Good morning.

I'm gonna call this meeting to order of the Board of County Commissioners on January 20th, 2026 at 10 a.m.

And if I could, I'd like to ask Chief Edwards for the salute to the flag if you wouldn't mind, please to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Ask for roll call, please.

Present.

Vice Chair Garcia here.

Commissioner Clark.

Present.

Commissioner Hill.

Commissioner Hill's appearing uh by phone.

And Commissioner Herman is absent.

County Manager Kate Thomas.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Mike Large.

Present.

And I'm Yvonne Strickland, Deputy Clerk.

Madam Chair, you have a quorum.

Thank you.

We'll now move to item three, which is the invocation.

And thank you so much for coming.

And we'll go ahead and listen and hope that all of our your wonderful words are heard and taken in by everyone.

So we're here.

Thank you, Clara.

So starting with Gaitri Mantra, which is considered the most sacred mantra of Hinduism.

I shall be reading from ancient Hindu scriptures, some as old as 1500 BCE, then interpreted in English.

May all rise, please.

We meditate on the transcendental glory of the deity supreme, who's inside the heart of the earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the heaven.

May he stimulate and illuminate our minds.

Lead us from the unreal to the real.

Lead us from darkness to light.

Lead us from death to immortality.

Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world by devotion to selfless.

One attains the supreme goal of life.

Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.

Um saha nawabatu nakturian karbaba hai, the just be navadita mastu ma vidvisaba.

May we be protected together, maybe we nourish together, maybe work together with great vigor.

May our study be enlightening, may no obstacle arise between us.

Um shanti shanti shanti.

Peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

We'll move now to item number four.

Thank you, Madame.

Item number four is a general update from Trucky Meadows Fire and Rescue Chief Edward, uh, Richard J.

Edwards, but he is here to provide the board with a verbal report on fuel management and emergency planning and any other updates as requested monthly to the board related to fire activities.

Welcome, Chief.

Good morning.

Uh Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Commissioners, uh Richard Edwards, Trucky Meadows Fire with a brief update this morning.

Um January's been a busy month for us so far.

Um a little backstory.

Uh we've been working with the City of Reno Fire Department, Sparks Fire, and Truckee Meadows since last April to enhance operational efficiency and safety, working to standardize policies, training and response protocols.

Uh the core effort was to develop and implement shared operating guidelines, uh, which will be used to guide joint emergency response and training.

And these guidelines actually help to reduce redundancy, optimize resource use, and improve firefighter safety and service delivery.

This vision is to create a unified mission-driven system that reflects the values of the fire service and fosters high trust, seamless collaboration amongst departments, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

And this month, we're building upon that vision by conducting training evolutions and an acquired structure with our regional partners.

So over the last month, uh Reno Sparks and TM have been training side by side in this structure or in structure fire evolutions to hone our skills while learning the new guidelines.

And this training is invaluable and will help ensure that we provide the absolute highest level of service to the communities that we all serve.

And I'm very appreciative of the three agencies, their operations chiefs, and our training training chief, uh Chris Black, for coordinating this training.

So very excited to have that going on as well.

Uh switching yours a little bit, talk a little bit about fire prevention.

Uh the weather's been incredible this past week, and there's really no better time than right now to begin protecting your homes from wildfire.

Um so within the district, pile burning is allowed through April 30th.

Um, but we do ask that before initiating any open burning that you please visit the district's homepage at tmfpd.us uh to determine whether or not uh it's a permissible burn day and to be aware of the rules and regulations associated with pile burning.

This is a great way to increase your defensible space and harden your home uh in advance of fire season.

That's not too far off.

Um in January, we partnered with KTMB uh for Christmas tree recycling.

Um I'm happy to announce that at Washoe Valley, we collected 188 trees and Lemon Valley.

We collected 123 trees and Spanish Springs, we collected 478 trees uh that our wildland fuels division came in and then chipped that up for landscaping mulch.

So a great way to keep those trees out of our landfills, off the streets or out of the desert where they become just additional fuel for fires.

Um and this week our wildland fuels division uh is assisting the Nevada Division of Forestry with some pile burning off of Mount Rose Highway near Galena Creek Park.

So as people travel in that area, they will probably see some lingering smoke, but no, that's in fire prevention efforts.

Um and the last item I had to share is actually for everybody throughout the county.

Um, the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association and BLM have partnered to launch the wildfire risk reduction program.

And this is a grant program for up to 75,000, a maximum grant uh available for hazardous fuels reduction programs.

And really the focus of this grant money is towards the homeowners associations.

They have to be the recipients have to be a 501c3 or another government agency such as soil and water conservation districts, water districts, and so forth.

Um applications are open right now through March 1st of 26.

Um, and for more information, please visit the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association webpage.

And that concludes my updates.

Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Um Wow, shout out to all of the folks who actually utilize the service in terms of Christmas trees.

400 in Spanish Springs.

Wow.

Incredible.

A lot of Christmas trees in Spanish Springs.

Anyone else have any questions?

Any other commissioners have any questions?

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And thank you for your report.

And it's always good to see the fire prevention part of this uh working and everything that you've been doing with the green removal and the trees and uh and letting people burn a longer period of time when when the conditions are right for that.

It's just all preventative and it's all appreciated.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Commissioner Hill, I know you're online.

Do you have any questions for Chief Edwards?

No, I don't have questions.

I also appreciate the chief efforts, and I really appreciate the effort to try and find some additional funding since we are uh in um a difficult position with um our revenues right now.

So thank you, Chief, so much.

And I would just like to close by saying if there's an opportunity to share with everyone that um wildlife risk reduction program grant, especially with all the HOAs.

I think that that would be really, really helpful.

And hopefully Washoe County can help you with that, along with all the other jurisdictions as well.

Share that out.

Thank you, Chief Edwards.

Thank you.

We're gonna close item four and move to item five, which is public comment manager Thomas.

Thank you.

Comment heard under this item will be limited to three minutes per person, and it may pertain to matters both on and off the commission agenda.

Unused time may not be allocated to other speakers.

The commission will also hear public comment during individual action items with comment limited to three minutes per person.

Please make your comments to the commission as a whole, and we may have virtual public comment taken when facilities are available.

First up is Thomas Daly, followed by Terry Brooks.

Morning.

Thank you, Commissioners.

For the record, I'm Thomas Daly, a resident of Warshow County.

I would ask that my comments today be entered into the record.

First, my congratulations to Commissioner Garcia for being elected vice chair and Commissioner Andreola for being elected chair.

Commissioner Andreola, on Thursday, you will represent us all at the Northern Nevada Public Health Board meeting.

You will be asked at that meeting to renew the board the REMSA franchise in perpetuity.

Nothing in this 60-page renewal document compels REMSA to improve response times in suburban Worship County by adding one or more ambulances to areas with deficient response times.

Response times and serious medical emergencies by REMSA far exceeds the national standard of eight minutes NFPA 1710.

If by more than that time, a heart attack or stroke would likely result in a fatality.

In South Reno, there's a deficit of EMS response times as I recently experienced.

On December 5th, a serious medical emergency at my home resulted in TM Engine 36 responding in 16 and a half minutes.

And REMSA in 18 minutes per their dispatch report.

REMSA has twice in the last decade attempted to remove improve EMS response times in South Reno by first stationing an ambulance at UNR Redfield campus and later across the street at a storefront in a shopping center.

On both occasions, response times were fell dramatically to eight minutes or less for communities in Geiger Grade, Damonty Ranch, Mount Rose Highway Carter, and Pleasant Valley.

Yet despite that success, REMSA removed the ambulance with no notice to area communities.

You might ask why?

Because the ambulance failed to generate enough transport revenue to meet Rems' financial standards.

So the needs of citizens for prompt emergency medical services were sacrificed on the altar of financial expediency.

Remisses services are revenue driven and public safety takes a back seat.

Only the Northern Nevada Health District can impose conditions on REMSA to improve response times.

As your as our representative, Commissioner Andiola, I would ask that you raise this issue at the meeting on Thursday.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Daly.

Terry Brooks, followed by Troy Regis, good morning.

It's me, Terry Brooks again.

And today I'd like to render on my thoughts on the LGBTQ when it involves discrimination and gender.

Some people, when they were born, were identified as male, but later on in life, they thought of themselves as female.

Some people, when they were born, were identified as female, but later on in life, they thought of themselves as male.

Some people find themselves attracted to the other gender, and some people find themselves attracted to the same gender.

Some people find themselves attracted to either gender.

Some people consider themselves as of either gender.

Some people find themselves wanting to change their gender.

Some people refer to themselves as transgender.

Regardless of what one's body identifies them to be, in their minds, a lot of people are whatever they want to be.

A lot of people discriminate against such people, causing a lot of division.

But when it comes to your own gender traits, that is your own decision.

Everybody has the right to be who they want to be, even when discriminators unfairly disagree.

A lot of people hide their inner gender to avoid discrimination, because they would rather hide it than to endure the discrimination.

A lot of people refuse to hide their inner gender, and they do so to protest against discrimination against their gender.

A lot of politicians say not to say gay.

While a lot of other politicians say it's okay to say gay.

It would benefit everyone to just quit discriminating against each other and to just try to get along and care about each other.

I would like to thank you all for listening to me today.

And even though I am not gay, you still let me say gay today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Troy Regis, followed by Pam Darr.

Hello, good morning.

Congratulations on the new chair and co-chair.

Um I'm here to talk about Dandini's spectrum and hopefully get a vote for it.

Um this gentleman bought this property, the zoning already existed for his use, which is a great thing, so you don't have to change zoning.

Um there are 40 senior spots for seniors, which I think is a great thing for this community.

But number one, I heard in the last legislature last year that we're talking about raising property taxes.

And this seems to be like one of those good um uh jobs that would create a lot of money for this county, and hopefully we cannot raise property taxes in the future.

Also, I know there's an easement problem, but I but I know that there was a negotiation for those easements for uh sewer uh to put in greater sewer, so the uh jail itself when it does expand one day, because I can't imagine it won't expand because I believe it's almost always uh uh I guess we can't say sold out, but no vacancy, right?

Uh, that one day when they're when they want to expand that the sewer system will be there and water.

Uh I think Par Boulevard is a perfect place for this kind of uh uh infrastructure, and uh I hope that we vote for it.

Uh it will help with future property taxes, etc.

So I am for Dandini Spectrum, and I hope we vote yes for it.

And I uh would hope that this will help our economy in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Pam Darr, followed by Eliza Rouse.

Good morning, commissioners, and to a happy new year.

It's gonna be a good year.

I'm getting the popcorn, and good things are gonna happen.

That's the way I'm gonna look at it.

But I am going to bring this to your attention.

I did go to the homeless meeting when we had that, and I think it's important because we see things that you would not know about unless we can come in front of a committee that can put it on an agenda and address these issues.

Getting to that, I was in front of you a few months ago about any time fitness out in Winfield.

My friend told me about the homeless out there, and it was making her nervous, but she continued going out there.

The day after that meeting on the homeless that night, she went there at midnight.

She feels that's a safe neighborhood, but she's aware.

She's on the treadmill, and this man starts pounding on the glass door.

She's a tiny little thing.

She can't defend herself.

It's a locked door.

She calls the sparks PD.

911, they have her describe him.

She's so shaken, she's trying to get an angle to look at him without looking at them.

They came, they got him, they took him away.

Husband brought her home.

The police called and informed her, he went right to jail.

He was a criminal.

This is in all the neighborhoods.

You can't get away from it.

I've been trying to go to places with my husband to go to dinner, and the homeless is everywhere.

Where they should be where the resources are.

We want to help them.

And I'm thinking maybe we're not doing it right.

I dated a guy that he used to live in Reno when I lived in LA.

He couldn't live here.

There's too much.

There's liquor stores, there's casinos, there's bars, and he just couldn't do it.

So we're trying to treat people here where there's all these temptations, and maybe instead of putting the burden on the taxpayers or watching the problem get worse.

We should hit up these businesses at TRI, get some BLM land, build a place and get them treatment.

Some of these look like they're angry, they're on drugs.

They some ask for jobs and they're told from what I understand, and I've been told by a good source.

Their advice is to go panhandle from the CARES campus employees.

I hope that's not happening, but I heard it from a good source, and I did take my husband to dinner for his birthday the other night in Sparks, and they work hard on clearing the homeless.

But within the block, there was three homeless, and I watched an individual get picked up in a van.

And I've been hearing about that.

But if there's a business going around, having people panhandle, but you need to get on top of that.

I don't blame you guys.

I appreciate everybody.

I have a friend whose husband works for the Hope team.

The good intentions are there.

I'm just seeing the problem get worse.

That's what I'm seeing.

My friend's scared, and the businesses are giving these people coffee and soda.

And that's great.

You don't want a confrontation with the homeless.

They also should report it so we can get them off the streets.

And I thank you.

Have a good day.

Thank you.

Eliza Rouse, followed by Virginia Wiggins.

Have you ever seen an official Guinness Book of Records?

It is filled with people and animals who have achieved the impossible.

And my school has the chance to be in it.

Good morning, commissioners.

My name is Eliza Rouse, and I am a seventh grade grader at Coral Academy of Science Middle School.

The day, January 28th, might seem like an ordinary day.

For my school, though, it will be a day to remember.

On that day at 11 a.m., my school will be attempting to set a new Guinness World Record.

Nearly 500 students and teachers will be reciting together some of the most important words in American history.

The preamble to the US Constitution.

