I have no public comment in Chambers.

I have no hands raised on Zoom.

Thank you.

Moving on to item four election of the open space and regional parks commission chair and vice chair for the term of January 28th, 2026 through January 20, January 26, 2027.

This is for uh a possible action.

Any discussion.

This is Commissioner Dake.

I I would uh I would like to uh nominate Chair Jones to serve as another uh another year as uh as chairman of the park commission.

Are we I don't think is that agendized?

I think we're just talking about are we talking about the draft minutes right now?

No uh sorry for item four.

Oh sorry, my bad.

I apologize.

Sorry.

No problem.

Uh very well.

Uh motion has been made um to retain the uh status quo in the chair position.

Any more questions, comments?

We do need a vice chair.

Or I Commissioner Joel, are are you willing to accept the nomination?

Yes, I am.

Okay.

I will second I will second the nomination.

Very well.

Uh motion has been made and seconded to retain uh me as chair.

Uh do we have any public comment?

No public comment in chambers.

No hands raised on Zoom.

Very well.

Um those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Oppose.

Motion carries.

Now we need a vice chair.

Any questions, comments?

Nominations.

Again, this is Commissioner Dake.

I've served.

Uh two years as vice chair.

I think it's time to move on to somebody else and and uh rotate that responsibility just a little bit.

So uh with that said, uh Sean Hill.

Uh would you be willing to serve as vice chair?

I I knew there would be consequences for zooming in today.

Uh sure, I I'd I'd gladly uh take over as vice chair, or yes, I'd I accept.

With with that, I uh I I make a nomination for uh Sean Hill to serve as uh vice chair of the commission for January 28th, 2026 uh through January 26th.

That's because the meetings the next the meetings the next day of the 27th for the next year.

Uh this is Commissioner Jewel.

I'll second that motion.

Very well.

Motion has been made and seconded.

Um to have uh Sean Hill as the vice chair for this coming year.

Uh any further discussion or public comment.

No public comment in chambers.

No hands raised on Zoom.

Very well.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Oppose.

Motion carries.

Congratulations, Commissioner Hill.

Moving on.

Approval of the draft minutes for the open space and regional parts commission meeting of November 19, 2025.

This is for possible action.

Uh this is Commissioner Jewel.

I'll make a motion to accept the uh minutes as submitted.

Thank you.

Uh motion has been made to uh accept the meeting minutes uh as presented.

I'll second, Commissioner Baker.

The motion has been made and seconded.

Uh any public comment.

No public comment in chambers.

No hands raised in Zoom.

Very well.

Uh the motion has been made and seconded to approve the minutes uh as written and submitted.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Oppose.

Motion carries.

Moving on to item six.

Acknowledgement and recognition of park operations staff, Brian Harwer and Joanna Schultz for their outstanding service and contributions to Washhoe County.

Hi, Commissioners.

Um, happy 2026.

Happy to be here with you.

Um, so for this item, I have two employees that I would like to uh publicly recognize.

Can you hear me?

Is that on?

That's a great question.

I can hear her.

Uh it's it's it's on.

Okay.

Yeah, thank you.

I can speak a little bit louder if that's all I'm doing.

Turning it up.

You're good.

Just staying where you're asking.

Got it.

Thank you.

So uh we have uh two employees that I'd like to publicly recognize in this setting.

Um both have reached their 20 year um anniversaries with with our department.

Um one of them unfortunately had to head home sick today, so I will be saying nice things behind her back, uh, but hopefully she's watching at home.

So um, yes, this is gonna make everyone a little uncomfortable who's being uh recognized today, but that's part of the fun.

So um it's important for us to do that.

Um I did write something, so I will be reading it because it's important enough for me to not forget anything.

So please bear with me as I do that.

So I'd like to introduce Brian Harrower.

Uh today we recognize an important milestone, Brian Harrower's 20 years of service with Washoe County Parks.

Brian began his journey as a lifeguard at Bowers Mansion Pool.

He went on to serve as a park ranger and later on as a district manager, taking each role with integrity, hard work, and a deep commitment to the places and people he serves.

What sounds out most about Brian is how much he cares about the legacy he's building.

He wants to leave our department better than he found it.

He invests in our parks, not just as part of his job, but as part of his identity.

He leads by example, he shows up when it matters, and he never loses sight of the long-term impact of his work.

He's not afraid to share his opinion, and he graciously accepts feedback.

Brian, thank you for your two decades of dedication, leadership, and heart.

Our parks, our department, and our community are stronger because of you.

Congratulations on 20 years of outstanding service.

There you go.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Okay, so on to Juliana, who unfortunately is sick today.

So Joanna Schultz um is someone whose impact on parks and this department has been felt for many years.

