BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHOE COUNTY, NEVADA
TUESDAY 10:00 A.M. AUGUST 19, 2025
PRESENT:
Alexis Hill, Chair Jeanne Herman, Vice Chair Michael Clark, Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, Commissioner Clara Andriola, Commissioner
Evonne Strickland, Deputy County Clerk Kate Thomas, Interim County Manager Michael Large, Chief Deputy District Attorney
The Washoe County Board of Commissioners convened at 10:01 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, Deputy County Clerk Evonne Strickland called roll and the Board conducted the following business:
25-0546 AGENDA ITEM 3 Public Comment.
Mr. A. Milroy requested that the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) resist fascism. He expressed concern that the federal government was led by domestic enemies, which went against the Commissioners’ oaths. He believed what the federal government said, did, and ruled was often unconstitutional and that there were groups of masked, unidentified United States (US) agents who were using excessive force and cruel and unusual punishment that violated the Constitution. He indicated that roaming, armed people were abducting individuals off the streets and that when the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) committed assault, battery, kidnapping, and human trafficking, they were accessories to slave labor, torture, and murder in other countries. He asked that the BCC inform ICE that they required a judicial warrant if they wished to operate in the County.
Mr. Rick Steinberger was not present when called to speak.
Mr. Terry Brooks read an original poem regarding discrimination, employment, and race.
Mrs. Maureen McElroy displayed and read a document regarding her concerns related to the Homeland Security Grant (HSG) that would soon be presented for BCC approval. Copies of her document were distributed to the Board and placed on file with the Clerk.
Ms. Cynthia Cooper celebrated the contributions of immigrants throughout the US’s history. She explained that it was believed that the woodwork at Saint Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church was created by Irish immigrants, and she wondered how many of the Commissioners had witnessed the craftsmanship. She noted that the Basque community was celebrated in Northern Nevada and that many landscapers and construction workers were people of color. She believed that considering the HSG was equivalent to accepting millions of dollars to incarcerate Japanese Americans during World War II (WWII). She speculated that many innocent citizens were wrongfully incarcerated during WWII, while abhorrent slavery practices were the foundation of the US’s economy in early history. She explained that slavery practices were now perceived as wrong and would not be acceptable in modern times. She recalled that Chinese immigrants built the US railroads through intense labor. She asserted that it was wrong to incarcerate people of color.
Mr. Ed Powell thanked Sheriff Darin Balaam and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) for their proactive news release and newspaper articles. He felt that the press release presented a reasonable discussion of Sheriff Balaam’s plans for the HSG funds. He recalled that the BCC would have the final approval of the HSG, but he was concerned about the possibility of ICE tactics and methods becoming normalized within the County. He recalled that he provided Sheriff Balaam with a note regarding ICE operating in an anonymous, masked, intimidating, and swarming methodology that swept suspects into unmarked vehicles, which he felt was more common during second and third- world authoritarian regimes. He believed that ICE was cruel and caused individuals to fear their own reasonable reactions. He said that modern policing had been successful for decades and that the cruel practices performed by ICE were not necessary. He asked the BCC and Sheriff Balaam to guarantee that all WCSO jail intakes received the same legal protection and to resist the shameful abuses of the current federal administration. He mentioned that the federal administration’s behavior would have been illegal previously and that masked kidnappers were not part of American values. He recalled that the Pledge of Allegiance stated that there was justice for all, and he felt that the US used to be admired throughout the world for its equal justice efforts.
Mr. Paul Lenart recalled that he used to be a respiratory therapist and would help those who needed his intervention regardless of their citizenship or status. He expressed that he never thought he would witness individuals being abruptly asked for their proof of citizenship. He indicated that there was a process regarding illegal immigration and felt that exaggerated fears were being promoted. He explained that there was propaganda that stated that immigrants were the worst people; however, he witnessed good immigrants who worked as landscapers. He said that immigrants were integral to the labor that white people did not want to do. He recalled that healthy white teenagers refused to perform the same work as immigrants. He noted that human rights activist Malcolm X stated that chickens come home to roost and that the practices of not having a warrant, breaking through windshields, grabbing people, putting a spit bag over their head, and herding them into camps were situations that the US promoted as happening in Latin America.
Ms. Deborah Achtenberg said that she had been a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) for 40 years. She recalled a Brown University project where people researched their own history and those who accommodated or opposed slavery. She asked the County how they would be remembered when looking back on history. She believed that the HSG was a moral issue that allowed masked individuals in unmarked vehicles with no identification to pick up men, women, and children who committed no crime. She recalled that the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Immigration Clinic Director Michael Kagan reported that 68 percent of those detained in Southern Nevada committed no crime other than possibly being illegal. She asserted that it was time for the BCC to realize when they would say no, and she wondered if the BCC would be like the families who supported slavery or opposed it.
Reno Toy Run (RTR) and Northern Nevada Confederation of Clubs (NNVCOC) Treasurer Dan Lewis thanked Commissioner Clark for including the RTR in his discretionary fund donation. He reminded the BCC that the funds were used to bring Christmas joy to children in need. He noted that the RTR started in 1980, and he thanked the County and the Commissioners for supporting the RTR’s efforts.
Mr. Doug Flaherty displayed a document, copies of which were distributed to the Board and placed on file with the Clerk. He expressed opposition toward the Tahoe Area Plan (TAP) amendment second reading on August 26, 2025. He read from pages two and three of his submitted documents regarding wildfire evacuations, traffic congestion, and how public peril would increase if the TAP amendment were approved. He believed that the staff report failed to promote the Washoe County Development Code (WCDC) purposes, respond to changed conditions, and provide guidance on how to avoid adverse effects. He felt that approving the TAP amendment would be based on arbitrary and capricious conclusions in the staff report that represented prejudicial abuse of BCC discretion.
Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Andy Chapman, indicated that the East Shore Trail plowing project was successful after much work and funding from TNTNV. He noted that TNTNV partnered and worked with corridor management, including the County, Nevada State Parks, and the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). He mentioned that the East Shore Trail parking lot was identified as a critical safety issue during the winter because individuals were still utilizing the trail while the parking lot was unplowed. He said that a three-year pilot project was in place to plow the East Shore Trail. He pointed out that he was also the TTD Chair and reported that the State Route 28 project was underway. He reported that the Spooner Summit mobility hub and permanent invasive species boat inspection station would be out to bid to create a mobility hub and transit location at the top of Spooner Lake and the Chimney Beach Pedestrian Safety Crossing would hopefully be completed by the end of September to allow the Chimney Beach Forest Service parking lot to open. He said that the North Parking Expansion at the East Shore Trail would add additional parking and transit opportunities. He thanked the BCC and the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) for their continued support of Tahoe Area Regional Transportation (TART) Connect, which he felt was an important transit connection for the community. He recalled
that some people had indicated that there was no need for TART Connect because residents had their own vehicles. He thought that statement was interesting and a misrepresentation of what transit needs were and who it supported in the community. He looked forward to providing future updates.
Ms. Virginia Larmore explained that since the last BCC meeting, many events had concerned her regarding ICE trainings within Reno, immigration centers, and immigrant detainment. She appreciated Sheriff Balaam’s efforts to keep the County safe, and she believed that he was a public servant who loved his State, County, and neighbors. She noted that the WCSO was quick to address possible public safety concerns of school shootings in 2023, quell initial fears of the WCSO’s involvement with ICE in January of 2025, and address problems during the No Kings protests. She asked why it took nearly a week for the WCSO to release a statement that clarified the HSG funds. She indicated that others would criticize her for wanting to have the WCSO investigated; however, she believed that the WCSO utilized almost two-thirds of the County’s budget and that responsiveness, accuracy, visibility, and accountability should be paramount and expected. She felt that her statements were not critical but reasonable and recalled a recent Reno Gazette Journal (RGJ) news article in which Sheriff Balaam stated that the ICE detainment numbers were somewhere in the 60s and 70s. She asserted that the community wanted accurate numbers with names, dates, processing information, proof that families were notified, and evidence of due process. She encouraged the BCC to hear the concerns of the public while being reasonable, fiscally responsible, and patriotic.
Jewish Nevada Northern Nevada Council Chair Mr. Marc Picker thanked Commissioner Clark and the BCC for discretionary fund allocation. He informed the BCC that the Fourth Annual Milk and Honey Jewish Cultural Festival would occur on September 7, 2025, at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center. He noted that the festival would have food, music, vendors, art, and a place to gather in harmony and peace to celebrate Jewish heritage. He explained that the discretionary funds supported the festival and the other programs organized by Jewish Nevada. He reported that Jewish Nevada reinvested
$114,000 in Northern Nevada over the past year to improve various religious locations, security, scholarships, and preschool vouchers. He appreciated the BCC’s financial support and introduced Jewish Nevada Board Member Gregg Rosenberg.
Mr. Rosenberg thanked Commissioner Clark for donating $10,000 to support the festival and the BCC for their continued support. He indicated that the Milk and Honey Jewish Cultural Festival was a true celebration of culture, community, and diversity in Northern Nevada and that attendance and participation increased annually and was an opportunity to learn and share. He anticipated the upcoming festival would be the best one yet because there was exciting new programming, growing community partnerships, and increased participation. He indicated that the BCC’s contribution allowed Jewish Nevada to create a growing and impactful festival for the entire community and that he was thankful for the BCC’s assistance and commitment to fostering an environment of cultural celebration in Washoe County.
Mr. Joel Blakeslee supported the appointment of Ms. Kristie Marchese for the Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife (WCABMW). He reported that he had known Ms. Marchese since she was young. He indicated that he was a Coalition of Nevada’s Wildlife (CNW) Board Member and had served on the WCABMW for six years in the 1990s, which he felt made him aware of the qualifications needed to serve on the WCABMW. He felt that Ms. Marchese met the WCABMW appointment requirements.
Ms. Eileen Ecklund understood that the WCSO had partnered with ICE for more than 30 years to provide temporary space for individuals lawfully detained by ICE. She believed that it was logical for a jail to temporarily house individuals lawfully detained by federal agents; however, she felt that many ICE agents were no longer acting in a lawful manner and ignored the due process rights of detainees. She explained that ICE placed individuals into custody without judicial warrants that indicated the suspicion of any crime. She recalled that agents hid their faces, refused to identify who they worked for, denied detainees the right to contact their attorneys or families, and denied medical treatment. She wanted to ensure and understand what the relationship between the WCSO and ICE would be, given the new circumstances under the HSG. She asked who was responsible for ensuring individuals held in jail by ICE were lawfully detained and their due process rights were respected, that housing conditions were overseen, and whether the WCSO would monitor ICE agents during interactions with detainees. She wondered to what degree the WCSO would act or be complicit in if ICE agents acted in unlawful behavior. She wanted to know how ICE detainees were tracked and booked into the jail, how information was shared and made available, and how the WCSO practices would change in collaboration with ICE. She requested that the BCC ask for a report from the WCSO that provided in- depth information regarding her questions before they decided to approve the HSG. She asserted that transparency was critical and that public safety for every resident of the community was essential. She explained that members of the immigrant community did not feel safe and that they witnessed actions performed by federal agents that threatened their families, friends, and neighbors. She wanted the immigrant community to be able to trust the WCSO to uphold the law and due process.