When I heard the news, I was shocked.

I never imagined in my wildest dreams.

I would attempt to set a Guinness World Record.

Throughout the school year, though, we raised money from private donations, our wonderful parent-teacher booster club, and our students.

What started out as a dream is now becoming reality.

And we invite you to come and experience it with us.

To not only celebrate the 250th anniversary of America, to not only experience something very few people in the world has, but to witness history in the making.

Because at Coral Academy of Science, we are going to make we the people a reality.

Thank you.

Virginia Wiggins, followed by Janet Butcher.

I first want to say as Virginia Wiggins, I'm sorry for the way today.

But homelessness is taking a toll on me.

And we want to take and defy homelessness.

I haven't been off my insulin since October 26th of last year.

On December 27th, I brought up the fact that there is no hate speech allowed on the shelter grounds where you get federal funding because women were saying the N word left and right, and that they were giving cigarettes to certain people that they constituted level seven and letting them use their personal cell phones.

These women are manipulating and running that system because when they're out on the streets getting dates and making money, they are not the same individuals you see within that shelter.

Two days later, when they were upset at me because I brought this up, they went in and took my pillows that were an accommodation for the ADA for my spine.

Held them next to dirty pillows as they had a lice outbreak and would not allow me to have my pillows anymore.

When they spoke up, they put me on a two-day sit-out.

Again, I have bones of a 90-year-old woman.

I have not gone back.

I struggle carrying bags every day when I need six surgeries to try and survive out there.

I am on safe embraces list again to go back to their shelter because what is going on at our place constitutes as domestic violence.

The staff are stealing the donations.

You're having people that are drug addicts and criminals run a homeless shelter and they come in high and kick other women out for being high into the cold to go die.

It's inhumane.

I wouldn't do that to a stray animal.

So I would just like to read this real quick.

Virginia Wiggins, my number is 458 302 9524.

To whom it may concern, I'm writing to formally request a complete copy of my records related to my stay at our place located in Sparks, Nevada, 89431.

Under Nevada's Public Records Act, I am requesting all documentation, including but not limited to case notes and intake records, all files regarding my housing plans and services.

When I walked into our place, I had shallow subsidies on my own.

I did that.

Took me a week and a half.

They were taking six months to get somebody that and letting them sit there.

Hannah, my case manager, pushed me over to an apartment shoreline plaza on Dickerson.

They paid the little $30 P.

I paid a couple hundred dollar holding fee.

Well, when they gave me that, I'm hoping that staff can follow up with you, Ms.

Wiggins.

Yes.

And I've been putting staffs in the back wanting to follow up with you.

Thank you.

Janet Butcher, followed by Nicole Harris.

Good morning, Janet Butcher for the record.

Um, I won't ask to have it placed into the record verbatim because it doesn't happen.

So I'll opine.

Um I wish that uh Commissioner Herman was here because I wanted to tell her that I think she's one class act.

I went back and listened to two years ago and listened to how she was chastised by three of the mean girls, and I call you mean girls because a mature woman wouldn't do what what you put her through two years ago.

But she's a class act, she's shown up, she puts a smile on her face, and she goes about her business.

She's not a politician.

I appreciate that.

And I I pray that the person that gets her seat in November is not a politician either, and isn't using it as a stepping stone to become governor, president, whatever.

Um November 18th, I talked about affordable housing and why some of the root causes of not being able to have affordable housing.

No commissioner, none of you made any comments about it about any of the things that I brought up.

Um things like people, apartment complexes owned by LLCs, which you can't find who really owns them, increasing the rents substantially.

I talked to a gentleman the other day, his rent went up $800, and he's on Medicaid or um Social Security.

Um there are some management companies, like this morning.

I got a desperate phone call from my granddaughter, who they're telling gave her 24-hour notice that she had to have all of her stuff put in the middle of the room, and she had to vacate the apartment at 8 o'clock this morning.

And when she called them this morning and asked them for a little bit of an extension, if she could have an hour to finish getting things fixed up, they told her they were gonna charge her 200 a minute if she didn't get out and let them come in and spray.

Now sometimes if you're dealing with somebody who has anxiety issues or has PTSD already, and they do, they do kick these people out.

They do end up charging them extra money.

I've seen it.

I've had to help her pay for things.

So the affordable housing thing is it there's a lot of underlying problems, and nobody is really addressing it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Nicole Harris, followed by Jill O'Leary.

Let me see if I get this thing straight.

There we go.

Good morning, um, commissioners, and again, I like to congratulate Commissioner Andreola as being selected for chair of the commission and um Commissioner Garcia as vice chair and the rest of the county officials who sit here and help us govern our great county, Washoe County.

My name is Nicole Harris.

I'm speaking on behalf of this particular project, Dandini Spectrum Apartments.

And what I have found out is that the developer has spent five years working on this, Mr.

Campbell.

And now we're coming down to five years, and they've spent millions of dollars, and it comes down to whether the uh county will make a recommendation to consider an anneasement purchase and sale agreement between Washoe County and Dandini Spectrum Holdings.

I'm going to advocate that you consider this seriously.

The City of Reno has already approved for the 640 units.

40 of them are allocated to seniors.

I think that's real important.

The governor has also made it an issue that we need to increase our housings, not just in Clark County, but also in Washoe.

As you can hear from all the speakers this morning, there is a problem on that.

And I'm not sure why the sheriff is the one who's saying no on this.

I know they have some concerns about their training facility.

And if you look at what the staff has put together, they've also mentioned that the proposed easement would allow Dandini Spectrum Holdings to construct and maintain the necessary infrastructure across a portion of the county's property while also addressing the county's interest and maintaining the operational integrity and future expensive potential of the training facility.

This is a secondary access.

This is not the primary access to the apartment complex.

How are we going to convince developers to come in and put units here in our county?

This project has been sitting here for five years.

I'm not sure I would put anything for five years and wait and hope it would get approved.

It's going to go to other counties, other states.

And again, we're still going to be addressing this issue.

Here we have an agreement already in place, and unless the training facility or whoever can give us concrete reasons of what why they're not agreeing to this, I'm urging you to approve this recommendation for the easement agreement.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jill O'Leary, followed by Jim McNamara.

Thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Jill O'Leary, a 63-year-old resident of Washoe County.

I'm here again to follow up on requests.

I began making in October.

First, that this board review the recorders policy allowing unlawful judgments to be recorded as liens using a non-statutory legibility notice.

Second, that the county provide the electronic metadata log showing which clerk accepted and endorsed those filings.

To clarify a prior statement, I did receive a letter from Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Large on December 20th.

His response addressed only my separate request for the court's metadata log.

It did not address the recorder's policy or this board's oversight responsibility.

His letter directs me to a generic court mailing address with no department or point of contact, which is not a meaningful avenue for accountability.

He also states the county has no custody or control over civil court records because the second judicial district court is part of the judicial branch.

If that is correct, then this board should be able to identify who besides the second judicial court has authority to audit or review metadata logs, especially considering Washoe County Taxpayers Fund, the building staffing, software systems, and administrative infrastructure for this court.

Under NRS 247.120 a legibility notice is a narrow readability readability exception, not a tool to make an unrecordable judgment recordable.

Yet documents are being recorded in this manner.

I've received no response from this policy is being reviewed despite four months of requests.

I'm asking for a written accountable response stating what action has been taken to review the recorder's policy.

What action has been taken to obtain or examine the metadata log of the recorder and which agency or official has oversight if the county claims it has none.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jim McNamara, followed by Eileen Eklund.

Good morning, Commissioners.

I'm Jim McDamer.

I am appearing at the request of Commissioner Andreola.

I will be here during agenda item five in case anybody has any questions.

But uh I was appointed two years ago as the Washoe County Light Representative to the TRPA Advisory Commission.

Uh I ask that you consider renewing my appointment.

I want to thank the commissioners and the TRPA for the opportunity to serve and listen to the many voices of our fellow citizens in Washoe County and other lake communities.

I'll be available here, like I said, during item item five.

This is mostly a notice for those that might uh be in the public and have questions regarding my actions or uh my appointment.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Eileen Eklund, followed by Mary Ann Healy.

For the record, my name is Eileen Eklund and I live in Sparks.

Good morning, Commissioners, and thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I was so glad to see on today's agenda that our library system has been awarded a grant to purchase business themed uh digital and print materials for their business resources center.

With this grant, the library can expand their resources to help budding entrepreneurs learn about launching a new business endeavor and to help small business small business owners thrive and grow.

These materials will provide guidance to job seekers on what the next steps in their careers should be, or guide them in finding a new career path altogether.

Importantly, the grant will also increase access to digital materials for residents across Washoe County, including those who can't easily visit a library because of time or distance constraints.

The matching funds provided by the county will help get the word out to the public that these materials will be available.

This grant is a great example of the many ways in which our library system serves and supports county residents, often in ways we don't even realize.

When most people think of libraries, they think about children's story hours after school programming or all the great books that they put at our fingertips.

Maybe they're grateful for the technology services that libraries provide or the inclusive spaces where they can meet with friends, take a class, or just find a quiet space in which to read a book or magazine.

Libraries provide all these things and so much more.

I hope you will approve this grant and thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Miss Healy does not wish to speak, so Deborah Plant.

Sorry about my throat.

Anyhow, she did what she could to help under, you know, uh, under mine, the president at the time to get other people to listen.

Nobody was listening.

And I left the board with purpose, as you all know.

It is now being uh handled by the Nevada Department.

Uh, I mean uh district attorney or what is it?

Uh Attorney General's office.

Um the feds already went in and looked at everything.

Catherine, I will say, completely above board, honest and in very, very honest.

Her integrity is amazing.

She did everything she could to make sure that it was handled well after she left there.

I know that it left the county in a lurch too for some financial commitments that the county had already made and put money into the foundation.

However, I don't want that to besmirch her at all.

She did what she could to make sure everything was handled appropriately on every single level and is still working with the Attorney General's office regarding all of that.

She works all the time on behalf of the parks, the dogs, everything else in the area that you can imagine.

She takes her own money and puts it to helping getting money for like the homeless dogs in the area.

She's, you know, we all went in and helped to get the uh indoor outdoor carpet out at um Link Piazzo Park replaced.

And she's just going out of her way to make everything better and try to make up for some of the missing things since the park foundation went out of business.

They didn't think they were a business.

I tried to make it clear to them they were a business, and that they should have been filing all of their financials, which they failed to do.

So, needless to say, on her behalf, I don't think you could get a more hardware person on this board than her that will come forward with honesty and integrity.

She's an amazing person and she will work extremely hard on behalf of the citizenry and all the parks and trails here in our area.

And give her a shot if you can.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

We have nobody else signed in in chambers, but we do have Helen Neff uh speaking virtually from Incline Village.

Thank you.

We can hear you barely.

Can you hear us?

I can hear you.

Let me see if this tonight.

If it's possible just to speak up a bit, we can hear you but barely.

Okay, I will try.

Sorry for the technical issues.

Oh, that's better.

Thank you.

Thank you, technical team.

They thank you.

Um Helen F Incline Village President.

And my comment is regarding agenda item 9E1, the appointment to the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission.

Two years ago, at the March 26, 2024 meeting of this board, Mr.

Jim McCamara was appointed to the lay position on the TRPA advisory planning commission.

With that decision, the board selected a Reno resident instead of the incumbent who had also applied, or another full-time resident of Incline Village or Crystal Bay, the community, the communities most offended by the ABC decisions.

As a result, many local residents felt they lost a meaningful voice and matters that directly affect our quality of life.

Prior appointees is detailed in the staff report, and then full-time residents.

This outcome was particularly surprising because this board has historically taken care to ensure that appointments fairly represent the communities affected by the decisions.

Today you're being asked to reappoint Mr.

McCamara.

The stated justification is simply that the current appointee wishes to continue serving.

Respectfully, that alone does not meet basic expectations for a transparent and inclusive appointment process.

The position was not publicly noticed as open, and the Incline Village and Crystal Bay communities were not informed that applications could be submitted.

I know of at least one highly qualified community member who has expressed an interest in serving on the APC.

He is a long-term full-time resident of Incline Village who attends local meetings and understands the planning process.

This position calls for a representative who is present in the community, engaged in dialogue with residents, and directly familiar with the challenges facing the Incline Village, Crystal Bay, and Lake Tahoe.

And then a month, it would be helpful to have someone who attends our local CAD meetings and other community forums, like Miss Simon did when she was the appointee.

So uphold fairness, accountability, and public confidence.

I respectfully ask that this item be withdrawn and the process restarted, providing proper public notice, engaging our local communities, and barely considering all qualified applicants rather than proceeding with an automatic reappointment.

This public comment is not in criticism of Mr.

Max and Domara.

I have not met him at any of our local meetings I attend, and I attend a lot of meetings.

I have lived in Incline Village as both a part-time and full-time resident, and know many people from both categories.

There is a huge difference in how one understands the challenges of the area.

There is no one on the TRPA governing board or ABC that lives here full-time.

Please remedy that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have nobody else signed in.

Thank you.

We're gonna go ahead and close that item.

Um, and we'll move to open item six, was which is commissioners and county manager announcements.

Manager Thomas.

Thank you.

Yes, this item is to include reports and updates to the board, including boards and commission updates, requests for information or topics for future agendas.

I do have a quick update, if if I might regard strategic plan.

Great.

So as you recall, we've committed to include and take direction from the board regarding strategic planning.

And so I have a brief update for you to put on the record in advance of us mobilizing our goal teams.

