Carson City Board of Supervisors Meeting - February 19, 2026

The meeting began with public comment, followed by service anniversary awards and a Medal of Bravery presentation. Key reports included a 30-year drought and water sustainability plan from the Carson Water Subconservancy District and an emergency management update. The primary discussion focused on proposed fee schedules for public records requests, which were ultimately returned for further review.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the January 15, 2026 meeting minutes.
• Unanimously approved the consent agenda (items 8A, 9A, 10A, 10B, 10C, 11A) as presented.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michelle (speaker): Opposed the proposed public records fee schedule, stating it would deter transparency and accountability, particularly for citizens and local media. She cited the $34/hour fee for watching body camera footage as intimidating.
• Drew Rybar (candidate for Assembly District 40): Echoed opposition, arguing that citizens have already paid for these records through taxes and that charging fees hinders government accountability. He urged funding transparency mechanisms rather than imposing fees.

Recognition & Awards

• Length of Service Certificates:
  • Brenda Torres (judicial clerk) – 27 years.
  • Houston Bernston (firefighter paramedic) – 10 years.
  • Michael Freeman (aquatics manager) – 10 years.
  • Bruce Rutherford (fleet services foreman) – 10 years.
• Medal of Bravery (Fire Department):
  • Awarded to Firefighter Paramedics Eric Hopper and Houston Bernston for their actions on August 16, 2024, when they entered a fully involved structure fire without a hose line and rescued a victim within 1 minute 22 seconds of arrival.

Discussion Items

1. Carson Water Subconservancy District Report (Ed James, retiring; Reed Cousins, incoming):

   • Presented findings from a 30-year drought and water sustainability plan, funded by a FEMA grant. Key points: most major water purveyors have adequate water supplies for 30 years; Silver Springs and Stagecoach face limitations and will need new sources; streamflow trends show a shift in runoff timing (more water in March, less in June); groundwater pumping has increased in some basins but is offset by conservation and the upcoming Quill Water Treatment Plant; conjunctive management is the future regulatory approach.
   • Carson City is well-positioned due to planning and infrastructure investments (e.g., Quill plant).
   • Board members thanked Ed James for his service and welcomed Reed Cousins.

2. Emergency Management Annual Report (John Backatall):

   • Covered compliance, training, exercises, and community outreach. Notable achievements: EOC activations for the Seahill Fire and Nevada Day; completion of hazard mitigation plan, animal emergency response plan, and mass casualty plan; implementation of Alert Carson notification system; emphasis on individual preparedness through the "You Are the Responder" program.
   • Mayor Bagwell suggested adding snow preparedness information; Supervisor Shuty reminded property owners of sidewalk clearing responsibilities.

3. Public Records Request Fee Schedule (Items 14A & 15A):

   • Presentation: Sheriff Ken Furlong and Records Manager Kristen Marquez proposed a fee schedule differentiating "routine requests" (free, covering ~80% of requests) from "research requests" (charged after 10 free hours). For research requests, staff time is billed at $23/hour (entry-level wage). Body camera redaction requires 4-8 hours per hour of footage due to frame-by-frame review and privacy protections. The proposed "viewing fee" was withdrawn.
   • City Perspective: Deputy City Manager Stephanie Hicks noted consistency with the city’s proposed schedule and provided data: public records requests increased from 99 (2020) to 530 (2024), with 57% going to non-sheriff departments. City staff often have higher wages, but the $23/hour rate is used to be conservative.
   • Legal Opinion: Deputy District Attorney Todd Reese stated that the 2019 revision to NRS 239 allows charging actual costs (including staff time) for time-consuming requests, though no court has definitively ruled on this. He acknowledged the interpretation is debatable but defensible. City Attorney Dan (last name not given) noted the absence of binding precedent.
   • Public Comments: Kelsey Penrose (journalist) argued the fees are unlawful, citing legislative intent that "actual cost" does not include staff time, and that the proposed routine/research distinction is arbitrary. Drew Rybar reiterated public right to access and urged funding additional staff instead.
   • Board Discussion: Multiple concerns were raised: legality, lack of a unified citywide fee schedule, lack of clear definition of free records, potential for abuse, and whether adding staff would be a better solution. Supervisor Giomi suggested exploring resident vs. non-resident fees. The board agreed the policies need more work.

Key Outcomes

• Service awards and Medals of Bravery were presented.
• Ed James retired; Reed Cousins was introduced as his replacement.
• The public records fee schedule proposals were sent back for further revision with the following directions:
  • Develop a single, unified citywide fee schedule.
  • Clearly define which records are free (routine requests, victims, etc.).
  • Research the legality of charging higher fees to non-residents or out-of-state requesters.
  • Provide a cost analysis of adding a full-time employee (or equivalent) to handle these requests as an alternative to charging fees.
  • Address public concerns about legality and potential chilling effects on transparency.
• No formal vote was taken; the items will return at a future meeting.