Ms. Katherine Yriarte said that she had been in the process of obtaining a license for her small home-based horse training business for nearly two years. She noted that the process was far from over, and she had spent countless hours in time, research, communication, and applications with staff over the last two years. She mentioned that she spent two years requesting waivers to unsafe, unrealistic, and impractical requirements for an equestrian business. She believed that her home-based business should not be treated as a commercial entity. She recalled that she spent thousands of dollars in fees and had yet to receive a business license. She felt that there were obvious flaws in the Washoe County Code (WCC) and that it was too broad and did not recognize the difference between equestrian and commercial businesses. She reminded the BCC that the equestrian community was a large part of Nevada’s heritage and a significant contributor to the economy of the region. She indicated that the WCC needed to be updated to reflect accurate equine businesses because the County was rapidly growing and commercial stables and boarding facilities would become more critical and necessary. She urged the BCC to prioritize Code change in support of commercial stables as a business industry, a resource
for potential residents, and for tourism. She believed those unable to afford a home with acreage would research facilities that were a reasonable distance from home to board their horses, while those who could not afford to own a horse would seek lessons, barns, and rental stables for the experience, memories, and the research-backed benefits of equine therapy programs. She opined that commercial stables were an asset and that the County should be able to make operating stables reasonable, feasible, and accessible. She said that the equine business did not promote wealth but continued for the love of horses and the equestrian community.
Ms. Penny Brock displayed and read a document regarding President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would cease mail-in ballots and lead a movement to remove voting machines, copies of which were distributed to the Board and placed on file with the Clerk. She reported that many European countries restricted or banned mail- in ballots, while most US states had lax rules by not requiring signatures or allowing ballots to arrive and be counted after election day. She said that the countries that banned postal voting included France, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden. She noted that President Trump indicated that states were agents of the federal government, and she felt that the State needed to perform the will of the President. She indicated that the duties for administering elections and election laws were divided between the State and the federal government. She recalled that Article 1, Section 4 of the US Constitution stated that the primary authority over election administrations, such as time, place, and manner of holding, was granted to Congress, with a role to change certain election laws in extreme cases. She asserted that federal agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) played a role in the election process. She said President Trump's executive order regarding elections could be challenged in courts, but she believed it would win.
Mr. DeAndre Burleson displayed a document, copies of which were placed on file with the Clerk. He relayed that he was approved for a Shallow Subsidy agreement effective July 29, 2025, and spoke with Human Services Supervisor Christopher Toles to continue the Shallow Subsidy process. He noted that the Reno Housing Authority (RHA) informed him that his target housing date would be in August or September. He referred to his submitted documents regarding police reports that occurred while he was homeless, a case summary through the Reno Municipal Court (RMC), and medical records. He indicated that he was without money, food, housing, water, and clothing.
Chair Hill commended Mr. Burleson for his continued work with staff and was glad that he was approved for the Shallow Subsidy agreement.
Ms. Jane Grossman opposed the HSG and recalled that more than half of her Jewish family was loaded into cattle cars during Nazi Germany. She indicated that many of them were shot and buried in pits, and while 80 years had passed since WWII, she felt similar events were occurring. She noted that she spoke to a group of gardeners and provided them with cards that indicated their immigration rights and explained that the gardeners expressed terror towards current events. She asserted that immigrants were the backbone of the community and that the HSG would have economic consequences and be
shameful. She hoped that the BCC would oppose the HSG and not allow ICE to operate in unmarked vehicles with masks. She felt that many of the immigrants detained had not committed a crime, and she hoped that the County would be bold and take a firm stance to stand by its immigrant neighbors.
Ms. Trishcia Creedon urged the BCC to research current immigration events in Texas and recommended that the Board watch YouTube videos that displayed ICE kidnappings. She suggested that the Board consider that the citizens would not have anyone to call for help if the WCSO merged with ICE. She asserted that she and others were standing up for people of color who were too afraid to speak.
Ms. Susan Walls indicated that she was the daughter of a Mexican immigrant who entered the Country lawfully and legally. She explained that her father performed intense and challenging farm work and was also a factory worker. She expressed disgust at how immigrants were treated because she thought that a vast majority of immigrants were hardworking individuals who entered the Country to escape oppressive conditions. She noted that immigrants performed difficult and important jobs that most Americans did not want or could not do. She said that unidentified masked, and armed ICE agents without warrants or badges forcefully kidnapped and incarcerated immigrants across the Country for no reason other than the color of their skin. She mentioned that Sheriff Balaam was waiting for the BCC’s approval of HSG funds to create a confidential space for interviewing ICE detainees. She recalled that the WCSO had provided a nonconfidential ICE interview space for over 30 years and asked what changed in 2025 to warrant a confidential area for ICE. She wondered what oversight Sheriff Balaam would perform to ensure detainees were not improperly incarcerated or mistreated, and if Sheriff Balaam would become complicit in arrests or deportations of individuals who were detained unlawfull. She asked if expanded cooperation with ICE would open the WCSO and the County to legal liability for civil rights violations. She expressed that she understood Sheriff Balaam did not participate in the HSG program; however, she was concerned that accepting funds from HSG would enable changes and coercion at the jail. She asserted that the federal government attempted coercion efforts, and she wished for the BCC to participate in further discussion before the HSG was approved.
Mr. Larry Johnson explained that the CNW was the corporation that issued the policy and law of sportsmen's organizations in Northern Nevada and its directors were typically past presidents or directors of major sportsmen organizations in the State. He indicated that over 10,000 sportsmen held hunting and fishing licenses in the County and that the WCABMW was essential to CNW. He supported Ms. Marchese for the WCABMW appointment because she came from a family of wildlife conservationists who were extremely well-known. He explained that Ms. Marchese’s mother was a bill cosponsor who authorized the Nevada Dream Tags Program that raised millions of dollars for Nevada wildlife. He pointed out that Ms. Marchese’s father was a director for Nevada Bighorns Unlimited (NBU), which he said was the largest sportsmen organization in the State that revolutionized the design and construction of wildlife water development. He expressed that Ms. Marchese was a mother, teacher, wife, and a conservationist. He divulged that he had been involved in wildlife conservation for over 40 years and felt
rewarded when he saw young professionals serving on boards. He speculated that Ms. Marchese would perform an incredible job as the WCABMW appointee and urged the BCC to support her.
Mr. George Forbush explained that he was part of the Nevada Predator Hunting Association, which partnered with the CNW. He echoed Mr. Johnson’s comments regarding Ms. Marchese and indicated that while he did not personally know her, the CNW did. He requested that the BCC appoint Ms. Marchese to the WCABMW because he felt it was essential to have individuals who would make positive, crucial wildlife decisions. He wanted an appointee who wished to solve problems instead of taking up space. He thanked Commissioner Andriola for her discussion.
UNR Government Affairs Manager Austin Daly said that musical performances for Artown on the UNR Quad took place over the summer. He indicated that the Northern Nevada International Center Global Expo occurred with over 40 represented countries and that UNR hosted Hot August Nights for the first time in over 40 years. He noted that the John Tulloch Business Building’s grand opening would take place the following week. He thought that the building was beautiful and hoped that the BCC would attend the grand opening to tour the new facility. He mentioned that the 2025/2026 academic school year opening ceremony occurred the previous Saturday and that the Freshman Intensive Transition Program (NevadaFIT) had begun. He pointed out that the first Wolfpack men's football game versus California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) would occur on September 6, 2025, and that the Associated Students of the University of Nevada (ASUN) would host a homecoming parade during the game.
Mr. Rick Steinberger explained that he had witnessed dangerous sidewalks within the last few years of living in Incline Village. He indicated that electronic bikes (e- bikes) and high pedestrian congestion made walking and running on Village Boulevard and Lake Shore Boulevard challenging and perilous. He said that pedestrians were regularly passed by e-bikes going 10 to 20 miles per hour (mph) and that an adult on an e- bike represented 150 to 200 pounds (lbs) of mass passing very closely to walking individuals. He mentioned that the sidewalks were eight feet (ft) across at their widest, while the narrowest points were around six ft. He recalled that a County bureaucrat contacted him at the request of Chair Hill to explain that it would be too confusing for bicyclists to have two different sets of rules, which he found ludicrous. He reported that while visiting other mountain towns and college campuses, he noted they had figured out how to separate bicycle traffic and pedestrians. He believed the County would not do anything about his concerns, and he wished to remind everyone that the County worked for the community and not the other way around.
Mr. Hawkeye Bufkin Plank explained that the federal conduct of ICE was legally dubious and generally illegal, and he believed that ICE destroyed people and communities. He indicated that the proposed HSG to support ICE efforts at the WCSO jail involved accepting funds from the federal government that made the County complicit in the unwarranted targeting of any person or citizen. He mentioned that collecting funds from the federal government would directly hurt, kill, and make members of the community
disappear. He urged the BCC to oppose the HSG and asked that the WCSO reduce and withdraw from relationships with ICE.
Deputy County Clerk Evonne Strickland advised the Board that she received emailed public comments, which were placed on file.
25-0547 AGENDA ITEM 4 Announcements/Reports.
Given the concern of so many people in the audience regarding the Homeland Security Grant (HSG), Chair Hill hoped interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas could provide an explanation to help the public better understand the grant process.
ICM Thomas noted that Consent Agenda Item 7G2 was labeled for discussion only and clarified it was an action item that the Board would vote on. She explained that the item acknowledged receipt of a status report of the commissary fund for the Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO). She stated that after a discussion with Chief Deputy District Attorney (CDDA) Michael Large, it was decided the Board could proceed with a vote on that item, despite it being noted for discussion only. She said some agenda item presentations had been requested and were scheduled for the near future. She indicated that one of those requests included an update from the Washoe County Assessor, which would take place on August 26, 2025. She noted that the Commissioners had requested a presentation and discussion with the City of Reno regarding the Virginia Range horses, which was scheduled for August 26, 2025. She noted that on September 9, 2025, the WCSO would provide a presentation on the status of the fourth quarter, and the Registrar of Voters (ROV) would also provide a quarterly update. She stated that on September 16, 2025, Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) General Manager Robert Harrison would present to the Board, and there would also be a presentation from the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office (WCRMEO). She explained that there were four openings, three regular and one alternate, for the Board of Equalization (BOE), and the application process would close on September 2, 2025. She said that various board openings were often mentioned to the public to encourage participation.