Um, wanted to just give a quick update that we have completed as far as process and overview is concerned.

We've completed phase one.

We had interviews with commissioners, we had interviews with our elected officials, we did listening sessions with appointed department heads and found that there was a strong alignment across leadership and general agreement that the current strategic framework, um, which is the existing four strategic objectives, makes sense.

So we're really refocusing right now on um priorities as opposed to building the plan from scratch.

So I just wanted everybody to understand where we were with that.

Some of the major themes that came out of there, fiscal sustainability continues to be one of our biggest themes, I think is no surprise.

Um, housing and infrastructure were consistently raised as growing pressure points, behavioral health and serving vulnerable populations remain major priorities.

Technology, AI, and cybersecurity are being viewed as tools to protect capacity, improve efficiency, and manage our risk.

And then there's a strong call, as you all know, and we've heard many times for accountability.

So, with that, what's next?

We're going to be sending out and engaging our goal teams.

Um, we're scheduling workshops that are going to be organized by strategic objective for the board over the next few months so that we can shape those outcomes.

So, with that, that's my brief update on the strategic planning process.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Do any of the commissioners have anything?

Vice Chair Garcia.

Thank you, madam chair, and congratulations on your first meeting.

Running this um this board.

I wanted to give just a quick update on another regional board.

Um, Chair Andrea knows this because she also sits on this board.

It's the regional fire services study board.

Uh, if you remember, this was SB 319.

And we met back in uh December the 12th uh to discuss uh the nine proposals that were received, and we landed on emergent global solutions.

So that contract is finalized.

We're just waiting on approval uh to get that going.

And our next meeting, I want to let you all know all the information can be found online.

There is a regional services uh fire fire services study board website.

You can look at our previous meetings, and our next meeting is coming up on February 2nd at 11 o'clock.

So I just wanted to provide that update on the coattails of our chief being here.

Thank you.

Commissioner Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I've got a couple of items that were brought up by uh speakers at public comment.

The the first one is uh Miss Wiggins, her situation is the uh chair of the uh community homeless advisory board.

I'd like to see any of the documentation redact in any way that you need to redact it, but I'd like to see exactly what the uh the allegations are and if there's any any merit to those.

It sounded uh very uh disturbing uh recount of of her experiences, and I just want to follow up on that.

Uh next is uh Helen Neff uh phoning in from uh Incline Village.

Uh, is there any validity to her allegations that uh uh proper noticing wasn't uh noticed for the uh reappointment of someone to the uh a lay member to uh the board of Trucking Meadows Water.

Is there any any uh is there any accuracy to her allegation that it wasn't properly noticed up in Incline Village?

That's what she said on the record.

And I just you know, I'm a stickler about this noticing and then opening up boards and getting as much community involvement as we can get in and and volunteers we appreciate.

And and so were others um not noticed about this.

That's that's my question.

Commissioner Clark, I think did you mean the TRPA?

T excuse me.

That's excuse me.

Okay, thanks.

I was so focused on the noticing that I uh misspoke.

Yeah.

So I'd like to get an answer to that, please.

If if I may, um, I know we don't have discussion among commissioners on this item, so if we can do it during that item, we can have staff prepared to talk about the noticing process if that works.

Very well.

Great, thank you.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Commissioner Park.

Commissioner Hill.

I have nothing.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

I just have one item, and it was actually shared by Eliza Rose that it is going to be a really wonderful historic opportunity for the children and the students at Corel Academy to possibly break the Guinness Guinness.

What is it?

Guinness Book of World Records.

I I was pausing because they're specifically having this in a procedural way.

It would be official, if you will, if they are successful, and we all know they will be.

And so I'm just going to remind everyone that on January 28th of 2026 at 11 a.m., there's going to be a lot of students reciting the preamble.

I have volunteered and will be one of the witnesses to this process.

So what a great opportunity for these kids to really understand the foundational documents of our great country.

So thank you.

Just wanted to make that announcement.

So if there's nothing else, I'll go ahead and close item number six and move to item number seven and open up 781, which is the presentation by the district health officer, Dr.

Chad Kinsley on mosquito abatement authority or the funding with data and future funding options.

Thank you, Chair Andrilla and uh commissioners.

Dr.

Chad Kingsley, district health officer, district health officer for Northern Nevada Public Health for the record.

Today I'm going to speak on vector control and really provide information over the last season and uh topic of mosquitoes here in our county.

So here's a graph, just basically providing the last three years of data to help us provide informed decisions.

But mosquito abatement, you're going to see three different colors here in graphs.

So purple represents the year when we did four flights, and that is with larvacide that we put into our water systems, so that the larva form of mosquitoes do not develop into adult forms of mosquitoes.

And so those are the number of mosquitoes that we have tracking.

You see the very low, the kind of bluish or greenish one is where we did not have any uh larvacide treatment until about halfway through until uh July.

Then we began, and you see the numbers go down.

And the orange one, you see that it was last summer, so that's this year, that's 2025.

We had a very mild summer, so it was uh you see a very low, and so then when we started to warm up in August, you see the numbers significantly increase there of mosquitoes.

So it's actually a really good uh representation of the data.

We see the different of uh different approaches.

Now we were not able to do larvacide last year, so on this, so it gives us kind of a polling of those last three years, so we can see the impact that it does have with mosquitoes when we do that.

Outside of uh not doing larvacidal treatment, we still provide many other services.

We still do when we can distribute larvacy to our water systems by hand, and when we're able to our drone.

But uh over the last uh, so this last season we did 650 site visits, 478 mosquito control treatments, 17 mosquito fish deliveries, and about 4,000 storm dreams treated.

Um so overall, summary about 570 trap collections, 603 lab submissions, about 20,000 mosquitoes tested.

So that's where if you see the map there, we and if anyone needs that, we can provide it more in depth.

But those are the areas that our interns as well as our staff goes out to do treatments as well as testing and and and trappings.

So looking over the since 2020, the diseases that mosquitoes carry, you're gonna see a list here.

Those that are in yellow are those we do not have the mosquito species that lives here, and so those diseases are individuals who have traveled outside of our community, either foreign or within our country, and have brought that back to here.

Um and so those aren't aren't transmitted by mosquitoes but by travel.

The rest though is in white.

We do have that species of mosquitoes that is present here within our community.

Of all those, we had one case of West Nile virus in 2023.

But other than that, we have not had any other mosquito-borne illness transmitted.

Vector McVector control, mosquito abatement is controlled by Nevada revised statutes.

There's different listings to it, but uh these statutes empower local health districts to and improvement districts to adopt mosquito abatement, issue orders and recover costs.

The recovery cost is really only uh in there as a lien against a property that it would not be applicable to mosquitoes, and even then going into a lien, it's a very uh long process, and I don't think it's uh very applicable for our community or for our citizens.

Uh but overall, this allows us to be able to, but this is not a shall, this is an authoritative may and includes any other as well as it has listed in there any other forms of outside of mosquitoes, such as rats and other points that it has in there, but it's an authoritative May.

History, Washoe County.

So 2005 to 2010 when West Nile really took off, and also we had optional flood and public safety sales tax.

So we were able to provide uh funding during that time for mosquito abatement.

And then following post-flooding in 2017 and 2018, there was a general fund contingency transfer forward to help us again uh following that post-flooding.

And then uh in fiscal year 2010, so environmental health, we began to absorb those mosquito abatement costs through there through our general fund transfer.

On average, this is what it cost us at Northern Nevada Public Health to be able to do mosquito abatement costs from staff to we use interns appropriately, try to be as conservative as we can, operating costs, uh, our vehicles and those just in those five months and the driving that is done overall.

So last year we reduced this by 281,000 by removing the helicopter and the chemicals to help to reduce the impact as we're all tight with budgets right now.

Um public health has a number of unfunded mandates and must and shall and authorities may, and a mosquito abatement is one of those that is that may.

As federal, state, and local public health fundings lessens, we are required to prioritize risk and impact for delivery of services to on all health programs and explore alternative funding sources for low and no risk uh authoritative May activities.

And so, overall, with um as we move to increase our efficiency cut costs.

This is one point that the District Board of Health will have to be considering as we as they go to look towards uh using the general front appropriately as best and most appropriately for our community and be able to provide as the best protection that we can overall.

So at this time, just here for questions.

I just wanted to present that that uh overall data and also just if there's any alternative uh possibilities.

We're looking to be able to provide uh ask for any innovative approaches that we can find alternative fundings within our community to ask be able to uh continue to provide a strong and robust uh mosquito abatement program.

Thank you, Dr.

Kinsley.

I'm just considering that I serve on that board.

It's really commendable to you and the staff on doing everything you can to work um really hard to help.

I I realize that the board actually had suspended the helicopter and for everyone to step up and still be able to help with the mosquito abatement and seeing not an uptick uh from that, what is that?

I think a commendable um extension of thanks to your team.

Okay, do any of the commissioners have any questions?

Commissioner Hill.

Yes, madam chair, it would be so great if Dr.

Kingley could just quickly go over all of the revenue sources that the health district gets just so the public understands why they're constrained financially, because we all know we're living it every day, but I think it would just be helpful to do that quick overview.

Sure.

So uh over 50% of our budget is through grants, and that tends to be either through the state, federal, or nonprofit organizations that offer us to be able to uh provide uh specific uh coverage, especially if an unfunded mandates.

For example, tuberculosis.

It began in the original constitution of Nevada, but it's never been funded.

Usually we receive through the CDC.

Um we receive funding for that on an annual basis to be able to administer that outside of that.

When then what we do through our interlocal agreement uh the between Reno Sparks and Washoe County, we receive a general fund transfer from taxes to for us to be able to, when we receive that money, then the district board of health has to determine what programs and services can be delivered within those funds.

And so those are our two primary forms of of uh breaking that down to those two points.

As that general transfer is is affected by all and those points.

So there's we want to be conservative, live within our means, and be able to appropriately administer those funds that are delivered to us.

And so we're just being as mindful as we can with those uh with those programs.

An example again is we are under constraints right now, so our tuberculosis funding we usually receive an annual basis was reduced by 50 percent last week.

So now if the government is closed, we could face possibly six months without TB funding.

So we're always got to be mindful and plan ahead for those points.

But overall, that's I think if we approach it correctly, we'll be prepared at the same time being able to deliver to continued deliverer service of our community as best possibly as we can.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

And I I have just one um brief comment and potentially it's a question.

But I also know that the health district enact fees, a lot of these fees are on small businesses, um obviously constituents as well for different services, and so understanding that uh the health district's probably trying to balance not increasing fees significantly on constituents.

Um is also where the constraints lie and understanding that um our general fund revenues are uh reducing um every year, uh, even with the growth of our community, especially as our community is glowing in growth, and understanding that the federal funds are uncertain during this time.

I I just think it's it's important for the community to understand that we're doing what we can with our constraints and especially with the state not um stepping up to support uh these mandates.

Uh so uh thank you so much, Mr.

or Dr.

Kingsley, and I appreciate it, madam chair.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for the update.

And I'll just have a couple questions.

One is just because you're here and welcome.

Um is there an opportunity for you just to share about the status of how the TB clinic is coming along?

Yeah, I'd love to.

That's actually so that is funded through ARPA.

Is no delays to a project at all.

It's always fun to say that that we don't have delayed six months or a year, so we are on track completely.

Um we have uh for the first of March, we're moving towards occupancy.

So that's what will be our first uh inspection for occupancy.

But that might be bumped up till February as we're receiving all the office furniture right now.

But if you've seen the outside of it, it's even landscaping's in the checkerboards now up on the outside, and uh we're very excited for this uh for this building and what it can offer to our community, and so as early as February, March, but we have till April 1st.

Thank you.

I really we drive by it every day.

So seeing it, I think the weather helped a bit too.

So that was helpful.

And then I just really want to share um, if you can, just some of the efficiencies that you're looking at in terms of um understanding that we have budget constraints and how you're looking at that um collectively as a whole with staff.

So I wonder if you could just touch upon that.

Yeah, overall, thank you for this opportunity to to speak on that.

So we have any number of vacancies for the past two years that we've kept vacancies.

We've uh have a hiring committee now that any position that is open to evaluate and really ask ourselves is this required?

Can we be more efficient towards this position?

Uh last year we saved 1.7 million dollars in those vacancies.

Um to help slow our uh general fund as well as evaluate how we're doing our efficiencies, one-time opportunities from AI to uh other points that we've done internally.

We are always seeking after grants to be able to do that, but to manage our uh grants efficiently and correctly, and we always meet our audits and uh get high high marks on those.

But uh one of our largest expense is the expertise that we have within our staff, so our vacancies as well as evaluating our overall positions and working with our board on that.

But we are happy to say that how much money we saved last year on being able to do that, and overall, we also moving into we have uh had three different assessments.

So we pay a third party to come in, and those third parties have come in and evaluated our our our divisions, and so we've done that with uh our clinical side.

We've done that with our air quality, and we just recently did it with our environmental health services.

Not only do they address morale, but they also say that hey, we recommend this, and where we can find efficiencies.

One of that that's been in the news recently is that we'll be moving that we've heard our constituents and that we will be moving towards uh announced visits for our for our restaurants and being able to work through that.

So we're starting the pilot program, but also what efficiencies can we identify in there?

So we're working that and putting our objective plans that we'll be presenting to the district board of health.

So it's another way for us to be able to say we will be in mindful and trying to do as best we can.

