opioid abatement program and the funding that coincided with that. Mr. White opined that the only way to conduct any opioid abatement would be to address issues from staff regarding distribution at the tent. He noted that Manager Brown may not be aware of those proceedings as he had not been present at the location. He also referred to Manager Brown’s previous mention of increasing transparency and declared that there could not be less transparency. He recalled that he had been called four days in a row to schedule a meeting at Manager Brown’s office but expressed that the meetings were scheduled for approximately two months in the future and were subject to strict time constraints. He voiced that no functioning program for those experiencing homelessness in Washoe County enabled them to visit supportive locations at any time, tour the facilities they were interested in, or ask questions they may have. He noted that the meeting he had previously referred to would be very good and would discuss how they would not be arrested. He referred to the poem that Mr. Brooks recited about politicians and expressed the lack of compassion in standing by and treating individuals in a way that did not enable them to be self-sufficient, clean, sober, and have access to mental health treatment. He stressed that the type of program set up currently by Washoe County was not enabling people without housing to take those actions. He stated that a solution would be presented in more detail at the March 20, 2025, meeting and reiterated his interest in the BCC attending. He noted there would be time for the Commissioners to speak after the meeting.
Mr. Jeff Harrison introduced himself and noted that he was speaking at a BCC meeting for the first time and was uncertain about what to say. He expressed his hope of participating in the meeting and hearing more about the issue of homelessness in Reno. He stated that he was a resident of Reno for 15 years and reflected that he had fallen victim to homelessness approximately 2 years ago. He noted that he had worked hard to overcome that situation for 18 months and had been back in a position of stability for the last three months. He attested that he was not there to support any one position on the adequacy of the shelters and programs in the County. He expressed that he was only interested in community involvement and reporting what he had experienced. Mr. Harrison opined that he would be a good representative for both sides of the issue as he had a perspective on what it was like to be in a shelter and an outside witness of one. He reiterated that he had personally seen and experienced being in both situations. He stressed the importance of having been there for his 14-year-old daughter, whom he described as his guiding light, and reported that he had never lost custody of her or exposed her to homelessness. He voiced his willingness to relay information to individuals with either opinions on the issue of homelessness in the County or to serve as a representative for the issue. He reiterated his desire to do what was good for the community, himself, and his daughter.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. Harrison and congratulated him. She indicated that staff would contact him with information on becoming involved with the Lived Experiences Committee.
Mr. Roger Scimé thanked the Board for allowing him to speak and displayed a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. He recited from that document, which requested the BCC pass a resolution to bar those convicted of a
felony connected to the January 6, 2021, US Capital insurrection from employment with the Government of Washoe County. He noted that the request was similar to the Governor of Illinois's action. He stated that despite those involved having been pardoned, their pardon would not erase their conviction, only forgive it. He attested that those individuals could not be trusted to accept future election results unless their preferred candidate prevailed. He opined that the actions of those individuals demonstrated their willingness to employ violence over disagreements regarding political outcomes or policies. He further voiced his belief that those individuals must be held accountable for unlawful actions in Washoe County and elsewhere. He reiterated his request and recited again from the displayed document.
Mr. Chris Bell introduced himself as the Chair of Conservation for the Sierra Club’s Great Basin Group and recited from a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. He wished the Board a good morning and stated he was present to comment on Agenda Item 9. He introduced the Sierra Club as the Nation's largest grassroots environmental organization and noted that the Great Basin Group had over 2,400 members. He expressed that he could confidently speak on behalf of all of their members when requesting that the BCC adopt the Climate Action Plan (CAP). He described the CAP as essential and timely. He elaborated that his use of the word timely was intentional, as the atmospheric carbon dioxide level of the planet was at its highest level in human history and was still increasing. He attested that adopting the changes and goals of the CAP would put the BCC on the right side of local history. He acknowledged the consideration the Board had for their represented communities of Washoe County and noted the impact of the climate crisis on all facets of life in the County. He stated that his organization led several weekly hikes and outings open to the public and noted that his organization was known for advocacy and public education efforts. He attested that across every facet of their work, it was clear that climate change was present and that residents of Washoe County cared about addressing climate change locally. He stated that the costs associated with climate change in the region would rise every year and consisted of impacts such as destructive winds, wildfires, loss of snowpack, more prolonged droughts, and deadly heat. He stated that implementing the CAP would mitigate those impacts and that the cost of not addressing the cause of those destructive weather events would greatly overshadow the implementation costs. He expressed that the BCC should be highly commended for its vision of hiring intelligent individuals, investigating the issue's complexities, and identifying effective and reasonable strategies to improve operations with substantial positive impact. He stated that changing standard operations would involve teamwork and commitment, which he opined the County and its staff had in abundance. He noted that the CAP had a thorough roadmap to make meaningful progress guided by data and science. He thanked the Board for being stewards of the County and requested they continue their leadership by adopting the CAP.
Ms. Darcy Phillips introduced herself as the Executive Director of Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and noted that she was present in support of the issue addressed in Agenda Item 9. She expressed her care for the local air quality, which she opined was especially problematic during the winter. She stated that despite dealing with solid and food waste daily during her work and comprising such a high percentage of the
contents in local landfills, she was unaware that it did not break down due to the lack of oxygen in the landfill. She attested that having an option for public access to composting was very important and noted that everything else included in the CAP was amazing. She said it was humorous that she had been teased for wanting to save the planet and indicated that humanity needed saving instead. She thanked the Board for considering the adoption of the CAP.
Ms. Kim Rios indicated she would be making a public comment for the first time and noted her pride in being present to support Agenda Item 9. She stated that she had lived locally her entire life and stressed the importance of considering the issue for the community. She thanked the Board for considering the issue.
Ms. Bari Levinson introduced herself as a resident of Reno and recited from a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. She strongly supported the CAP developed by the Sustainability Manager and staff. She expressed pride in being a resident of Washoe County, which she described as an area where people took climate change issues seriously and made many efforts to understand and control GHG emissions. She reflected that she had participated in community sessions to develop the CAP and noted her pride and gratitude to see the results of that work. She described the CAP as comprehensive, including 126 recommended actions to lower GHG emissions to meet the net zero GHG emissions goal by 2050. She opined that they were in a new political era where the federal government abdicated its responsibility towards mitigating climate change and was doing as much as possible to heat the planet. She attested that local municipalities would need to do as much as possible on a regional level. She elaborated that local governments must move forward with policies to lower GHG emissions, mitigate heat effects, advance climate equity, improve resiliency to worsening weather events, and preserve air and water quality and the natural environment. She congratulated Sustainability Manager Brian Beffort and Emily Stapleton, FUSE Corps Executive Fellow, on their efforts and success in developing the CAP. She described the CAP as an excellent roadmap to assist them in moving forward in a changing and warming world. She urged the BCC to swiftly and unanimously approve the CAP.
Mr. George Postrozny introduced himself as a resident of Washoe County. He referred to Ms. Harris's earlier comment regarding the warming centers, which he noted he was also present to speak about. He reflected that he was a volunteer at the warming center at Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and reported that he could assess how effective the program was on a small scale regarding the long-term and short-term consequences. He listed the short-term implications of the program's efforts to provide a place in the winter for women and children to get warm, receive snacks, and have shelter away from potential criminal violence or incarceration. He opined that the warming center was remarkably successful in the short term and referred again to the long-term results mentioned previously by Ms. Harris. He stated that the long-term consequences were demonstrated by the ability of professional staff to place women into transitional or permanent housing and provide people with the ability to convalesce and find stability. He urged the BCC to address the funding concerns for the program that arose due to institutional changes within the Our Place program. He encouraged the BCC to fund staff
that could continue the warming center pilot program and conduct a feasibility study to identify the operational cost. He opined that the investment would be worthwhile and provide a constructive solution for the homeless population in Washoe County.
Ms. Virginia Larmore introduced herself as a resident of South Reno and a constituent of District 2. She thanked the Board for all they do for the community. She stated that a few weeks prior, she had gone to the grocery store and allowed her children to pick out a toy as a reward for completing their chores. She noted that her son seemed disinterested and requested a book rather than a toy. She reflected on her experience raising two young toddlers during the COVID-19 (C19) pandemic and her desperation for a sense of community. She reported that it was during that time that she had first visited the South Valleys Library. She noted that since then, her family had participated in many events at that library, such as Crafternoons, Story Time, Author Readings, and Weekend Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEAM). She stated that they recently made checking out 20 books at a time an integral part of their routine. She stated that the failure of the Washoe County Question Number One (WC-1) ballot measure in the prior election and the loss of the funding it would have guaranteed was a blow to many community members. She stressed that she was not present to lecture the Board or tell them how to do their jobs. Ms. Larmore expressed her desire to remind the Board that the ballot measure failed by a minimal margin and that the failure of the ballot measure to secure the necessary funding would contribute to great suffering for the children of the County, which she stressed were not able to vote on the issue and comprised a considerable component of the community. She attested that the availability of events and weekend and after-school hours were slated to be cut. She stressed that those hours of operation were the only time many could visit the library, including her family. She humbly urged the Board to take great care in future budget considerations. She stated that the libraries and many community members were relying on them.
Ms. Rose Wolterbeek introduced herself, noting that she was present to speak about Agenda Item 9 and displayed a document depicting an image of Lake Tahoe. No copy was submitted for the public record. She thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak and noted her appreciation for the Washoe County staff. She stated that she had lived in Reno for the last 22 years and had resided in the greater Reno-Tahoe region over the previous 35 years. She elaborated that she was a homeowner in District 5. She reiterated her gratitude for the Board serving as elected officials. She expressed her support for the CAP and her appreciation for mindfulness, widespread public outreach for input, and the sensible approach to achieving the 2025 climate goal of net zero GHG emissions. She attested that the research, outreach, and data included in the CAP were an amazing roadmap to unite everyone under a vision of creating a sustainable region and path forward. She elaborated on the data included in the CAP, stating that there was a clear demonstration of trends in the past that could be used to achieve future goals. She noted that the approach of the CAP was balanced and flexible to adjust as the County saw fit in coming decades to follow changes in funding. She stressed that the government and citizens needed to work together to protect the region so everyone could live, recreate, and thrive. She stated that the CAP would address that and much more, including mitigating wildfire risk caused by limited water resources and the fragile ecosystem and ensuring the protection of trails, land,
and clean air initiatives. She asked the Board if they knew there were 399 peaks in Washoe County, ranging from 3,904 to 10,782 feet in elevation. She reflected that she had done many recreational activities on several trails in the area. She urged the Board to support the CAP to ensure that the area would be there for residents and guests of the region for decades. She acknowledged Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton for their work on the CAP and noted her gratitude for them being a part of their team. She compelled the Board again to consider the adoption of the CAP and thanked them for their time.
Mr. John Solomon introduced himself and voiced his assumption that the CAP would be adopted. He noted that he was a member of Reno Food Systems and stated that he had the privilege to provide food once a week to those in the community who needed it. He noted his intent to discuss housing and provide recommended actions that he believed should happen after the passing of the CAP. He opined that 90 percent of all new developments should be required to be classified as multi-family housing. He stated that there were many benefits to multi-family housing, such as being more environmentally friendly, encouraging home ownership through the construction of homes that addressed the needs of those who could not afford a house, and allowing stable or increasing values for current single-family homeowners who comprised the majority of the voting population. Mr. Solomon also recommended requiring all new housing to utilize heat pump technology. He stated that heat pump technology had benefits such as using less carbon, decreasing energy costs for homeowners, and making Reno a national center for that technology. He attested that neither of his recommended actions would cost the County taxpayer funds.
Ms. Alanna Fitzgerald thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak and introduced herself as a constituent of District 1. She reiterated her gratitude to Chair Hill and the Commission for the work they do for the community. She acknowledged that the budget was a significant concern. She stated that she intended to briefly reflect on a recent visit to one of the local library branches a week prior. She noted that her reflection would relate to the strategic objectives of improving outcomes through service coordination across sectors and serving the vulnerable population of seniors as outlined in the Washoe County Strategic Plan. Ms. Fitzgerald mentioned that she had a friend who was in the mid- to-early stages of dementia. She reported that her friend had recently relocated near the Sierra View Library. Ms. Fitzgerald stated that the two of them had visited the Sierra View Library and obtained a copy of a book titled The Explorer. She noted that her friend had been very excited during their visit to see information about the library's art galleries and their section on adult and senior activities. She attested that they had subsequently made plans to visit several of those activities at the different library branches offering them. She speculated that the Board might view her reflection of their experiences as merely another day in a resident's life. Ms. Fitzgerald stressed that those activities encouraged her friend to hope for engagement and a return to a more normal life despite the fear that comes with developing dementia. She attested that a large population worldwide was aging and experiencing cognitive decline. She speculated that many of those present at the meeting, including members of the Board, knew someone who would benefit from the activities offered to the community by the libraries.
Mr. Troy Regas displayed a document, copies of which were distributed to the Board and placed on file with the Clerk. Mr. Regas thanked the Board for their time and indicated his intention to discuss the Reno Toy Run (RTR). He noted that they hosted the RTR on the weekend after Thanksgiving. He reflected that the RTR had recently fallen on a Sunday and was attended by thousands of motorcyclists who brought toys and were happy to participate. He stated that by the end of the event, they had collected thousands of toys from motorcyclists, and hundreds of local businesses contributed to the effort by putting out collection barrels, which he opined led to the overall collection of tens of thousands of toys. He noted that despite the large total number of toys they concluded the event with, it was not enough as there was a considerable need to deliver toys to people without homes, schools, and others. He reported that the RTR offered a service on its website to assist individuals who could not afford to purchase or find toys by calling the organization and locating and donating toys on their behalf. He noted that the need that year was exponentially more significant than in years prior and that people were calling to inquire with the organization about toys, food items, and assistance up until Christmas Day. He indicated that sourcing food and assistance were efforts they planned to initiate for the events they would hold the following year. He reported that the organization had seen families with seven or eight children who could not afford to purchase enough food to feed everyone on top of gifting toys to their children. Mr. Regas noted that the organization had done everything it could to reach out to those families and cover what it could by supplementing the toys donated to the families with food. He attested that there had been such a tremendous need to provide toys for children aged 12 to 18 that the organization had to purchase additional toys directly. Mr. Regas suggested that the Treasurer of the RTR would attest to the fact that they were charging a credit card every night for three weeks to purchase more toys. He noted that they had placed regular calls to inquire about more toys as they continued to receive regular phone calls requesting them. He reiterated his amazement at the need expressed by the community coming forward for toy donations and the number of individuals who offered to volunteer for free the following year due to receiving free toys from the RTR. He elaborated that those who expressed a willingness to volunteer with the RTR did so because they did not have the funds or resources. He estimated that there were approximately 100 families who wanted to volunteer and help the RTR for the next event, which he indicated was a good development as the organization was run and operated by unpaid volunteers. He reiterated that those were the kinds of people they looked forward to having assist with the RTR. He noted that they would discuss the issue further later in the meeting.