Uh she's currently housed in admin, but Jonah Joanna has long been a part of the parks family, and her presence has shaped the culture here in ways that are hard to measure but easy to feel.

Joanna is one of the rare people who makes every space feel brighter the moment she walks in.

She's warm, welcoming, welcoming, and genuinely fun to be around.

Uh when I first started with the county back in 2006, she was one of the very first people I met and immediately made me feel comfortable, supported, and at home.

That's just who she is.

Uh, she brings people in, she lifts them up, and she makes the work feel lighter.

Beyond her personality, Joanna carries an incredible amount of institutional knowledge.

She understands the history, the processes, the people, and the heart of this department.

She's the person you go to when you need clarity, context, or just a good laugh to get through your day.

Joanna, wherever you are, thank you for the years you've dedicated to parks and to this organization.

Thank you for your kindness, your insight, and the joy you bring to people around you.

Uh, we are grateful for everything she's contributed and for the spirit she brings to our team.

Thanks.

Thank you.

I'll get comfortable because I'll be here for a little bit.

Okay, very well.

Moving on to item seven.

And uh we have a speaker and uh a clarification.

So please thank you, thank you.

All right, again, Stephanie DRC, uh, operation superintendent for parks.

Um, so first I'd like to make a quick clarification on the staff report that has present been presented to you.

Um it indicates that this is the first time that this uh special event policy has come for approval.

However, um, in the deep searches, we found in 2004, November 2004, it did go to the Board of County Commissioners before those policies came to park commission and was approved at that time.

So this is more of an update as opposed to a completely new policy.

Um so I I apologize for that.

Um, but it shouldn't change the action item uh before you today.

So um so over the next few meetings.

I'll put something on the record just for the record for the purposes of open meeting law.

It's probably agendized, uh, a minor error in the staff report shouldn't affect um us moving forward on this item so that along that it is properly agendized, so we're fine.

Um, just so you're clear and it's on the record.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I appreciate that clarification.

Okay.

So we're going to um over the next few meetings, we'll be bringing to you several policies uh that have become enough of our everyday work that they warranted significant cleanup um and some solidification um in front of you.

Um some ext in draft form only, and some um we're just ready for a refresh.

Um our special events policy is one that we rely more and more on as uh increased requests um are coming into parks uh every year.

Um I'd like to introduce Andy Brown, he's a district manager who has kind of spearheaded this effort to update this policy and let him do the presentation um for you now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Andy Brown, Washoe County Parks, North Region District Park Manager.

Um yeah, I've taken a real close look at the special events policy to uh look for opportunities to um create um efficiencies and operations, but also you know, address important things that we've we encountered over the course of time.

Um our community has changed a lot in 20 years, and and uh so have some of the events that we see coming uh to visit our parks.

So this is uh an overview of that that policy.

Uh every year, Washoe County receives requests from park users ranging from small gatherings to large events, uh, fundraisers, festivals, company picnics, that sort of thing.

Um, but we also see the large special events that we all know and love.

Um the county values these cultural, social, and economic benefits of well-managed events, which improve the quality of life, boost tourism in our community, support recreation, and aid community causes.

Providing park facilities for such events is an appropriate long-standing role of the community services department.

Uh the county must balance these benefits for with the responsibilities to protect public property, preserve park resources, ensure the health, safety, um uh of visitors, and comply with laws.

Uh, for many uh for many years, the county has operated permitting special events and small um large and small under that prior policy that was approved in 2004 with very few changes made.

So um we wanted to take the opportunity to uh develop that criteria that identifies what what makes an event um large enough or what specifies that criteria to make it um approachable by the parks commission.

Um the increase in interest in special events and county parks is has tested that review and um creation of of a further development of that policy.

Um the purpose of that policy sets clear guidelines and procedures for county and promoters to achieve shared goals for hosting special events in county parks.

Um you know, to protect parked resources, but also to ensure events provide maximum public benefit while safeguarding the interests of county residents and and visitors to our community.

Uh a special event.

What is considered a special event?

Um any gathering that expects 2,000 or more attendees, essentially, or uh requires exclusive use of a significant park area.

Um think of the balloon race as it encompasses the entire Rancho San Rafael Regional Park over the course of that week.

Um it involves or it involves substantial impact on park races or staff.

Um that can be a smaller event, but still qualified at a special event.

Um those include activities that trigger additional permits like amplified sound, um alcohol sales, that sort of thing.

Um those all require a special event permit.

Um, examples would be athletic events, music concerts, large festivals, even things like car shows and cultural events that take place in our parks.

Um special events often involve other county and local government agencies, uh permitting through community services department, um, Northern Nevada Public Health, State and Local Business License Divisions, Nevada Division uh Department of Taxation, uh, and local public safety agencies uh working a lot with the sheriff's office and um emergency management and things like that.