We're currently also are going to do a third-party fee assessment to make sure that if we can lower our fees in any way or appropriately deliver those fees to our community that we are correctly doing that, that we have the correct cost recovery for those points.

We're currently also are gonna do a third party fee assessment to make sure that if we can lower our fees in any way or appropriately deliver those fees to our community that we are correctly doing that, that we have the correct cost recovery for those points, so we are uh being mindful of those fees that we have without in our community as well.

So thank you.

Thank you for your thorough report.

Yeah, and thanks for the follow-up.

Any other commissioners thank you, Dr.

Kinsley.

Thank you.

We'll close item 71 and move to 72.

Mr.

Robison.

The Treky River Flood Management Authority to discuss TERFMA's 2026-2031 capital improvement plan.

Thank you.

Uh thank you for having me.

Um this plan is something that's in our ICA with the county and the two cities that we are supposed to offer uh our draft uh capital improvement plan so that the whole commission can hear what we're up to.

Uh and you obviously have two people uh on our board from your commission, which is uh Clara Andreola and Alexis Hill, and they've been great on our board, and we just really thank you for putting them on the board.

But right now I want to just go through what we're doing, and the the thing about the uh TERFMA is is that we have had this tax since 1998.

It's a county tax, and it's one eighth of a cent on the sales tax.

And this tax has been um, you know, we've we've sp we've spent money on things, we've done things, but what we'd really like to do going forward is be very um frugal, diligent, efficient with this money, and we really are trying to be purpose driven and looking at things that have the best uh benefit cost ratio and can do the most for the community.

So with that, uh next slide.

Uh the uh the overview of who we are, many of you already know this, but we are a joint effort among the cities and the county.

Uh that's City of Sparks and City of Reno and Washoe County.

And these the are what we really do is we want to build infrastructure to reduce the impacts of flooding.

That's our primary, but we also help manage flooding by developing models by working with the cities and the county providing expertise on flooding.

For instance, our current model that we built for the FEMA flood map review has been handed out now probably 30 to 40 times for development projects.

It's actually being used on all our designs that we're doing right now on the Truckee River.

It's even being used downstream by others for designs downstream.

So a lot of the things that we do are management related, but our biggest thing is building a flood project, the the most bang for the buck, the thing we'll we'll do the most with the least amount of money.

Uh our governance is you all probably all aware, there's a six-member board, two from each city, and then two from the county.

And um our funding I've already talked about.

So there are multifaceted mission on the next slide here, is like I said, to improve floodplain planning, support emergency responders.

We have responder maps, we work with National Weather Service.

We're trying to help them with their predictability by putting gauges in strategic locations and managing those gauges.

And but our big one is to build the flood mitigation infrastructure.

And that's what I'd like to talk about next, because that really takes up the bulk of our budget, probably 80% of our budget over the next several years, will go into building a project.

And uh we will we're looking at financing, so it really will take up much of our budget for the next 30 or 40 years, 30 years, 20 to 30 years.

So uh next slide, please.

Oh, next two slides, please.

There, right there.

So one of the things that a uh advisor for uh the governor once told once said is you know, George, you gotta sell the problem.

You need people need to understand the problem.

And the problem gets back to things like flood awareness.

Um if you look at the existing conditions, if we had a this isn't even the 1997 flood, this is a hundred-year flood.

This is a smaller flood.

Everything in blue would be covered in water, would be inundated.

That's portions of the airport, that's uh the GSR, that's uh industrial areas and Reno and Sparks.

And the estimate uh from a UNR study into 2018 was 2.5 billion dollars of damage in 2018 dollars.

Now there's more structure and there's uh inflation.

So just uh this is a very conservative number.

You're looking at $2 billion of savings if the if it went from all blue to blue and green, the green being things taken out of the floodplain that include the airport, they include the GSR that include industrial areas and Reno and Sparks, they include some neighborhood areas as well.

Next slide, please.

So the project uh is financially feasible using available funds.

And and early on, I've been trying to figure that out.

And in 2024, we developed a what we call a strategic plan for this particular project to understand what the cost would be, how to finance it, what the benefit cost ratio is so that we can be more strategic in what we're doing.

Because one of the in the past, we've been at going and asking for more money and failing.

And I, you know, I I mean, everybody wants more money, but I think we can do this on our with what we have if we're really smart.

And the estimated cost forward is about 200 million dollars.

Remember, it saves us 200 or 2 billion dollars at least on a major flood, and it saves us on the order of about 30 million dollars a year on average, just from all the different kinds of floods.

So it's it's the benefit cost ratio is quite high for the cost forward.

It can be in on the order of four to five to one.

Uh the overall funds, we have 78 million saved, and one of the things we've been trying to do is save money so we don't have to borrow at high interest for the future.

So we're trying to minimize that by saving, and we have a cash flow of about 11 million a year.

Uh the mitigation, we do mitigation downstream as well as this project.

And you see all the components of this project.

One of the biggest ones that's been in the uh press the most lately is Rock McCarron.

But we've just reinitiated Vista Narrows to go to final design.

So we're making progress.

Um we're doing mitigation work downstream.

We have a bridge going in this year in Wadsworth.

So a lot of things going on on this project.

Every piece of this project now will be in design this year, which is a first.

You know, this has never not happened until now.

Next slide, please.

So the projected cost breakdown like this.

Rock McCarran is very expensive.

It's a large area, it has uh levees on both sides of the river, it has uh lots of floodplain restoration, a park area and everything else at 77 million dollars.

The North Bank levy, because of its length will cost uh roughly 55 million dollars.

Vista Narrows, 51 million dollars, Tumwell Levy, 11 million dollars, airport terrace in Berm, 66 million dollars or 6.6 million, and then the GSR Berman levy, 750,000 of we're just trying to help them and work with them.

They're pretty pretty much taking the lead on that right now.

That's a total cost of that where that 202 million comes from.

Next slide, please.

So the targeted projects, these are projects that are not of the major project, but represents either mitigation projects or projects that cities or counties have come to or county have come to us and said, look, this should be a priority, we need this, that kind of thing.

A great example of that is the Riverside Drive flood wall levee berm, which we're we're estimating to spend in this window of about four million more dollars than we've already spent.

That gets us up to about a little over 8 million dollars on these projects.

Uh because and and that's a very important flood project.

It's just not part of that larger flood project.

Next slide, please.

Are we going to be financially feasible?

One of the West ways to know that is to do a cash flow analysis of everything we do, put our general fund, put our capital fund in there, everything.

And you can see we're coming up short there uh of about 85.

I think that's 85 million dollars, or it's 95.

I'm sorry, my eyes are well.

I have it right here.

know that is do a cash flow analysis of everything we do put our general fund put our capital fund in there everything and you see we're coming up short um there uh of about 85 I think that's 85 million dollars or it's 95 I'm sorry my eyes are well I have it right here the the point is is that we're coming up short but we've been looking at various financing options as part of our strategic plan and we can't afford to do this over a 20 year or 30 year bonding or loan cycle and we're different looking at different loan programs we're looking at grants we're looking at every source of funding possible to make this feasible and right now the way we have it set up with the costs we have it is feasible we just have to execute and we have barriers to execution like permitting uh like timing uh the we need to get our designs together but we're working through there and we want to do it on that schedule right there so we the goal is by 2032 to have a completed flood project that if a big flood like 1997 happened again we would save over 2 billion dollars in damages next slide please this brings us to our CIP you can see how it it trends over the years um these are for like uh targeted projects then we have the major project next slide you can see here you got 11 million one year 34 78 um it just goes on and on and that is more money than we have right now our cash flow is about 11 million our savings is about 73 million right now we have the money to do Vista Narrows and all the design projects but to go further and do uh Rock McCarran and some of these other projects we will have to do financing and that's what we're working on now to try to make sure we have that all put together one of the reasons we're doing the designs now is to have solid, very solid cost data.

So when we go to a bank or we go to the uh loan program a federal loan program we have all the information we need to give them so that we can get the best rate possible and uh be able to finance this with the the least amount of burden on the local taxpayer.

Next slide please so that leaves me with questions and discussion and uh I did it in under 10 minutes.

So I'm kind of amazed at myself right now.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Any questions for Mr.

Robison.

Madam Chair I I don't have a question I just want to commend uh the executive director Mr.

Robison for the work and it's a joy to serve on the board and it's a joy to serve on this board when we're actually doing the work.

And so I can't wait to show the public when we get that shovel in the ground and I'm just really enthusiastic about the future of uh flood in um our region.

So thank you so much.

Thanks thank you madam chair thank you so much for being here today I uh really appreciate that my colleagues sit on this board as well there are some recent decisions that I was following and tracking very closely as many people in the community interested in uh outdoor space and recreation as well as flat fields so I was hoping that just for the sake of people who are watching today uh if you can kind of go back and um talk in broad strokes about some of the amenities that Rock McCarran would provide um to the community and um anything else you want to add specifically about that project.

Yeah Rock McCarron's really interesting because as we did the research on it we went back and it appears the last time a major regional park was built in this area was 2008 and that was in Sparks.

And so we realized that oh oh my there's gonna be a lot of interest in this besides just the flooding aspects and so what we really wanted to do with that park is we wanted to really lean into multiple use but not add significant cost at the same time.

So the way we the way I laid it out to the consultants is I said let's have an area that's a flood a floodable area but let's make it so it can be used for flat fields or something else if some if that's what they want but let's make it so it's inexpensive is possible but yet provides that's that community service and also attenuates floods all at the same time so this the this property is going to be doing a lot of different things at once um the uh we had boy when we went through with this and we had our community meetings we had literally hundreds of comments and there was lots of people that really wanted flat fields of various types and there were lots of people that really wanted it to be nature and what we have tried to do is combine that and come to a compromise where we are providing a lot of protection for the river a lot of protection for selected wildlife like the bats under the bridge and yet we're providing that service of having uh somewhere along the lines of 10 or 11 flat fields which Reno tells me the Reno recreation people tells me that would be helpful for tournaments and bringing in tourism so we're talking with all our partners here and really trying to get this to be as optimized as possible that's the whole goal here.

And yet we're providing that service of having uh somewhere along the lines of 10 or 11 flat fields, which Reno tells me the Reno recreation people tells me that would be helpful for tournaments and bringing in tourism.

So we're talking with all our partners here and really trying to get this to be as optimized as possible.

That's the whole goal here.

Thank you for being such a good partner and finding that hybrid solution and finding that middle ground for folks because as a parent as an outdoor enthusiast, I can tell you I was very excited about where that project landed and it was voted on unanimously.

So that's great to hear.

Commissioner Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for your report.

Um for those of us who've lived here long enough to see these floods, we we understand what took place when you mentioned that the uh airport was underwater.

I mean, that airport smelled like musty mold for for years afterwards.

And uh, you know, the the flooding that took place, and it wasn't just along the Truckee River at that time, it was uh the Walker River Canyon.

Uh that road was closed for uh probably a year and a half between uh Walker and Bridgeport.

Uh I remember not being able to drive from here to Gardnerville or from here to Carson City.

I mean, it was it was a major, major impact to the community.

So it looks like you're forward thinking enough.

This isn't uh if we're gonna have another flood, it's when the other next flood's gonna happen.

So we can get ahead of it and and help mitigate a lot of these problems and save money, as you said, the savings is tremendous versus the the initial investment.

So I'm fully supportive of of what you're doing.

And I think the public, as you said, needs to be sold to the public for those that didn't uh live through it.

There's there's books out, they can look at the pictures, they can look at downtown Reno underwater and and imagine how it would be if we don't do anything in advance of this next time.

One thing that Commissioner Hill and Commissioner Andriola have uh lit a fire under me on is we need to get the word out better about flood awareness.

And along those lines, we've done videos now, and one of them now is I believe it's over 70,000 views on Facebook, and it's the one about the history of flooding on the Truckee River.

So people that are not like you that have been here a long time that have just come here because we have a very transient community that just don't know.

They now they know they're aware of what you know, more and more people are becoming aware of.

I never knew, you know, I get that all the time.

You know, oh, I never knew.

And it's important for us, uh, along with all everything else we're doing, is to also be the kind of the caretaker to make people aware of what this river is actually capable of doing, because it only does it every now and then, but when it does, it's devastating.

I've got a coffee table uh book at home, and I show folks that are in from out of town that the devastation of that, and and no one imagines that, and and you know, that wasn't that long ago, but people have forgotten about it, and as you said, as people migrate to our area, that they're not aware of that.

A beautiful river, let's take a walk along the river.

Well, that isn't that way every day along the river.

Some other days it's gonna be get your kayak out and uh head for the high ground.

But uh, we need to get ahead of this, and and uh thank you for the good work you're doing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Umks for mentioning the video.

I hope that everyone has an opportunity to see all the work that the um turf has done in terms of spreading and educating everyone.

I do have a quick question.

Can you just share the technical advisory committee and what their role is in terms of the river, obviously as it passes through and the and the slide that you showed and all the hard work um touches various uh uh folks and various businesses and various uh organizations within our community, including the University of Nevada Reno.

And I'm just wondering with with the agricultural um piece uh that we're all familiar with or most are familiar with, um, Karen.

I'm just wondering if you could share what those contributions and how that works and how the technical advisory committee is a part of this process.

Yeah, the the technical advisory committee is has permanent members, which are people that are from two people from the county, two people from Sparks, two people from Reno, as well as uh somebody from Story County, the the pyramid like Paiu tribe and state representatives as well.