Mr. Dan Lewis introduced himself as the Treasurer of the Northern Nevada Confederation of Clubs (NNCOC) and the RTR. He stated that the purpose of the RTR was to gather and distribute toys to less-privileged children across the Northern Nevada area during the Christmas season. He reported that the RTR had collected, sorted, and distributed several thousand toys to families and organizations in Northern Nevada that year. He referred to Mr. Regas's earlier mention of the several thousands of dollars worth of toys purchased directly by the RTR to meet the demand to accommodate older children. He attested that donors had significantly more interest in donating items for younger children that children in an older age range were not interested in, such as teddy bears. He noted that the Board may have also been aware that the RTR returned the bulk of its
proceeds to the community and reported that the organization had donated $100,000 that year for its first batch of donations. He provided background on over 40 charities the RTR had chosen, identified, and contributed to. He noted that they had undergone the difficult process of narrowing that list of charitable organizations to ensure the distribution of donations at a minimum of $10,000. He stressed that the RTR wanted to support every charitable organization but only had so much money to donate. He stated that they had decided to give their donations to locally based organizations and large enough that they could have confidence in their donations making a meaningful difference. He acknowledged that some organizations that had not received donations were great causes but already had great support systems and significant budgets, and the RTR's limited funds could make a more substantial impact if donated to a smaller and locally focused organization. He reiterated that in addition to the thousands of toys contributed by the RTR, they had also contributed $10,000 each to STEP2 Reno, For Kids Foundation, Christmas Cheer, Kids and Horses Riding Center, Project 150, Special Needs Community of Nevada, Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra, Eddy House, The Children's Cabinet, and the angel tree program of the Champions of the Honors Academy of Literature. He elaborated that the donations he had listed only encompassed the RTR’s Christmas season donations. He attested that the RTR continued to make other contributions to the community throughout the year as specific needs were identified and as funding was made available. He hoped that with the BCC's support, their upcoming annual events would be the best they had done.
Ms. Den Fusso introduced herself as a presenter for local groups and attested that due to her position, she had done a considerable amount of study on the impact of plastic and microplastic pollution. She stated that she had learned much about climate change throughout her reading. She stressed that what she knew and had learned about climate change worried her enough to prevent her from being able to sleep at night. She attested that climate change was one of the greatest threats facing human life and that there would be increased wildfires, droughts, food shortages, and geopolitical instability without significant changes in the future. She asked the Board to consider the implications of increased food shortages and reported that one-third of the world's food crops depended on pollinators. She elaborated that butterfly populations had decreased by nearly 50 percent since 1991, and some bee populations had dropped by more than 80 percent since 2007. She asserted that those population declines had led to the theft of beehives across the County. She asked what would be done for food once all pollinators had gone extinct. She expressed her distress over Reno being the fastest-warming city in the Country. She opined that every problem possessed some positive aspect, and in the case of Reno’s warming, that positive aspect was the creation of the CAP proposed by Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton. She stated that the CAP offered many options to address climate change that could cost the County nothing, save money for the County, or serve as an initial investment that would save the County money in the future. She stressed that it was financially prudent to prevent a problem before it became insurmountable. She acknowledged the commonality of voting on an issue based on partisan concerns but opined that climate change was not a partisan issue. She urged the Board to consider their brains and stomachs when voting on the CAP. She asked the Board to consider voting for the approval of the CAP as everyone depended on it.
Mr. Thomas Fusso greeted the Board and introduced himself as a ten-year resident of Hidden Valley. He requested that the Board approve and support the CAP, which he noted was included in the meeting agenda. He attested that the CAP provided a thoroughly researched and well-developed strategy to reduce GHG emissions over the next 25 years. He listed several benefits that the CAP would provide to the citizens of Washoe County, including cleaner air, summer heat reduction, and increasing the draw for further business investments in the area. He opined that regardless of the Board’s beliefs about global warming, long-term residents had noticed that summers had become increasingly warm and wildfires near metro areas had become more common. He reflected that when he had first moved to Reno in 1975, the summers were cooler and milder with no need for air conditioning, and the threat of wildfires was significantly lower. He noted that unlike recently, during those earlier years, residents only worried about wildfires occurring around the Fourth of July. He described Hidden Valley’s location on the eastern side of the metro area and attested that residents had significant concerns about wildfires traveling closer to their residences. He continued by describing the fear from homeowners in the Hidden Valley area for rising homeowner insurance rates and policy cancellations as insurance companies reduced their collective risk to wildfires. He suggested everyone was familiar with the widespread insurance increases and policy cancellations in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. He referred to the insurance cancellations and non-renewals that impacted the town of Markleeville, California, on the western side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. He attested that the CAP would help the Board mitigate wildfire threats and subsequent insurance disruptions. He reiterated his request that the Board vote to approve and support the CAP as it included strategies to improve the lives of the citizens of Washoe County for years to come. He concluded by thanking the Board.
Ms. Penny Brock displayed a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. She expressed that voters had been shocked by the Board’s decision to appoint Mr. Andrew McDonald as the Washoe County Registrar of Voters (ROV) at a meeting held the previous month. She asked why the Board had come to that decision. She opined that Mr. McDonald was not qualified for the position and referred to his prior work experience. She suggested that Mr. McDonald was an expert in Information Technology (IT) and had never served as the head of an elections department, only having served as an assistant in San Diego, California. She reported that Mr. McDonald was not present at the meeting where the decision to appoint him as the Washoe County ROV was made and prevented the public from seeing who he was, hearing him speak, or viewing his resume. She noted that at that meeting, they had learned about Mr. Chris Anderson from Florida, who had also been interviewed for the position of ROV. She opined that Mr. Anderson had an impeccable background for the position, as he had served as the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections and was a Florida Certified Elections Program Professional with accolades and completion from institutes such as Harvard University. Ms. Brock attested that Mr. Anderson was committed to ending voter fraud activities and sought a standard of excellence in elections. She recited Mr. Anderson’s mission to ensure that the choices made by citizens would count and emphasized the importance of fair and equitable elections for all citizens of Seminole County in Florida. She suggested that Mr. Anderson would have brought that mission to Washoe County and ended the regular staffing changes in the ROV position over the last four to five years under the leadership of Manager Brown. She
speculated that Mr. McDonald should also expect a short tenure in the ROV position. She stressed her disappointment that voters did not have an opportunity to provide input on who was chosen for ROV and that they were not given an attachment with the resumes of the candidates for the position provided with the agenda for that meeting. She attested that there had been a lack of transparency. She stressed that the issue impacted all voters and opined that they had a right to participate in who was chosen to be the ROV. She expressed a lack of understanding as to why Washoe County staff had decided on the final three candidates and ultimate recommendation for the position of ROV.
Ms. Cathy Fulkerson greeted the Board and expressed her gratitude for the Board’s service to the community. Ms. Fulkerson recited from a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. She expressed her intent to speak to support the adoption of the drafted CAP. She introduced herself as the Facilitator of Third Act Nevada, which she described as a national organization empowering seniors to protect the planet. She attested that the CAP included GHG emissions inventories for County operations, the community, and over 120 recommended actions to reduce emissions in buildings, transportation, land use, supply chain, and waste sectors to guide the County and the community toward meeting net zero emissions goals. She stressed that the CAP aligned closely with the mission outlined in the Washoe County Strategic Plan, which she recited. She emphasized that Washoe County was facing significant challenges due to the changes in the climate. She asserted that Reno had become the fastest warming metropolitan area in the Country, drought had become more frequent and prolonged, wildfires had become more frequent and hotter, and contributed to worsening air pollution and negative impacts on health due to the interaction of smoke with rising heat emissions from buildings and cars. She suggested that those challenges would cost the local government and taxpayers significant funds for emergency management, healthcare, and energy. She stated that the US Government estimated that responding to emergencies related to climate change could cost taxpayers $25 billion to $128 billion annually. She stressed that those costs were felt especially strongly by those in low-income communities, which were the least prepared to cope with those challenges. Ms. Fulkerson quoted and recited a passage from page 12 of the CAP. She attested that making simple changes, such as changing the type of lightbulbs one used in their home, would save the County thousands of dollars by reducing the cost of replacement bulbs and energy use. She urged the Board to adopt the comprehensive CAP and described the CAP as a blueprint for the County and community to utilize to confront the challenges induced by climate change. She stressed that the time to act was now.
Father Chuck Durante greeted the Board and introduced himself as the Director of Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and a resident of downtown Reno. He intended to discuss the Good Neighbors Warming Center, which started on December 17, 2024. He reported that the warming center was operational for three months and was a collaborative effort between four churches, which he noted he was also speaking on behalf of. He listed the churches involved in the warming center as Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, First United Methodist, Good Shepherd Lutheran, and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. He reported that the churches had worked with RISE, who served as the coordinator for the efforts, had a significant presence to connect members of each church,
and provided a crucial staff member for the shelter. Father Durante attested that the warming center provided refuge, rest, and warmth for unsheltered women and families ranging from seven or eight individuals served per night when the warming center was initially opened to up to 25 people served per night. He noted that on one or two nights during the operation of the warming center, families had been sheltered, but throughout the rest of the program, they had sheltered single women. He expressed that he was impressed by the over 200 community volunteers who assisted the warming center in stationing a volunteer at the warming center from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. He noted that there had been volunteer involvement from not only parishes but also from the community. He commended the gratitude and cooperation of the women they had sheltered at the warming center. Fr. Durante stressed that the warming center had addressed the need for the women they served to obtain additional shelter and escape the cold as other shelters were often full, faced a lack of resources, or were too afraid to seek larger shelters as a result of mental illness, different issues, or previous negative experiences. He expressed gratitude for participating in the warming center but reiterated that it was still not enough and more shelters were needed. He acknowledged that the churches needed the trained help, as volunteers often wanted to help but did not always understand how to approach people facing various issues. He reiterated that having trained staff to assist in those situations was critical to the process. He expressed his willingness with the other pastors to host the warming centers again or extend the program. He noted that the funds set aside by RISE for the Good Neighbors Warming Center had been expended, ultimately leading to the decision not to proceed with extension or renewal. He asserted that they would look into renewing the program in the fall to start operations again for three to four months in the winter. He voiced his appreciation for the Board supporting the effort and acknowledged that the County deliberated on the issue of funding the program. He said he would do anything to assist and collaborate in those efforts. He thanked the Board again and commended RISE and the churches that volunteered their help.
Mr. Ryan Vortisch greeted the Board and introduced himself as the Northern Nevada Democracy Coordinator with Silver State Voices. He attributed his presence at the meeting to his desire to advocate for the Board's support of Assembly Bill (AB) 287 on behalf of his organization and the Let Nevadans Vote Coalition. He noted that the Board would review the topic during discussions on Agenda Item 11. He asserted that those organizations viewed AB287 as a bill to address inequity within representative democracy. He acknowledged that many elections in the area were decided by a few votes and asserted that the recount process exponentially favored candidates with the most funding. He attested that implementing a standardized recount threshold of 0.25 percent or less would equalize the process for all candidates. He opined that the adoption of AB287 would additionally prevent counties, such as Washoe County, from being overburdened by frivolous recount requests that aimed to create distrust within the elections process. He reflected that during the 2024 election cycle, the Board had heard numerous concerns voiced regarding the transparency and security of elections. He reiterated his belief that implementing a standardized threshold to trigger automatic recounts would solve that problem by ensuring that all elections within a reasonable margin of error were re- evaluated without favoring candidates with better resources. He asserted that Nevada should join the other 24 states as well as the District of Colombia that provided for
automatic recounts. He stressed that AB287 should be favored by the Board as its implementation would come at no cost to the County, as any qualifying recounts would, under AB287, be paid for by the State’s Reserve for Statutory Contingency Account. He urged the Board to support AB287.
Ms. Helena Coughlan introduced herself as the Chairperson of the Sierra Club’s Great Basin Group, a hike trip leader for 35 years, and a frequent attendee of BCC meetings. She noted that she had become increasingly concerned and progressively involved in local community matters. She asserted that she was present at the meeting supporting the CAP initiative. She informed the Board that she was born and raised in Nevada, was a long-time Washoe County resident, and her family had lived in Nevada for over five generations. She appreciated the Board setting aside the time to listen to the speakers. She elaborated on her support for adopting the CAP in Washoe County to support the GHG emissions to net zero by 2050. She expressed concern for the warming temperatures she had experienced and noted the frequency of that concern being voiced at the meeting. She asserted that it was a fact that temperatures had been increasing at a faster pace in Reno and Sparks than in any other city in the US. She noted her concerns about changing forests, wetlands, and regional ecosystems. She reflected on her experience leading hikes, skiing, or recreating outdoors, where she had personally seen western white pine trees declining in population in areas such as Mount Rose. She reiterated her support for the CAP initiative. She expressed hope that the Board would take action to assist in the reduction and mitigation of GHG emissions in both Reno and Sparks through efforts such as building the related transportation, constructing infrastructure that supported the effort, implementing better planning and building codes, and reducing biological waste that heated the County. She indicated that she appreciated the Board for listening to citizens' concerns. She thanked the Board, asserted that she loved the area, and expressed substantial hope that the Board would support the CAP initiative.
Mr. Jeff Carlton greeted and thanked the Board for allowing constituents to speak and for hiring Mr. Beffort as the Sustainability Manager, who he noted had created the CAP report for the Board’s consideration. Mr. Carlton stated that he had several issues to mention. He acknowledged that climate change was commonly considered a partisan issue in the US. He asserted that the consensus of all worldwide science academies determined climate change to be a huge issue that must be addressed by achieving net zero carbon emissions. He reiterated that climate change was not considered a partisan concern in other parts of the world. He acknowledged that there were scientists employed by the fossil fuel industry or organizations funded by that industry who denied the existence of a climate change problem but noted that they defied the greater worldwide consensus. He spoke on ethics and mentioned that the United Nations Conference of Parties, the decision- making body that deals with climate change at annual meetings, had determined a worldwide carbon budget of about 40 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions that could be created cumulatively to maintain an approximately 67 percent chance of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. He noted that if the carbon emissions budget were distributed equally, each person would have approximately 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide they could individually emit. He attested that there was inequity in that distribution as the average American had exceeded their lifetime share of the budget in
early 2023 and was utilizing the budgets of others. He asserted that adopting the CAP would assist in improvement in that regard.