Special activity is a little different.

Those are the smaller gatherings typically.

They expect fewer than 2,000 attendees.

And they occur during normal park hours.

So they have a lot more autonomy of themselves.

They have a limited impact on the park and the staff.

They require a lot less from us, and they're only occurring over the course of one day typically.

They don't require a special event permit, but they still have to abide by certain other policies or requirements like insurance, uh applicable licenses for public safety and things like that.

They don't require park commission approval.

So we're not going to be bringing a lot of special activities or any speculative activities to you guys for approval.

Examples of those special activities could be smaller company picnics, charity walks, 5K races, mountain bike events, things like that.

The application process is pretty straightforward.

Once an applicant requests a special event questionnaire to declare interest in having an event in our park, they might want to provide uh event description, requested dates, facilities that they would like to request, uh, the scope of their event, and they have 10 days to respond to us in order to secure those dates for that event.

Um they can request their event dates uh a year and a half in advance, um, but we typically want to see all of those approvals and things happen no sooner than 90 days before the event.

So returning events and good standing get priority for those dates.

So we'll see a lot of repeating events, um, things like the balloon races or um you'll see you'll see a presentation later for um the food truck Thursday events at North Alley's.

Um that's an event that we'll we'll typically see returning as long as they're in good standing with us and things have gone well.

Um the applicant's responsibility is to apply for that permit on their own.

Um they they provide all their required licenses, permits, and insurance.

They do all that work on their on their end.

Uh they submit any additional information requested by parks or other agencies like uh Northern Nevada Public Health, Department of Taxation, et cetera.

They are responsible for complying with all the county terms and conditions of renting a facility, just like any other um uh individual who rents a park facility.

Uh they they have to pay their required fees and deposits by the specified date.

And uh they're required to submit a uh a layout, uh site plan that includes a map that lays out their event to give us an idea of where they plan to put everything, all their structures, trash, containers, uh, et cetera.

Also parking plans and ingress and egress plans.

Um that would also include for larger events an emergency uh action plan.

Uh large events, um, you know, the county will draft a contract requiring park commission approval, as I mentioned.

Applicants must review, including legal on their end, uh, and return that signed contract at least 60 days before the event to allow time for park commission agenda placement.

Um, and that's within the policy guidelines that we're giving uh of 60 days from the time that they submit their application to review, and uh that allows us to hold those dates.

If they don't come to an agreement with the county within that 60-day period, we'll release those dates to another event or another um you know, any picnic or wedding, or whoever else wants to rent the park that day.

Um parks responsibility in this is to review the and evaluate those applications and approve or reject them within 60 days, as I mentioned.

We we hold those uh requested event dates and we'll release those.

Um we'll assess event feasibility, uh compatibility with the requested areas and dates and times.

So then that might require a few meetings uh between the event organizers and staff just to make sure that their event is compatible with the space that they're requesting.

Um sometimes we find that something um something is being requested might not be reasonable based on its proximity to homes or other features within a park.

Um responsibility continues as we provide recommendations to help applicants.

If we do run into something that looks like it might be problematic, we'll give them solutions to help them meet approval.

Um we'll issue that permit once all the conditions are met.

And uh, if park commission uh must approve that event, uh we'll we'll go through that process before we authorize that that permit to be to given.

Um additional requirements um that we have added since the last time this policy was approved.

Um, you know, things like amplified sound.

Um we're limiting a sound um amplification or output from an event that's 75 decibels.

And that's in line with what the city of Reno parks uh are doing uh for their events.

That's um that is our part and and working with our partners and our neighbors to follow their policies in order to have that consistency um with that requirement.

Neighbors surrounding the event area must be notified at least 30 days before their event takes place so that they have ample time to voice concerns or ask questions of that event.

Um a lot of times the event will give them incentive um, you know, by maybe offering reduced or free admission to their event if it's a paid event.

Um sound levels must be reported and monitored as directed by staff.

Um staff is also out there uh monitoring these things, but uh we we're putting the onus on events who have large loud events to keep us apprised of of what they're what their event's doing in order to help us get ahead of any community concerns.

We we also require them to do a pre-event meeting with us before we approve this event.

Um, but we also might schedule a post meeting, uh, post-event meeting just to review any uh concerns that might have come up during their event or things that might have been learned.

Um, you know, we see a lot of newer events coming to our community, and so there's always something new to learn from staff perspective, but also from the organizers' perspective.

So that's that's the presentation, and I'm happy to take any questions that you might have about that.

Well, thank you, Mr.

Brown.

That was excellent presentation.

Um I don't know if I was reading, but just to be clear, the 75 decibel is that at the fence, or is that actually in the neighborhood that's adjacent to the event?