Regarding the HSG, ICM Thomas noted that she was not in a position to speak on behalf of the WCSO but indicated that they had provided some information on their website. She explained that the public could navigate to the WCSO website and click on news to see a statement and frequently asked questions (FAQ). She clarified that the HSG item would likely come before the Board in November or December, based on how it was progressing through the federal government and the State. She noted that based on the information found on the WCSO’s FAQ page, the HSG would not be used for an expansion, but rather for a remodel of the area. She explained that the next steps would be the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and then the State of Nevada. She mentioned that members of the WCSO were in the audience that day and had heard the comments from the public. She believed the WCSO would be able to address the public's concerns the next time the WCSO presented to the Board.
Commissioner Garcia shared that she was invited to participate in a steering committee organized by Renown Regional Medical Center and Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH). She explained the importance of the committee, which prioritized health issues for the community. She noted that the committee would help inform policy through an updated community health assessment, and she was grateful to be a part of the committee. She mentioned that as she reviewed the community health assessment, the sections related to nutrition, healthy eating, food insecurity, food deserts, and chronic illness stood out to her as a representative of District 3. She mentioned an alarming situation occurring in Sun Valley, where there would soon be 20,000 constituents without a grocery store. She indicated that the shelves were almost cleared out when she recently visited that location. She found it to be disheartening that the area had not only lost its only grocery store but also the only banking option and automated teller machine (ATM). She explained that the constituents she and Vice Chair Herman represented in Sun Valley were forced to obtain food and necessities from convenience stores, grocery stores, and fast-food restaurants. She believed that the Commissioners had not previously encountered that issue before. She suggested that the members of the Board could help raise awareness across districts, as food deserts existed in many parts of Washoe County. She felt that the lack of a grocery store should be a priority and said she would appreciate it if others shared the information. She requested that anyone with contacts at grocery stores or banks, share that information with her, so that she could connect those individuals with the property management team and the landowner of the closing grocery store.
Chair Hill proposed forming a coalition with local grocers to explore potential solutions. She thanked Commissioner Garcia for highlighting the issue and said the Board would continue to show support.
Commissioner Andriola thanked Community Service Department Director Eric Crump, staff, Commissioner Garcia, and the chair of the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission (WCOSRPC) for attending the recent unveiling of the Link Piazzo Dog Park pet memorial, which she noted was well attended. She felt that there could be a connection with Mr. Guy Clifton's birthday, which was the day of the unveiling, since he visited that park more often than anyone could imagine. She mentioned that Mr. Clifton had two dogs, one of which was famous. She added that Scruffy had his own Facebook page and social media following. She shared a quote by Mr. Ray Hagar, which she felt would resonate with all pet parents. The quote stated that a dog could do no better than be the companion of Guy Clifton. She noted that Mr. Clifton passed away in 2024. She mentioned that Commissioner Garcia was on the WCOSRPC and thanked her and the other board members for their hard work.
Commissioner Andriola noted that the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency (TMRPA) would host a community conversation about future energy use and data centers on August 20, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum. She mentioned that a video conferencing option would be available for those unable to attend in person and directed them to visit TMRPA’s website. She recognized the chair of TMRPA, Sparks City Councilmember Dian Vanderwell, and thanked her for her leadership. She remarked that it was fitting to celebrate Christmas in
August, as Nevada had been selected to be represented at the United States (US) Capitol by providing a Christmas tree. She said that a lot went into the process, including making 10,000 ornaments throughout Nevada. She stated that she would be participating in making some of those ornaments at Libby Booth Elementary School. She shared her excitement that Nevada would be represented for the first time since the 1960s. She mentioned that the 53-foot tree was selected by Congressman Mark Amodei and would be harvested in October from the Carson Ranger District, a location the US Forest Service (USFS) had been actively promoting. She shared that members of the public who would like to contribute ornaments must submit them to any USFS office by September 15, 2025. She stated that anyone seeking additional information could visit the USFS’s website. She noted that both she and Vice Chair Herman serve on the Nevada Association of Counties (NACO) board, and NACO was contacted early in the process by the USFS, with a request for each of Nevada’s 17 counties to create a section of the Christmas tree skirt to be displayed at the US Capitol. She asked Chair Hill for an opportunity to show everyone the Washoe County section of the tree skirt. She explained that the artist who created the beautiful masterpiece was Ms. Holly Gardner, a Washoe County resident and a native Nevadan.
11:17 a.m. The Board recessed.
Chair Hill announced that the Board would take a short break for a photo and to show the community the tree skirt and would return to Commissioner comments.
11:20 a.m. The Board reconvened with all members present.
Commissioner Andriola addressed a prior public comment regarding a two- year process of reviewing the codes governing equine businesses in Washoe County, which was a lower priority during the strategic planning meeting. She felt that she had tried everything to increase its importance and was able to get it reprioritized. She indicated that, at that time, higher-priority items were already underway, and staff had to parse their time. She noted that her professional persistence was well known, and she encouraged staff to review the item as quickly as possible. She believed that progress had been made and hoped that the item would be reviewed by the end of the year. She mentioned that there were many moving parts involved in commercial business licensing, and that the issue was not specific to the equine community. She explained that commercial businesses were subject to multiple governing bodies' laws and legal authority. She believed that no one wanted that process to change more than she did, and she felt that the staff had done their part to understand possible changes. She noted that the original consultant who conducted the study had asked the community for their recommendations, but she believed that was not sufficient. She said the next steps would involve examining possible solutions more thoroughly. She stated that when the issue first occurred, she reached out to legislators who agreed to help but they determined that Washoe County was the first step in the process. She acknowledged that the process had likely caused frustration for many and apologized for how long it was taking. She said she wished things could move faster and emphasized that the issue was not being ignored and was being taken seriously. She explained that it affected not only Ms. Katherine Yriarte but also others who were facing difficult decisions
due to the requirement to follow current procedures, with no exceptions. She reiterated that staff were doing everything they could to understand the challenges that Ms. Yriarte and others had experienced. She hoped that more could be done to ensure that the license would be reviewed by December. She acknowledged that staff had to balance the equine issue with the other priorities established in the approved strategic plan.
Commissioner Clark said he would also address the issue regarding horses but planned to approach it differently. He mentioned that he was thankful that Washoe County was not involved in the process when explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark rode their horses from the East to the West Coast and believed they would have likely been better off taking Uber. He remarked that getting an Uber would likely be faster than getting a business license for a horse farm. He stated that horses had been in the County since before it was incorporated, and said it was ludicrous for the County to struggle with issuing a license. He believed that no one in the County Planning Department owned a horse and thought there should be a community of horse owners to help determine who could run a horse business. He mentioned that the Northern Nevada Correctional Center (NNCC) had an inmate program where wild mustangs from off the range were trained for public adoption. He stated that he would donate funds to the program and asked his fellow Commissioners to do the same. He expressed sympathy for Ms. Yriarte, who attended the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meetings for two and a half years seeking the opportunity to run a horse business. He believed the horse business might be considered more of a hobby since it was not related to food service or nuclear testing. He suggested that common sense seemed to decline as technology advanced, which he found outrageous. He felt that Ms. Yriarte should be helped and hoped her request would be prioritized, granting her a business license so she could bring together fellow equestrian enthusiasts to support one another. He said he wished he could help her and offer a quick solution to approve the business license. He apologized for the lack of service she experienced as a taxpayer in the County and acknowledged the difficulties she had faced. He noted that he would not make excuses for the inefficiencies and believed the issue needed to be addressed as quickly as possible.
Commissioner Clark thanked Mr. Robert Swift from NNCC for offering the wild horse training program. He thanked Jewish Nevada and the Lifestyle Homes Foundation for attending the meeting, and he hoped the Commissioners would approve donations to those organizations. He said that he was also donating to the Reno Toy Run (RTR), continuing his efforts to help children in the community have a Christmas. He mentioned that Senior ResQ had done an excellent job helping seniors remain in their homes and avoid homelessness. He also noted that Opportunity Alliance Nevada (OANV) had provided valuable support to the community. He recognized Sparks City Councilmember Dian Vanderwell, who was in attendance. He thanked the individuals who attended regarding Agenda Item 7F1. He remarked on the irony that someone from the audience would discuss US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents wearing masks while wearing a mask during public comment. He found it humorous that someone wearing a mask complained about others wearing masks. He asked CDDA Large to explain the County’s involvement with federal guidelines and whether the County had jurisdiction over the federal government. He questioned whether the County could direct the federal
government’s actions. He pointed out that the federal government had been involved with the County long before anyone on the dais held office and noted that the County had received many grants from the federal government. He stated that, to his understanding, the WCSO was planning to remodel a building to make it safer and better for those incarcerated. He thought that a representative from the WCSO could provide more details at a future meeting. He asked CDDA Large to clarify whether the federal government took direction from the County, and reminded the public that concerns involving the federal government should be addressed to their federal elected officials.
CDDA Large said the issue was complicated. He stated that he was not prepared to speak on the immigration aspects of ICE. He indicated that, in general, the County did not typically direct the federal government on matters related to its own law enforcement activities.
Commissioner Clark said he had received the answer he was looking for. He emphasized that it was illogical for the public to expect the BCC to direct the federal government on how to operate. He mentioned a recent publication in the Picon Press that involved someone he previously supported for a seat on the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board (RTAA) of Trustees. He noted that although the appointment was unsuccessful, the same individual had later been appointed to the Library Board of Trustees (LBT) with his support. He explained that the person had written a letter to the sheriff that accused Commissioner Clark of using secret hand signals at the dais to influence the audience. He stated that he had previously supported that individual for various board appointments, but it was unclear what their motive was in making accusations. He noted that going forward, he would no longer support that individual. Commissioner Clark submitted documents to be placed on file with the Clerk. He said he found it unbelievable that someone would think he controlled the attendees at the meeting when he could barely get anything on an agenda. He added that he was not upset by the accusation but found it comical, and he encouraged the public to read the documents he submitted. He also addressed the City of Reno Dandini and Spectrum subdivision, which had been trying to move forward for nearly two and a half years, like the previously mentioned issue involving a horse business. He indicated that he recently heard City Manager Jackie Bryant speak about the City of Reno’s need for funding. He suspected that the subdivision could have generated, according to the Washoe County Assessor and Treasurer, between $5 to $7 million over the past two years. He alleged that one of the County’s offices was preventing that from happening. He believed that Washoe County residents were canceling their cable television (TV) and printed media subscriptions, which he felt were minor expenses compared to the $5 to $7 million that was supposedly missed due to delays in project approvals, like the horse business. He expressed frustration over the slow approval process and said it was a disservice to constituents.