Then in addition to that, there's other people that tend to go to the meeting, which includes people like you and our includes people uh from other interest groups like maybe the uh the pyramid lake Tahoe Bikeway and things like that.

They're there, they're either on the meeting, you know, over Zoom, it's a Zoom meeting, but there's lots of people that are they're lurking out there, and every now and then they make a comment or something like that.

But the the goal of the track is to help us with and and just act as a kind of a um a truth um thing where hey, we're gonna do this.

Do you think this is a good idea?

You know, with with technical people.

So it'd be like uh people that are uh like at the city, so it'd be their utilities director, their city engineers, people of that nature.

We we're just trying to put things before them.

And then we also have the working group, which usually are deeper, broader presentations that have one had uh 88 people and generated 250 comments this year, one of them.

So we get a lot of that.

We get a lot of input from that.

And uh sometimes we have to do a better job of really reaching out to people because sometimes people are there, but they never talk or something.

You know, we have to kind of get it out of them, I guess.

But that is what we do.

We're trying to make sure people know what we're doing.

We do not want to surprise people with what we're doing.

Yeah, I think that's really important.

So I think um those continued efforts and um whether it's GSR as an example, because I know during one of the meetings you had mentioned that, but I do think reaching out to all the partners and having them participate in the discussions is really important.

And then I just want to close by saying thank you to your creativeness in terms of the team and not putting this on the backs of taxpayers and even the deauthorization in terms of what some of the steps that you put into place to allow for grants and for funding and for utilizing a lot of the funds that have also been saved, so um, and leveraging that um with other opportunities to uh continue the work that needs to be done.

So I too am gonna be excited when the show hits the hits the ground in a in a in a groundbreaking way.

So thank you so much for all your hard work.

Yeah, and I think we have a we'll have a dedication this year, at least on Wadsworth.

And we're gonna be getting close on Vista Naros to being able to break ground probably early next year.

Great.

Well, I hope you extend that to the entire community to help celebrate that hard work.

So thank you.

Thank you.

We'll go ahead and move to proclamations.

Um item eight a one.

Yes, madam chair, before we moved in into that, if I may, um, for those that are here for item 15, which is the recommendation to approve the easement for purchase and sale agreement between Washoe County and Dandini Spectrum Holdings.

We've been notified that something has come up and we're going to need to pull that item from the agenda today.

So I wanted to be transparent for those that are here that are looking to participate in that item so that you're not waiting around all day for that item to be pulled.

So thank you so much.

Um, with that, we'll move into item 8A1, which is a proclamation for the week of February 2nd to the 6th as News Literacy Week.

And we have um, I believe we've got Rachel Tilletton here to present to us with the News Literacy Community of Initiative.

All right, madam chair.

News literacy is the ability to critically evaluate the credibility of news and other information, recognize the standards of fact-based journalism, and make informed decisions about what to trust, share, and act upon.

And strong news literacy empowers individuals to engage thoughtfully in civic life, contribute to inform discourse, and strengthen communities.

And National News Literacy Week, I'm skipping all the warehouses, by the way, highlights the importance of providing students and the public with tools, resources, and learning opportunities that foster critical thinking, media awareness, and responsible information consumption.

And the news literacy project is a national leader in advancing news literacy education by providing free curriculum, professional development, and resources to educate yours nationwide, and continues to support a broad coalition of partners working towards this shared goal.

And National News Literacy Week is made possible through the collaboration and support of educators, journalists, libraries, nonprofit organizations, community groups, families, and sponsors who are committed to promoting fact-based information, civic engagement, and helping learners of all ages navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing information landscape landscape.

And whereas the week of February 2nd through 6th, 2026 has been designated the seventh annual National News Literacy Week, encouraging communities across the nation to elevate news literacy, education, and awareness.

So therefore, the Board of County Commissioners here does hereby proclaim the week of February 2nd through the 6th as National News Literacy Week.

And with me I have uh Rachel, if you'd like to say a few words.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It is an honor to be here.

Um I work with the Nevada Department of Education, but I collaborate significantly with News Literacy Initiative, Jody Baden, Steve Mulvanon, the founders of uh news literacy here in or the news literacy initiative here in Washoe County and also News Literacy Project.

Um and it is just truly an honor to be here to accept this proclamation for them and in behalf of all of our collaborators and the community.

So thank you so much for this.

Thank you.

And Madam Chair, I move to approve.

Thank you.

We have a motion.

Anybody would like to make a second?

Second.

We have a motion.

Uh Commissioner Clark had the second.

Thank you, Chair.

Chair Hill, I'm sorry, Chair.

That was a slip.

I thought I could get through the entire meeting without saying that.

I almost did.

Commissioner Hill, thank you.

Um, Commissioner Clark made the second.

So we have a motion, a second.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

I believe.

Sorry, just one second.

And there is uh no public comment.

Okay, we're going to have so hearing no.

It should be up on your screens.

Oh it's I'm trying to fill the time a little.

It should be up on the screens now.

Do you see it?

On mine.

So I'm I'm voting yay.

Okay, I will just mark them on this one second.

We'll move now to sorry, let me just do a roll call vote since we couldn't get the the vote cast working.

Um Commissioner Clark.

Aye.

Chair Andreola.

Aye.

Vice Chair Garcia.

Aye.

And Commissioner Hill.

Yeah.

Thank you.

So that um passes.

That um that passes, sorry.

Yep.

Thank you.

All right, great.

We'll move now to consent items.

Um 9a1 through 9 F1.

And I'm just wondering if anybody wants anything pulled.

It's my understanding that we are going to have I would like to ask for something to be pulled.

Um please.

Okay.

May I may I pull 9E1, please?

Is that Diaz and David?

E.

Oh, nine, okay.

One.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we'll pull 91, but we are going to, if it's okay with the board to have a staff presentation on 9e 3.

Mr.

Solero.

Okay, thanks.

Good morning.

For the record, Dave Solero, assistant county manager.

We do do have a brief presentation for item 9E3, which is a uh policy of this board potential for the use of special improvement districts within Washoe, unincorporated Washoe County.

Uh so the Nevada State Law NRS 271 allows the authority for this board to enter into agreements uh for special improvement districts with development.

Uh specifically, um, you know, they're good to utilize if our capital improvement program doesn't jive with a developer's capital improvement program uh and the need and timing and those sorts of things.

Um the you know the development community has come to Washoe County and said, hey, this is something that we would really like to bring forward as a tool for us to be able to help with some of the uh the infrastructure that is necessary to be built to support the development, uh, as you are all aware, and maybe the public is not.

When a developer comes in, we require them to build the streets to a certain standard, to build the pipelines and the sewer lines to certain certain standards, and then many times those are dedicated to Washoe County in this example, uh, or potentially Trucky Meadows Water Authority for ongoing operation and maintenance of those to support the entire community.

Uh, but the Washoe County tax paying citizens do not pay for that, right?

The developer pays for all of that up front.

Uh, it is captured through home sales and those sorts of things.

The problem with that is some of these things that are actually going to become municipal um assets, um, maybe they don't uh shouldn't necessarily require uh higher interest rates for the developer to pay up front and then transfer that cost on to the homeowners.

So this is a way actually for uh development uh cost to be lessened.

This is a tool for that to occur.

Um sounty actually issues the bonds.

However, there's not a county obligation to cover the cost of those bonds.

It is covered with the uh obligation of the land, uh, is eventually paid for by the homeowners.

Uh it's assessed on the parcels.

Um and so uh one of the one of the downsides is foreclosure does apply to this because it's actually the homeowner that ends up paying paying this over the the life of their of their either their uh their loan or um the the time that they they own the property.

Um are there risks?

Yes, there are risks, there are risks with everything we do.

However, this policy is lined out, so Washoe County uh staff is very comfortable uh on behalf of you, all the the board uh in mitigation, mitigating some of those risks that are out there.

And again, uh the the policy outlines, you know, we we need to have a $15 million bond limit or uh minimum.

So we've got to start at least there.

Uh anything under that, we we've determined uh it's probably uh you know potentially more time and effort than than this would um be a benefit to the county.

So uh again, developers provide financials, the bond to land relate ratio, uh improved lands and demification, all of these things are covered within the policy uh in an order to protect the risks, uh protect the uh the the county and the tax paying citizens.

So uh with that, I'm just as a brief as can be.

Uh, but this is uh uh open for any questions that you may have.

Does anybody have any questions for Mr.

Solero?

Um I would like to just thank Mr.

Solero and thank um many of the um folks who really looked at some of the detail because housing is our number one priority.

It's uh essentially been supported by many of the ordinances that we've passed.

And I really um think it's important that everyone understand that this is really not gonna be on the backs of um the homeowners in the sense of those savings are actually going to be uh extended to those homeowners.

And um this legislation has was put into place as a tool and a resource, even in I believe it's 1960 something.

So it's been uh a resource, and I really wanna thank everybody for all of their hard work on that.

Looking at putting infrastructure first is I think a wonderful opportunity to extend the housing that is so needed and to look at trying to keep those costs to be attainable for those homeowners.

So uh I appreciate all of the hard work.

Thank you.

So I am going to call for public comment on this, please.

So for 9E3, uh, we do not have anybody signed in, but I do have an email to be placed on the record.

Thank you.

Any other public comment on items?

I guess it would be 9.81 through 9f1, excluding 9e1.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I was paying attention so emphatically to cues over there.

I am sorry.

Thank you.

I neglected to request public comment.

Um, I think you'll have to fill that out, sir.

Okay.

No, no, you don't have to do it now.

Okay.

Make sure you do it.

Uh thank you.

Uh Madam Chair, members of the commission, Josh X with McDonald Carano.

Uh, just speaking in support of the SID policy that you enacted.

Um, I was one of the people who was asked to provide some feedback on the policy, was happy to do so.

Uh, these policies are great.

Um, I've worked on them in other jurisdictions.

Um, as you said, Chair, they've been in place in the Nevada law since the 1960s.

Um, so it's a great tool in the toolbox for public-private partnerships to help um put infrastructure in place.

And uh, you know, when you see them, they're not as widely used in northern Nevada as they have been in southern Nevada.

Summerlin is all SIDs.

So you can really see what those can kind of unlock.

So putting this policy in place, I think is a great start.

Um, it's very forward thinking.

I wanted to thank you, Chair, all the members of the commission.

Uh Mr.

Solero, the staff were terrific to work with.

And and again, thank you for the opportunity to provide some comments.

And uh, this is a great thing for the county and its residents.

Thank you.

So, hearing that we have Madam Chair, yes.

I did uh really quick, sorry to interrupt you.

I just want to give you kudos for your leadership on the SID policy.

Um you made sure that we got a lot of feedback from our community on it, and you wanted to do it right the first time.

And it's been I think literally years in the making.

And so I just want to commend you for your leadership on that and also want to thank staff because I know that they've been working really hard.

And I think we found a really good compromise with this policy, and I feel really excited moving forward with it.

So thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Hearing that we have no other public comment, I'll go ahead and call for a motion to approve 9.81 through 9 F.1, excluding 9E1.

So move.

I have a second.

Oh second from Commissioner Clark.

We have a motion and second.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none.

All those in favor signify by saying I.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries unanimously.

Thank you.

We'll now stay in consent, but look at 9E1.

So thank you, Miss Wilson.

Um Alexandra Wilson for the record.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, and members of the commission.

Um, there was a question earlier regarding this reappointment.

And so I wanted to speci uh speak to this appointment specifically as well as our practice in general.

So you guys have an understanding, and so does the public on uh the process that we have.

So on the reappointment for the TRPA advisory planning commission, our office had a single inquiry to the reappointment in which we provided information on our process, which does not include public recruitment or notice outside of the BCC meeting notice for reappointments.

Um regarding Mr.

Um McNomara's uh reappointment, he was reappointed in March of 2024 by this board for a two-year term with an option to be reappointed or eligibility to be reappointed.

Um, whenever we um do consider reappointments, we make sure at first that they are eligible to re be reappointed as well as having interest in continuing, which Mr.

McNamara had expressed.

Um, so that uh that is our standard county practice when it comes to an incumbent being eligible and willing to continue.

In general, we prioritize reappointments first to maintain continuity and forward momentum for the board's work in this case TRPA.

As returning members often already have an understanding of the board's purpose, um past decisions and current initiatives.

Uh reappointing also allows the county to retain existing expertise and continue benefiting from those varying perspectives and contributions.

And lastly, it helps build trust within the board as appointed members have the opportunity to continue to grow in their relationships, not just on the board itself, but in the community that they're serving.

However, if the board of county commissioners um in a public meeting chooses not to proceed with the reappointment, um, which is the option for all reappointments that are provided to the BCC, the board may direct staff to open that position for applications.

Thank you.

Of course.

Um Commissioner Clark, did you have your question answered in terms of notification?

I might have had an answer, but I certainly don't appreciate it.

I don't like it.

I I don't think this is right.

I I think that whenever there's an appointment coming up, that that the whole public should have an opportunity.

When when uh Mrs.

uh Miss Neff up at uh incline said that she wasn't they didn't get a notice and and she's accurate, she they didn't get a notice.

And when uh you know, I appreciate what you said, but the whole idea of continuity and let's keep it the same way is exactly uh counterproductive as far as I'm concerned.

We need some fresh ideas on a regular basis from lots of things.

If we want to use that logic, then why do we even have elections?

Why do anybody ever get appointed?

Let's just keep the train right on the track.

Let's keep keep it running.

That that doesn't make any sense to me.