It really depends on the lines that they've drawn for their event boundary.

Let's say we're talking about an event that takes place at Rancho San Rafael.

They would be required to submit that site plan that's got the lines drawn, the boundaries drawn for their event on that map.

And that is where I would want to see that 75 decibel limit uh enforced.

Okay.

You know, smaller parks, you might be talking about the park boundary.

Okay, very good.

Thank you.

Commissioner Hill has a his hand up.

Uh thank you for the presentation.

I I really appreciate seeing the policies around this.

I I know just in my experience as a commissioner over the last year, there's been times when I um, you know, let's say a special uh permit um came in front of this commission, and I didn't really understand the background.

So, you know, this is a great uh ground truthing of a policy that commissioners can rely on to just to understand when something does reach the level of being in front of this commission.

Um I just have a uh a suggestion for staff, especially because we have commissioners roll on uh at various times of the year.

Um if there was a way that it wasn't onerous, it it might be a good idea um to you know include the procedure when it when a topic comes up for the first time uh for for uh you know one or several commissioners in the read ahead so folks can understand so you know folks can get a sense of the um yeah of the policies behind the things that we're asked to vote on.

I don't know if there's a clean way to do that, just take that as a as a something to think about.

Um, but well done.

Thanks for the presentation.

This is Commissioner Jewell.

Um, I have a question on the so it lists at the end the insurance requirements.

Um it sounds like it's kind of subjective, like if required, and I was just wondering if it's best left that way, or maybe um documenting that a little bit better.

And I'm just I'm thinking back to um uh information that was passed on uh to me after uh family was trying to do a funeral and the insurance was the hang up.

And they were like, well, we couldn't do it at the park because insurance was required.

And like I totally get like it's for dragon lights or balloon races, grabbing that certificate of insurance is no problem.

But if you're you know, Joe homeowner, uh, you know, you probably have never gotten a certificate of insurance off your homeowner's policy to cover, you know, uh an event you're a family event you're doing at a park.

And I my personal thought would be that something like that, you know, a family funeral or a birthday party or something that's being organized by a family member for family and friends that we would just waive the insurance requirement because that could be a stumbling block for them.

But um, I would certainly defer to you know what what your opinions are or legal's opinions are on that.

Yeah, as far as insurance requirements for smaller events.

Uh typically we have requirements for events that do include an alcohol, um, you know, serving alcohol to you know, anybody who's at the event.

Um, you know, it's a totally different ball game if they're selling alcohol to the public, of course.

But um we have we have we have various levels of of requirements for insurance um based on the number of people at an event.

So that could also be a possibility.

Um, but we also provide several options for folks to obtain insurance.

Um, you know, there are ways for for folks who uh have a homeowners or renters policy to take advantage of their liability waiver.

Um park reservations also helps uh provide information that we have that can you know help them pre-fill up, you know, a prefab insurance policy that they can use for their event.

Um but um yeah, it's just based on those those thresholds, those per person uh thresholds or whether or not they've got um things like alcohol.

If I may, for the record aircraft with Washa County's community services department, all of our events are run through our risk uh department.

So they determine the levels of insurance.

Uh they provide us pretty much on an annual basis, a list of kind of the different categories and the different requirements for each of um kind of based on, like Andy said, uh, based on size of the event and the type of event.

So our staff can look at that and go, that's a category one.

It requires $500,000 general liability insurance or something.

If something is outside of that cheat sheet, that's when we engage with risk.

When we're talking about large special events, uh risk is included on the drafting of those agreements, and they determine the level of uh liability insurance and other insurance requirements for that event.

So we do it kind of all over the county, but there is like predetermined based on uh use and size.

Okay.

Would uh Commissioner Julligan, would it be appropriate to include that cheat sheet in is is this information packet intended for the public?

So if they're looking at putting on an event, this is what's sent to them so they know the rules.

Yeah, so uh with the application is and and certainly the policy is available as well.

The application is sent there.

Uh, I think there's language about the insurance requirements, but we can't tell them what those requirements are until we know what they're proposing.

Unders understandable.

So if a family wanted to reserve a park to hold a celebration of like life for Uncle Bob, uh 50 people would insurance be required.

I'll have to get back to you.

I'll look at my cheat sheet.

Okay, thank you.

Any more questions, comments?

Can I ask a follow-up?

Just one more about insurance.

Um, is there any protocol by which to appeal the insurance requirements or like the level at which risk management determines insurance?

That's an air question.

So we we have seen those.

I wouldn't call them official appeals.

So oftentimes uh we'll waive insurance requirements for say nonprofit partners that are renting our facilities that we have longstanding, we might have other agreements with them.