Ms. Mariah Nelson noted that she was speaking publicly at a BCC meeting for the first time and would be referring to written notes as she was very nervous. She introduced herself as a part of the homeless population and reported residing at the Resource Center of the Nevada Cares Campus. She reflected on her experience at the Nevada Cares Campus and what she had witnessed while living there. She reported that she had not always been homeless and had attended college when she was 18 to study business, but due to difficulties faced during the 2008 Great Recession, she was forced to drop out to find employment. She attested that she was very well-educated and well-versed in several subjects as she continued her education through the C19 pandemic as a hobby. She asserted that she had always supported herself and had worked her whole life, at one time having three jobs at once. She stated that she initially resided in Reno due to certain health circumstances but reflected that she had not relocated to the area intentionally. She opined that she was lucky that Reno had a social safety network in place when she moved to the area. She stated that when she moved to the area, she had been traveling on a road trip and taking job opportunities as she moved through different areas. She reiterated that she had not intended to move to Reno and, as such, did not have housing accommodations planned when she arrived in the area. She asserted that while she had been fortunate to receive the resources she had from the community, she also had several concerns about how those resources and services were rendered. She acknowledged that the public perception of homelessness was primarily based on impressions of drug addiction, panhandling, and mental illness. She reported that she had never had a problem with addiction or alcohol consumption and described herself as a regular, articulate, intelligent person who was experiencing challenges. She asserted that not every individual who experienced homelessness had debilitating problems like addictions to drugs or alcohol. She acknowledged that while there was a portion of the homeless population that faced those problems, many others worked while living in their vehicles or while utilizing the housing accommodations of their friends. She opined that there were better solutions to homelessness that would account for that portion of the homeless population as well. She attested that she had personal experience dealing with homelessness and possessed a unique perspective and opportunity to communicate those solutions. She expressed interest in participating in the Lived Experiences Committee and thanked the Board.
Chair Hill thanked Ms. Nelson and noted her appreciation for her feedback. She assured Ms. Nelson that the Board would have the appropriate staff member contact her.
Attorney Jesse Kalter greeted the Board and introduced himself as the general counsel for the NNCOC for the last 6 years. He thanked the Board for their significant donations the year prior and expressly acknowledged Commissioner Clark and Vice Chair Herman. He expressed hope for support from the Board in the form of approving the donation proposed by Commissioner Clark. Mr. Kalter stressed that no member of their nonprofit organization received personal reimbursement as all participants contributed their gas, time, and efforts related to organizing and operating an event. He
stressed that no salary was given to the executive director, and the only expenses paid out of the fund were food, shirts, and plaques for more prominent sponsors. He reflected on his first time participating in the RTR as the general counsel in December and described approximately one thousand motorcycles carrying toys at that parade. He reported that he had never ridden a motorcycle at that point but was inspired to participate in the parade the following year and subsequently obtained a motorcycle license and a motorcycle. He asserted that he would never miss another RTR parade. He stressed that there was a lot of love and giving during the event, and a dinner was hosted at the end. He referred to Mr. Lewis's earlier comment regarding the organization's charitable contributions. He added that the week following the parade, RTR held a toy-sorting operation where families submitted requests for specific needs, such as toddler clothing, that the organization would order and fulfill. Attorney Kalter reported coordinating with sellers at Naval Air Station Fallon throughout the holiday season. He stated that it was an amazing feeling to contribute to assisting so many people in need and expressed pride in his participation. He concluded by requesting the Board continue to support their organization by approving the donation proposed by Commissioner Clark. He invited the Board to attend the 45th RTR on December 7, 2025, and the toy sort event afterward.
Mr. DeAndre Burleson introduced himself as an individual who spoke during the prior BCC meeting regarding homelessness and his experiences with the Reno Housing Authority (RHA). Mr. Burleson displayed documents, copies of which were placed on file with the Clerk. He reported receiving correspondence from the RHA informing him of an admissions interview on February 11, 2025. He indicated that he had been requested to submit documents, including his bank account activity and statements from a medical professional and his case manager. He stated that he submitted the requested documents and received additional correspondence from the RHA regarding the results of a fingerprint investigation. He noted that he had provided a copy of his receipts from his stay at the Motel 6 Reno Livestock Events Center from March 3, 2025, to March 5, 2025. He stated that he was in deficit and was awaiting further correspondence from the RHA. He asked what action he should take as he was still sleeping outdoors. He noted that the documents he submitted to the Clerk demonstrated that he had limited funds available for the rest of the month. He concluded by thanking the Board.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. Burleson and stated that they would assist in connecting him with a caseworker to help him further, as she noted they had attempted to do so when he spoke at the prior BCC meeting. She thanked him again for the information and apologized for his struggle.
Ms. Natasha Majewski thanked the Board for allowing her to support Agenda Item 9. She introduced herself as a 15-year resident of Northern Nevada, an avid outdoorswoman who loved her State and the natural beauty it contained, and a Climate and Energy Consultant for the Nevada Wildlife Federation. She described the Nevada Wildlife Federation as an organization dedicated to the conversation of wildlife and wild lands. She urged the Board to approve the CAP Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton created. She acknowledged her support for many aspects of the CAP but indicated an interest in discussing safeguarding local lands and natural resources. She opined that protecting
natural resources and wildlife habitat was vital to a more comprehensive effort to protect human and wildlife communities. She stated that the CAP would safeguard species such as mule deer, pronghorn antelope, sage-grouse, the cui-ui, the Lahontan cutthroat trout, native birds, native reptiles, and other animals. She asserted that it was everyone’s responsibility to steward their lands for humans and wildlife and to engage proactively to solve vital climate issues. She elaborated that the problem would become more complex and destructive if those actions were not taken. She stressed the reported loss of 70 million acres of sagebrush habitat suitable to sustain wildlife populations from the 1980s to 2023, resulting partially from wildfires, drought, and climate change. She reiterated the potential loss from neglecting to respond to the issue. She stated that she was speaking in place of those who could not attend the meeting, which included those in communities and habitats whose success and survival depended on the BCC’s actions. She opined that all capable and responsible people should take action for their greater cumulative community. She urged the Board to approve the CAP for themselves, their children, and future generations in both human and wildlife communities located in Nevada and who shared the planet.
Ms. Jane Grossman greeted the Board and thanked them for the opportunity to speak. She asserted that she dedicated her testimony to the memory of Ms. Lynne Barker, the former Sustainability Manager for the City of Reno, who Ms. Grossman reported had passed away. She also dedicated her testimony to the children, the next generation, those who served the County, and Mr. Beffort and his team for organizing the CAP. She urged the Board to support the CAP and stressed the importance and urgency of doing so. She opined that the implementation of the CAP may be coming too late to mitigate the damage already done to the climate based on what she had read. She asserted that despite that, the Board must put mitigation efforts into place to make the area livable. She noted that she belonged to Commissioner Clark’s district and acknowledged that the Board would know about climate change due to the shared local impact of the Davis Fire. She reported that her home had been narrowly saved from being damaged by the Davis Fire as they were located just a mile from the path of the fire. She reflected that during the spread of the Davis Fire, her husband had urged her to prepare, but she refused and maintained her confidence in local firefighters. She stated they were lucky to have a home, as 11 homes had been lost in the fire. She noted that in the same year, one of her nieces had lost her apartment as a result of the Palisades Fire, and another of her nieces was impacted by wildfires in Asheville, North Carolina, that damaged local infrastructure, businesses, close friends, and the surrounding community. She stressed the need to take action. She attested that Mr. Beffort and his team had done a great job with the dashboard and providing ways for the community to monitor situations. She expressed hope for increased engagement and urged the Board to support the CAP.
Zeus, no last name given, greeted the Board and thanked the Commissioners who had previously voted to contribute discretionary funds to the RTR. He thanked Commissioner Clark directly for his past actions. He reported that he would be providing stories of his involvement with the RTR. He stated that he was honored to take toys to two specific families and noted he would feel that impact for his entire life. He reflected that for one of those families, he had initially planned to leave the children’s toys at the door of their home but was instead greeted by the children’s mother. He expressed that he initially
felt apprehensive, but when the mother informed the children that Zeus had arrived to deliver their toys, one of the children responded by stating that he was an elf. He reported giving the child an excuse for wearing everyday clothing and arriving with toys before Christmas. He expressed amazement at the hugs and emotions from that family from his actions. He reflected that a week after that incident, he visited another family with three children aged 15, 7, and 6. He noted that the children were home when he delivered the toys and one of them commented that their efforts had worked. He reported later asking the mother and another of the children what that child had meant by what was said. He elaborated that he was informed by the older sibling that they had told that child that if they prayed very hard, Santa would find and give them presents, as they had not received any gifts due to being homeless the previous three years. He stressed the significant impact that all members of the RTR made annually from every chapter out of love and a desire to provide for their community and children. He asserted that voting against a simple matter like the donation would not hurt the volunteers and would only hurt the children who needed them and were their future. He referred to the previous comments, which discussed climate change. He opined that the importance of the climate change issue came from a need to protect the planet so future generations could inherit it. He stressed the importance of raising children to know they were valued, loved, appreciated, and deserving. He noted that he would soon have to leave the meeting but urged that the Board vote to support their organization and help the RTR, as the children needed their services to feel valued, loved, and important.
County Clerk Jan Galassini stated that emailed public comment was received and placed on file.
11:25 a.m. The Board recessed.
11:36 a.m. The Board reconvened with all members present.
25-0150 AGENDA ITEM 4 Announcements/Reports.
Commissioner Andriola recognized Mr. Brian Beffort, Sustainability Manager, for organizing what she felt was one of the most remarkable meetings that she had attended and for his collaboration with the Court of Antiquity. She mentioned that at the meeting, she learned petroglyphs were designated in a native language and interpreted as coyote writings. She explained the meeting was held on March 7, 2025, and was attended by three tribal chairs from Washoe, Pyramid Lake Paiute, and California, as well as representatives from Washoe County, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Truckee River Flood Management Authority (TRFMA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), archeologists, and others. She said the meeting stemmed from the study that occurred in 2012, preserving the opportunity to recognize not only the cultural significance but also the petroglyphs that were documented there. She stated that there was a lot of history of preserving the river, and the ordinance that was passed by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) helped the WCSO address the homeless encampments. She said the issue spanned across multiple jurisdictions, including federal, state, and county, and as a
group, they agreed to continue meeting. She expressed her appreciation for everyone’s hard work and explained that additional information would follow.
Commissioner Andriola said there had been calls from her constituents who were concerned by a recent story that was published in the Reno Gazette-Journal (RGJ) written by Mr. Mark Robison, who reported that Behzad Zamanian, Chief Information Officer (CIO), was living out of State. She requested documents that included Human Resource (HR) policies that highlighted the employment of out-of-State employees, a copy of the CIO’s contract, and a list of employees and their contracts who currently reside or have resided out of State for the last five years. Additionally, she asked to have an investigation conducted that would explain Mr. Zamanian’s contract and how it happened. She felt HR would need to be involved as well as legal, and she hoped the investigation would include any money paid, compensation for travel, and any updates to the contract that would indicate changes in compensation for the CIO. She said it could be addressed in an agenda item that summarized the findings, including if a breach was identified and what the consequence might be. She expressed the importance of being transparent and felt everyone had a commitment to share information. She mentioned she was unaware of specific details and thought that policies should be reviewed and discussed by the BCC. She mentioned that was why legislators met every two years and said there would not be a need to meet if everything was status quo. She believed if things needed to be looked at, there was an opportunity for the Board to do that.
Commissioner Andriola used Agenda Item 8 as an example, as she felt it was not the first time that District 4 did not have any representation on a board. She recommended that the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) announcements include board openings with a link on the agenda so it would be easy for someone to click on the link and apply. She said the chair of the CAB could make an announcement similar to how County Manager Eric Brown did at the BCC meetings. She stated she wanted to do what she could to continue to share opportunities for community engagement and involvement. She thanked everyone who had served and asked staff to consider opportunities that would continue to engage the community and provide opportunities to everyone. She felt that brainstorming ways to engage the community was needed and stated CABs were the best way that Commissioners could connect with their constituents. She thought that by including the link in the agenda as a public document, it would have a positive result of more representation in all districts. She mentioned since she represented District 4, she was very focused on that district.
Commissioner Clark complimented Commissioner Andriola for mentioning the employee who worked out of the area. He said she mentioned out-of-State, but he wanted to define it even further so that the Board knew who worked outside of the County. He felt strongly that someone who was hired and paid a large salary should live in Washoe County or Nevada. He alleged that someone who lived out of State and received their paycheck would spend the money in another state, and Washoe County would not be able to recapture those funds. He expressed the importance of hiring local applicants, and if locals could not be hired, he felt it should be included in the contract that the employee engage with the County and move to the area within a short period of time. He implied the
applicant could rent and would not need to buy a home but would need to be a resident of the community if they were going to receive a paycheck. He stressed the importance of the Board investigating the allegations further. He asked staff for a report in writing on exactly how many individuals worked remotely out of the County, what type of arrangements were in place, and who granted those arrangements.
Commissioner Clark noted there were several newspaper articles and online posts being shared and he felt it was bewildering to keep up with what appeared to have been questionable activity. He said that activity led him to request security footage from Sober 24, which apparently had closed for several days. He mentioned that while at a conference in Washington, D.C., he received a call from a constituent who wanted to know what had taken place, and from what he understood, federal marshals seized records. He asked to have a report from staff on how many times in the County's history a federal agent came in and closed a department. He thought citizens needed to know and he wanted to find out who was in charge of Sober 24. He said it was his understanding that Manager Brown had been involved, and he mentioned that the Board received memorandums regularly from the Assistant County Managers when Manager Brown was out of town. He noted the County leadership was turned over to Manager Brown's assistants in his absence. He inquired how many times Manager Brown and the Assistant County Managers had visited the facility. He explained when he requested security tapes of when the federal marshals were at the facility, he was told he could not see them because it could compromise their investigation, which he felt was ridiculous. He said he amended his request and asked to see what had taken place at Sober 24 over the past six months, prior to the investigation and the federal agents showing up. He explained he had heard from attorneys in the community, and some were worried about their clients and how they had been treated there. He alleged that individuals who had gone to Sober 24 to be tested ended up being strip-searched, and it was unclear to him if that was done legally. He stated he was not sure if that had happened, but those were the allegations that were brought to his attention, and he wanted to have more information about it. He mentioned that over the last few months, he had heard that hours had been reduced. He added that individuals living in a 24-hour town needed the ability to arrive at various hours to be able to stay out of incarceration. He mentioned he was concerned and thought the community should also be concerned. He said he could not recall a time when the federal government had to close a county office or department and seize their records. He said he had inquired about the situation, but being a Commissioner, that kind of information could not be shared with him.
Commissioner Clark inquired about Technology Services and how many trips Mr. Zamanian had been on for County business, including seminars and training. He asked how he was reimbursed, what the courses were about, and where they were held. He wanted information regarding the details of the reimbursement for travel time to and from the County, events, hotels, meals, expenses, and costs of courses.
Commissioner Clark asked if Washoe County would comply with the federal government executive orders and asked to have the matter brought forth as an agenda item with a vote amongst the Commissioners on whether executive orders would be supported. He explained that Washoe County received large amounts of grants from the
federal government and continued to receive them to help citizens. He felt the County should comply with executive orders and federal guidelines and asked for additional information on how that would be dealt with. He mentioned he had asked previously if the District Attorney (DA) wanted to give an opinion on how executive orders should be dealt with.