If if someone serves their time and they have institutional knowledge, and I'm not picking on this man, I don't know this man from anybody.

I'm just saying this out loud about every situation is we need some fresh ideas.

Uh having institutional knowledge and staying on the board and holding that seat limits us, limits us up and fresh ideas.

I mean, if you look in history of our country, if we did things the way we always did things, there'd be a lot of people who who wouldn't be allowed to vote.

There will be a lot of people who wouldn't be able to taught uh taught how to be read how to read.

There's there's countless examples of let's keep it the way it's always been.

That doesn't work in America.

We need fresh ideas, and so I'm opposed to to doing this, even though they have an opportunity to get reappointed.

They still have an opportunity to get reappointed, but other people should be considered at that time.

If we look at uh uh one of the other items uh we have here on the on the board today, which we're gonna talk about.

How many other names are on that uh opportunity for for open space?

So again, that's what it should look like.

It should look like lots of people notice, lots of people know about it, lots of people apply, lots of people have ideas and thoughts, and and they should be able to share them.

But this this having a lock hold on on a seat because you get it one time is I I just don't appreciate that.

I just want that on the record.

So that's all I'm gonna say.

Thank you.

I I think there's an opportunity to look at uh policy changes.

That's what our responsibility is as a board, but that is the policy that we have.

And so I just wanted to also put that on the record that moving the goal post in in the middle of things is is sometimes um not conducive for consistency.

So looking at that as a possible policy change is certainly welcome.

Sure.

So and this is not the first time I brought this up.

This is I appreciate it.

Okay, so it might be 31, but let's just there's been plenty of other opportunities for policy change.

So if that's the answer, well, we can look at it in the future, then here we go again.

Just the train stays on the track.

Well, I and I don't know, and I don't agree with that, and I think a lot of the citizens would would feel that way as well.

And I think incline village made a very good point.

Nobody from their particular area has ever been on this.

So they're they're interested in it.

So I want to reach out for those folks and and say that I at least I heard what they had to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any comments?

Madam Chair, happy to make a motion when you're ready.

Um, I would just like to make a comment if I may.

Yep.

Yeah.

Um I um it's probably um shared maybe 31 times as well for me or more that um I pride myself on calling everyone, whether their reappointments or not.

I would like to share in speaking with Mr.

McNamara um that he's owned a home since 1986.

He currently home owns a home in Incline.

So I think um it's interesting that maybe not everybody is very clear on um Mr.

McNamara's um residency, if you will, in the sense of him being very familiar since 1986 and and maybe even um one of the most senior uh folks and understanding um even what has happened and the growth that that has occurred um in in that area, um currently serving on the HOA actually in that community.

So I think sometimes it's always difficult to balance um information that some folks may have, but I'm very fact-driven, and those are the facts.

So um thank you for giving me the opportunity to share those facts.

So um could I have chair?

Sure.

Well, one more one more quick comment.

I don't know, Mr.

McNamara.

He might be the most qualified person on planet earth.

Um that isn't what I'm saying.

I'm saying the public has spoken when they say they didn't get a notice, they didn't understand the process.

The process should be uh uniform across the county of when there's a vacancy, people have an opportunity.

That's all I'm saying.

I'm not trying to besmirch this man whatsoever.

Uh I hope we don't take it that way, sir.

This is a this is a question of uh a longstanding situation here in the county where folks get reappointed and reappointed and reappointed, and other folks are going, why didn't I get a chance?

Why don't I why didn't why didn't I get a chance to to apply for that?

I'm passionate about it too, and I think I have some good ideas.

That's all I'm saying here.

I'm not picking on anybody.

Your candidate, your person, your friends.

Not my candidate, not my friend.

Well, whatever.

Whoever, no, I don't mean just this situation, anybody's person is let's let everybody have a chance at having a say in where they live.

That's all I'm saying.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes.

Thank you so much.

I um also really appreciate um the discussion.

Mr.

McNamara has served my opinion very well in the seat.

I did I have I want to just go back to the history book the two years ago.

I did vote uh against him because I had wanted to keep the incumbent, uh Ms.

Simon in the seat, and the board uh did not uh and voted uh against um my recommendation.

Um, but I you know I do want to make it clear that I think that Mr.

McNamara had served very well, and I even though I voted no, um, I do appreciate his service.

I I am torn on this issue because I actually think it's a good policy to keep the incumbent in when they have been showing up when they have been representing the best interests of the county, as well as what they think is best for the community.

Um, but again, you know, with the concerns of the community, I want to have I wanted to have this discussion.

I I have a compromise, and I don't know if this is feasible, and I'm sure um DA Large is um so excited to weigh in on this, but I was wondering if I I don't want my concern now as like the representative of the RPA.

But I was wondering if I I don't want my concern now as like the representative of TRPA.

I really want to make sure that we don't have a break in representation for Washoe County on this committee.

So that's my first concern.

So I'm wondering, can we please um uh vote to support uh non-breakage um service and then go back out and have a vote on this.

I'm not sure if that is even allowed, but I do I um I I do feel like um with the concerns of the community and finding a person who lives there full-time and again we could still vote, Mr.

McNamara in this position after that.

And again, I still think we should keep the policy of keeping incumbents in their feet, but since I was outvoted in the this last time that we had an incumbent, I I feel like I've got to represent my uh the my constituents and their concerns on this.

So I don't know if DA Large, Madam Chair, if you're okay with him uh opining on this um idea of mine.

DA Large.

Michael Large from District Attorney's Office for the record.

Um there's two items before that the the that Commissioner Hill has brought up.

Well, the first is what's before you today is appointed the layperson to the TRPA advice board and whether Mr.

McNamara should be that person.

Um that can be done on an up-down vote today.

In regard to, but that is effective as the as noted on the agenda item on March 26, 2026, um, for the service of the two-year term.

If this one, if we want to pull this item and have it people reapply, I'm looking to staff on whether or not it can be done in a month and a half.

So there's no break in service in regard to the March 26th deadline for having someone pointed to the um late the advisory planning commission.

I don't know how long notice and opportunity takes in terms of advertising this position.

Um Alexandra Wilson for the record, um, this usually takes us about a month.

And so we do bring these forward earlier in the process so that we do have that process outlined in case something like this does occur.

And so we should be able to get this on the last agenda in February.

Okay.

If we if that if that timeline would work for the commission, we could pull this item and revisit it in regard to having a full slate of applicants.

The second um question that Commissioner Hill brought up is whether or not we want to continue with a priority of this board's policy with regard to it to um reappointments.

That's a separate agenda item as both both Commissioner Clark and Chair Andreola noted.

What I would do recommend is put an item on the agenda on whether or not we want to revisit Board of County Commissioner policies, um, specifically 8.2 of the Washoe County handbook.

Um, I don't know that it's necessarily codified in terms of giving priority, but that has been the practice.

Um, and I would recommend that that item be put on a future agenda uh for the board's consideration in total.

Um first in regard to this, that would be my recommendation, depending on how the board wishes to proceed.

Thank you, DA Large.

Um Commissioner Hill, if I may, I just like to make a comment.

My my intent on your last point, DA Large, specifically in reference to reviewing the policy, is within the purview of the responsibility of this board.

Looking at that at the strategic planning meeting, where that is a very common place to look at all of our policies and procedures may be appropriate.

And I'll leave that to Manager Thomas to look at the best place for us to have that discussion.

But when you are looking at a strategic planning, you're looking forward, you're looking at everything, everything has an opportunity for discussion, and that was going to be my follow-up plan that I was going to talk to Manager Thomas, but now I'm sharing that with everyone.

So I would I would say that we definitely would need to put that on the agenda, but we can look at when that is for a future date.

So where I see it, if it's okay with this board, is to look at the options that DA Large has given us.

And that is that what I'm hearing is one opportunity is to vote to actually um table this item with the intent of uh going out to the community and and and recruiting everyone and giving everyone notice so that everyone has that opportunity.

Or another option I heard DA Large was to um vote with this uh on this on this uh premise of if we wanted to appoint Mr.

McNamara and then have it come back essentially in March when that term is up.

So um I'll I'll leave it to honestly, Commissioner Hill.

This is her district, and I'd like to hear what your recommendation is.

Thank you so much.

And I I would love if this board can consider pulling it.

Again, I think we keep Mr.

McNamara's uh application um as part of if he's still willing to go through this lovely painful public process, and I'm so sorry.

Um and um we keep it as a consideration as an applicant um and for discussion at the next meeting after staff have um been able to do a little bit of advertising and uh get the word out about uh interested candidates, and then we can have that discussion before um the term expires because again I have um some anxiety about uh making sure that um we don't lose Washoe County representation on the committee.

Um so that that would be my preference.

Um thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, Commissioner Hill.

Um is that in the form of the motion then?

You don't need to pull it up.

You can just pull the item as chair.

We're gonna go ahead and pull item nine e1.

But if there is public comment on it, I would um open that up for public comment.

Thank you.

Do we have any public comment?

There is no public comment, but we do have three emails to be placed on the record.

Thank you so much.

Well, I'm gonna be looking forward to the robust discussion about about this particular item, because I certainly have some other um comments when that when it's appropriate on how the application, even in terms of keeping the applications for long periods of time.

So just a heads up.

More to come.

So thank you so much.

We'll go ahead and close the item that we just pulled, 91, and move now to the block.

And I'd ask if Vice Chair Garcia would be so kind.

Madam Chair, can we please block items 11, 13, 14, and 16 today?

Great.

Any discussion?

I'll call for a second.

Second.

Okay, Commissioner Clark.

We have a motion by Vice Chair Garcia, a second by Commissioner Clark.

Any further discussion?

I'll call for Chair.

Yep, yep.

Um, our voting system is not working, so I need I need to do uh roll call votes going forward.

So I'm just gonna read your name, and if you can just tell me your vote.

Hold on a minute.

So I have a motion and I have a second, no further discussion.

All those in favor signify by public comment.

And then we're gonna, oh, so public comment.

I thought you were gonna say I have no public comment.

Any public comment?

Sorry about that.

Um no public comment.

Here we go again.

We have a motion.

We have a second, no further discussion, no public comment.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Aye.

Motion carries unanimously, and we'll call for a roll call.

Thank you.

Chair Andreola.

Aye.

Vice Chair Garcia.

Aye.

Commissioner Hill.

Yes.

Commissioner Clark.

Aye.

And that is that passes forward to zero.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Motion carried unanimously.

I appreciate it.

We'll move now to item number 10.

Manager Thomas.

Thank you.

Item number 10 is a recommendation to approve the appointment of one candidate to fill a full term beginning on the date of appointment and ending on January 19th, 2030 for the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission.

Applicants for the vacancy include a list of about 30 individuals that are listed on the agenda.

And I'm not going to read those into the I guess they are listed for you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ms.

Swilson.

Hi, um, Alexander Wilson for the record.

Uh, before you have 32 candidates for the Open Space and Regional Parks Commission for a regular term.

Um, those individuals, um, you will select your top three candidates, and the clerk will pass out those ballot sheets, and then from there we will proceed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Chair.

Yes.

Um, if we have public comment, I would recommend taking it before prior to the voting.

Thank you.

Do you have any public comment?

We do.

Um, first up is Kim Toulouse, followed by George Jocelyn.

Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the commission.

I'm Kim Toulouse, and I'm one of the nominees for this uh open parks and open space uh commission.

I just wanted to introduce myself, uh, give you a little bit of background, three minutes isn't much time.

Uh, but I've lived here basically my entire life with a few absences, such as the military and being away from here.

Uh, very familiar with the open space and parks, although I don't attend to the meetings as much as uh as others may.

Uh I have been involved with Washoe County for a very, very long time, going back to probably one of my first uh endeavors with the county was sitting on the committee for the sensitive stream and critical stream uh development code, way back, I think in the late 1990s is when that was.

I served on the Board of Adjustment with uh Mr.

Large's our our DA for 11 years, appointed by two different commissioners, Commissioner Weber and Commissioner Herman appointed me to those positions, and I served a partial term.

That's why it was 11 years and not eight years.

Um I am a firm believer in parks and open space.

It is a critical piece of our quality of life, especially in the way that we are growing so much.

I can remember I lived at 6th and Valley Road.

So basically across from the Food King is what I remembered as.

And then it was Bavarian World and all those other things.

And I've I used to hunt Rancho San Rafael, we'd sneak on and then the caretaker would catch us and we'd get in trouble.

But I remember a lot of the open spaces that are now pieces of development apartments, those things, which we desperately need.

But again, as far as our quality of life issues in this area, parks and open space are critical.

I was involved with the Oxbow Nature Study Area from the day it started.

I administered that park for 20 years before I retired from the state of Nevada.

Pretty familiar with working with parks and working with Washoe County, and I would just like to throw my name into the hat.

Regardless of whoever you choose for this position, I think again it's critical that we focus on our quality of life issues for the area, and that's parks and open space.

If you have any questions, I'm available.

Thank you.

Thank you.

George Jocelyn.

I live at 6650 Canoe Hill Drive in Sparks, but it's unincorporated Washoe County.

It is once again my privilege to stand before you and state my desire to be part of the Open Space and Regional Parks Commission.

I have had the pleasure of moving here in 2007 when I accepted the position of Director of Government Affairs for Charter Communications.

Having recently retired, I have the time necessary to serve on this committee and look forward to providing my time and support to our county and our community.

While I believe we do need to control our growth, um, open space is something that contributes to the enjoyment of our living here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have nobody else signed in.