Chair Hill said that the Verdi TV District had been scheduled to present at the meeting but was unable to attend. She stated it was her understanding that the Verdi TV District’s role was to ensure residents had a TV signal, and she believed that the signal had been down for over a week. She expressed concern that residents might have been paying for a service they were not receiving. She requested that the Verdi TV District come before the BCC and suggested that an audit be considered due to those concerns. She hoped
that the staff could provide an update to the BCC on the Incline bike boulevard project along Lakeshore Boulevard. She acknowledged the team’s efforts and recognized Mr. Alvin Steinberg for his advocacy for safety. She wanted to ensure that the BCC was informed of future plans and next steps.
25-0548 AGENDA ITEM 5A1 Staff Report Presentation by Cody Shadle, Director, Public Safety Dispatch - City of Reno, to provide status update and discussion regarding the Hexagon Unified Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management Suite software replacement project as of July 2025. Manager. (All Commission Districts.)
Cody Shadle, City of Reno Public Safety Dispatch Director, conducted a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed slides with the following titles: Hexagon Unified CAD & RMS Replacement Project Update; Background; Governance Boards; On Call Dispatch & On Call Records; Key Accomplishments; Meeting Regional Goals Through Design; Remaining Timeline; Project Status.
Mr. Shadle advised that he was one of the agency coordinators assigned to the emergency management software replacement project. He added that he was joined that day by coordinators from the County, the City of Sparks, the project manager from Hexagon, and representatives from the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA). He remarked that many impassioned comments were shared that morning about public safety services and how they were delivered in the region. He expressed his excitement about sharing an update that was directly relevant to public safety. He reviewed that the project had been underway for some time, and he speculated that many Commissioners had heard the update he provided in 2024. He acknowledged that when he last presented to the Board, he gave a target date of September 9, 2025, for the system to be operational; however, that goal was not going to be met. He noted that, in addition to the schedule changes, there were some exciting project updates. He clarified that there were reasons why certain public safety goals had not yet been accomplished.
Mr. Shadle reviewed the Background slide and explained that the project officially began in 2019 when the need for system replacement was identified. He outlined that the system was aging and the service partners in the area were not all on the same system, which caused problems. Early in the project, exploration was done to engage a consultant to help build a request for proposal (RFP) process to get a new product. That process was completed. He recalled that in 2022, a concurrent meeting was held with the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and the City Councils of Reno and Sparks. Priorities and goals were established for improvements to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 911 (911) call process, along with identification of what was needed to accomplish regionalization of emergency medical services (EMS) and fire response. He disclosed that the direction provided during that workshop led to the expansion of the project. The working group determined that the replacement of the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and EMS systems was insufficient, and an expansion and redefinition of service delivery was appropriate. As a result, REMSA was incorporated as a partnering agency. Mr. Shadle stated that the Cities of Reno and Sparks, Washoe
County, and REMSA were the main partnering agencies. He described that a governance agreement was established among the partnering agencies, which was the first of its kind for public safety in the area. The agreement allowed every partner to have a voice and ensured that the system remained stable throughout its life. The agreement also allowed all partners to preserve financial stability, seek resources to maintain costs, and support the system moving forward. He wanted to avoid any single agency or entity being unreasonably burdened by the substantial costs that accompanied such a large system. He shared that since his update in 2024, configuration and implementation of the system had begun and was nearly complete.
Mr. Shadle showed the Governance Boards slide and explained that the structure of the governance boards was a huge achievement. He believed that the BCC reviewed and approved the agreement in September 2023, along with the vendor contract. He outlined that there was a manager’s board, which provided oversight for the region. He stated that an executive board comprised of chiefs and executive stakeholders was also created and had operational responsibility for the system. He highlighted that a change advisory board comprised of subject matter experts was created to analyze any changes to the system, the health of the system, and any updates that were needed to ensure the function of the system. He envisioned that the purpose of that board was to ensure that ten years in the future, the community would feel the $24 million investment in the system was appropriately maintained.
Mr. Shadle displayed the On Call Dispatch & On Call Records slide and said that when he referred to on-call dispatch, CAD, or records, he was describing essential components of the public safety system. He explained that officers, firefighters, and medical responders all utilized a CAD system. He noted that law enforcement was the introduction to the criminal justice system, and what officers did and how files were managed in the CAD system were critical elements in how crimes were prosecuted.
Mr. Shadle reviewed the Key Accomplishments slide. He supposed that Commissioners might wonder what progress was made in the prior 20 months. He summarized that hardware and software installations were completed. He added that the system was fully built and 95 percent configured. He described his excitement about an array of carefully selected third-party integrations that improved efficiencies and the capacity of staff to respond to crime, fire, and other emergencies. He explained that the project team evaluated technologies used by the various agencies and found ways to incorporate those processes into a single system instead of having each agency operate in isolation. He gave the example of the scheduling program, TeleStaff, used by fire agencies. He described that the agencies would input their schedules every day, and TeleStaff would tell them who was on the roster, who was available, and which equipment was working at what stations. He explained that the information then had to be manually entered into the CAD system so it could be used to send out a fire response. The team questioned whether a solution could be designed to automatically integrate that daily task, which the team theorized would reduce staff burden and improve accuracy. He shared that it was one of 34 integrations completed to date. They hoped each integration would improve the system. He summarized that there was technology available, and it was unfair to citizens for systems
to be 20 years behind. He advocated for meeting the expectations constituents had. Mr. Shadle expressed pride about the installation of a backup system and disaster recovery site that took place over the summer. He explained that it was located in an entirely separate area that was geographically diverse. With the new site operational, if systems went down locally, they could automatically fall over to a system that would continue to work, and citizens would not be subjected to any service disruptions.
Mr. Shadle showed the Meeting Regional Goals Through Design slide and explained the importance and goals of the project. He referred to the concurrent meeting that the BCC participated in and recalled direction from the Board to improve emergency response. At that time, the Board indicated that an improved 911 experience for citizens needed to be prioritized. He described that the new system was designed for the region in such a way that no single entity was tasked with building it in isolation. He shared that part of the commitment to working together was to establish a common language. For example, if the City of Reno responded to a medical event and called it a heart attack, the City of Sparks, the County, and REMSA should use the same term. He warned that there were many similar examples that demonstrated how, if agencies did not work together, they could not establish a common language. Mr. Shadle explained that one hurdle his team encountered early in the process was that they could not simply create data. Resultingly, his team could not come to the Board and show data to support their needs. He said one of his favorite things was response integration. He recalled that there had been a lot of conversation in recent years about automatic aid in the fire response system, including discussions about boundary drops and how to improve the ways agencies worked together. He theorized that with the Truckee Meadows and the Cities of Reno and Sparks utilizing one combined platform, it would be possible to build responses that recognized those developments. He offered that instead of a phone call between a Reno agency and a Sparks agency, or between a Sparks agency and REMSA for a response, the system was programmed to recognize available resources and send a joint response without the need for duplication.
Mr. Shadle expressed his frustration about the missed September 9, 2025, deadline, and he supposed that the Board members shared his frustration. He revealed that the missed deadline came with some successes. He said the vendor worked with them and provided discounted pricing on artificial intelligence (AI) tools. He informed that AI would be incorporated into the system and virtual agents could be assigned to identify commonalities between incidents, which would be a significant improvement for the agencies. He elaborated that dispatchers were skilled in identifying calls that might be related and acknowledged that it could be challenging when calls came in from different jurisdictions. He described that a dispatcher might not be looking across the agencies of both Reno and Sparks and could miss similarities between crimes that occurred in those locations. He advised that it could take several days until a detective looking at reports from those agencies saw a trend. With the new system, AI agents could be assigned to search for trends like that. He clarified that when he said agents in that context, he meant a program. He said the program could be directed to search for commonalities and make suggestions for further analysis. He said that in reviewing regional processes, they did not evaluate how unincorporated Washoe County or the Cities of Reno or Sparks responded to
an incident. Instead, they considered what kind of response the community expected, then planned to build the system accordingly. He theorized that perspective would prevent the creation of isolated and compartmentalized processes. He shared that he had seen the team work well together, and he was proud of what they had accomplished so far. He emphasized the correlation between information access and public safety. He said it was easy to think about the safety of the public but forget to include the safety of first responders. He announced that by allowing all parties to use the same system, not only would information be more easily shared between responding entities, but it could also be shared back to help agencies adjust their responses accordingly. He noted it would be ideal for a Reno Police Department (RPD) officer to easily communicate to an EMS technician from REMSA that somebody was armed with a weapon and stated that was an example of information sharing. He added that if REMSA took a medical call that started out as a stomach problem, but the person suddenly became violent, that information could easily be shared back to a police agency that could modify or initiate their response. He noted that information sharing was standard practice, but was being done manually through phone calls, which was tedious and involved delays. He concluded that those issues would be resolved by putting everybody on the same platform so they would all have access to complete information.
Mr. Shadle showed the Remaining Timeline slide and reiterated that the September 9, 2025, target would not be met. He disclosed that functional testing was currently being conducted on the product. He said there were currently teams at the training center testing the records components of the CAD system. He described that the teams would calibrate any non-functional components as needed and, once that process was finished, they would retest the entire system. He stated that the process would continue until approximately October 2025, after which the training phase would begin. In the training phase, people would be taught how to become trainers and would then instruct all other users on how to operate the system. Mr. Shadle remarked on the scope and size of the project, which involved 17 distinct agencies totaling over 2,000 personnel that had to be trained. He said the training period would extend from November 2025 until the new go-live date on February 23, 2026. After the system was live, a reliability period would occur to ensure the system was stable and fully functional.
Mr. Shadle showed the Project Status slide and summarized that the project was delayed for four months. He contended that the delay was ultimately beneficial, and he said that he and his team worked diligently with the vendor to find ways to ease the impact of the delay on staffing and expenses. He recognized there were financial implications for maintaining two systems, but he noted it was only for a short period of time. He emphasized that the project was currently on budget and was fully supported with staff in the right place. He shared that multiple people were testing the product that day, and the team was working relentlessly. He divulged that the vendor provided additional resources to ensure the project could be completed without any further delays. He affirmed that they felt prepared to go live on February 23, 2026.
Mr. Shadle offered to answer any questions and added that representatives from the vendor, Hexagon, were present at the meeting as well as the agency coordinators from the City of Sparks and Washoe County.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. Shadle for his presentation and for his work on the system. She acknowledged that the project was a team effort across all jurisdictions, and she stated her appreciation for the leadership Mr. Shadle provided.