Commissioner Clark stated he would continue mentioning the poor quality of senior food served and felt the quality was not equivalent to that of people in jail. He clarified that he was not implying that people in jail should not be served good food but felt that jail food was better than what was served to seniors. He said, in his opinion, the Cares Campus served better food to the homeless, and he alleged Douglas County and Catholic Charities served better food, Washoe County came in dead last. He mentioned the County contracted with their supplier for possibly six more years, and he felt the County needed to do better for the seniors.
Commissioner Clark said it had been suspected that other counties had shipped their homeless people to the Washoe County Cares Campus and that the County and the citizens paid for other counties' homeless people. He explained he had been told that someone from Washoe County questioned elected officials in other counties as to whether that was the case, which they denied doing, so he felt no one would admit it. He said he had been made aware of it previously and thought it had been other non-profits in other counties that brought homeless people to the Cares Campus. He mentioned he asked Manager Brown to have all employees and counselors at the Cares Campus ask when people signed up at the Cares Campus where they were from. He added he did not feel it was an invasion of privacy, and an audit should be done to ask people where they were from and not rely on counties to provide the information. He said he guaranteed if people in Nicaragua or El Salvador were asked if they were sending people to Washoe County, they would likely say no, but he believed people were coming to the County from across borders and other parts of the world, and he wanted to find out where they were coming from. He thought when the WCSO took in federal prisoners, he thought they would be reimbursed by the federal government, so he felt when Washoe County took in homeless people from other counties, those other counties should be asked to contribute to the costs.
Commissioner Clark asked for additional information regarding the allegations that homelessness had been reduced by 40 percent. He wanted the public to understand the exact metrics and how the County reached that reduction. He said there had been discussions regarding those numbers for several years, and he wanted something in writing that backed up the allegations.
Commissioner Clark said he would hold a town hall meeting at Reno Christian Fellowship Church, and everyone would be invited. He added that he wanted to hear concerns from citizens in District 2, and anyone in the County was welcome to attend.
Chair Hill recognized the Good Neighbor Warming Center community members who helped homeless women and children through the winter. She asked Manager Brown and the homeless community team to present a report to the BCC so that
they could better understand where those gaps in services were and how better collaboration with non-profit and church community partners could be achieved.
Manager Brown said since it was March 11, 2025, or 311, he wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge the 311 Team in Chambers. He added that the team were the individuals that took phone calls, answered emails, or inquiries regarding anything with Washoe County. He clarified that the team should not be confused with 911 and should not be contacted in an emergency if police or public safety were needed. He said their Office Supervisor was Mr. Marc De La Torre, and they received a round of applause from members in Chambers. Chair Hill said she was unsure what she would do without the 311 Team and remarked that they were amazing. She expressed her appreciation and added that the citizens relied on them as a first response to the community.
Manager Brown proudly announced that the Washoe Tahoe Academy’s initial class, which was Incline Village and North Lake Tahoe’s version of the Leadership Academy, was now open for applications through Thursday, March 27, 2025. He mentioned the academy would begin on April 30, 2025, and would include five sessions over five weeks. He said Incline Village and Crystal Bay residents would have a close-up look at how local government worked, a better understanding of the services available to the constituents and learn how the County and other governing bodies impacted their everyday lives. He explained applications were open and he provided the web address. He mentioned when he and Chair Hill were at a CAB meeting recently, there was a lot of interest in an academy, and he thought the unique aspects of that community would be great to see and for citizens to experience.
Manager Brown said that on March 25, 2025, there would be a workshop, not a BCC meeting as previously communicated. He explained the workshop would cover the basics of budget and the budget team would take the public through the mechanics of how the Washoe County budgets worked to hopefully generate a better understanding and transparency. He said there would be a demonstration of a new service, Washoe Checkbook. He mentioned Commissioner Andriola had championed bringing that technology to the County’s attention. He mentioned Washoe Checkbook would be showcased at the event which would be held in Chambers at 10:00 a.m. He added it would be filmed if the public could not be present in person. He said there would also be a question-and-answer period because the intent was to have people engaged and have their questions answered.
Manager Brown updated the Board on the Sun Valley skate park. He mentioned that a few weeks back, park staff met with Mr. Fernando Piper, one of the public commenters, and many of his comrades. He said he had been told that there had been great collaboration regarding how the skate park would be built, and he complimented the park staff for working on that.
Manager Brown mentioned Commission Support updated him on prior requests from the dais. He mentioned that on February 11, 2025, Commissioner Clark requested documentation and information on which metrics were used to support Chair
Hills' statements about a 40 percent reduction in homelessness. He explained that information was provided, and he offered clarification that the reference was a 40 percent reduction in unhoused individuals. He said Commissioner Clark asked when the County would close escrow on the former Medical Examiner's building. That item was brought forward, and there would be a second reading that day. He mentioned Commissioner Clark stated that on September 27, 2024, the interim Registrar of Voters (ROV) stated that the voter rolls had not been updated in the legal timeframe and Commissioner Clark asked if they had been addressed. Manager Brown stated the ROV provided a presentation a few weeks ago that showed those issues were in the process of being addressed, and some of the final resolutions resided with the Secretary of State’s (SOS) Office, who would be investigating a few items.
Manager Brown said on February 25, 2025, Commissioner Andriola requested that the phrases regionalization and consolidation be clarified during the business plan in regard to what was being done with the fire agencies. He reported that at a meeting two days later the chiefs wanted to discuss that topic. He said it was addressed in broad strokes, and consolidation in context referred to putting organizations in the same organization, and regionalization was more of a continuum of outcomes that had to do with standardizing operating procedures and how things were done. He added the chiefs and managers would meet again to focus on the next steps. The chiefs wanted to take some time to discuss the meaning of mutual and automatic aid with their organizations to ensure the definitions were consistent. He said the intent was still to have a third-party consultant write a business plan. He added that defining whether it was regionalization versus consolidation or whether it was mutual aid, would be very important.
Manager Brown expressed his apologies to the Board for the issues and breakdown in communication they encountered during their legislative update trip to Washington, D.C., which resulted in them not being able to meet with the three representatives from the Nevada delegation. He said he would take full responsibility for the fact that it did not happen as it should have. He stated that when he saw the itinerary that was shared with the Commissioners a week before their trip, he noticed it did not include individual meetings with the representatives. He said that two years ago, when he was on that trip, they met as a National Association of Counties (NACO) group with individual representatives but did not have individual meetings, so he did not think it would be a problem. He said it was wrong for him to have made that assumption, and he felt he should have reached out to each of the Commissioners and gone through the agenda in detail to make sure they were getting what they needed. He apologized and mentioned there would be briefings with each of them and said the members of the delegation had offered to meet with the Commissioners when they were in the County in the next few weeks. He explained that some of those members indicated they would be available to hear from the Board firsthand on what impact the pausing of federal aid would have on the community, and he stated the Commissioners would be briefed on that topic. Lastly, he mentioned there would be a briefing on the list of proposed appropriations, which were due back in Washington, D.C., around the first of April. He mentioned he wanted to have input from the Board regarding their thoughts on appropriations before the list was finalized.
Commissioner Clark thanked Manager Brown for his report and asked for a written explanation of the reported 40 percent reduction in homelessness and pointed out that Mr. Bob Conrad from This Is Reno had posted an online article about it. He mentioned that Mr. Conrad, after fact-checking the statement, had found it to be untrue. Commissioner Clark expressed his irritation with a County representative who falsely reported to the media and elected officials about wonderful work being done which he felt was untrue. He urged the public to read the article on Our Town Reno.
Commissioner Clark commended Mr. Robison with the RGJ for writing an article about the County employee who was living outside the State. He said it was very investigative reporting and encouraged the public to read the article.
Commissioner Clark said there were articles in Our Town Reno, This Is Reno, Picon Press, and RGJ, and said various reports about the County seemed to have happened at the same time. He stated that when his constituents called him with questions about stories they had heard, he told them he would ask for answers but was unsure if he would receive any information; typically, he felt he did not get what he needed. He felt if he brought it up at the BCC meeting, it could be used as a voice for his people to bring up questions because, other than that, he did not receive a lot of information.
Commissioner Clark said seniors frequently asked him when the 9th Street Senior Center might reopen, so he wanted to request that information and a tour of the inside. He added that seniors were concerned that it would not be finished in a timely fashion, and he wanted to find out if that concern was true.
Commissioner Clark inquired if the County had a handbook for travel and when it was last updated. He asked for clarification on how people were reimbursed for travel and what was involved with the process. He felt travel reimbursement should be brought before the Commissioners for review.
Commissioner Andriola thanked Manager Brown and Ms. Abbe Yacoben, Chief Financial Officer, and said on March 25, 2025, there would be a budget workshop and the launch of Washoe Checkbook. She thanked the staff for their time and acknowledged everyone’s hard work and understood the community was eager to learn as much as possible about budgets, which could be complex, especially in a government setting. She mentioned that even though budget discussions were currently underway, she thought it would be helpful for the participants if there were an opportunity to have a draft budget available so it could be reviewed beforehand and followed during the presentation. She suggested, which Ms. Yacoben may have already considered, that when the draft budget was attached, it should be noted that it was a draft so it would not be confused with a finalized budget but would still provide guidelines.
Commissioner Clark asked for written information regarding senior meals, including exactly how much they cost and a breakdown of each individual meal served.
25-0151 AGENDA ITEM 5 Presentation by Evelyn Grosenick and Kate Hickman to provide updates on the Public Defender’s and Alternate Public Defender’s Offices. (All Commission Districts.) FOR DISCUSSION ONLY.
Public Defender Evelyn Grosenick conducted a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Sixth Amendment; Gideon v. Wainright; Our Practice is Governed By:; Washoe County, Nevada; Public Defender; What We Do; Public Defender: Office Composition; Public Defender: Divisions. She indicated that the practice of the Public Defender was governed by many different sources of law and regulations which provided specific guidelines for defending criminal cases and youth defense actions. She noted that Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 250 governed death penalty practices and Nevada Supreme Court Order Administrative Docket (ADKT) 411 discussed public defenders’ guidelines when meeting with clients, such as how to investigate a case and what motions to file. She mentioned that individuals charged with a crime punishable by jail time who could not afford to hire an attorney were subject to a public defender. She explained the Public Defender did not solicit clients or advertise services a decision was made by a judge. All cases in which an attorney was appointed at the public’s expense went to the Public Defender’s Office (PDO). She said the cases were reviewed to determine conflicts of interest, which were outlined in the model rules and the Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct. She communicated that a conflict of interest could arise if co- defendants in a case needed representation from the PDO. Generally, the PDO could not represent two people charged in the same case due to the possibility of the PDO having a divided loyalty. Conflict of interest frequently happened when the PDO previously or currently represented individuals who were appearing as a witness for the State to testify against another client the PDO represented. If the case was reviewed and a conflict of interest was determined, the PDO sent the case to the Alternate Public Defender’s Office (APDO). A tertiary counsel group would take the case if the APDO also determined there was a conflict of interest.
Ms. Grosenick noted the PDO kept between 88 and 90 percent of the cases assigned to them, and the APDO kept most cases sent to their office. She read the PDO’s mission statement, explained what they did, and broke down the composition of the PDO on the slides titled Public Defender, What We Do, and Public Defender: Office Composition. She indicated the support staff included Office Specialists and Legal Assistants. The other positions included a Mitigation Specialist, Paralegal, and Business Technologist. She mentioned one of the challenges expected in the coming fiscal year (FY) was the loss of three attorneys, one investigator, and one legal assistant currently funded with federal grants from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). She was grateful to have their assistance and additional positions over the last four years; however, the funding would run out. The impact of client representation due to lack of funding and positions concerned her.
Ms. Grosenick referred to the divisions on the slide titled Public Defender: Divisions and indicated the largest division was the Adult Criminal Division. The PDO provided immigration advice due to the consequences of certain pleas or outcomes and
assisted those with removed parental rights. She said that assisted outpatient treatment was associated with involuntary hospitalizations. She mentioned youths facing delinquency petitions were not treated the same as adults unless the charges were a certain type.
Alternate Public Defender Katheryn Hickman conducted a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Alternate Public Defender: Office Composition; Alternate Public Defender: Divisions. She noted the APDO handled the Specialty Courts within the District Court and that most of their cases were adult criminal cases. She mentioned that the more complex and serious cases were handled by the APDO because the cases usually had conflicts of interest. The APDO did not have a misdemeanor team; however, they had a number of homicide cases open including a potential death penalty case. The APDO handled direct appeals and repetitions to the Nevada Supreme Court from cases that were within their office. She noted that a large portion of the staff was dedicated to the Family Court.
Ms. Grosenick continued conducting a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Holistic Defense; Caseloads: Public Defender; Workload: Public Defender. She believed the holistic defense model originated in The Bronx, New York, and read the definition on the slide titled Holistic Defense. She noted the PDO did not have resources to work with housing attorneys or paid social workers; however, the PDO and APDO hired people who cared about vulnerable individuals and wanted to fight for them. She explained that hired employees were trained to know the resources available in the community and how to advocate effectively for clients. She indicated there was a robust social work program with the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) School of Social Work which started over a decade ago. She said there were two or three Family Court Investigator Specialists who supervised unpaid interns who met with clients, provided psychosocial history, and helped clients get into treatment or directed them to community resources. While she had not brought statistics for the APDO, the PDO’s statistics were located on the slide titled Caseloads: Public Defender. She was grateful that FY24 cases decreased by almost 1,000. She noted that the cases presented encompassed all cases including conflicts. She voiced that reopened cases could include a client failing to appear, a reversal of an appeal, a new trial, probation revocations, and parole revocations. Non-workload conflicts were cases involving a true ethical division of loyalty between a client or former client while workload conflicts represented an inability to meet demand due to resources. She pointed out that the closed cases number represented cases that were either seen through to the end, private counsel was subbed in, or the defendant failed to appear.
Ms. Grosenick noted trial workload was important when discussing staffing and it was not based on the number of cases sent to trial, but the number of cases set for trial due to more preparation work. She referred to the graphs on the slide titled Workload: Public Defender and explained that the number of trials had increased each year. She pointed out the blue line on the Second Judicial District Court Jury Trials by Calendar Year graph indicated the number of jurors reporting to duty each year. She felt that the number of jurors shown maintained an individual’s right to a trial, which was essential.