Uh typically the uh individual rentals, I've never seen that.

So very good.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioner Jewel, I have another question.

Um, and I've and maybe the answer to this is when you said that over the next couple months we'll be seeing more updates to these policies.

Um I didn't see anything in this one about the small commercial uses, the people teaching yoga for 10 people at the park, the dog training classes, the um, you know, the small photography, commercial photography, uh, you know, something that my understanding right now, like they would potentially have to pay like the entire special event fee, you know, per day, uh, which is just not cost effective if you're having 10 people, you know, pay $10 for a yoga session.

Um is there is that coming that there's going to be some updates to that, uh, like the the non-event or the small event policy.

Um again, Stephanie DRC uh operation superintendent, yes.

Um the short answer, yes.

Uh we have had those conversations that there is some practice that we have that has existed for a long time, but we don't have that in writing, and that is a policy that we'd like to flesh out and bring back to you as well.

Okay, so that'll be like an additional update to what we're looking at now in the near future.

Uh for the record aircraft with Washa County.

Clearly, I've been here too long.

So um I I beat AI today and found something that we didn't know we approved in 2004.

So actually the fees and charges policy addresses those types of uses.

Uh there's a fee in there for people who want to do yoga classes or meetups, so it's not a special activity.

Uh and it's uh it's identified there.

I don't know it off the top of my head.

It is the fees and charges policy has come to you as a board, you've approved it.

And we do have a commercial photography uh policy as well with fees and charges.

Okay.

This um was Andy and I have talked specifically about someone that kind of I I'll call it a complaint to me about trying to get permission to hold their classes at a park.

Did that get solved under that if it's already in the policy?

Uh the fee schedule?

Yeah.

Andy Brown, Washoe County Parks.

Um, yeah, so that issue that you and I had discussed separately.

Um, that was more of an interpretation of the the application of that permit for that type of class or that group.

And so yeah, that has been resolved.

It's more about, I guess, the um the desire of the applicant to want to go through that process to obtain that permit.

I think that was what we had observed.

But we recently um accepted an application for a dog trainer specifically.

Um so we're we're currently um looking at how to apply that um within the parks, you know, there are various things that we'll have to address with areas of the park that will be usable, what times, how to avoid conflicts with other groups, things like that.

So those are things that we're currently looking at.

Okay.

And Commissioner Jewel, last question, I promise.

Um is there so like in the Forest Service, I think BLM, I think is the same.

If you wanted to hold a special event, uh, you know, they call it like a special commercial use uh application, uh there's a threshold, right?

Where they're able to basically just say, go and do your thing as long as you follow you know these things and don't even apply.

We don't we don't want to know about it, we don't want an application, we don't, you know, whatever.

Um and off the top of my head, it's whether a fee is charged, uh if it's 70 uh under 75 people, um, and if it doesn't involve like commercial sponsorship.

So like if a if it's a company party or something like specifically with their branding, then it would need a special event use.

So essentially if it's like a gathering of friends under 75 people and there's not a fee, they're like, we don't care about it.

Um I didn't see anything like that in here.

If somebody came to the parks um and was like, hey, how can you know, how can how can what we want to do this?

How can we avoid having to go through the permit process?

Um is there anything like that that can assist with like small gatherings that aren't necessarily of commercial nature?

Um well, the the minimum group size restriction or requirement is addressed in chapter 95.

Um we have a limit of 25 individuals uh for an event or an unorganized event.

So anything over that does require a permit.

Um, you know, currently we require those events to look to a reservable space in in a county park that has reservable facilities.

Um if they were to request specifically a park or an area that was not specifically reservable, then they could go through the special activity uh slash event application process, and we can evaluate it that way.

Okay.

So I guess my question would be I'll I'll throw a different park in there.

So let's say the run group meets at Bartley Ranch Park, uh and 40 people show up.

Theoretically, they're not following the rules.

Theoretically, that would require a permit.

So, like that's that's I guess just where I'm saying is like I think that if and if we need to look at the next time we modify chapter 95, like some kind of cutouts to encourage just like community activities, get togethers, the the random, you know, meetup type hikes, mountain bike rides, runs, etc.

Um, because like the laws are only good if they're enforced equally.

And it it's like if we you know if we say that this is the threshold and we somebody who wants to follow it is told to follow it, but then other groups are like, well, it's really it's just a group of people meeting to get together, but by the letter, it should be followed.

That's just that's just kind of where I'm going on that is like just to make sure that we're addressing that the parks are there for people to use.

And if it's not a commercial thing and it's it's um you know they're not charging a fee or a very small fee you know that that the park is and they're not bothering anyone else you know or impacting other park users that you know that there's some kind of way to not spend staff time on it.

That's that's it.

Very good.

Thank you.