Commissioner Andriola noted the new go-live date Mr. Shadle gave and said she looked forward to it. She thought the need for an integrated system in the area was evident, and she thanked Mr. Shadle for his hard work. She expressed her disappointment about the delay but acknowledged that it was essential to get everything right. She mentioned that she was doing ride-alongs with all jurisdictions, one of which she recently completed. She noted the experience affirmed the need for the integrated system. She theorized that the integrated system was a tool that needed to be in place to be able to consider dropping boundaries or implementing unrestricted auto-aid. She advised that she would welcome the surprise if the system was ready before February 23, 2026. She appreciated seeing how the agencies were currently working and observing the opportunities for process improvement that the new system provided. She remarked on the robustness of the additional integrations that would be possible because of the delay, and she thanked Mr. Shadle for including that information.
Commissioner Clark thanked Mr. Shadle for the update.
Chair Hill pondered the implications of potential policy changes related to Senate Bill (SB) 319. She said there would be a fire board that would evaluate regionalization, consolidation, and boundary drops. She assumed those factors would be part of the discussion but noted there was no policy yet. She wondered how difficult it would be to incorporate new practices and standards into the program if they were not determined before the go-live date in February. She asked if those modifications would cause further delays.
Mr. Shadle responded that the answer was somewhat complicated. He explained that it was not easy to go back and reprogram because each agency had its own guidelines that would be affected by, for example, automatic aid or the removal of jurisdictional lines. He described that the City of Reno had approximately 64 run cards, each of which had multiple integrator responses within it. He said it would take time to go back and fix those, but he stated that those types of decisions would not delay the go-live date. He outlined that those updates would likely be scheduled to be done after the system was live and would be worked into a change management process. He noted that things would change even after the system was fully operational because needs would change. He summarized that the system could be adjusted when necessary, and he felt well-positioned to make changes with the product. He disclosed that he and his team tried to predict potential process developments and had either built some of these things in the background or at least contemplated what modifications might be required. He said that because the team had considered some of the options, they would update program parameters when
needed rather than start over from nothing. He shared that he and his team met with the operations chiefs from the fire departments to discuss those considerations and ensured that the structure and system were built in a way that allowed for changes to be made as needed. He affirmed that the system would not need to be broken then recreated to incorporate adjustments. He was unable to provide a specific estimate of how long updates in response to SB319 would take, but he said it would be a good use case to better understand what a large change like that would be like in a live environment.
Chair Hill stated her belief that Mr. Shadle and his team would figure it out. She looked forward to seeing data generated from the AI component and predicted that it would help improve decision-making. She wondered if other jurisdictions had seen improvements from using similar AI tools, or if anyone else had adopted those tools. Mr. Shadle advised that, from the vendor perspective, it was a very new tool that was just being launched. He said that he saw many jurisdictions using various tools or third-party systems on the back end to perform analysis, but there were not many examples of that analysis being done on the front end. He commented that it was a very exciting tool to put in the hands of a dispatcher or patrol sergeant who was in the middle of the action. He thought additional information for first responders to consider in real-time would be powerful.
Commissioner Garcia asked how the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline system (988) interacted with the work Mr. Shadle and his team were doing with the Hexagon implementation. Mr. Shadle responded that 988 was not meaningfully integrated into the project. He conveyed that one of the challenges his team found with 988 at initial inspection was that there was a high volume of users across the State, along with almost 17 different CAD vendors and CAD projects that would have to be considered. He described that to interface every one of those CAD solutions was currently unreasonable, both technically and financially. He noted that his team built policies and processes that could support business practices that could eventually incorporate 988. He divulged that he recently had a meeting with Crisis Support Services, which was currently contracted for Northern Nevada. He disclosed that discussion was underway about the launch of a 988 center in Las Vegas. He explained that the new center would create another regional hub, and Crisis Support Center Services would, as a result, provide more support in Northern Nevada, which would benefit the Reno and Sparks community.
Commissioner Garcia asked for clarification about whether Hexagon allowed for integration with 988. Mr. Shadle responded that it could. He elaborated that it was complicated because multiple entities, including Hexagon, CentralSquare, and Tyler Technologies, would need to be integrated. He affirmed that it could be done and would probably be pursued in the future, but it was not part of the current project’s scope. He advised that the team was beginning to create a framework and roadmap for system needs after the initial launch. He added that they would like to resolve the interactions with 988 and share information in an improved way. He explained that the way 988 operated was very different from other platforms, but he indicated that there were tools to allow communication between the systems. He gave the example that it was possible to send certain kinds of notifications to various user agencies that might have a vested interest in a response. He said his team also looked at quality assurance reports and how response
reports could be built to identify certain call types, including 988 calls, which could inform follow-up to ensure that all involved case workers and social workers had the tools that they needed.
Commissioner Garcia emphasized the importance of 988 integration to align with County Health and Human Services's work and mission. She recognized the date established for the system to go live, but encouraged the Board to prioritize 988 integration.
Mr. Shadle advised that 988 integration had been discussed.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. Shadle for the update and for letting the Board know about the new go-live date. She expressed her excitement about the project.
25-0549 6A1 Recommendation to accept a donation and approve a Hold Harmless Agreement for a Caterpillar Grader 130G, serial number 7GB00450, [$7,500.00 estimated value] from the City of Sparks to Washoe County Community Services Roads Fund in support of gravel road and stormwater drainage ditch maintenance programs in the Truckee Meadows and Incline Village areas [$1500.00 estimated annual maintenance cost]. Community Services. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0550 6B1 Recommendation to accept a donation from the Estate of Victor Bucher in the amount of [$34,442.00] to the Washoe County Public Defender’s Office, retroactive to July 3, 2025 to be used primarily for training of attorneys and staff and obtaining research and training material for the Public Defender’s office; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Public Defenders Office. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0551 6C1 Recommendation to accept a donation of [$50,000.00] from the Fisher Global Foundation held at the Tahoe Community Foundation through the Washoe County Honorary Deputy Sheriff’s Association, to be utilized for the purchase of subscription services from Drone Sense Inc; and, if approved, direct Finance to make appropriate budget amendments. Sheriff. (All Commission Districts.)
Commissioner Garcia thanked the City of Sparks and City of Sparks Councilmember Dian VanderWell for transferring a Caterpillar Road Motor Grader to support the County’s roads and ditch maintenance efforts. Commissioner Garcia expressed appreciation for the generous donation to the Washoe County Public Defender’s Office from the Estate of Victor George Bucher. She acknowledged the $50,000 grant from the Fisher Global Foundation for a multi-year subscription to software by Drone Sense Inc. She emphasized the importance of the donations she had mentioned.
There was no response to the call for public comment.
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 6C1 be accepted.
25-0552 7A1 Acknowledge the communications and reports received by the Clerk on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, including the following categories: Communications, Monthly Statements/Reports, and Annual Statements/Reports. Clerk. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0553 7A2 Approval of minutes for the Board of County Commissioners' regular meetings of July 8, 2025, and July 15, 2025. Clerk. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0554 7B1 Recommendation to approve a Grant of Access and Utility Easement between Washoe County (grantor) and New Cingular Wireless PCS, Limited Liability Company (grantee), a public utility, to expire on December 31, 2050 unless otherwise extended, totaling ±48,865 square feet on Washoe County’s Galena Terrace Open Space, Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 144-010-22 [for the appraised value of $4,243.00] in support of enhancing regional cellular coverage. If approved, this easement will allow fiber optic infrastructure to service an AT&T cellular monopole facility planned at a landlocked Truckee Meadows Water Authority water tank parcel, APN 144-010-23. Community Services. (Commission District 2.)
25-0555 7B2 Recommendation to approve a Grant of Easement for Underground Electrical Facilities between Washoe County (“Grantor”) and Sierra Pacific Power Company, doing business as NV Energy (“Grantee”) for a portion of Assessor’s Parcel Number 008-211-55, located at 700 Line Drive, Reno, in support of Accessible Spaces, Inc. Project. This easement is necessary to provide reliable underground electrical service to the project site, supporting the development of accessible spaces and ensuring compliance with utility and safety standards. Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
25-0556 7B3 Recommendation to approve a License for Access and Employee Parking between Washoe County and the Truckee Meadows Water Authority [in the annual amount of $700.00] as compensation for the use of approximately 5,600 square feet of real property, located within Assessor’s Parcel Number 008-382-05, to be used for employee parking as part of the Nevada Cares Campus. Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
25-0557 7B4 Recommendation to retroactively accept grant funding [$4,472.16 with no County match] for Fiscal Year 2026 from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, received under the 1908 Act Amended legislation. These funds are to be used for the benefit of public schools and roads within Washoe County and direct the Finance Office to make the necessary budget amendments. Community Services. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0558 7C1 Recommendation to acknowledge receipt of the 43rd consecutive annual Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for the County’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Comptroller. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0559 7D1 Recommendation to acknowledge the Annual Report from the Internal Audit Division for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Washoe County Code 15.569.4 requires the Internal Auditor to submit an annual report to the Board of County Commissioners each fiscal year indicating the audits completed with the findings and recommendations. Audits/reviews include the Department of Alternative Sentencing, Cash Control Audit (Northern Nevada Public Health, Washoe County Library System, Department of Alternative Sentencing), audit follow up (Washoe County Library - Title Procurement Process and Special Event Expenditure and Washoe County Clerk’s Office - Board Records and Minutes Division), advisory services for Jan Evans Juvenile Justice Center - Detention Division, and fiscal notes for the 83rd legislative session. Also required is whether the corrective actions have been taken or if the areas of concern are still outstanding. Finance. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0560 7E1 Recommendation to accept a grant from the Nevada Public Health Foundation in the amount of [$25,000.00; no county match required] retroactive for the period of July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027 to support scholarships for social work practicum students at the Human Services Agency; authorize the Director of Human Services Agency to execute the grant and related documents; and direct the Finance Office to make the necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0561 7E2 Recommendation to accept an FY26 Federal Title IV-B Subpart 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) grant subawards from the State of Nevada, Division of Child and Family Services in the amount of [$206,946.00; $68,982.00 county match; including up to $7,000 for participant food purchases] for the Adoption Promotion and Support Services, [$67,222.00; $22,407.00 county match] for Family Preservation Services, [$67,222.00; $22,407.00 county match] for Family Reunification
Services, and [$60,500.00; $20,167.00 county match] for Family Support Services retroactive for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 to prevent child maltreatment, enable children to remain safely with their families, and ensure permanency for children in foster care; authorize the Director of Human Services Agency to retroactively execute the grant subawards; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0562 7E3 Recommendation to accept a FFY24 Continuum of Care Planning grant award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of [$152,980.00, $38,245.00 county match] retroactive for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 to support the Continuum of Care initiative with planning, annual funding competition process, implementation of specific policies and procedures to develop a community-wide process involving the coordination of various providers to develop strategies for ending homelessness, identify resources that are available to meet that goal, evaluate the outcomes of the Continuum of Care projects, and monitor and improve the quality and performance of the recipients projects while enforcing compliance with program requirements; retroactively authorize the Director of the Human Services Agency to execute grant award documents; and direct the Finance Office to make the necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0563 7E4 Recommendation to accept a FY24 Continuum of Care Supportive Services Only Coordinated Entry for Survivors of Domestic Violence grant award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of [$31,500.00; $7,875.00 county match] for the period January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 to support the Continuum of Care initiative with planning, coordinated entry matchmaker activities and implementation of specific policies and procedures to address domestic violence survivors’ needs in accessing services; retroactively authorize the Director of the Human Services Agency to execute grant award documents; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0564 7E5 Recommendation to accept an Opioid Settlement Funds subaward through the Director’s Office of the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services to increase the award amount to [$261,126.00; no county match] retroactive to July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 to provide coordinated services to individuals with Severe Mental Illness (SMI), Substance Abuse Disorders (SUD), and/or Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) through an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program; authorize the Director of the Human Services Agency to retroactively execute the grant amendment agreement; and direct Finance to make the
necessary budget amendments. Human Services Agency. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0565 7E6 Recommendation to approve an extension to the agreement with the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) for the Provision of Non- urbanized Paratransit Services for Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities of the Washoe County Senior Services Gerlach and Incline Village Senior Transportation Programs in the amount of [$29,000.00; no county match], retroactive to July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026; and authorize the Contracts and Purchasing Manager to retroactively execute the agreement. Human Services Agency. (Commission Districts 1 and 5.)