Thank you.

And so I'm not sure how the logistics for Commissioner Hill is going to work.

She will be voting by phone.

There you go.

She'll verbally say her votes.

Okay, great.

Okay.

So now is the time.

You should have your ballots.

Okay, for round one.

Commissioner Clark voted for Nicole Flagus and George Jocelyn and Kim Toulouse.

Chair Andreola voted for George Jocelyn.

Catherine McPhee.

And Kim Toulouse.

Vice Chair Garcia voted for Nicole Flagus.

Sophia Heydrich and Kim Toulouse.

And Commissioner Hill voted for Sophia Heydrich.

Okay, it looks like correct me if I'm wrong, Madam Chair, but it looks like we have one, two, three.

We have three for Kim Toulouse.

Am I correct on that?

Three for Nicole.

And yeah, and three for Nicole.

So it looks like are we doing another round?

Yes, tiebreaker.

Tiebreaker time.

I think there should be like music or something.

Tiebreaker.

So for this round, uh, you will go through the ballot and only select either Nicole Flangus or Tim or Kim Deleuze.

That's correct.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So just to repeat, we're only making one selection.

And go ahead and say the names one more time, please.

One selection for Nicole Flangus or Kim Toulouse.

Thank you.

Thank you.

For round two.

Commissioner Clark voted for Kim Toulouse.

Chair Andreola voted for Kim Toulouse.

Commission uh Vice Chair Garcia voted for Nicole Flangus.

And Commissioner Hill voted for Nicole Flangus.

I I knew that was that was where the music was going to come in.

Now well, here we go again.

May I ask a clarifying question, please?

Um, do you know the districts that Nicole Flangus and the district that Kim Toulouse are from?

I'm saying that because there is zero representation for district four, zero representation for district three.

I don't know off the top of my head, but I'm going to open the staff report to see if Kim is district five.

Oh, district five.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

I was just asking.

Thank you.

I know George was from district four.

That's going to be part of the policy discussion.

I don't know how far we go with this.

Someone's gonna have to be table until that.

We could table it until there is uh five commissioners present.

Yeah.

That's what I'm wondering, and and I'm not trying to have anyone reach the uh process with this ballot, but let's do one more.

Chair Andrew.

Oh, we want to do one more.

Okay.

Uh I did want to clarify that Nicole is district two.

Okay, so that didn't help me.

Thank you.

Okay, we're doing one more.

I don't know.

The music's gonna come into play here.

Okay, round three.

Commissioner Clark voted for Kim Toulouse.

Chair Andreola voted for Kim Toulouse.

Vice Chair Garcia voted for Nicole Flagus and Commissioner Hill voted for Nicole Flanus.

Okay.

I am not going to table this.

Can we do one more?

Please.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

This could be a memorable moment for your first chair's uh meeting.

Thank you.

Trivia.

Preview for the future.

Thank you.

I don't know what the record is for rounds, but we could have kept on going.

I'm surprised they had four printed.

Okay, round four.

Commissioner Clark, Kim Toulouse.

Chair Andreola, Nicole Flangus, Vice Chair Garcia, Nicole Flangus, and Commissioner Hill, Nicole Flangus.

So Nicole Klingis got three votes.

Compromise in our community is something with dignity that we all I think can embrace.

So hearing that, it looks like that Nicole Flangus has been chosen to serve in that spot.

And I'll go ahead and officially call for a motion.

Move to approve.

Do we have a second?

I'm gonna second.

So we have a motion by Vice Chair Garcia, a second by myself.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries unanimously with a verification by roll call from the madam chair.

Thank you.

Chair Andreola.

Did I say oh aye?

Did I say Clark?

Vice Chair Garcia.

Aye.

Commissioner Hill.

Yes, and I just commend our chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And Commissioner Clark.

Aye.

Thank you.

That is confirmed that it passes unanimously.

Motion carries unanimously.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I don't know what the record is, but I suppose we could have kept on going.

We're gonna go ahead and close item number 10, a memorable moment for all.

Congratulations to Nicole Flancas.

We'll move now to item number 11.

I'll go ahead and ask for 12.

Item number 11 was in was in block.

Oh, it was in block.

Should be item number 12.

Sorry.

You know you're doing a great job.

Great job.

Thank you.

We'll move to it.

Item number 12 is a recommendation to acknowledge a presentation and a possible direction to the staff of the Washoe County Financial Outlook for fiscal year 2027 and the budget.

The overview includes a review of the general funds financial results for fiscal year 2025, a mid-year 2026 review, and economic revenue and expenditure trends.

Board of County Commissioners, strategic goals, known cost increases, unquantified and outstanding cost impacts, and a general outlook for the fiscal year 2027 and their budget.

Just a reminder, this is a precursor for our budget workshop, which is next week at 9 a.m.

We'll welcome Ms.

Cook.

Good afternoon.

Uh for the record, Lori Cook, Washer County budget manager.

Thank you very much for hearing our our information today.

And we'll have more detail, more discussion next week.

So again, we're going to briefly review fiscal year 25 outcome 26 mid year, so the current year that we're in three December and preliminary 27th.

Again, um, as Manager Thomas noted, this is a primer or lead-in, um giving some context for next week's budget workshop.

Again, the focus is on the general fund as our largest fund with the most operating departments.

So discussion flow.

So in words of um somebody who I respect a lot, uh I'm not gonna I'll do my best to not bury the lead.

So uh what happened with 25?

We did end up better financially than anticipated.

So that is um good news.

Uh most finance people are uh extremely risk averse, so we see when we come in better, it gives us a better sense of what happened and how we're and how that lends itself to our current year, uh, but as well going into the future.

So we did see revenue slightly higher than estimated, majority of that coming from the consolidated tax.

So when we have that final true up in September, uh, we were able to, and uh, for the audience or anybody who might be interested, the audit, I believe it was December 16th.

Uh, so those are the audited financials, otherwise known as the um ACFER, that's the acronym for it.

This information is included in the ACFR, uh, but so this is just a different presentation looking at the general funds.

So we can see we have the budget, and that's after adjustments that happen during the year.

They estimated, so that middle column is where we thought we would end up, and then the column to the right that says FY25 audited actuals, that's where we ended up for our audit.

And so the variance is looking at the middle column of estimated versus where we ended up.

So when we adopt a budget, we're uh anywhere between 12 to 18 months out of the year that we're looking at.

So we do look at our estimates uh frequently routinely through the year and make adjustments and then um report those and include those as necessary when there are recommendations and forecasts.

So again, prior performance is not just data points, it directly influences both the current year's outcome and sets the foundation for future years.

So if we end up better, we start on a better footing.

If we end the the year not better, then we start a little bit behind.

So our situation still warrants ongoing caution and prudence, uh, particularly based on the forecast of structural deficits.

And just going through the list, we had some, we had higher than estimated interest.

We do have unrealized gains of 6.9 million.

So that fund balance building that 9.3 or 9.4 if we round up includes 6.9 million of unrealized gains, which as we've discussed before, it's not a cash entry, it's a book entry, uh, but it does reflect in our fund balance.

The uh there are two items, other sources and transfers and other uses and transfers.

If you look at them in the audited column, you can see one on the top, um, and that's the governmental accounting standards boards intangible assets, and then under uses that same amount, and that's how we have to record certain items related to GASB 87.

So that's leases, physical assets to recognize a right to use a lease asset.

And GASB 96.

Uh, I like saying this acronym because I think it's kind of fun, it's called the SPITA.

Um, it's a subscription-based IT arrangement.

So also looking at those software maintenance or software subscriptions that we have and having them recognize on the financial statements.

Um, this is relatively recent within the past couple of years.

So we can see the 22 million in the source is offset by a 22 million in the use.

So the bottom line is the same, um, but those uh were required to show those separately.

So um we have higher than estimated personnel costs.

That was not higher than budget, it was higher than estimated.

We've we've talked about that.

Um this information is when we look at our audited actuals, these are in alignment with the monthly updates that have been provided to the board.

So there was nothing, nothing changed between November and the audit in December.

And then we did have some unspent encumbrances, and then um we did to the best of our ability, uh, tried to limit the use of contingency.

We did have some contingency left, not a lot.

Um, so the fund balance we anticipated or estimated a net reduction of 12.9 million.

What we see is that gain or that increase of that 9.4 million that has those unrealized gains.

So the unassigned fund balance is 100.

So total ending fund balance is what you see on the chart.

There are restrictions, assignments, and other things that are within that fund balance that basically make it non-spendable for lack of a better term.

Uh so the unassigned, which really is unrestricted, unresigned, is the 157, almost 158 million, approximately 30 percent.

So it is higher than the board's policy of ending fund balance, but it is not illegal.

Um, and just as a reminder, and there will be further discussion, but as a reminder, uh, we do have financial policy that when we have surplus is exist that the county shall accelerate capital improvements, not funded or deferred in prior years or from later years.

So just as a little bit of context with uh maybe what that what that means in an overall, what do we mean starting better and where we go from here?

So looking at year date information.

So this is through December.

So again, unaudited for the current year, prior years figures are audited.

So as at this point, looking at the year to date, we don't have significant cause for immediate concern, right?

So when we have better than anticipated prior year, right, that lends itself to the current year and to future years.

Year to date is tracking within expectations.

There will be additional information in next week's uh budget workshop.

Uh we are in alignment better with our revenues than than we were last year based on our C tax distributions being up slightly over prior year and a couple of our charges for services.

The expenditures and transfers out, you can see that it's the same trend as in with with uh the November figures and you know in the prior months figures that it's tracking closer to budget, and that is due to budgeting salary savings.

So when we have a lower budget, the actuals are tracking closer to those.

That was purposeful.

Uh that was uh we had those discussions, and and the the budget was adopted with those savings.

So we want to be cautious about the continued performance.

We still do have some, there are still some challenges when it comes to trying to forecast and work with the consolidated tax data.

So uh CTAX is the second largest revenue source in the general fund, uh, is one of the leading, what we could it bends to leading economic indicators, right?

Consumer spending, those types of things.

And um, as of this morning, when I checked before I walked over here, we don't have the October taxable sales data still.

So we do have the distribution information, but we don't know what that distribution is based on.

So my understanding there's some issues with the reporting mechanisms at the state.

Uh so we don't that I'm aware of um don't have an ETA for that information either.

So uh it's a little it continues the challenge that we've had over about the past you know 12 to 14 months as uh what information is going on there, what's going on.

Also, so that's mid-year.

Um it's good to not have those type any these weird surprises mid-year.

When we look at fiscal year 27, a little bit of a preview perhaps of what will be discussed next week or what's on the agenda or topic to discuss next week, agenda's not posted.

We'll be looking at national, regional, and local economic information.

We have um guests coming, uh, experts coming to give an overview and provide information to our board, also to the public if you know they're so inclined to come listen, strategic planning direction and talking about capital.

So we call CIP scorecard, but um, those capital and those infrastructure uh needs or those discussions.

What we're seeing as far as uh looking forward into fiscal year 27 is that we have the same message, adding additional expenditures, particularly personnel is not sustainable.

Personnel is our largest uh source of uh expenditure or source of use.

Um so and that has not changed, there's nothing changed since the last month.

We are still reviewing departmental base estimates and their estimates to complete.

So that was uh they had deadlines and the team, so the budget team, uh, we are still looking at those, um, and then stuff comes in periodically, so we might get notification of something that's outside of those time parameters or those deadlines, but we still accept that information.

We will be running another personnel simulation on Thursday.

So, what that does is it allows us to estimate through the end of this fiscal year and then all of fiscal year 27 what our personnel will be, and um, as a reminder, that is done.

Um, our our ERP does that, it's um our EOP is SAP to use more acronyms, and it does that by person by pay period.

So all over 3,003,100, it goes through and it says, okay, this is what this person is making.

These were anticipated merit increases, or you know, where they are in the salary schedule, uh, it looks at vacancies, it does in it and it simulates them out.

And so it's good to have those sometimes it's good to have those more often so that we can see, you know, get a better feel of where we think we're gonna end, and then where we're gonna open up next year.

So messaging and information and working with departments is you know, highly emphasizing net zero or reallocation requests, uh, looking at potentially, okay, how can we um if there are expenditure requests, how do those lend themselves to is it an efficiency gainer?

Is it leveraging resources?

You know, what what are those outcomes related to that?

And um one other one-time investments, so it could be technology, uh, that it's not always technology.

Um I do know that in the past few years there have been some really uh great gains looking at technology but we still have to have somebody support that technology once they're implemented right so there's this kind of indirect impact uh so we have to look at the you know the entire impact of you know maintenance and ongoing and and what how do we use these so and we're still seeing uh forecasted unsustainable structural deficits um and more information next week so uh maybe you'll be I don't know we'll we'll have that discussion next week I guess is the best way to say that and then what is happening next right so this is really um usually in January is when we're really opening up and starting to say okay what's our next budget cycle since we have an annual budget cycle next week's budget workshop uh we plan to continue to bring monthly updates back to the board so we see a February and a March um dates identified for those uh recommended budget bring back to the BCC on in a mid-April that gives us time to take comments direction anything else that we might need to update um and roll it into or get it reflected correctly for our public hearing which um the earliest we could have it would be May 18th so this is scheduled for a regular board of county commissioner meeting day May 19th by June 1st we have to submit the final budget to the state department of taxation and by August 1st we have those three the five year capital improvement plan the debt management policy and statement of indebtedness those all have to be submitted to the department of taxation as well to the county clerk which you know is easy for us to do because I just come downstairs but those all come to the board usually the five year CIP is a complementary or following item to the adoption of the budget and then the debt items are usually second but late June early July so we can meet that August first deadline.