I have uh Commissioner Kazansky would like to speak she has her hand raised hi uh Commissioner Kazanski Tracy Kazanski and I'm following up actually on one of the first questions about insurance um so we're going back a ways.

I guess I'm a little bit confused um and perhaps it's because I don't have a copy of the PowerPoint that you presented um whether the the smaller events not the special events all require insurance which seems to be the case on the papers that were um included with our agenda or if there are some of those smaller events that will not require insurance but we don't really know what they are until somebody has filled out an application.

I'm just wondering if we can sort of minimize some confusion on the part of applicants who are trying to understand when and when they may not um need to have insurance yeah and to my knowledge the best way that that's being addressed right now is just with working with our reservations team uh because they can answer a lot of those questions uh straightforwardly so um the the smaller events you know as I mentioned they're um you know those are um you know they're they're addressed in as far as insurance goes that's addressed in the the the levels of of use or the type of use okay so basically they're put on notice and and then when they are working through the application process that's how they'll learn what level of insurance would be required if any again Stephanie DRC operations superintendent I'm just gonna pop in really quick and just say generally speaking um insurance would be required for the majority of the event so it would be um expected um on the case by case uh basis like Eric mentioned um if someone was requesting some sort of um waiver of that insurance we would deal with that um on that case by case basis however the expectation would be across the board that insurance was involved at some level it hopefully that helps yes thank you very much I appreciate both of your responses thank you very good chair Jones Commissioner Jewel again I'm sorry um but this one's important so as some of you that have been on the commission a little bit may remember um you know we uh were looking at something fairly unrelated and one of the special events felt that they were being targeted and instead of coming to us they went to the media and it kind of caused a little bit of a hoopla um have have these changes gone out to uh some of the current recurring uh event uh planners uh permit permit holders um i because I I was just like well if there's I I didn't see anything scanning through this but not knowing some of the intricacies of every little event that happens uh I just I don't I want to avoid having them come back being you know accusing Washoe County of like trying to shut their event down when we're just looking at what seems for the most part to be kind of some common sense requirements and and putting it in writing for everybody.

So was there outreach to like all the uh event permit holders um again Stephanie DRC operations superintendent great question uh we have been working with our regular special events they know that we are working on solidifying a lot of of our of this policy um they have not seen the final policy we wanted to make sure it came to you first however they do know that a lot of it is being shored up we don't anticipate that anything will affect our regular special events um and we are working with them very closely through um their event application process which will be coming up soon um for all of them uh and uh we don't anticipate between uh the groups that there would be any issue that would affect okay and they were notified it was coming to this meeting so they they had an opportunity to send us public comment if they were concerned about something specific correct thank you very much thank you hold on just uh a follow up uh I noticed there's pre-event and post-event meetings um I'm assuming the post-events are essentially uh almost an audit of the event um was some of the materials that were learned from those audits incorporated into these modifications or you know for example the 75 decimals is that was that arrived at on trial and error and maybe some of the parking standards and excess management and other things.

Great question.

Yeah.

So actually, yeah.

Um I think the need for a post-event meeting was developed based on a lot of the concerns that we may have experienced during events and the need to maybe just do a uh hash out session afterward in order to, you know, for staff to learn like, hey, how could we have done this a little differently or a little better?

Um, you know, what did we learn that was new and different from this event, you know.

But um, I would say um, you know, a lot of those post-event meetings are are meant for you know, repeating events um that want to come back in good standing.

So if we have an issue, it gives the county an um an opportunity to say, hey, maybe we could look at doing you know this part of your event differently next time.

Um but again, it's it's it's about the learning experience for everyone.

Okay, yeah, just as a follow-up.

I did hear the 75 decibels was kind of based off of the city of Reno's.

Obviously, the county parks system um are quite different in many cases.

So the uses are different and the scale of the facilities is different, and the adjacent to neighbors is probably pretty different.

Um, so yeah, I just wanted to see how you, as opposed to using somebody else's rules as a basis.

I wanted to see if you arrived at it.

Well, I I believe we experienced uh with uh a recent event, um, you know, several um negative experiences where we're we're center away from members of the public.

And um I don't believe that the the levels that were allowed to occur at that event were appropriate.

And that's more of an urban setting.

So we looked at the city's policy being more of an urban setting.

Um, since many of our parks do they they are, you know, a lot of them are on the outskirts of town, but um our larger parks, Bartley Ranch, Lazy Five, Rancho Centerfell, um, those are you know, in urban centers.

Very good.

Thank you.

Can I ask one more question?

Yes, you can.

All right, Commissioner Flancas here.

Um, I wanted to ask about if there is an event kind of like a run club, um, and in the event that they do kind of have to go through this permitting process.