25-0566 7F1 Recommendation to approve, pursuant to NRS 244.1505, Commission District Special Fund disbursement in the amount of [$45,000.00] for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; 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 their mission to engage the community to invest, enrich, and ensure the vibrancy and continuity of Jewish life in Nevada through the Jewish cultural festival Milk and Honey; 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 [$10,000.00] grant to Reno Toy Run - a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes - to support their mission of providing toys for children at Christmas; and a [$10,000.00] grant to Senior ResQ - a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes – to support basic home finance classes for residents over age 62; and a [$5,000.00] grant to Opportunity Alliance Nevada - a nonprofit organization created for charitable, religious, or educational purposes – to support the mission of building sustainable communities across Nevada to stabilize and improve the lives of individuals and families; approve Resolution necessary for same; and direct Finance to make the necessary disbursement of funds. Managers. (Commission District 2.)
25-0567 7F2 Recommendation to approve, pursuant to NRS 244.1505, Commission District Special Fund disbursement in the amount of [$2,000.00] for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; District 3 Commissioner Mariluz Garcia recommends a [$2,000.00] grant to Washoe County Human Services Agency – Child Protective Services (HSA-CPS) - a government entity - to support FAM (Foster, Adopt, Mentor) Fest. FAM Fest brings together individuals, families, and organizations, who believe in the power community, the importance of belonging, and focuses on the vital role that all play in supporting those in foster care; approve Resolution necessary for same; and direct Finance to make the necessary cross fund and/or cross functional budget appropriation transfer. Managers. (Commission District 3.)
25-0568 7F3 Recommendation to approve, pursuant to NRS 244.1505, Commission District Special Fund disbursement in the amount of [$25,000.00] for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; District 1 Commissioner Alexis Hill recommends a [$12,500.00] grant to Truckee North Tahoe/Transportation Management Association (TNT/TMA) -- a government entity -- to support North Lake Tahoe Express Airport Shuttle (NLTE); and a [$10,000.00] grant to Tahoe Prosperity Center - a nonprofit organization created for religious, charitable or educational purposes - for the purpose of supporting the 2025 Envision Tahoe Venture Summit; and a [$2,500.00] grant to the Nevada Peer Support Network (NPSN) - a nonprofit organization created for religious, charitable or educational purposes - for the purpose of providing resources and support to our first responders and hospital health care professionals; approve Resolutions necessary for same; and direct Finance to make the necessary disbursements of funds. Managers. (Commission District 1.)
25-0569 7G1 Recommendation to approve a pass-through grant award from the State of Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Assistance 2024 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement (FSI), Project No. 24-FSI-03 for [$87,636.00, no County match requirement] to provide for continued education and training with associated travel for staff members, purchase a ductless hood, workstations, and a drug library for the Controlled Substance Section, and purchase toxicology supplies for the retroactive grant period of January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 and if approved, authorize Sheriff Balaam to retroactively execute the grant award documentation, and direct the Finance Department to make the necessary budget amendments. Sheriff. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0570 7G2 Recommendation to acknowledge Receipt of Status Report of Commissary Fund set up per NRS 211.360 to be utilized for the welfare and benefit of the inmates for items such as counseling, chaplaincy services, vocational training, and certifications programs for inmates in the jail, submitted by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Commissary Committee for the Second, Third and Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025. Sheriff. (All Commission Districts.)
25-0571 7H1 Recommendation to approve and acknowledge a Fiscal Year 2026 allocation from the Specialty Court Funding and Policy Committee of the Judicial Council of the State of Nevada to the Sparks Justice Court [$31,550 for FY26, no match required], paid in quarterly installments retroactive to July 1, 2025, grant end date June 30, 2026; and direct Finance to make the appropriate budget amendments. Sparks Justice Court. (All Commission Districts.)
Chair Hill inquired whether the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) had any changes to suggest for the items within the Consent Agenda. Interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas remarked that there were no changes aside from her earlier
acknowledgement that Agenda Item 7G2 would be acted on, contrary to the language in the meeting’s Agenda, which indicated that the item had been included for discussion only. Chair Hill thanked ICM Thomas and asked if the Board had any questions or requests to pull items from the Consent Agenda, and it was determined that they did not.
On the call for public comment, Ms. Mary Jane Swartley greeted the Board and thanked them for the time and commitment they invest in their work. She acknowledged that Commissioner Clark requested the Board vote on a donation to her organization based at the Cold Springs Family Center. Ms. Swartley displayed a document. No copy was submitted for the public record. She explained that the Cold Springs Family Center had its own food bank for senior citizens, which began with the assistance of the Katie Grace Foundation’s donation of food, goods, and dog food. Ms. Swartley stated that the food bank had since been able to fill a gymnasium with various materials and food every week due to Commissioner Clark's past donation to the Lifestyle Homes Foundation. She hoped the organization would continue to receive the same contribution. She noted that the food bank offered fresh produce every week, which included everything an individual might need but be unable to afford, such as asparagus, which she enjoyed but was often priced very high. She explained that the Lifestyle Homes Foundation tried to provide everyone with many different kinds of items and food. She wanted to discuss the Lifestyle Homes Foundation’s volunteers and emphasized the extensive network of those who worked with the organization. She noted that the volunteers received no money for their work with the organization and opined that they often provided much more than they probably should. She explained that the volunteers came to help from many different backgrounds, such as military personnel who had been in service for 20 to 30 years and individuals who had lost their spouses. She stated that the organization had become a meaningful community to both the volunteers and those they served. She thanked the Board for all they provided for the organization in the past. She commended and thanked Commissioner Clark for his attendance at the various senior centers and communities throughout the County. She noted that she often contacted Commissioner Clark when she was in need of assistance and welcomed the Board to visit the organization any time. She opined that the Lifestyle Homes Foundation was a great group and thanked the Board again for their consideration and support of the community.
Mr. Troy Regas introduced himself and thanked the Board for having his organization attend the meeting. He noted that he did not have a speech prepared or matters to discuss, as he thought members of his organization had done that enough in the past. He stated that he attended the meeting to answer any questions the Board might have. He suspected that the Reno Toy Run (RTR) needed no explanation and that the Board was aware of the basis of what the organization did, as members of the group had repeatedly attended BCC meetings.
Mr. Blake VanderWell introduced himself as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Senior ResQ, a charity that provided rental assistance to the County’s senior citizens. He thanked Commissioner Clark for his generous donation and acknowledged Vice Chair Herman for her past support. He explained that senior citizens in the County were struggling and emphasized that seniors with low incomes experienced
additional challenges. He noted that the issue was personally difficult for him to speak about, as low-income seniors were challenged by the high cost of everything, particularly rent, which caused a variety of impacts on their mental and physical health. He reiterated the necessity of providing for the current needs of all seniors, especially those with low incomes, and emphasized their struggles. He reported that Senior ResQ had been in contact with over 250 citizens of Washoe County throughout the previous year, which allowed the organization to gather substantial data about the need for additional services and the shortfalls in services already established. He explained that seniors with pets faced difficulties finding care for their pets when they went to the hospital, and the pets often had to be put up for adoption as nobody else could attend to them. He noted that moving to different housing accommodations represented another challenge for seniors, as there were no services to assist them with relocating to more affordable homes, even for those moving into Section 8 housing. He described how transportation was becoming a critical service for seniors because they often had to surrender their vehicles due to the difficulty of affording the related payments and insurance costs. He stated that Senior ResQ had found that the available transportation options in the County for senior citizens were limited. He noted that the organization had identified many areas that represented what seniors in the region needed help with. He reported that Senior ResQ was focused on providing rental assistance to give temporary financial relief to seniors while encouraging them to sign up for Section 8 housing with the Reno Housing Authority (RHA). He explained that several seniors had been very grateful after being transferred from Senior ResQ’s assistance to RHA housing, as they could spend their money elsewhere due to the Section 8 housing only requiring that they pay 30 percent of their income towards rent. He thanked Commissioner Clark and Vice Chair Herman for supporting Senior ResQ and expressed the organization's appreciation. He emphasized how necessary Senior ResQ was for the community.
Chair Hill thanked Mr. VanderWell and noted that the Board appreciated what he did for the County’s senior citizens.
Ms. Dian VanderWell greeted the Board and explained that she was not in attendance at the meeting in her capacity as a City of Sparks Councilmember. She introduced herself as the Board President and interim CEO of Opportunity Alliance Nevada. She attributed her attendance at the BCC meeting to wanting to thank Commissioner Clark and the Board for the donation offered to her organization. She stated that the donation helped the organization continue assisting the community's most vulnerable members, such as the housing-insecure, by helping impoverished individuals access education, build resources, and improve their lives. She noted that Opportunity Alliance Nevada also worked with the Reno Justice Court Housing Court Eviction Diversion Program to connect clients with resources and develop spending and saving plans. She explained that the organization worked collaboratively with many other community resources for additional programs. She reiterated her appreciation for the Board’s support and contributions.
Chair Hill recognized Comptroller Cathy Hill and noted that Agenda Item 7C1 represented Ms. Cathy Hill’s team receiving the 43rd consecutive annual Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States (US) and Canada for the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Chair Hill congratulated Ms. Cathy Hill and thanked her and the Comptroller’s Department for all they did for the County.