Ms. Hickman continued conducting a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Alternate Public Defender: Overview; Alternate Public Defender: Specialty Courts; Alternate Public Defender: Specialty Court Numbers; Alternate Public Defender: Family Court; Alternate Public Defender: Path Forward. She noted the APDO represented people arrested as material witnesses and serious cases. She indicated policies had changed in the office to ensure cases stayed within the APDO. She said the Washoe County model had been displayed in national studies and reported ways for counties to ensure appropriate representation and contained costs. She believed that the APDO in the Specialty Courts supported the Board of County Commissioners’ (BCC) strategic plan and goals. She explained that Specialty Courts focused on the individual, rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, and treating the whole person to address the cause of criminal behavior. She commented that Specialty Courts were funded through federal grant funding. She reported that children in the foster care system often intersected with the criminal legal system. She said the cycle of prison should not be ignored and that Specialty Court and Reentry Court helped address the root causes of criminal behavior. She read from the APDO’s goal on the slide titled Alternate Public Defender: Path Forward. She felt the APDO had some of the most experienced attorneys in the County; however, the attorneys were required to perform many job duties because of the lack of support positions.
Ms. Grosenick continued conducting a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Measures Taken To Address Workload. Ms. Grosenick thanked the BCC, Office of the County Manager (OCM), and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) for their collaboration and assistance in addressing workload issues. She indicated the software system Axon Justice was designed for attorney usage and created efficiencies when reviewing body camera footage. She noted there was a temporary Paralegal due to splitting ARPA funds and that redistributing felony workloads required two additional attorneys on direct felony criminal representation. She said the WSCO assisted the PDO with the Axon Justice contract and added emergency phones in each housing unit to provide direct lines from counsel to their clients.
Commissioner Garcia noted that the presentation helped her understand the department's nuances. She indicated that in other jurisdictions, the APDO may not be county employees. She asked if the tertiary counsel group were private attorneys that required outside service fees.
Ms. Hickman confirmed that the APDO were County employees; however, the tertiary counsel group were private attorneys paid by the County.
Commissioner Garcia assumed the service fees for the tertiary counsel group were costly and it was better for the needs to be addressed by the PDO and APDO. She asked how many cases were sent to the tertiary counsel group.
Ms. Hickman did not have the statistics, and she indicated the numbers would vary. She noted a weekly conflict log was maintained that showed cases sent to the tertiary counsel group. She mentioned that many instances could affect how many cases
went to the tertiary counsel group, such as children committing crimes in groups, codefendant cases, or overflow workloads. She explained the policies had changed allowing the department to keep more cases, especially for Specialty Court.
Commissioner Garcia asked for an update on the sequential intercept model
(SIM).
Ms. Grosenick noted Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Rains was the point of contact regarding the update and information on the SIM. She indicated there were people who suffered from mental health or severe substance abuse issues who cycled in and out of the emergency room (ER), the jail, and the Cares Campus. She noted it was important to help the individuals cycle out by addressing underlying issues. She mentioned the department used the SIM by practicing holistic defense and treatment, representing the person’s wishes, and dedicating time and resources to getting people into Specialty Courts and Competency Court representation.
Commissioner Andriola thanked the PDO and APDO and said she enjoyed learning about the staff who were passionate about their work. She appreciated bringing awareness to the foster care statistics because she felt that most people did not realize the impact. She was grateful for the work done by the Human Services Agency (HSA) and hoped the cycle was prevented. She believed more awareness could bring great opportunities for preventative measures. She asked if the tertiary counsel group would receive more cases due to the loss of five positions.
Ms. Grosenick did not know what would happen in the future. She had seen caseloads decline and she hoped it would continue. She was worried about the three attorneys with full felony caseloads who were ARPA-funded. She indicated the Public Defender would have to make tough decisions about where to focus energy if those attorneys were lost. She said the PDO had an ARPA-funded investigator and Legal Assistant who helped with felonies and misdemeanors. She noted having a robust support staff was important because there was a lot of work performed to help attorneys focus on tasks unique to them.
Commissioner Andriola thought there would be a balance between the decrease in cases and the time dedicated to cases; however, it seemed that the time spent on the cases did not decrease as the cases did.
Ms. Hickman believed the decreasing cases were great, but when the economy declined, there were fewer resources, and crime rates rose, increasing the workload because more people qualified for Public Defenders. She indicated that caseload decreases were not guaranteed when looking at the economic forecast.
Commissioner Andriola appreciated the County’s nationally recognized model. She believed that keeping costs low showed the model’s creativity without compromising the County's objectives.
Commissioner Clark was grateful for the work done. He indicated it was up to the BCC to make the tough decisions regarding staff cuts. He wanted to find a way to fund the positions permanently. He believed that everyone was innocent until proven guilty and a balance was needed between the funding and resources provided to departments.
Chair Hill appreciated the tertiary counsel group questions since it was a large expense. She asked County Manager Eric Brown if there was a study regarding workloads with the PDO, APDO, and District Attorney (DA).
Manager Brown indicated the study had not begun; however, grant funding was located to conduct the study.
Chair Hill hoped there would be a better understanding of the balance needed after the study. She understood that workloads increased across multiple departments when there were more arrests. She was cognizant of the workload and appreciated the advocation of clients. She had witnessed how difficult it was to keep attorneys, conduct training, and contact clients during the COVID-19 (C19) pandemic. She commended the departments for recruiting, maintaining staff, and supporting the workload.
25-0152 6A1 Retroactively acknowledge one-time 90 Wal-Mart gift card donations at an individual value of $10.00 each; total value of [$900.00] from Tru Vista accepted by Second Judicial District Court (SJDC) in support of Minor Guardianship Program during FY 2025. District Court. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0153 6A2 Acknowledge retroactively various one-time, in-kind 20 Target, 20 Wal-mart and 10 Amazon gift card donations at an individual value of
$75.00 each [$3,750.00] from the Washoe Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Foundation, and a one-time cash donation of [$100.00] from Ms. Susan Krump, accepted by the Second Judicial District Court, CASA Program, and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. District Court. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Commissioner Garcia noted that the donation for Agenda Item 6A1 was for children who had a minor guardianship hearing during the holiday season, and Ms. Susan Krump’s donation for Agenda Item 6A2 was to support children in the foster care system.
There was no response to the call for public comment. Chair Hill thanked the community for the donations.
On motion by Commissioner Garcia, seconded by Commissioner Andriola which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 6A1 through 6A2 be acknowledged and accepted.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS – 7A1 THROUGH 7F1 EXCLUDING AGENDA ITEM 7D2 HEARD SEPARATELY
25-0154 7A1 Recommendation to approve the Regional Street Naming Committee’s recommendation for the naming of an easement to Kiddseye Lane. The unnamed easement is located within unincorporated Washoe County, east of Honey Lake Way and west of Rainbow Way. The naming of the easement will allow for better delivery and EMS services and is at no cost to Washoe County. Community Services. (Commission District 5.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0155 7B1 Request that the Board of County Commissioners retroactively acknowledge the grant award from the State of Nevada, Administrative Office of the Courts to the Second Judicial District Court, in the amount of
$15,000.00 (no match required), to support the Timely Permanency and Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) backlog effective December 11, 2024 through August 30, 2025, and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. District Court. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0156 7B2 Request that the Board of County Commissioners retroactively acknowledge the grant award from the State Justice Institute to the Second Judicial District Court, in the amount of $75,000.00 ($7,500 cash match to be covered within existing budget authority for professional services;
$30,000 cash match within existing budget authority for personnel), to support the Court Caseflow Assessment effective December 9, 2024, through December 31, 2025, and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. District Court. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0157 7B3 Recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners to retroactively acknowledge a grant of [$20,000, no County match required], awarded to the Second Judicial District Court from the Lee F. Del Grande Foundation, for Family Peace Center operating expenses; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. District Court. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0158 7C1 Recommendation to accept the 2025 Agreement to Use Account for Affordable Housing and Welfare Set-Aside Program by Washoe County between Washoe County and the Nevada Housing Division of the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry in the amount of [$107,265.00; no county match] retroactive to July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027;
authorize the Director of the Human Services Agency to execute the grant agreement; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0159 7D1 Recommendation to approve, pursuant to NRS 244.1505, Commission District Special Fund disbursement in the amount of [$25,000.00] for Fiscal Year 2024-2025; District 2 Commissioner Mike Clark recommends a [$10,000.00] grant to Jewish Nevada -- a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes -- to support its mission to engage the community to invest, enrich, and ensure the vibrancy and continuity of Jewish life in Nevada; and a [$10,000.00] grant to Lifestyle Homes Foundation -- a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes -- for the purpose of supporting food and clothing for seniors at the Cold Springs Family Center; and a [$5,000.00] grant to Katie Grace Foundation -- a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes -- to support the Cold Springs Senior Citizen outreach initiative to provide essential everyday items to Seniors ; approve Resolutions necessary for same; and direct the Comptroller’s Office to make the necessary disbursements of funds. Manager. (Commission District 2.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0160 7E1 Recommendation to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) to establish a partnership aimed at reducing recidivism by providing Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs to detainees at the Washoe County Detention Facility (WCDF). Additionally, authorize the Sheriff to sign the Cooperative Agreement MOU. Sheriff. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
25-0161 7F1 Recommendation to Acknowledge Receipt of the Report of Sale- January 23, 2025, Delinquent Special Assessment Sale [Sale Proceeds
$0.00] as the parcel paid prior to the sale for the following district: WCAD 32 – Spanish Springs Valley Ranch Rd, parcel: 076-391-65. Treasurer. (Commission District 4.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Chair Hill pulled Agenda Item 7D2 from the Consent Agenda.
On the call for public comment, Ms. Jane Swartley thanked the Board for allowing her to represent the Lifestyle Homes Foundation and their outreach program in Cold Springs. She thanked Commissioner Clark for his nomination to donate to their program, which was specifically for seniors. She stated those funds were of great value to them and mentioned Commissioner Clark had been helpful in getting their program up and running. She added their team was strictly volunteers, and no one received payment. She explained the program started out with the help of the Katie Grace Foundation and provided snack food, dog food, and various household items. She said they started out offering
outside curb pickup and have grown so much that now they fill a complete basketball court every Friday morning. She stated they were very fortunate and have served every Friday morning and had not missed one to date. She mentioned that with the help of donations from the Katie Grace Foundation, they received snacks and household. She said the past donations from Commissioner Clark helped the foundation provide fresh produce every week. She said there was a senior group with great volunteers that helped the program. She added that recently the Katie Grace Foundation brought frozen foods that were donated to the seniors. She said the Lifestyles Homes Foundation would not have to ask questions regarding income since they did not receive federal funding; as they grew, that could change. She added that last week they served 176 people, which was amazing. She invited the Commissioners to join them on a Friday morning but cautioned them not to be late because, by 10:20 a.m., they would be out of donations, even though their event started at 10:00 a.m. She said it was an amazing program and offered the Board a tour and added the people would love to see them. She thanked Commissioner Clark for his help and said they were very proud of what they had accomplished with their program. She thought everyone who had spoken at the meeting with their groups could see pride and love for what was being done and gave thanks.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Consent Agenda Items 7A1 through 7F1, excluding Agenda Item 7D2 be approved. Any and all Resolutions or Interlocal Agreements pertinent to Consent Agenda Items 7A1 through 7F1, with the exclusion of Agenda Item 7D2, are attached hereto and made a part of the minutes thereof.
25-0162 7D2 Recommendation to approve, pursuant to NRS 244.1505, Commission District Special Fund disbursement in the amount of [$10,000.00] for Fiscal Year 2024-2025; District 2 Commissioner Mike Clark recommends a [$10,000.00] grant to Reno Toy Run -- a nonprofit organization created for religious, charitable or educational purposes -- to support its mission of providing toys for children in need; approve Resolution necessary for same; and direct the Comptroller’s Office to make the necessary disbursement of funds. Manager. (Commission District 2.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Chair Hill explained the item had been pulled for the same reason she had previously pulled it. She said it had been brought to the Board’s attention through a media report that a representative from the Reno Toy Run (RTR) attended a meeting to accept a donation wearing a Nazi symbol, a swastika, and an eagle which was the symbol of the Nazi party. She commended the Board for pushing the Branded Few to rebrand and added that she still had not heard from the RTR representatives clarifying their stance on swastikas. She wondered if members of the organization were allowed to wear swastikas, specifically to public events, and if that were the case, she said she could not support the donation. She hoped there would be an answer to her question during public comment.
On the call for public comment, Mr. Tim Parks said he represented the Northern Nevada Confederation of Clubs (NNVCOC) and was also an Army Veteran. He thanked the Board for their public service and added he knew it was a thankless job. He
said the RTR was a big deal for him specifically because of what he had seen others do. He stated the previous year was his first year participating and he would appreciate the Board’s $10,000 donation. He said it would be a huge help in moving forward, and it would be a boost for everyone to see the funds being built up; he added all those funds were distributed straight to the community. He added that as a child he had benefitted from the program and was dependent on it because he had come from a broken home where his mother would wait to receive her income tax to be able to buy toys for Christmas. He thought it was an unfortunate situation to be in as a kid without any control over it. He felt it was the duty of Reno citizens to take care of the children. He said that was what he was at the meeting to fight for and felt it was important that the RTR was represented.
Mr. Troy Regas said that as of that year, the RTR had donated to the community for 45 years. He said that in 1986, they started donating dollars within the community, and the RTR had a great turnout, with barrel collections and over 100 businesses helping them. He explained that one week after their collections, there was a toy sort, and then they could begin delivering to local schools, charities, special needs programs, foster kids, and communities in need. He said there was an extraordinary need, bigger than in previous years. He mentioned that toys were brought in up to Christmas Eve, and people in need would keep showing up for toys. He said RTR donated $100,000 to 10 local charities and partnered with over 100 local businesses for donations, toy collections, and more. He said no one profited from their 501C3, non-profit organization, it was all donated. He added that the RTR spoke for itself. He addressed Chair Hill and said the NNVCOC had been to prior meetings and never mentioned that they supported swastikas. He said that was her opinion, and she had kept her opinion and would likely not change it, which he understood. He said he made a deal with the Branded Few that if they wanted to be part of the NNVCOC, they would no longer be able to wear what they called a broken cross or they would need to change their label. He remarked that he disagreed with Chair Hill when she referred to it as a swastika. He said after a few months had passed, they had not changed their label, so the Branded Few were removed from the NNVCOC and were no longer members. He added that the NNVCOC did not allow swastika, and noted he was from the Hells Angel Motorcycle Club, which came from Germany. He clarified that they had dealt with laws that were anti-sematic in their club and were not allowed to wear swastikas or have anything to do with Nazism in Germany or any country because it could affect their German members. He said if anyone in the club did, they would be removed. He felt that was something not a lot of people probably knew and added that the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was a bombers group from WWII and killed Nazis. He said that the misconception Chair Hill had about Nazis was not involved with the NNVCOC or the RTR, and they did not have anything to do with those labels. He said they did not appreciate that they had been associated with those labels.
Chair Hill clarified with Mr. Regas that since the Branded Few would not remove the swastika label, they were removed from the NNVCOC. Mr. Regas replied that since they had not removed the swastikas, they would no longer be a member of the NNVCOC until the swastikas were removed. Chair Hill asked if anyone else had worn a swastika to any public events. Mr. Regas responded that no one else had worn it but thanked her for asking. Chair Hill stated she was very happy to hear that.