I would think that they still fall under the recreational use immunity because they are recreating and like the immunity for any civil liability would fall under the fact that they're just running, they're not they're not doing a contact sport.

So I was wondering if there's any any times where you've waived the need for insurance because of the fact that we have that Nevada statute about recreational use immunity.

Uh Stephanie DRC operations superintendent, great question.

Um the recreational immunity uh is is obviously very helpful in these kinds of situations.

Um a run club per the letter of the law is it's technically an organized activity.

So we would want to at least run that through risk if they were requesting that that that their insurance uh waivers are are or their insurance requirements are waived.

Um so it's something that we could certainly run through our risk department, but if they were just coming to us, we would treat that as a as an organized event as well.

Very well.

Thank you.

Sorry, quick question.

Um, Commissioner Yvera, what is like the enforcement that is going to go forward with this?

Because um back to the run club.

If 40 people show up to go run, um it just seems like a waste of resources to punish them.

Um yeah.

Um I'll speak to this.

Uh Stephanie DRC operation superintendent.

So uh no goal is to be punitive, no goal is to catch people, um, you know, not uh following chapter 95.

Um really the our goal overall is education.

So um, you know, no one's gonna be chasing anyone down.

Uh we will, if we see a group that's uh regularly um, you know, uh having activities in the park, we will we'll attempt to uh reach whoever is is in charge of that group and just educate them on the process.

So the the goal is not punitive.

Uh we're not uh, you know, hanging out in the parks waiting to catch people doing uh something that we would rather they don't.

Um it really is uh it's more educational that is exactly the way I would have answered that.

Thank you.

Well, Commissioner Jewel, like to kind of tag on top of that comment, like the I I totally get that.

And I guess it's not your mission to go chasing runners.

Um probably well, I mean, it might have difficulty catching them anyway, but uh you know, with some of these social groups that are usual utilizing the park.

I mean, they are literally utilizing the park exactly, I believe how the intent of having the park there for the public.

However, it's a meetup group where there may be more than 25 people and chant actually most nights, there's probably more than 25 people.

Um in my mind, I don't even want them contacted and educated of like, oh, well, chapter 95 says you need to apply for this permit, and here's who's gonna pay for it.

I mean, it's there's no financial thing going on.

It's you know, someone might be like, I'll just pay for it out of pocket to you know pay this fee or whatever, so we can keep doing this.

But I look at it as a community quality, a life problem.

If we're saying, hey, you can't do these kind of events at the parks.

And so my my thought is this if I'm totally fine with everything in here, but um, maybe the next time chapter 95 comes up for review, if that can be addressed and modified um to make sure that we're not impacting people's quality of life who live and recreate here.

I agree.

Of course.

Uh 70 DRC operations superintendent, absolutely.

I hear that.

And we want people to use the parks.

That's what they're here for.

Um, so the goal, obviously, we're not looking for to make money on these groups.

We're looking to just make sure that um that people are educated on on what we're doing, and then that's an excellent point.

It's something that we can look at in the future with what is that threshold and what makes sense for us operationally as well.

Okay, thank you.

Thanks.

Andy Brown, Washville County Parks.

Um, and again, you know, if a group wanted to do an activity, and let's say it was like that, like a like an evening mountain bike event or running race, or I mean just like a like a jog, right?

Like just a group of people getting ready, you know, to take a jog in the park.

And they wanted to apply for that permit.

We do uh allow folks to request a fee waiver.

So they don't necessarily have to pay those fees if they request that fee waiver, but it's more about capturing like here are the do's and don'ts.

Um, you know, from field level, we're looking at it as you know, maybe we can have you guys park over here so we're not impacting the use of everyone else while you come and do your thing for 20 minutes.

So it's just more of a way for us to be able to help them um, you know, help us manage the park a little bit more efficiently with their with their activity.

Commissioner Jewel again.

Uh I totally agree.

Um I would liken it, and here's my thought on that would be to like the Forest Service campfire permit.

You know, there's no fee for it, and all it's it's not a permit in the sense of like you takes a lot of effort to get, it's the Forest Service wants to make sure that you understand a simple set of rules to maybe not burn the forest down.

Um, and that would be my thought for something like this, where like, hey, these small events, you want to go take some pictures, you know, in the park.

You want to, you know, teach a yoga class, less than 10 people or a dog, you know, do dog training less than five people, something like that.

They're like, hey, there's just this little online application, you fill it out, you say what park, what you know, same with the run groups, mountain bike groups, whatever, you know, what date it is.

You guys, you know, they acknowledge some rules, you guys look at it, make sure it doesn't affect maybe a permitted special event.

Oh crap, you know, we're not gonna have parking because 50 people are showing up Tuesday night.