Commissioner Andriola also commended Ms. Cathy Hill and her team, noting that not only had they received recognition from the GFOA, but they had achieved the maintenance of that award for 43 consecutive years. She speculated that such a timeframe might be older than some of the individuals in attendance. She opined that it demonstrated the Comptroller Department’s excellence in transparency and attention to detail. She thanked Ms. Cathy Hill and her team.
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 7H1 be approved. Any and all Resolutions or Interlocal Agreements pertinent to Consent Agenda Items 7A1 through 7H1 are attached hereto and made a part of the minutes thereof.
25-0572 AGENDA ITEM 8 Recommendation to accept the Fund for a Resilient Nevada Sub-Award from the Department of Health and Human Services, Director’s Office for the amount not to exceed [$310,536.00; no County match required] retroactive to July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 to be used to fund treatment and recovery support services for participants of the Department of Alternative Sentencing Support in Treatment, Accountability and Recovery (STAR) program, to include transitional and permanent supportive living recovery housing, medical services gaps, and bus passes for participant transportation, approve Resolution necessary for same; and if approved authorize Connie Lucido, County Grants Administrator to execute grant award documents on behalf of DAS; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Alternative Sentencing. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
An emailed public comment was received and placed on file.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 8 be accepted, approved, authorized, and directed.
25-0573 AGENDA ITEM 9 Recommendation to: (1) award a bid and approve the Agreement to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder for the Pebble
Creek Lift Station Mixer and Bypass Improvements, located at Assessor’s Parcel Number APN 538-171-04 and Eagle Canyon Manhole Improvements Projects, located at APN 089-460-02, in the Spanish Springs area, PWP-WA-2025-324 [staff recommends Resource Development Company, LLC, in the amount of $413,300.00]; and (2) and to approve project contingency in the amount of $20,000.00 for use by Washoe County to support and deliver the Project. These capital projects will install Pebble Creek lift station improvements and a Type 4A manhole designed to address operational reliability, regulatory compliance, and long-term service demands. Community Services. (Commission District 4.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 9 be awarded and approved.
25-0574 AGENDA ITEM 10 Recommendation to approve an Agreement for Services between Washoe County and H&K Architects for the Washoe County Behavioral Health (WCBH) Facility project [in the amount of
$1,090,000.00], commencing on August 25, 2025, for final architectural and engineering design services necessary to complete the project. These services include architecture, civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering design and construction administration support for bidding, project delivery and close-out. The WCBH project is located at 1240 East 9th Street, Reno, and funding for the project comes from a State of Nevada Governor’s Office grant (no match required). Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 10 be approved.
25-0575 AGENDA ITEM 11 Recommendation to: (1) award a bid and approve the Agreement to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder for the Our Place - River House Remodel Project, PWP-WA-2025-398 [staff recommends Apex Construction, Inc., in the amount of $2,467,245.00]; (2) approve a project contingency in the amount of $100,000.00, for a total project cost not to exceed $2,567,245.00; and (3) direct finance to make the necessary net-zero cross-fund budget appropriation transfers. This capital project will remodel buildings 14 and 15, leased from the State of Nevada at the Our Place Campus located at 480 Galletti Way, Sparks with new finishes and infrastructure and with a new connector structure to create a single integrated building. Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 11 be awarded, approved, and directed.
25-0576 AGENDA ITEM 12 Recommendation to authorize Plenium Builders, Inc., the project Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), and approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price #1 Construction Agreement for the Washoe County Behavioral Health Remodel Project, [not to exceed $6,422,445.00]. Pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 338.1685 to NRS 338.16995, the selection and award for contracts involving CMARs are exempt from the competitive bidding process. The Washoe County Behavioral Health Facility project located at 1240 East 9th Street, Reno, involves the comprehensive renovation of an existing 47,000 square foot building to provide a range of behavioral health services, with a specialized focus on children and adolescents. Budget for the Guaranteed Maximum Price Agreement #1 construction agreement has been previously approved, and work is anticipated to commence on or about September 2, 2025. Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 12 be authorized and approved.
25-0577 AGENDA ITEM 13 Recommendation and possible action to approve the proposed settlement in the bankruptcy proceeding of Purdue Pharma/Sacklers individuals and execute the “Subdivision Participation and Release Form” pursuant to the One Nevada Agreement on Allocation of Opioid Recoveries ("One Nevada Agreement") previously agreed upon for participation in settlements (entered into on July 27, 2021). Under the proposed settlement between Purdue Pharma/Sacklers and the State of Nevada, the State of Nevada is estimated to receive the gross amount of
$57,941,815.03. Pursuant to the One Nevada Agreement, Washoe County will receive an estimated net allocation of $2,223,475.54. District Attorney. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 13 be approved and executed.
25-0578 AGENDA ITEM 14 Recommendation and possible action to approve settlement agreements between the State of Nevada and Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hikma, Indivior, Mylan, Sun, and Zydus in the opioid litigation; and execution by Washoe County of the “Subdivision Participation and Release Forms” pursuant to the One Nevada Agreement on Allocation of
Opioid Recoveries ("One Nevada Agreement") previously agreed upon for participation in settlements (entered into on July 27, 2021). The proposed settlement amounts between the State of Nevada and Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hikma, Indivior, Mylan, Sun, and Zydus are as follows:
$228,981.61 (Alvogen); $1,532,740.47 (Amneal); $780,619.14 (Apotex);
$1,298,988.31 (Hikma); $895,350.32 (Indivior); $3,622,867.87 (Mylan);
$379,901.33 (Sun); and $182,144.47 (Zydus). Washoe County expects to receive the following estimated amounts from the Settlements: $8,787.01 (Alvogen); $58,817.81 (Amneal); $29,955.70 (Apotex); $49,847.74 (Hikma); $34,358.42 (Indivior); $139,024.95 (Mylan); $14,578.44 (Sun); and $6,989.66 (Zydus). District Attorney. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 14 be approved.
25-0579 AGENDA ITEM 18 Recommendation to retroactively accept the Fourth Amendment and Assignment of the Grant Agreement in the amount of [$2,210,234 ($1,059,117 for FY26 and $1,151,117 for FY27); no county match] from Nevada Clinical Services, Inc. and managed by the State of Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health retroactive from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 to provide crisis and jail diversion services through a Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST Team) to individuals with a mental health condition who have come into contact with law enforcement; retroactively authorize Sheriff Balaam to execute the subgrant award and related documents; and direct Finance to make the necessary budget amendments. Sheriff. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 18 be accepted, authorized, and directed.
25-0580 AGENDA ITEM 19 Recommendation to approve the reimbursement of costs incurred by the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, Washoe County and Washoe County School District for expenses related to and in support of the Enhanced 911 Emergency Response System and portable event recording devices as recommended by the 911 Emergency Response Advisory Committee on May 15, 2025, and June 18, 2025, in an amount not to exceed [$1,186,070.75] as specified within the adopted Enhanced 911 Fund’s operating budget. Technology Services. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 19 be approved.
25-0581 AGENDA ITEM 20 Recommendation to approve Amendment No. 2 to Enterprise Agreement No. 00309540.0 between Washoe County and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) for software and services related to the County’s use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This Amendment No. 2 extends the Enterprise Agreement for a three-year term from August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2028 in an amount not to exceed [$1,192,600], and makes modifications to various terms and conditions. If approved, authorize the Purchasing and Contracts Manager to execute the agreement. Technology Services. (All Commission Districts.)
There was no response to the call for public comment.
On motion by Vice Chair Herman, seconded by Chair Hill, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Agenda Item 20 be approved and authorized.
* * * * * * * * * * * Regarding the Block vote items, Chair Hill acknowledged the great work
done on each item. She commended the efforts represented by Agenda Item 10, which she described as indicating the selection of an architect for the Washoe County Behavioral Health (WCBH) Facility. She expressed excitement that the Block vote also included an item to award a bid for the highly necessary Our Place River House Remodel Project.
* * * * * * * * * * *
25-0582 AGENDA ITEM 15 Discussion and possible action on the required legal change to the County’s Southwest Gas Franchise Agreement to remit 2% of net revenues to the State Treasurer for the benefit of public education; this is a change to the current practice of remitting to the Washoe County Treasurer for the benefit of the Washoe County School District. Finance. (All Commission Districts.)
Interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas clarified that Agenda Item 15 did not represent any changes to the existing amounts stipulated within the franchise agreement. She explained that the item was instead indicative of the County no longer serving as an intermediary for the franchise fees. She elaborated that the fees would be directed to the State Treasurer for the benefit of public education, rather than brought through the Washoe County Treasurer before fees were transferred to the Washoe County School District (WCSD). She noted that the changes she described resulted from a legislative decision. Chair Hill acknowledged and thanked ICM Thomas for the clarification.
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 15 be approved and authorized.
25-0583 AGENDA ITEM 16 Discussion and potential appointment of two members of the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners to serve on the study board for the creation of a county fire protection district to consolidate fire protection services within territory within Washoe County and the Cities of Reno and Sparks established pursuant to Senate Bill 319 of the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature. Manager. (All Commission Districts.)
Interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas informed the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) that Government Affairs Liaison Cadence Matijevich was present to speak if the Board required guidance on the item. Chair Hill inquired whether members of the Board desired a report from staff on Agenda Item 16, and it was determined that they did not.
Chair Hill expressed her intention to make a recommendation for the appointment. She speculated that each member of the BCC wanted to serve on the County fire protection district study board due to their extensive care for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) and regional fire services. She recommended that Commissioners Andriola and Garcia be selected to serve on the study board, as their districts experienced the most calls for service. She noted that she would happily hear suggestions from other members of the Board.
Vice Chair Herman remarked that she had hoped to serve on the study board because she believed both sides needed to be represented.
Commissioner Clark stated that he similarly wanted to be on the consolidated fire protection district study board, noting that there had been an established problem with constructing previously promised fire stations in Washoe Valley. He reiterated his interest in the position on the study board.