Ms. Trista Gomez said that she admired any organization that could do a lot with a little, who worked off volunteer hours, and who provided necessary services to vulnerable populations. She thought it was incredibly commendable, and she was glad that Mr. Regas provided an explanation. She said she loved to see efficiency and goodwill and people who worked for the good of the community, and she hoped that the Board would approve their donation.
Mr. Erewyn Mears said he was at the meeting to discuss a different item but wanted to make a comment. He stated he was not affiliated in any way with anyone. He said he fully respected and agreed with the shock and appalment of a person displaying the labels discussed that day. He shared, as an outside observer, the act of giving was something that could be life changing. He encouraged accountability, reporting, and tracking to make sure that whatever happened was legal and used for the betterment of the community. He thought it would end up doing more harm than good if funding were withdrawn not only to all the children but all the people who had demonstrated how far that money could go.
Commissioner Clark mentioned the topic had been discussed at previous Commission meetings, and there were two different organizations present. He explained that one was the NNVCOC, which had a member who had allegedly worn a swastika or crooked cross. He said that person was not a member of the RTR board and there were two separate entities. He stated that somebody showed up wearing a label, and it tainted the good name of the RTR. He mentioned the RTR was a separate entity, and people had mixed that up. He said no one from the RTR 501C3 organization had worn anything that would be considered offensive, and he was unclear why people could not separate those two groups. He stated that not all members of the NNVCOC were on the board of the RTR. He said he did not want to wait until the end of the year to make the donation because he realized that many other organizations earmarked their donations early in the year. He wanted to ensure the RTR received the donation earlier in the year to allow time for them to calculate their budget and determine how funds would be allocated. He specified that the calendar that was distributed prominently displayed that Washoe County supported the RTR, and he felt it was a good organization. He said the BCC donated to other organizations, and thought the Eddy House was the most recognizable. He mentioned RTR funds were used to buy toys, clothes, and other items children needed. He noted that any money left was donated to other viable validated non-profits. He thought they had done a great job, and he hoped his fellow commissioners would support the request.
Chair Hill said she had not heard that individuals who wore swastikas were prohibited from participating and she was happy to support the donation for Item 7D2. She expressed her excitement that the BCC pushed the organization to ensure that the symbol was not visible, especially to children who received toys, which everyone supported.
Commissioner Clark stated the last time the subject had come up some had accused him of being a Nazi sympathizer because he supported the RTR. For clarity, he said discretionary funds of $10,000 were donated to Jewish Nevada, a similar donation to last year's donation to Jewish Nevada. He felt anybody who supported Jewish Nevada
probably should not be considered a Nazi sympathizer; he said he resented those comments and felt branded by them just by supporting the children in the community. He mentioned the topic had been reported by a local news reporter who had taken a picture of somebody’s attire at the meeting and called him and asked him if he supported it. He said the donation was about the children and felt it was ironic that someone accused him of being a Nazi sympathizer, and the very same day, he donated money to Jewish Nevada. He said he had hoped they would share the date and location of their milk and honey event. He stated he hoped his fellow commissioners supported the donation.
On motion by Chair Hill, seconded by Vice Chair Herman, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 7D2 be approved and directed. Any and all Resolutions pertinent to Agenda Item 7D2 are attached hereto and made a part of the minutes thereof.
25-0163 AGENDA ITEM 8 Recommendation to approve the appointment of one candidate to fill a term beginning on the date of appointment and ending on June 30, 2027, for the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission. Applicants for the vacancy include: Michael Bosma, Matthew DeMartini, Brian Erbis, Sophia Heidrich, Kami Hitti, Matthew Kaempfe, Tracy Kuczenski, James McNamara, Matt Polley, Luke Rippee and Tami Rougeau. Community Services. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Community Outreach Coordinator Alexandra Wilson reported Ms. Kami Hitti was removed from the ballot and was no longer eligible for appointment because she moved out of the State.
On the call for public comment, Ms. Tracy Kuczenski said she was a constituent of District 1. She stated she moved to Washoe County the previous summer from Madison, Wisconsin, where she had lived for nearly 30 years. She explained that Washoe County’s high desert and mountainous landscape was very different from the prairies, terrains, and lakes of Wisconsin. She said she moved to Washoe County because of the outstanding beauty and natural resources. She noted she was delighted by the hiking, running, biking, nature walks, disc golf, and historic buildings that Washoe County had to offer. She commented that she was passionate about parks and open spaces and felt that the Washoe County Open Spaces and Regional Parks Commission (WCOSRPC) provided opportunities for the community to recreate, learn, reflect, and be in the community with neighbors. She believed the WCOSRPC preserved the County’s historical, cultural, and natural resources. She understood that it was challenging to achieve purpose when resources were finite, or the purpose was conflicted. She recognized the important role the WCOSRPC played in balancing the competing interests. She believed her personal attributes, education, and professional experience were valuable to the WCOSRPC. She said she was curious, an active listener, open-minded, had a great sense of humor, and worked well with others. She informed she had a law degree and a master's degree in land resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), with a concentration in environmental and land use law and administrative law. She explained she had worked
in private firms conducting environmental regulations, land protection, and conservation matters. She noted she served as Assistant Corporation Counsel to Dane County, Wisconsin, which gave her an understanding of local government. For 12 years, she served as a non-partisan legislative attorney and drafted legislation for the Wisconsin Legislature. She said she loved statutes and regulations and had an aptitude for details of collaboration essential for crafting laws and policies. She explained she worked remotely as a Senior Bar Examination Editor for the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). She believed that she was an excellent candidate for the WCOSRPC and would be honored if selected.
Ms. Tami Rougeau was not present when called to speak.
County Clerk Jan Galassini advised the Board she received an emailed public comment from Mr. Matthew Kaempfe which was placed on file.
County Clerk Jan Galassini read the Commissioner votes aloud. Chair Hill summarized the top candidate was Ms. Tracy Kuczenski.
Commissioner Andriola believed that appointments were always difficult decisions and thanked everyone for applying. She appreciated the giving of personal time to assist the community. She loved calling every applicant because she learned so much from the conversation. She hoped there was an opportunity in the future for those who applied and were not selected. She recommended attending the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) meetings to hear announcements about board and commission openings. She commended the quality of the applicants.
Chair Hill felt lucky to have such amazing candidates to choose from. She indicated that she would need a formal motion to appoint Ms. Tracy Kuczenski to the WCOSRPC.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Ms. Tracy Kuczenski be appointed to fill one vacancy on the Washoe County Open Spaces and Regional Parks Commission beginning on March 11, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2027.
25-0164 AGENDA ITEM 9 Recommendation to approve Washoe County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) to guide greenhouse gas reductions to meet the County’s commitment to Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. This plan addresses GHG emissions in both County Operations and community wide. The CAP recommends 126 actions to reduce emissions across four sectors: land use, transportation, buildings, and waste. This item does not constitute funding or budget approval for any of the components of the plan itself; any such funding, expenditures, or budget authority necessary to implement individual components of the plan will be brought back before the Board for approval as necessary. Manager. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Brian Beffort, Washoe County Sustainability Manager conducted a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Climate Action Plan County Operations & Community-Wide; Washoe County: A Beautiful Place to Live; But We are Threatened…; On the Front Lines…; County & Statewide Goals; Leading By Example; Community: Participation; Washoe County Climate Action Plan; County Operations; County Operations Emissions: 32,600 MT CO2e in 2021; 4 Strategies: 49 Actions; Community; Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory; Community-Wide Action; Expected Benefits; Implementation; How We Will Get There; Implementation: How We’ll Get It Done; Implementation: A Vision of the Future; Thank you; Washoe County Urban Heat, Tree Canopy and Disadvantaged Census Tracts; Greenhouse Gases
Mr. Beffort referred to the slide titled Washoe County: A Beautiful Place to Live, briefly described Washoe County, and opined that it was a great place to reside. He described the County’s location between the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Great Basin Desert. He asserted that the County had attracted families and innovative companies to the area with its diverse and resilient economy and abundant cultural and outdoor recreational opportunities. He reported that Outside Magazine had ranked Reno as the happiest place to live in the United States (US).
Mr. Beffort referred to the slide titled But We are Threatened… and asserted that everyone would agree that weather-related challenges had become increasingly common, extreme, and unpredictable. He noted that Reno had been identified as the fastest- warming city in the US for several years. He stressed that urban heat, atmospheric rivers, floods, wildfires, and air pollution occurred too often. He reported that Washoe County had violated or nearly violated the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set for particulate matter and ozone for several years. He communicated an increased frequency of power blackouts, increased general costs, energy bills, and medical expenses caused by ailments related to poor air quality. He asserted that increased costs also impacted the County and other local jurisdictions and agencies responsible for responding to those challenges. He referred to a report from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD), which disclosed that costs related to the Davis Fire were estimated to have ranged from $18 million to $40 million. Mr. Beffort reported that flooding in Hidden Valley had cost the County $2.1 million in staff and resources. He noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) threshold for federal support was set with a budget of $2.1 million.
Mr. Beffort referred to the slide titled On the Front Lines… and noted that local agencies and municipalities worked behind the scenes to keep citizens safe even when they were not active in the field. He described the picture on the right of the slide as depicting local agencies and municipalities present at the emergency operations center during a 2023 atmospheric river event. He opined that the best course of action would be to pre-emptively prepare for those challenges as much as possible through mitigation and adaptation in available areas that accommodated budget constraints.
Mr. Beffort reflected on the history of the Board of County Commissioners (BCC), which he noted had discussed and directed County action on issues related to
climate and sustainability for decades. He referred to the slide titled County & Statewide Goals and asserted that the County’s mission and strategic priority to support a thriving community and achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 matched the commitments made by the State as listed on the right of the slide and mandated their discussion. He referred to recent work with the Envision Washoe 2040 Master Plan and the Washoe County Green Recovery Plan.
Mr. Beffort referred to the slides titled Leading By Example and Community: Participation to demonstrate the collaborative efforts and nature of the Climate Action Plan (CAP). He asserted that the CAP was proposed to reduce GHG emissions from County operations and the cumulative community. He reported that the CAP was informed by data gathered from the energy use and emissions of all major Washoe County facilities and operations, a County-wide GHG inventory, and recommendations from numerous Washoe County staff members on the Green Team, facilities and operations, as well as from partners, stakeholders, and citizens throughout the County. He stressed that the CAP was a team effort and expressed gratitude for the input and support he had received.
Mr. Beffort referred to the slide titled Washoe County Climate Action Plan to provide an outline for what had been included in the CAP. He reported that the CAP proposed 126 actions across four primary categories, which included working collaboratively to align around emission reduction goals and energy efficiency best practices, caring for the land that was depended on by everyone for air, water, and food, reducing emissions at the source to save money and clean the air, and producing cleaner energy.
Mr. Beffort reported that the County had been contracted with an organization called NZero, which tracked the energy use and emissions from Washoe County operations since 2021 and referred to statistics listed on the slide titled County Operations Emissions: 32,600 MT CO2e in 2021. He stated that the statistics on the right of the slide had been provided for those who wanted to closely analyze the details in the future. He referred to the chart on the left of the slide. He noted that the chart indicated that buildings were the most significant contributor to the County’s carbon emissions, followed by employee commutes, fleet operations, and waste. He noted that the CAP included 49 proposed actions across the four primary strategies to address mitigating and reducing emissions produced by County operations as described on the slide titled 4 Strategies: 49 Actions. He described the first strategy as adopting the CAP and developing the sustainability and energy efficiency goals across all Washoe County departments. He reported that the second strategy was to support healthy land management by implementing the Envision Washoe 2040 Master Plan, community forestry work, and the care and maintenance of the Truckee River. Mr. Beffort’s third proposed strategy was to reduce emissions and save taxpayer funds on energy bills by converting to fleets that produced less pollution and ensuring energy efficiency in County buildings and operations. He described the fourth strategy as expanding on the available renewable energy sources at Washoe County facilities.
Mr. Beffort described the community-wide emissions and actions outlined by the CAP by referring to the content on the slides titled Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Community-Wide Action. He reported that the community of Washoe County had produced more than six million metric tons of carbon equivalent gases in 2021. He noted that the graph on the left depicted a similar trend of buildings being the primary contributor to emissions, as outlined in orange, followed by transportation-related emissions shown in blue. He referred to the list on the right of the slide, which included all the agencies and partners that contributed the information and data that comprised the graph. He thanked those agencies for their participation in the studies. He expressed gratitude to Emily Stapleton, FUSE Corps Executive Fellow, who he noted had completed the GHG inventories through the utilization of global reporting standards and drafted the CAP.
Mr. Beffort reported that the CAP recommended 77 actions to reduce and mitigate community-wide emissions across the same four categories listed to address emissions from County operations. He reintroduced those strategies concerning the community as building consensus and transparency for the County’s goals across the community, caring for their lands and waters through efforts such as community forestry and maintenance of the Truckee River, partnering as regional jurisdictions and agencies to reduce emissions from transportation and buildings through efforts such as performance benchmarking best practices, providing energy efficiency tools and support for homeowners and businesses, and more efficient waste management. He listed the final strategy as producing cleaner energy by expanding solar and other renewable energy wherever possible.
Mr. Beffort referred to the slide titled Expected Benefits and asserted that if the County implemented all of the strategies as he had previously mentioned, it would make a measurable difference in people’s lives. He stressed that implementing those efforts would protect people, many of whom belong to vulnerable populations. He noted that the benefits they could expect to see included cooling the hottest part of the community, cleaning the air so fewer individuals would suffer from symptoms of asthma, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease, saving everyone money on expenses associated with energy bills, medical bills, and emergency response, as well as supporting job growth that contributed to improving quality of life and a vibrant economy.
Mr. Beffort discussed the next steps that would need to be taken for the benefits of the CAP to come to fruition by referring to the slide titled Implementation: How We’ll Get it Done. He noted that the implementation would start then and acknowledged that while the CAP was not perfect, it was only the beginning. He asserted that there were many good ideas, many of which would be easily achievable, and that everyone present could take action to make a difference. He acknowledged that the County might not receive substantial federal support in the future through funding. He stressed that despite that, the County could not wait for others to aid in fixing its problems.
Mr. Beffort attested that the implementation efforts would be guided by data such as Return on Investment analyses and the collective wisdom of County staff, their
fellow jurisdictions, agencies, businesses, and citizens. He suggested that the process should start with the accomplishment of easily achievable opportunities that could allow for the gradual growth and preparation necessary to achieve their larger goals and ensure a better future. He reported that the adoption of the CAP required no commitment of General Funds and reminded the Board that they would have the final say on any significant CAP- related decisions. He elaborated that the CAP would serve as a mandate that reminded staff to be fiscally responsible and efficient with energy and resources. He acknowledged the recent popularity of discussions surrounding government efficiency and noted that its relation to the plan was no exception to that trend. He invited fellow jurisdictions, agencies, and individuals to work collaboratively and strategically to implement the best solutions possible.
