Washoe County District Board of Health Meeting: January 22, 2026
Washoe County District Board of Health Meeting: January 22, 2026
The Washoe County District Board of Health met at 1:00 PM on January 22, 2026, in the Commission Chambers. The meeting included public comment, approval of consent items, and a major discussion on the proposed amended franchise agreement for REMSA Health. After extensive public testimony and board debate, the board approved the agreement with three amendments by a vote of 6-1. Other actions included adoption of septic regulation revisions and acknowledgment of financial reports.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the December 18, 2025, draft minutes.
- Approved a Notice of Subaward from the State of Nevada for the WIC Program retroactive to October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, in the amount of $1,549,640 (no match required).
- Adopted the "Second 10-Year Maintenance Plan for the Truckee Meadows 24-Hour PM10 Attainment Area."
- Upheld an uncontested violation against Artisan Mystic Mountain, LLC (Case No. 1596) with a $500 administrative penalty for failing to obtain a Dust Control Permit.
- Acknowledged the Health Fund Financial Reviews for November and December 2025 (Fiscal Year 2026).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 3 (General Public Comment): Thomas Daly, a Washoe County resident, expressed concerns that REMSA’s service is revenue-driven, citing withdrawn ambulances from areas like Damonte Ranch and Geiger Grade despite improved response times. He urged the board to postpone the franchise renewal until next year. Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson (as a former contracting executive) identified 13 adverse conditions in the proposed agreement, stressing a perpetual term and high barriers to termination. He requested postponement for further public meetings.
- Item 8 (Franchise Agreement): Supporters included Monica Miles (Nevada Donor Network), Grant Denton (Karma Box), former health officer Jim Bagby, EMS physician Dr. Joseph Ryan, REMSA patients, hospital representatives from St. Mary’s, Renown Health, and Northern Nevada Medical Center, and paramedic program students. They praised REMSA’s quality, community investment, and 40-year track record. Opponents included Aaron Abbott (Technical Medical), Matt Brown (Tech Med EMS), and Joey Lerner (Battleborne Medivac), who argued the agreement reduces service levels, creates a perpetual term, and may violate federal law (Airline Deregulation Act) by restricting ground transport for air ambulances. Tom Dunn (Reno Firefighters Association) requested tabling until further discussion on dispatch and compliance.
- Item 11 (Final Public Comment): Tom Dunn referenced a 2012 tri-data study and urged the board to review its unadopted recommendations.
Discussion Items
- REMSA Monthly Report (Item 7): Barry Duplantis (REMSA CEO) presented November and December 2025 franchise reports, noting 90% compliance in Zone A and 95% in Zones B/C/D for priority one calls, with 8,790 responses in December. The board accepted the report unanimously.
- Proposed Amended Franchise Agreement (Item 8): Dr. Chad Kingsley (District Health Officer) presented the revised agreement, emphasizing a five-year cycle instead of perpetual, enhanced transparency, and a pathway for annual reviews. Key amendments included a market study every five years and a mechanism for regular performance oversight. Board members debated concerns: Steve Driscoll and Paul Anderson objected to language in Sections 2.5 and 2.6 (perpetual term and termination rights), while Clara Andriola raised issues about dispatch and priority two metrics. Chair Reese proposed a motion to approve with three amendments: (1) add a date certain (September 30, 2026) for review of emergency medical dispatch recommendations; (2) require the working group to proceed regardless of the Hexagon CAD system; (3) mandate a meeting within six months to consider further amendments. After Mr. Driscoll changed his vote to yes, the motion passed 6-1 (Anderson dissenting).
- Public Hearing on Septic Regulations (Item 9A): No public comment. The board unanimously adopted the proposed revisions.
- District Health Officer Report (Item 10E): Dr. Kingsley announced the planned closure of the Moana WIC office due to budget constraints, with efforts to relocate services to satellite locations (e.g., city or county facilities). Board members requested coordination with 311 and Reno Direct for public inquiries.
Key Outcomes
- Approved (6-1): The amended and restated franchise agreement for ambulance service with REMSA Health, effective July 1, 2026, subject to the three amendments proposed by Chair Reese (clarifying EMD timeline, Hexagon independence, and six-month review). The vote was 6-1, with Paul Anderson voting nay.
- Approved Unanimously: Consent items (minutes, WIC subaward, PM10 plan, violation penalty, financial reports) and the septic regulation revisions.
- Accepted Unanimously: REMSA November and December 2025 franchise reports.
- Staff Directed: Dr. Kingsley to bring forward a plan for WIC office closure and satellite services.
- Board Comment: Paul Anderson requested that staff begin preparing a request for proposals (RFP) for emergency medical services, though this was not an agendized action item.
Meeting Transcript
I'm gonna ask uh a celebrity in the audience to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson. What a privilege. Hello, Mr. Mayor. For which it stands. One nation underducible with liberty and justice for all. Mayor Lawson, thank you so much for being here. Always a privilege. Madam Clerk, we'll move to item three, which is public comment. I'll note for the audience the public comment today is going to be a little different than we normally do at uh the chair's direction. We're going to allow public comment at the beginning of the meeting and the end as we always do, but also public comment specifically on item eight on the agenda. And so if you're here to talk about eight, you would want to do that under agenda item eight. You're free to do so also in one or two at the beginning or end. But that's where we'll hear it most likely. Um, Madam Clerk, I'll let you read what you need to read. Uh for the record, my name is April Miller. Comments heard under this item will be limited to three minutes per person and may pertain to matters both on and off the board agenda. Unused time may not be allocated to other speakers. Comments are to be made to the board as a whole, and virtual public comment may be taken when facilities are available. A speaker's viewpoint will not be restricted. However, reasonable restrictions may be imposed upon the time, place, and matter of speech. Irrelevant statements, and duly repetitious statements and personal attacks would be a that would be objectively antagonized or incite others are examples of speech that may be reasonably limited. This board carries out the business of Northern Nevada Public Health and its citizens during its meetings. The presiding officer may or uh may order a person removed at the person's conduct or statements disrupt the order or safety of the meeting. Warnings about disruptor of conduct or comments may or may not be given prior to removal. Furthermore, certain disruptions of a public meeting are criminal acts as defined under NRS, which may result in prosecution inappropriate cases. And we also have received 37 public comments via email and e-comment. These have been forwarded to the board members and entered for the record, but will not be read aloud. Mr. Daly, thank you. Welcome and afternoon. Followed by Ed Lawson. Okay, and if you're speaking, you're coming down, and if you're on deck, you're getting closer. If you're in the hole, that'll be the third person will announce that. Thank you so much. Mr. Daly, welcome. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members. For the record, I am Thomas Daly, a resident of Washington County. I would ask my comments today to be entered into the record of this meeting. Are a detriment to public safety and lack of transparency. When those response times are inadequate or far beyond the national standard of eight minutes. The result was a reduction in response times to the eight minute mark in Damonty Ranch, Geiger Grade, Blugson Valley, and the Mountain Rose Highway communities. Despite that success, Remsa withdrew the ambulance with no notice to those communities. Why you might ask? Because the ambulance failed to produce sufficient transport revenue to meet REMS's financial model. So the needs of citizens for prompt emergency medical services were sacrificed on the altar of financial expediency. REMSA services are revenue driven first and public safety driven distance second. Only the Northern Nevada Health District can impose conditions in the pending franchise agreement renewal to compel REMSA to improve response times.
openpublica.com