On the call for public comment, Ms. Penny Brock displayed a document, a copy of which was placed on file with the Clerk. Ms. Brock explained that she and others living in Commissioner Clark’s district faced ongoing issues related to building a fire station in Washoe Valley and evacuations. She noted that those problems would similarly impact the residents of Incline Village in the event of a wildfire spreading into that area. She recommended that Commissioner Clark be appointed to the study board. Ms. Brock believed whoever was chosen to serve on the study board should be aware of certain issues brought to her attention the previous day regarding Nevada Supreme Court rulings. She noted that she would submit her document to Deputy County Clerk Evonne Strickland to forward the information, as Supreme Court rulings were often technical. Ms. Brock stated
that one of the issues she had found was whether the proposed board was possible. She speculated that the second ruling on the matter by the Nevada Supreme Court indicated that the study board might be unconstitutional. She recounted having sent an email to Mr. Tom Daly, a resident of her district, who had done extensive research on the issue and attended TMFPD meetings. She explained that Mr. Daly said a decision from the Nevada Supreme Court in 1978 might be helpful. She elaborated that while that ruling demonstrated that the Nevada Legislature had acted improperly, it could still pose an issue locally. She speculated that the Reno City Council and the BCC would likely use a joint powers agreement or interlocal agreement to avoid returning the issue of fire service consolidation to the Legislature. She opined that financing the new district for the entities involved was the most significant impediment to consolidating the fire services. She explained that Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 474 stipulated that the entities associated with creating a new fire protection district would be limited by a property tax rate yielding
$100 million in revenue. She noted that, according to Mr. Daly’s calculations, those entities would need $122 million from property taxes, approximately $58 million in revenue from consolidated tax (c-tax), and $4 million from miscellaneous grants and fees to achieve a fiscal year (FY) budget of $183 million. She opined that the only way to succeed with such a budget would be for the Reno Fire Department (RFD) to relent on maintaining a four- person staffing model, which she did not believe the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 731 would agree to. She explained that aside from finances, all aspects of the consolidation of fire services had been studied several times, with none of the studies ever resulting in a recommendation that supported the effort to consolidate. She noted that Clark County and the Cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas had operated through a consolidated dispatch for 30 years with unrestricted automatic aid while remaining autonomous.
Ms. Strickland 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 3-2 vote, with Vice Chair Herman and Commissioner Clark voting no, it was ordered that Commissioners Garcia and Andriola be appointed to serve on the study board for the creation of a County fire protection district to consolidate fire protection services within territory within Washoe County and the Cities of Reno and Sparks established pursuant to Senate Bill 319 of the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature.
25-0584 AGENDA ITEM 17 Recommendation to appoint, per NRS 501.260, one candidate to the Public Seat on the Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife (WCABMW), with a term beginning retroactively on July 1, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2028. Candidates include: Thuy Carpenter, Luke Elliott, Brian E. Erbis, Kaylie Hardy, Jesse Huntsman, Julie Karabelas, Brandon Karatyz, Wayne M. Lund, Kristie Marchese, Rob Pierce, Daniel C. Scinto, Frederick Shafer, Shea Sliter, Caron L. Tayloe, and Brian Ward. Manager's Office. (All Commission Districts.)
Interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas explained that Agenda Item 17 had been previously considered and was brought back for the Board’s reconsideration.
Community Outreach Coordinator Alexandra Wilson reiterated that the appointment was a reconsideration of the prior appointment to the Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife (WCABMW). She noted that, because the language had to remain the same, the ballots did not include Mr. Shea Sliter, Ms. Caron Tayloe, and Ms. Julie Karabelas, who had requested their names be removed. She explained that for the voting process, the Board would choose its top two choices for the open position.
On the call for public comment, Ms. Kristie Marchese said she was a third- generation Nevadan, a long-time conservationist, and an elementary school teacher. She thanked the Board for their consideration of her for the WCABMW position. She stated that she was honored to be among people who share a deep commitment to protecting the State’s natural heritage. She explained that for many years she had volunteered with guzzlers to support wildlife in some of the most challenging environments. She mentioned that she had beaten sagebrush to spread seed and participated in numerous trap and transplant conservation programs. She thought everyone should have the chance to be a part of the trap and transplant conservation program. She also noted her experience with 4- H and working alongside ranchers. She mentioned that she lived an outdoor lifestyle and shared that passion with her children. She believed the outdoors was important for everyone. She noted that her love for wildlife was ongoing, and she worked to share that with others, especially her students. She stated that she incorporated conservation and a love for wildlife into her teaching to help the next generation understand the importance of protecting resources. She explained that, if selected, she would work hard alongside current board members to serve both wildlife and the community. She said that the WCABMW opening was for a public seat and she would take that responsibility seriously. She mentioned that her goal would be to listen to residents, carry their voices forward, and work closely with the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). She noted that, together, thoughtful and balanced decisions could be made to protect wildlife and ensure healthy populations for future generations.
Mr. Wayne Lund said he was seeking an appointment for the WCABMW. He stated that he was born in Reno and raised in Gerlach. He mentioned that his father and grandfather were also born in Reno, and that his family had been hunters for 100 years. He explained that he came to Reno in 1971 to attend college and had lived there ever since. He noted that he was a lifetime member of the Mule Deer Foundation and of the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF). He said he served as the president of the largest and oldest volunteer organization in Nevada, as well as other various organizations. He highlighted his experience building guzzlers for wildlife and mentioned his involvement with numerous volunteer organizations alongside many exceptional individuals. He emphasized his long-standing commitment to wildlife and habitat conservation, including addressing the impacts of predators, wild horses, and cattlemen. He shared that he wanted to serve on the WCABMW and contribute in any way he could.
Mr. Joel Blakeslee said he had spoken previously during the general public
comment.
Mr. Mel Belding said that Nevada’s wildlife was facing difficult times, and that Washoe County’s problems were likely the worst in the State. He mentioned that some of the issues were easy to recognize but not easy to remedy. He noted that habitat destruction caused by drought, wildfire, encroachment, a grossly overpopulated feral horse population, and illegal land use surely contributed to that destruction. He explained that he had attended wildlife meetings for over 50 years and felt that public awareness and understanding of issues affecting wildlife were lacking. He emphasized the importance of the WCABMW public seat and added that Ms. Marchese, a third-generation Nevadan, would be an excellent choice. He noted that Ms. Marchese had been a school teacher for 15 years in Washoe County and would bring diverse opinions from many members of the public. He believed that her years of teaching conservation in the classroom had been an excellent way to introduce a subject that was often overlooked. He felt that her work with NDOW over the years was second to none, and he urged the Board to support Ms. Marchese for the seat.
Deputy County Clerk Evonne Strickland read the Commissioner's votes aloud, naming Ms. Marchese as the selected candidate. Chair Hill congratulated Ms. Marchese and thanked the applicants. She said she looked forward to hearing about all the great work that they would do.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Vice Chair Herman, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Kristie Marchese be appointed to the Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife for a term retroactively beginning on July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2028.
25-0585 AGENDA ITEM 21 Second reading and possible adoption of an ordinance pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes 278.0201 through 278.0207 approving Amendment of Conditions Case Number WAC25-0008, to amend the development agreement between Washoe County and Mesa View Reno, LLC (previous landowner), which was originally approved on July 16, 2024 (WAC24-0005). This amended development agreement is between Washoe County and Mesa View by Desert Wind LP, and its purpose is to extend the deadline for presenting the fourth final map to the Director of Planning and Building for final signature from April 28, 2025, to April 28, 2026, with all subsequent final maps being subject to the deadlines set forth in NRS
278.360. The project was originally approved in 2004 as Tentative Subdivision Map Case No. WTM04-001 (Sun Mesa), and is a residential subdivision located along the eastern terminus of Sun Mesa Drive and Rising Ridge Drive in Sun Valley. The project encompasses a total of approximately 70.28 acres, and the total number of residential lots allowed by the approved tentative map is 207 with 149 lots recorded and 58 lots remaining to be recorded. The parcels are located within the Sun Valley Planning Area and Washoe County Commission District No. 3. (APN: 504-
460-03). If approved, authorize the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners to sign the Development Agreement. Community Services. (Commission District 3.)
Chair Hill opened the public hearing.
Deputy County Clerk Evonne Strickland read the title for Ordinance No.
1742, Bill No. 1933.
Chair Hill inquired if the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) had any questions regarding Agenda Item 21, and it was determined that they did not. She acknowledged that staff were present in the audience, though the Board made no indication that a presentation was necessary.
There was no response to the call for public comment.
Commissioner Andriola stated that technical difficulties had arisen, and she could not vote for the motion digitally. Chair Hill requested that the vote be taken through a roll call to account for the error. Ms. Strickland performed a roll call vote at Chair Hill’s request.
On motion by Commissioner Andriola, seconded by Commissioner Garcia, which motion duly carried on a 5-0 vote, it was ordered that Ordinance No. 1742, Bill No. 1933, be adopted, approved, and published in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 244.100.
25-0586 AGENDA ITEM 22 Public Comment.
Ms. Penny Brock informed the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) that the 2020 Presidential elections were being closely investigated, with the six swing states, including Nevada, being examined first. She reported that on July 25, 2025, the Nevada Secretary of State (SOS) received a letter from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which handled voting matters. She indicated that she had a copy of that letter, which she did not bring, and explained that a response was required from the SOS by July 25, 2025. She noted that she saw the response and confirmed that the correspondence had occurred. She reported that the Criminal Division of the DOJ sent a letter to the SOS on July 10, 2025. She explained that Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI), said she was investigating the 2020 Presidential elections. Ms. Brock noted that Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), similarly stated that the elections in Nevada would be investigated. She explained that Mr. Patel was from Las Vegas and knew about the elections in the State. Ms. Brock reported that President Donald Trump called for a special prosecutor to investigate the 2020 Presidential elections, and she suspected the investigation would impact Nevada. She theorized that the investigation would extend to the elections departments of Clark County and Washoe County. She indicated that she was speaking on the matter to inform the Board and the individual overseeing the County’s election department, which she suspected was interim
County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas, to prevent them from being surprised by future action. Ms. Brock theorized that ICM Thomas would be the staff member who would receive notification of the investigations.
25-0587 AGENDA ITEM 23 Announcements/Reports.
Interim County Manager (ICM) Kate Thomas recounted that the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) requested to hear from representatives at the Verdi TV District. She reported that Mr. Howard Horton from the Verdi TV District would be in attendance at the BCC meeting scheduled for October 21, 2025.
Commissioner Clark referred to an earlier public comment that mentioned the business licensing of a horse facility. He indicated his interest in learning how many submitted business license applications had been approved by the County throughout the previous two and a half years. He expressed curiosity about the number of applicants who had to wait an extended period for an answer, aside from the individual who voiced concerns previously at the meeting. He wanted to compare how the system operated and how long processing times were for individuals applying for business licenses outside of the equine and livestock industries. He expressed his desire to learn the general expected wait time for business licenses and how many had been issued in the previous two and a half years.
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12:31 p.m. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned without objection.
ATTEST:
ALEXIS HILL, Chair
Washoe County Commission
JANIS GALASSINI, County Clerk and Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners
Minutes Prepared by:
Brooke Koerner, Deputy County Clerk Lizzie Tietjen, Deputy County Clerk Jessica Melka, Deputy County Clerk Heather Gage, Deputy County Clerk