Mr. Beffort concluded his presentation with the assertion that there was no guarantee that the unique factors that distinguished the County would remain if they did not take action to protect it. He stressed that the County was obligated to provide a safe, secure, healthy community, remain financially sustainable, and serve vulnerable populations. He suggested they could be a community that utilized their resources efficiently and affordably with clean air, provided a vibrant and beautiful quality of life, and was resilient despite facing an uncertain future. He opined that the CAP proposed ambitious, specific, and measurable steps to achieve those goals. He asserted that realizing them would take a caring and dedicated community. Mr. Beffort noted that those interested in learning more could visit the website WashoeCounty.gov/Sustainability to track their progress or sign up to help. He thanked the Board and offered to answer any questions.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. Beffort for his time and for keeping his presentation within the allotted timeframe.
Vice Chair Herman expressed her appreciation for Mr. Beffort’s hard work. She noted that she did not agree with much of what the CAP proposed and speculated that there would be substantial costs associated with the plan. She attested that her past experiences allowed her to understand the price of the CAP, even if the proposed plan did not include cost estimates. She indicated that convincing her to support the plan would be difficult. She thanked Mr. Beffort for his presentation.
Commissioner Garcia thanked Mr. Beffort, Ms. Stapleton, and the former Commissioners who served on the BCC in 2021 for writing environmental sustainability into the Washoe County Strategic Plan. She attested that their initial inclusion of sustainability resulted in rapid action, which was proven by the hiring of Mr. Beffort, the consultation and coordination done with Ms. Stapleton, the creation of the Green Recovery Plan, and the collection of data such as the GHG Inventory. She thanked the former Commissioners again for having faith in those sustainability efforts.
Commissioner Garcia acknowledged that the issue had become increasingly politicized and was subject to inconsistent and shifting opinions. She asserted that all residents of Nevada, regardless of political affiliation, would agree that there had been significant changes to their way of life concerning aspects such as inconsistency in snowfall
and increasing summer temperatures. She reiterated that despite personal political opinions, it was well-known that those changes were happening rapidly. She reflected on discussions she had held with college students and the youth and indicated that they suffered significant stress and anxiety over the topic. She asserted that the issue was real. She opined that regardless of whether the Board could agree on every recommendation brought forth by the CAP, they would be able to concur on their shared love for the region and collectively recognize the need to take immediate action. She acknowledged the value of her position in contributing to the voting on issues such as the CAP. She attested that the CAP was a foundational and strategic document based on metrics and data. She expressed pride in supporting the CAP and excitement about seeing it implemented. She thanked Ms. Stapleton for her service to Washoe County.
Commissioner Andriola thanked Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton for having dedicated the time to outlining the information about the CAP and for providing answers throughout the process. She asked about outreach and hoped there would be an opportunity to include other industries in their efforts that utilized or implemented construction into their work. She suggested connecting with associations in that industry to find opportunities to inform them about CAP initiatives and possible cost-saving contributions, as individuals in those industries often seemed to be ahead of relevant issues to the CAP and might be interested in that information.
Mr. Beffort thanked Commissioner Andriola and agreed with her suggestion. He stated they were only at the start of the overall process and acknowledged that much work was still needed. He recognized that the people in those industries were experts who could provide valuable information on finding opportunities to reinforce the CAP. He emphasized that he was looking forward to working with anyone interested in helping save energy and costs, clean the air, and do what was needed to keep the community resilient and sustainable.
Commissioner Andriola expressed appreciation for Mr. Beffort’s clarity in reporting that the CAP would not prompt regulatory mandates to be imposed by Washoe County or impact the County’s funding, as well as for indicating his intent and interest in future outreach efforts. She reiterated the importance of those factors. She noted that enforcing a regulatory mandate was associated with added costs to those imposed by that requirement. She recommended that Mr. Beffort share his findings from future outreach efforts and opined that representatives of those industries might be able to contribute to or prompt changes in the CAP. She acknowledged that Mr. Beffort collaborated with other organizations to collect the initial data in the presentation, and she noted that the date would dictate future decisions or actions. She expressed interest in hearing further reports from Mr. Beffort regarding the cooperative measures expected to be taken in the future. She emphasized her gratitude for the time Mr. Beffort had dedicated to answering her questions and for his hard work on the CAP.
Chair Hill commended Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton for their dedicated work and time spent on the CAP and securing grants for sustaining programs. She applauded Mr. Beffort’s personal commitment to the mission and expressed amazement
that he was now directly contributing to Washoe County as staff. She reflected on having been greeted warmly upon initially beginning her role at Washoe County by Washoe County Green Team members. She described the Green Team as a collection of County staff whom she reported as having strived to achieve more sustainable practices for years through efforts such as recycling batteries, creating water stations, and more. She opined that the Green Team would be given structure and have their passion supported by the CAP. She expressed her approval of those efforts that she opined had contributed to the ethos and culture of the County. She commended the staff who supported those sustainability efforts and the work done. She emphasized her excitement for the process to begin and her appreciation that Mr. Beffort would be given the support he needed to implement the changes outlined in the CAP. She attested that the implementation would ultimately save the taxpayers money, contribute to cleaner air, and ensure the continued enjoyment of the outdoors for all.
On the call for public comment, Mr. Erewyn Meers displayed a document, copies of which were distributed to the Board and placed on file with the Clerk. He indicated that he would deviate from the content of the document he had distributed. He praised those who attended the meeting and provided public comment. He applauded those present at the meeting and opined that they had dedicated their lives to the betterment of the community. He noted the three homeless individuals who had spoken previously and opined that they had demonstrated the unacknowledged breadth of the issue. He reflected that one of those individuals had provided testimony of the difficulties associated with finding stability after experiencing homelessness. He attested that all the comments represented their shared passion for the community. He commended the efforts of Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton. Mr. Meers reflected on his experience meeting Mr. Beffort at an Earth Day event and attested that Mr. Beffort had listened to and considered everything presented to him. He expressed doubt that the CAP included a proposal to construct a monorail due to the scope of construction exceeding available resources. He indicated interest in that project eventually being completed. Mr. Meers asserted that Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton were the ones chosen to enact the people's will through their CAP proposal. He opined that no other process could yield better results than what was offered by the CAP while remaining fiscally balanced and receiving support from the Sierra Club and other local organizations. He implored the Board to consider what was requested by voters. He identified Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton as individuals who could provide them with what was necessary to make those considerations. He referred to the document he had distributed to the Board and asserted that the foundation of the document was harmony. He opined that all other matters became easier to address when balance was achieved. He provided the example of ecosystems interacting and compared that to the cumulative experiences of those who had gathered to speak to the Board and encouraged action. He hoped that everyone could work collaboratively to make the CAP happen.
Mr. Nicholas Colonna was not present when called to speak.
Mr. Brendan Schneider greeted the Board and introduced himself as a Senior Air Quality Specialist for the Air Quality Management Division (AQMD) of Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH). He indicated his support for the CAP. He asserted
that many might know that emissions from motor vehicles were the largest source of air pollution in Washoe County and led to the formation of ground-level ozone, one of six criteria pollutants identified in the Clean Air Act (CAA). He attested that ground-level ozone was a cause for concern during the summer and could lead to poor health outcomes for the public, particularly seniors, children, and those with existing lung disease. He acknowledged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recognition that Washoe County attained the 2015 Ozone NAAQS. He reported that the County was only two parts per billion away from violating those standards, which he noted were strengthened over time and were slated for review in 2030. He stressed that the next five years would be critical for Washoe County to avoid the detrimental health, environmental, and economic impacts of violating the NAAQS. He elaborated further on those potential impacts, which included restrictive motor vehicle emission budgets, reduction or loss of federal funding, and more stringent local air quality standards on regulations for businesses and residents. He opined that the CAP should be implemented to meaningfully reduce GHG emissions and mitigate Washoe County’s ground-level ozone problem. Mr. Schneider asserted that the AQMD intended to assist in implementing and utilizing the CAP to improve air quality in the region. He thanked Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton for their hard work and attested that the AQMD looked forward to working collaboratively.
Mr. George Cavros thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak and for their supportive actions toward the community. He introduced himself as a resident of District 3. He commended Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton for presenting the CAP. He reported that his job was related to working on climate issues at the State level as an employee of Western Resource Advocates. He elaborated that the organization advocated affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy. He described his motivation for working in that space and advocating for the transition to cleaner and more efficient technologies as being in the best interest of saving residents of Nevada money, maintaining the natural environment, and leaving behind a sustainable planet for future generations. He opined that residents of Washoe County should agree on the desire for lower power bills and cleaner air, which the CAP could accomplish. He described the CAP as providing a starting point that would face updates and evaluation in the future. He asserted that those who voted in support of the CAP could be proud to have supported a plan that excelled the County towards improvement. He reported that the CAP encouraged the County to use more energy-efficient technology, such as LED lighting, electrification of the fleets, and other practices that would reduce operation and maintenance costs for the County if implemented. He indicated that the burden on taxpayers would be jointly reduced alongside those costs. He referred to the community component of the CAP that covered public education. He stressed the importance of addressing constituents who hoped to reduce their energy use to save money as they struggled to pay their bills by providing them with an understanding of the available resources and options. He noted that air quality would improve as they transitioned toward energy-efficient technologies and reduced emissions from tailpipes and power plants. He acknowledged that the air quality in Washoe County was not a point of pride as the County had routinely received an F rating from the American Lung Association. He reiterated his belief that approving the CAP would serve as a good initial step and expressed hope that the Board would approve it.
Mr. Jeff Carlton referred to his earlier comment regarding the cumulative carbon budget. He indicated that he had forgotten to mention previously that the carbon budget consisted of carbon dioxide that had been released, entered the atmosphere, and remained there for centuries or longer. He stressed that there was insufficient time to wait for the carbon dioxide to dissipate naturally before addressing the crisis. He indicated that everyone would live under better conditions if contributions towards filling the atmosphere with carbon emissions ceased. He noted that there was injustice in those actions, which impacted countries of every size. He provided Kiribati and Bangladesh as examples and asserted that those countries were affected the most by rising ocean water levels and flooding from increased storm frequency, which were directly caused by increased carbon emissions. He noted that the citizens of those countries contributed approximately half a ton of carbon emissions per person to the budget, while American citizens contributed approximately 16 tons per person. He reiterated that the countries that were impacted the most by carbon emissions were responsible for contributing the least to the issue. He stressed the ethical nature of the problem and the need to consider the complex and expensive efforts that would be left behind for future generations to undertake.
Ms. Julia Hubbard self-identified as a paid lobbyist for Solar United Neighbors Action (SUNA). Ms. Hubbard greeted the Board and thanked them for their time, consideration, and potential support of the CAP. She introduced herself as the Nevada Program Director of SUNA and encouraged the Board to vote for the approval of the CAP. She noted that she was a constituent of District 1. She described SUNA as a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that operated nationwide and in Nevada to educate people about solar energy, solar technology, economics, and policy. She reported that SUNA assisted others in transitioning to solar energy use, joining together, and protecting their energy rights. She asserted that solar energy could address Reno’s status as the fastest-warming metropolitan area in the Nation and that Nevada residents faced high electricity costs, with more than 21 percent of residents unable to afford related expenses. She stated that solar energy was the cheapest available power source and offered clean, reliable, and efficient energy. She asserted that they had set the goals of achieving 50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050. She opined that implementing solar power into the energy mix would be essential to achieving those goals. She asserted that Washoe County had abundant sunlight that should be harnessed to provide for communities while capitalizing on the supportive careers and skilled local employment opportunities generated by solar energy. She attested that SUNA encouraged the County to support income-qualified households transitioning to solar energy by promoting the Nevada Clean Energy Fund’s (NCEF) Solar for All program and supporting the creation of a similar program in Washoe County. She reported that SUNA had assisted other municipalities nationwide in those efforts and could similarly assist Washoe County. She stated that the average household in Nevada utilizing solar energy saved $1,500 on electricity bills in the first year and could expect to have saved an amount equal to the cost of implementing the system within ten years. She opined that made solar energy a worthwhile investment. She asserted that more solar energy could be associated with reducing pollution, water consumption, and wildfires. She stated that SUNA commended the CAP for acknowledging solar energy as an essential mitigation strategy for meeting climate goals. She reported that SUNA would assist Washoe County and all residents of Nevada in
accessing sunlight. She noted that SUNA worked with nonprofits, municipalities, and households to help them navigate the transition to solar energy, represent solar energy consumers, and defend solar policies from contention while advocating for a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable future for the residents of Nevada.
Mr. Tim Sweeney greeted the Board and introduced himself as an internationally certified passive house designer and architect since 1984, the Chair of the Sustainability Committee for The Northern Nevada Chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), a former general contractor, and a longtime resident of Nevada. He attested that he was the inventor of the Simplus Building System, which he described as the Nation’s first and only integration of the most sustainable ways to design and build new construction and retrofits. He asserted that he felt strongly that they faced an existential moment and emphasized his appreciation for the Board's progress on the issue. He stressed that fossil fuels were slowly harming everyone and that something must be done rapidly to address the issue. He recommended that the implementation of CAP actions and strategies needed to be processed faster than was suggested. He opined that everybody was very fortunate that Mr. Beffort and Ms. Stapleton had drafted the CAP, which he described as practical, obtainable, reasonable, forward-looking, achievable, and potentially effective if implemented as outlined. He noted that the CAP was aligned with the AIA goal for net zero buildings by 2030 and the International Energy Agency’s goals for 2030 and 2050. He opined that the Board was presented with one of the most important and beneficial decisions they could make during their terms. He congratulated the Board for receiving the opportunity to prevent Washoe County from reaching an abrupt end. He urged the Board to approve the CAP on behalf of himself and the Northern Nevada Chapter of the AIA.
Ms. Penny Brock informed the Board that President Donald Trump won the election. She stated that the president had withdrawn the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and had sworn in a new EPA Secretary. She asserted that the EPA Secretary reversed the acknowledgment of GHG as harmful. She noted the previous mention of GHG during earlier discussions and opined that GHG emissions did not qualify as a crisis. She reported that the EPA sought to rescind $20 billion from climate funding efforts and asked how much funding would ultimately be rescinded from Washoe County. She recommended that the Board discover how those changes to funding would impact the budget. She emphasized that there would be a cost associated with implementing the presented goal of the CAP to reduce GHG emissions countywide through 126 actions. She asked how funding would be secured as the presentation suggested no use of Washoe County’s General Funds, instead pursuing federal, State, local, and private grants. She reiterated that the federal government would cut the relevant grant money, which she opined would ultimately result in the State losing access to the suggested funding source. She asserted that no grant money would be received from local sources for the CAP. She noted that there had been no mention of how many employees the County intended to hire for the Sustainability program and expressed interest in being given that information. She compared the act of purchasing a house or vehicle without first knowing the cost to taking action to approve the CAP without understanding its total financial impact. She opined that taxpayers had elected President Trump to fulfill a promise of terminating the Green New Deal initiatives proposed by former President Joseph Biden. She reported that President
Trump had discontinued funding the Green New Deal initiatives and referred to them as a hoax and a scam. She reiterated her belief that those actions contributed to many individuals voting for President Trump and emphasized that he fulfilled his promises. She asked the Board what they intended to tell taxpayers when the costs of the CAP were reflected in the budget, which was scheduled to be discussed at the end of March.