So those are our next steps as far as what's coming up and then that was that is my high level attempt at a high level information for you.

Thank you.

Do we have any questions for Ms.

Cook?

Madam Chair just a quick question you said that um we're still reviewing departmental requests so how how many do we have left in limbo or um it's more by department so we got a um we even got responses that say okay yes we don't have anything that we see so we're we're we're funneling through did we get we call them a null answer yeah we don't have any changes here but we're gonna be you know requesting additional resources um there were oh I don't want to misspeak um but I know that I don't know if you want it in terms of numbers or not but we have north of I don't know if I want to give that it's in the hundreds of thousands of dollars of increase in base um and that's you know contractual items that increase outside of personnel um so it's not insignificant but we have to when we get those we also have to look at well was there savings somewhere else and so we work the department on those to look at historical trending additional resources that is due February 13th Friday the 13th not purposely just happens to fall back so that would be the above base request or enhancements or extras for departments.

Great thank you that's very helpful any other questions for Ms.

Commissioner Clark just a quick quick comment thank you for your report it's always good to hear from you.

Look forward to uh future meetings thank you.

Commissioner Hill do you have anything?

No I'm just really excited about our workshop and I know that Ms.

Cook and the team have been working really hard especially when we have to tighten our belts this is a different landscape than when I first started on the board so um I'm looking forward to seeing how we can get creative and also make sure that we provide the the essential services that we provide every day as thank you.

Thank you Ms.

Cook I'm I'm going to call for public comment if you could still stick around that would be great.

We have nobody signed in oh then that certainly I think we're all looking forward to um seeing what um the plan is while maintaining those essential services and the balance of it I can only imagine how frustrating it is with CTAX being a major part of our funding and not necessarily knowing in the timely fashion in order to plan accordingly so thanks for trying to maneuver and navigate through that it's not easy.

It's not easy.

I've mentioned this before, and I'm at a high level.

One of the things that I have had conversations with other jurisdictions that various entities that are going through similar process.

And I'm wondering if we're even going down to looking, for instance, at the review of our insurance policies, for instance, and the insurer the review of policies that have a direct financial impact like insurance coverage.

I'm using that again as an example.

Not that anything is being overcovered, but to really take a deep dive in some of those areas that maybe aren't really reviewed at the level that we really need to at this point when we are looking for all of the quarters in the couch.

I know is working really, really hard.

So I appreciate that consideration.

I also really want to thank manager Thomas for looking at having the national, regional, and local economic forecast.

I think it's important that we have those facts and looking at each one of those tiers and prepare all of us for what I believe is going to be some some pretty tough times ahead of us.

I don't think anybody has a crystal ball, and if they do, please share right away.

But it's important, I think, that we balance that with what's happening and what those projections look like.

So I know that I've shared with some staff some of the um economic information that I certainly dive into, and I'm sure everyone, uh Miss Cook and your team is well aware.

Um I'd like to also again thank the manager Thomas for the strategic planning and the direction and to staff in terms of looking at the um capital improvements and what that cost is, and it would be helpful to review, and I'm sure you'll be doing that in terms of our investment policy, what what that policy is for our fund balance.

It's hard for you to do that because you don't know what the C tax is, and I know you can't necessarily do that at this point, but I do think it's important to remind us of what that is when it's appropriate.

So thank you, Ms.

Cook, for all of your hard work and for your team's hard work.

I'm looking for all the pennies, nickels, quarters, dollars are welcome to be found.

This is an actionable item, so I'm gonna call for a motion at this time.

Madam Chair, I move to approve as presented.

Thank you.

We have a motion by Vice Chair Garcia.

Do we have second?

We have a second by Commissioner Clark.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, I'll call for the question.

All in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And Madam Clerk, um, we'll want to officially call the thank you.

Uh Chair Andreola.

Aye.

Vice Chair Garcia.

Aye.

Commissioner Hill.

Yeah.

And Commissioner Clark.

Aye.

Thank you.

That passes unanimously.

Thank you.

We'll go ahead and close that item and now move to item number 17.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Item number 17 is a public hearing for master plan amendment case number WMPA 25-0004 and regulatory zone amendment case number WRZA25-0005 Sunset Ranch.

This item considers the planning commission's recommendation to one adopt amendments to the Washoe County Master Plan, South Valley's master plan land use map to change the master plan land use designation for a plus or minus 41.7 acre parcel from rural to rural residential, and if approved, authorize the chair to sign a resolution to this effect, and two subject to final approval of the associated master plan amendment and a finding of conformance with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan by regional planning authorities, recommended option of an amendment to South Valley's regulatory zone map to change the regulatory zoning on the same parcel from general rural to medium density rural on the same parcel.

And if approved, authorize the chair to sign the resolution to this effect.

The applicant information and location are also listed on the agenda for you.

So I feel that uh DA Large would want me to do this.

I'm gonna officially open up the public hearing.

Uh I wanted to say it's not my first rodeo, but I don't know if that's appropriate.

Um go ahead.

We'll open up the official public hearing.

So we have staff present to share this presentation and information.

Good afternoon, Julia Lander with planning and building.

So as the um the chair said this is a master plan of zone change for Sunset Ranch.

They're proposing to change the um master plan from rural to rural residential, and then the master plan from on the zone the regular zone change from general rural to medium density rule.

And this approval of this amendment will allow approximately eight parcels on the four point 41.7 acre parcel.

So the parcel is located off of old um 395, and you can see that the access is um to the north off of um the the there's an access um easement to the north.

And here you have on the right, you have the um proposed, and on the left, you have the the existing, and the same thing on this parcel um on this map, but you show the um existing on the left and the proposed on the right.

So the proposed is to go to rural um is for to go to rural residential and the master plan.

This supports is supported by the area vision by allowing for rural residential lots, small scale agriculture and conservation with densities ranging from one unit per 40 acres to one acre for one unit per five acres, and then the zoning option under RR supports these uses better than those that are under the current rural residential, um, the rural designation.

The parcel is located outside of the Truckee Meadows service area, which requires a minimum of five acres for dwellings to be served by well and septic.

There was a neighborhood meeting that was held on the 25th of August, and there were questions and comments concerning the the proposed amendment, um, the development potential, the site access and drainage, and then there are questions on the proposed the process and how to provide comments.

Planning CM mission was able to make all their card findings and unanimously pass the motion, and the um there are proposed um motions in your staff report.

The applicant is available for questions, or and I believe he also has a presentation if you choose to have one.

Thank you.

So and I'm available for any questions.

Thank you.

Do you have any questions at this time for staff?

Hearing none.

Do we hear from the applicant?

Thank you.

Um good evening or good afternoon.

My name is Eric Hasty.

I'm with Wood Rogers.

I'm representing the applicant, the Gilmont family, and um we'll keep this brief.

Um just kind of giving some background on their proposed plans for this and the reasons for this request.

So just looking at the overall project, Sunset Ranch is a little under 600 acres, and so the parcel we're talking about is uh the parcel in the blue there.

So it's just a portion of the entire Sunset Ranch uh property, which is uh been owned by the family for a number of decades now.

Um looking on the site right now, that's it's mainly used for cattle grazing.

Um, so you can see there's there's evidence uh irrigation water, there is a barn on site, and then there will be site access from the main ranch house uh connecting to US 395, where Franktown Road currently meets.

Um current master plan and zoning is rural, general rural is the zoning.

We are proposing to go from rural to rural residential.

Uh this will allow for the zoning uh designation of medium density rural.

Um the real reason.

Let me skip through these things real quick because the real reason for this is the uh applicant is really looking to parcel this for future residents for their family.

Um the current zoning designation of GR doesn't allow for anything under 40 acres, and the um designation of MDR, although county code does allow for four-acre lots because of state law.

This will have to be served by well and septic for any new residents, so it can't be anything uh less than five acres.

So actually taking the general rural zoning designation and moving it to the MDR actually um has a lot less uses that are allowed.

So here's some of the the uses that are currently allowed right now that would no longer be allowed under the the proposed zoning designation.

So really this zoning designation is more for homes that rather than kind of extraction of resources.

Um again, this doning zoning designation would allow up to eight dwelling units per acre.

Um you would have to come in with a tentative map.

Uh the applicant is looking to avoid that, they're looking to come in with a parcel map, which would be under four lots.

So with that, if there's any additional questions, I'd be happy to get into those with you.

But um that concludes my presentation for now.

So thank you.

Do we have any questions from the commission?

Thank you.

Thanks.

I'll call for public comment since we don't have any questions by the body.

First up, we have Paul Cavan, followed by Mary Ann Healy.

Good afternoon, Commission.

The record, my name is Paul Cavan.

I live at 4790 Franktown Road.

Uh, this property is due west of the parcel that we're talking about.

Um I am a licensed architect in the state of Nevada, and I own an architectural firm uh here in Reno.

I am in opposition of amending the Washoe County Master Plan, South Valley's Master Plan, and land use map.

Um I'd like to bring your attention to the document that I put up for view here.

It is the Washoe Valley Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan.

This is a document that has been created for Washoe County for use by Washoe County and the planning commissions.

And if you read this document, uh you'll find that an amendment to the master plan or to change any open space is uh in direct conflict with this scenic byway corridor management plan.

Ultimately, I would ask that this commission deny the amendments of the master plan, or at very least send this back to the planning commission.

A few of my findings when reviewing the attachments is that this document is not a part of those attachments.

Um if you look through the reports, recommendations, applications.

This document is mentioned nowhere.

Um, and it is a document that truly preserves the the cultural resources of Washoe Valley, the natural resources of Washoe Valley, and like I said, is in direct conflict with an amendment to the master plan.

Um we even, you know, I noted under agenda item 10 earlier about open parks.

We had two gentlemen come up and give uh a quick speech, uh a quick note on how important open space is in Washoe County.

Um, and if you've ever been out on Old 395 in Washoe Valley, there is truly beautiful open space out there.

Um and I think this amendment starts to close that open space in.

Um so again, I'm in direct opposition of amending the master plan and um would request that you deny the amendments.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mary Ann Healy.

Thank you.

Hello, I am Mary Ann Healy.

I live at 4957 Franktown Road.

I my property, they have 40 acres directly across from the where they want to put in this, I would call it a subdivision.

They already have six homes there, the Gillamont's do.

Uh one of them is directly is in encased in my property, the schoolhouse property for Franktown.

Uh I'm opposition to this.

We don't need another subdivision out there, and that's exactly what they're planning to put in.

Yes, it is a little bit larger lots, but it's we don't need Reno in Washoe Valley, and this is where it's starting when you're changing the zoning.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

We have nobody else signed in.

Thank you.

Are there any questions for either staff or the applicant?

I I have a question for staff, please.

I just want to clarify that the um if this were to move forward, the next process would include the um review uh by the Trekkie Meadows Regional Planning Agency.

Is that correct?

Would it go to them from a regional perspective or has it already?

Um Julia Lander with planning and building for the record.

No, um, it would go to um, so it just depends on the route that they choose.

If they choose to just go with the four lots or less, it's considered a parcel map application, and that's reviewed by the parcel map review committee, which is a group made up of primarily internal um folks with Washoe County.

If it was to be more than four um parcels, then it would go to the planning commission and it would be considered part of the um they would review it.

And I see Mr.

Lloyd standing over my shoulder, so I'll let him finish.

And to answer your question, the next step in the process, yeah, it does require approval and conformance review at regional.

Yes.

Yeah, I just wanted to share that.

Uh thank you for confirming that because part of the regionals um planning's responsibility.

That agency is responsible for ensuring that our entire region meets all the requirements and would um take into consideration all the factors that I think are important.

Um, it's my understanding and reviewing all the materials that I shared in the presentation that this was also approved by the um plan commission unanimously.

But um, I'll just leave that.

If there aren't any other questions, there's no additional public comment.

I'll entertain a motion at this time.

Madam Chair, in being able to find all five findings for the um let's see, the amendments to the master plan and then six out of the seven because number seven does not apply here.

Um I'm I move to approve both the master plan amendment and the zoning change.

We have a motion by Vice Chair Garcia.

I'll second it.

We have a second by Commissioner Hill.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, I'll call for the question.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

So we'll call Madam Chair to do an official vote.

Thank you.

Confirmation.

Chair Andreola.

Aye.

Vice Chair Garcia, aye.

Commissioner Hill.

Yes.

And Commissioner Clark.

Aye.

And that passes unanimously.

Thank you so much.

I'll go ahead and close the public hearing.

Thank you so much.

We'll move now to item 18.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

This is your final public comment and comment heard under this item will be limited to three minutes per person and may pertain to matters both on and off the commission agenda.

A news time may not be allocated to other speakers.

And please make your comments to the commission as a whole.

I have nobody signed in.

Thank you.

Well, no, go ahead and close item 18 for which is public comment and open item 19, Commissioner County Manager announcements.

Manager Thomas, do you have anything for us?

Just a quick reminder that our budget workshop next week begins at 9 a.m.

It's a little bit of a different format.

It's not a board meeting, so just reminding the public that it'll look a little different.

It starts at a little bit of a different time, so just a friendly reminder for that.

Thank you.

Any comments by any of the commissioners?

Hearing none, I'll go ahead and adjourn the meeting at 12 49.

Thank you.

Thank you.