Ms. Trista Gomez greeted the Board and introduced herself. She stated that she was a mother to teenagers and young adults, who she reported often worried about climate-related issues. She noted that she did not yet have grandchildren despite the age of her children as a result of their concerns about the environment and climate. She described actions taken in her household to reduce consumption, including maintaining the lowest energy bill on her block, consuming minimal water, changing her yard regularly, growing her food, using single-use paper towels minimally only to clean up after puppies or senior dogs, and generally remaining mindful about consumption. She described her children as environmental college students and acknowledged the importance of the climate issue. She referred to herself as a crunchy conservative. She reported that she recently purchased her first electric vehicle and took on monthly payments to replace her previous vehicle, which had already been paid off. She reflected that she was under the impression that the electric vehicle would save money but noted that it ultimately cost one and a half times more than their previous vehicle. She acknowledged that the CAP was based on statements and culture but asserted that it would be subject to several costs associated with implementation. She reported that new regulations in Sparks had made her efforts to retrofit an old home very costly. She attested that some individuals who own older homes do not have abundant money and opined that buying an older home was the more affordable option for many. She asserted that the costs associated with increasing regulations further would remove that option from those seeking home ownership. She acknowledged that while those actions were not currently being undertaken, implementing the CAP could impact housing affordability in the future. She reiterated the negative impact increased regulations could have on individuals with lower incomes that might not be immediately obvious. She opined that there were not enough contractors available to assist resident owners. She emphasized the significant development and indicated that concrete generated much more heat than the natural landscape. She expressed her belief that there needed to be an acknowledgment that the development efforts strongly encouraged by the Board were related to the increase in temperature.
Ms. Tracy Kuczenski emphasized her support for the CAP and encouraged the Board to do the same. She described the CAP as a very detailed and well-informed document that she believed would benefit all residents of Washoe County.
Mr. Michael Skolnick greeted the Board and stated his intention to contact the Sustainability Manager’s office to urge for consideration of the logistical challenges he believed would come with the eventual implementation of the CAP. He noted that he needed clarification on the measures for wildfire reduction, air quality, and land management accountability for the largest private landowners in Nevada and California through thinning, defensible space creation, brush removal, and controlled burns. He indicated an interest in clarifying whether the CAP included information about regional
efforts to produce food and goods that accounted for the insurgence of local traditional staple foods and materials, which had evolved to be water and resource-efficient. He urged for the logistical challenges associated with the CAP to be approached from an ecological perspective.
County Clerk Jan Galassini stated that emailed public comment was received and placed on file.
On motion by Chair Hill, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 4-1 vote, with Vice Chair Herman voting no, it was ordered that Agenda Item 9 be approved.
25-0165 AGENDA ITEM 10 Recommendation to approve and accept grant funding from the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services in the amount of $819,094.00 [no County match] for personnel, equipment, toxicology testing, training, travel, and operating expenses relating to the State Opioid Response grant, for a retroactive term of September 30, 2024 through September 29, 2025; authorize the creation of
1.0 FTE Medicolegal Death Investigator/Technologist and 1.0 FTE Forensic Epidemiologist (effective and contingent on Job Evaluation Committee (JEC) review and approval) funded 100% by the State Opioid Response grant award, and as such if grant funding is reduced or eliminated, the position hours will be reduced and/or the position will be abolished accordingly unless additional funding is secured; direct the Human Resources Department to make the necessary staffing adjustments as evaluated by the JEC; and if approved, authorize the Chief Medical Examiner & Coroner of the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office to sign the grant award documents necessary to receive the grant; and if approved authorize Finance to make the necessary amendments to the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget to reflect the receipt and use of the grant funds. Regional Medical Examiner. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 10 be approved accepted, authorized, and directed.
25-0166 AGENDA ITEM 11 Discussion and direction to staff regarding legislation or legislative issues proposed by legislators, by Washoe County, or by other entities permitted by the Nevada State Legislature to submit bill draft requests, or such legislative issues as may be deemed by the Chair or the Board to be of critical significance to Washoe County. Possible actions
under this item may include the Board taking official positions on AB287 and/or AB316 and/or AB333. Pending legislative bills can be located here:
< <https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/Bills/List> >. Current bills the County is tracking that may be reported on or discussed are listed under Government Affairs at
<https://www.washoecounty.gov/mgrsoff/divisions/government-affairs/in dex.php>. Due to time constraints inherent in the legislative process, a list of specific bills that staff will seek direction from the Commission on during this item will be posted on the web site under Government Affairs at by 6:00 p.m. the Friday before the meeting. Due to the rapid pace of the legislative session, additional bills upon which comment may be sought from the Board of County Commissioners will be posted as soon as known. Manager. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Government Affairs Liaison Cadence Matijevich indicated the previous day marked the beginning of week six of the legislative session. She mentioned the following Monday was a significant deadline for the introduction of Legislature bills. She noted that most of the bills were already seen; however, a few might be introduced under the standing rules of the Legislature. She reported that 774 bills and resolutions were introduced, and Washoe County was tracking 881 bills. The remaining Bill Draft Requests (BDRs) were expected to move forward. She voiced that the Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB) requested the County evaluate 156 bills and BDRs for potential fiscal impact. She believed that reviewing the bills was a County-wide effort, and while she provided the information, it was the departments who were giving important feedback. She was grateful for the engagement and work of the staff.
Ms. Matijevich indicated that Senate Bill (SB) 65 regarding Medical Examiner and Coroner’s Office records and SB73 regarding voter registration signatures had not been heard yet. She was working with the chair for each committee and expected to see the SBs scheduled in the coming weeks. She noted that Assembly Bill (AB) 287 regarding election recounts was contemplated when deciding what BDRs to submit and it was then reported that Nevada State Representative Cecelia Gonzalez had brought AB287 forward. She mentioned that AB287 received a hearing the previous week and an amendment was proposed. She reported that AB287 would allow for a defeated candidate to request a recount when the difference between the highest number of votes cast for a candidate and the number of votes cast for a defeated candidate who demanded the recount was 5 percent or less. The candidate requesting such a recount was required to pay the cost unless the results changed the outcome, in which case the County would pay the cost. Additionally, the bill required that an automatic recount be conducted when the difference in the highest number of votes cast for a candidate and the next higher number of votes cast for a candidate was .25 percent or less. The automatic recount process did not apply in cases where the ballot allowed a voter to select more than one candidate for office unless the difference in the number of votes cast in the election for the candidate with the lowest number of votes who won the election, and the next highest number of votes cast for a candidate was .25 percent or less. She commented that multiple candidates for one office often happened in General Improvement Districts (GIDs) and special elections. She said
the Bill included similar provisions for the automatic recount of ballot questions. She communicated that when the bill was heard, a proposed amendment was included to clarify the cost for any automatic recount of the ballot question was to be paid by the County but would be reimbursed to the County by the State. She explained that provisions for recounts of presidential elections were established in Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 293.424 and remained unchanged by AB287.
Commissioner Andriola indicated that Section 1, Line 9 regarding the .25 percent was a technical conflict. She wanted Ms. Matijevich to be aware of that, even if it was going to be addressed.
Ms. Matijevich wished to confer with the LCB regarding the conflict because she did not know if there was a nuance with offices that had multiple candidates to whom the automatic revision may not apply.
Ms. Matijevich noted that AB316 required and provided a process for the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) in each county to appoint a nonvoting pupil trustee to the Board of Trustees in each respective county’s school district. She noted the Washoe County School District (WCSD) had a nonvoting pupil member appointed by the WCSD Board of Trustees, not the BCC. She wanted to address the bill because the bill did not directly affect the County; however, it required the BCC to take action that related to another local government body.
Chair Hill did not want to reject the authority of the bill, but she did not want to upset the WCSD. She was unsure if there was a way not to comment or if comments were required.
Ms. Matijevich wanted to give the BCC the option to comment since the bill would mandate the BCC to take action that affected another local governing body. She indicated that no direction or a neutral position was possible, which would allow the WCSD to take the lead on the bill.
Chair Hill felt the BCC agreed with her statement.
Ms. Matijevich mentioned that AB333 pertained to the NRS and the property known as the Washoe County Fairgrounds to allocate a portion of the property to the north of the Washoe County Administration Complex and Senior Center to the Nevada State Fairgrounds. This would allow the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) to assume operation and maintenance of the Nevada State Fairgrounds. The bill would require the State Land Registrar to enter into a new agreement with the County for the portion of the property that the Washoe County Administration Complex and the Senior Center were located on. She indicated there was a duty under the bill to prepare a survey and legal description that would dictate the two portions of the property for the new lease. She said that the County had been under a lease with the State since 1951 for the property. When the property was deeded to the State in the late 1800s, a trust remained on the northern portion of the property, which indicated that a portion of the property must be used for the
promotion and advancement of agriculture. She thought the bill appropriately placed that portion of the property’s oversight with the NDA. Should the bill pass, the County’s existing management agreement with the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) would transfer to the NDA.
Chair Hill said she supported AB287 and AB333. She was neutral and did not take a strong position on AB316. Commissioner Andriola agreed with Chair Hill.
Commissioner Garcia said she was originally alarmed when she read AB287 because the County would need to pay; however, with the recent amendment, she was supportive. She also supported AB333 and wanted the WCSD to take the lead on AB316.
Vice Chair Herman agreed with the BCC.
Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Nathan Edwards recommended a motion
be made.
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that the Board of County Commissioners would support AB287 and AB333 and would remain neutral on AB316.
25-0167 AGENDA ITEM 12 Public Hearing to: Consider objections to the resolution of Intent to Sell (R25-25) real property located at 10 Kirman Avenue, Reno, Nevada, Assessor’s Parcel Number 012-150-12 as surplus to the needs of Washoe County for economic development purposes at a price of [$750,000.00] less than appraised value of [$2,600,000.00] to Renown Health, who plans to use the property to expand its healthcare services which will create highly skilled jobs and enhance the quality of healthcare available to the community. Manager. (Commission District 3.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.
Chair Hill opened the public hearing.
Vice Chair Herman recalled the sale of 10 Kirman Avenue to Renown was considered for many years. She informed the Board of a historical understanding between County Commissioners and the hospital, which she noted was Washoe Medical Center at that time. She said it was understood that if the County was no longer using the property, it would go to the hospital. She asked if that was correct, and Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Nathan Edwards responded that he was not in a position to provide a legal opinion of that understanding. He suggested that Vice Chair Herman’s recollection could be relied on. Vice Chair Herman relayed that the understanding was that the hospital would not pay the full assessed value for the property, and she revealed that, at one time, the County was almost willing to gift the property to Renown at no cost because of the location and their
need. She summarized that those understandings were developed when the County morgue was located at 10 Kirman Avenue, and she noted that the building use changed after the morgue was moved.
There was no response to the call for public comment.
ADA Edwards clarified that the sale price was $750,000. He observed that the way Agenda Item 12 was written left room for a different interpretation, and he wanted the correct information on the record.
On motion by Chair Hill, seconded by Vice Chair Herman, which motion duly carried on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Clark voting no, it was ordered to “Move to consider objections to the resolution of Intent to Sell (R25-25) real property located at 10 Kirman Avenue, Reno, Nevada, Assessor’s Parcel Number 012-150-12 as surplus to the needs of Washoe County for economic development purposes at a price less than appraised value [$750,000.00] to Renown Health, who plans to use the property to expand its healthcare services which will create highly skilled jobs and enhance the quality of healthcare available to the community. And provide suitable direction to staff based on the public hearing".
25-0168 AGENDA ITEM 13 Public Comment.
Trista Gomez stated she would be attending the March 25, 2025, meeting and thanked the Board for having it. She said she had contacted Commissioner Andriola regarding the budget and how to understand it because when she looked at the budget it did not make sense to her. She mentioned even with the open checkbook, from the public's perspective, the budget did not look good. She thanked Commissioner Andriola for addressing the remote employee situation. She appreciated that she addressed the need for representation from District 4; she felt there should be representation throughout the County. She said she requested information for the budget and had gone through it. She said an initial report she received, and it stated the employee cost was 65 percent, but she felt the information now reflected 80 percent. She mentioned there were community forums that tried to figure out why houses were being built without having roads completed first. She wondered why County employees were paid the salaries they were and felt they were higher than employees in the private sector. She wondered why residents were being burdened with those costs. She felt American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds could have been used for roads but thought instead those funds had been used for the Cares Campus and Washoe County Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE). She stated there were good and bad to those situations but felt those funds could have been used for development. She thought the Board knew in advance that they would support development without having roads in Spanish Springs and North Valleys to support the niche project that the Board approved, and she thought it would benefit fewer constituents. She felt residents faced quality of life issues because of the lack of available infrastructure, and she thought the Board had not addressed that issue.
County Clerk Jan Galassini advised the Board she received emailed public comments which were placed on file.
25-0169 AGENDA ITEM 14 Announcements/Reports.
Commissioner Clark said he did not have a chance earlier but wanted to recognize the individuals from Lifestyle Homes Foundation, the non-profit in the Cold Springs area. He said he wanted it on record that they had done a fabulous job and although it was not in his district, he supported the seniors. He stated he wished every community in the County had that kind of volunteer network. He explained that Ms. Jane Swartley volunteered her time for the non-profit. He added that when large donations were received, Lifestyle Homes matched those funds. He said that every Friday, they donated necessities such as toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and food to nearly 200 people. He explained that it worked like a lottery where numbers were put in a hat, and as a number was pulled, that was their order in line. He explained that 20 individuals were allowed at a time to choose what they needed and then the next group would have their opportunity. He said when the foundation asked how the donation should be spent, he directed them to spend it where they needed to. He stated he had visited the foundation and monitored their work, and they had invited the entire Board out. He hoped, at some point, all the commissioners would take the opportunity to observe the good work being done. He said that on one occasion, the Katie Grace Foundation was there with a pallet of protein that included salmon, pork, chicken, and beef, and people were able to pick one to supplement their food. He said the foundation was doing a great job, and he wished there were more programs like it. He mentioned he knew there was the foodbank and other non-profits, such as Catholic Charities, doing great work, but he felt Lifestyle was right for the community and was grassroots. He commended the program for a job well done.
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2:32 p.m. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned without objection.
ALEXIS HILL, Chair
Washoe County Commission
ATTEST:
JANIS GALASSINI, County Clerk and Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners
Minutes Prepared by:
Jessica Melka, Deputy County Clerk Lizzie Tietjen, Deputy County Clerk Brooke Kroener, Deputy County Clerk Heather Gage, Deputy County Clerk