Um, and a really simple process because like even with the fee waiver and stuff, like it's people's time.

And like, I don't know, I have this idea and I realize it's probably just pie in the sky, but the government should be efficient.

And if we can save people time and dealing with the government, like that's a win uh for everyone.

Um, so you know, if if if we can make it simpler for the smaller events, just to like let you guys know it's happening and to acknowledge a set of rules, if that's the intent, like it seems to me like that would solve the problem, and it's really really simple.

Um I really the applications have gotten easier, but it's still like you know, kind of difficult to fill out, um, especially if you don't have like a higher level of Adobe and trying to fit everything into certain size boxes and stuff.

So um at some point I think you know we'll get there.

Um, but uh I this is still for what for what this is, you know, for kind of just uh um identifying and and codifying some of the unofficial policies, it's I mean it's a great start.

Thank you.

Before we move on, uh counselor, um since the clarification was that this was already approved in 2004.

Should we go ahead and put this to a vote to the board?

Yes, I think you can you can put the put it to a vote if you guys are ready and done with your deliberations and questions at this time.

Very good.

Thank you.

All righty.

Uh if there's no more discussion or questions, I will entertain a motion.

Oh, this is Commissioner Joel.

I uh would let me let me read it.

Hang on a second.

Make sure I say it right.

Oh, this one's a simple one.

Um I move to approve the special event policy to be in effect January 28th, 2026.

Thank you, Commissioner Joel.

Commissioner Daigle second that motion.

Very well.

Motion has been made and seconded.

Uh, do we have any public comment?

I have no public comment chambers.

I have no hands raised on Zoom.

Very well.

Motion has been made and seconded.

All those in favor, Sigubab by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion carries.

Moving on to item eight, the presentation and discussion of special event subsidy framework.

This is a non-action item.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Uh again, Stephanie DRC operations superintendent.

So staying on the special event theme.

Um, as you know, does this commission has the authority to approve requested subsidy or fee waivers for our special events in the parks?

So in past discussions, commissioners have expressed interest in being provided some sort of direction or guidance on how to best make that determination.

Um I put together a framework that I hope identifies some criteria that you can filter requests through in order to make a decision on how best to move forward with those requests.

Again, this framework is not a directive.

Um, I'm not telling you how or why you should approve these subsidy or fee uh waiver requests.

Um, it is instead meant to uh be a starting point for conversation uh so that uh you can identify uh what's important to you as commissioners when uh approving those those requests.

So we'll walk through this.

So when we're talking about special event subsidies or fee waivers, um, you as an authority have the um ability to approve or deny those fee waiver requests for special events that come to you.

Um not every uh special event is going to ask for such a thing, but should they ask for it, I wanted you to have a framework that you could run those requests through.

So our goal is to really offer a consistent, transparent, and equitable approach to evaluating those special event subsidies.

Um this guide I'm hoping will support you in exercising your authority to do so.

Um, again, not a directive, just a point of conversation.

Um, and uh it's this is really a point of how important it is to have a diverse commission with lots of different backgrounds in education when you're making these decisions.

So the first suggestion is that there are some eligibility requirements that would qualify an event that's coming to you for a fee waiver or a subsidy.

Um, these are my suggestions.

Uh, my suggestion is that an event would need to obviously occur on county-owned parks and facilities and meet all permitting requirements that we've set forth in the policy previous agenda item.

Um, we would suggest that the applicants in good standing, so they don't have any outstanding balances.

The last event that they had um went well.

Uh they accepted feedback on how we can improve and overall the their good applicants.

Um third, the event would include a publicly accessible component, so it's not exclusive exclusively private event.

There would be some ability for the majority of the population to attend.

And then for repeat events, again, that the post-event reports or meetings are submitted as required.

So I've identified four criteria that I would uh like to bring forward for consideration.

Um, and then I'll go into each uh criteria a little bit more that uh would kind of identify the things that you can think about when you're um when you're identifying a special event.

So, number one would be community impact.

Uh secondly, economic impact, third, financial need of the promoter, and fourth, operational impact.

So start with community impact.

What I'm thinking would be expected attendance, so local versus regional, um, addressing public access and inclusivity, addressing equity and community benefit, um, the impact on everyday park access, and then also community engagement.

So I'm bringing forth some potential questions that you might ask yourself or ask the uh promoter who is asking for the fee waiver.

Um I won't read them all to you, um, but I'm happy to provide them with you.

I actually uh initially uh had about eight pages of questions and I really kind of brought it down to two.

So hopefully that's helpful.

Um so when we're talking about community impact or or evaluating community impact, you can ask what's your anticipated attendance?

Are we looking at a percentage of local versus out of town?

Is the event open to the general public?

Are there physical accessibility considerations for people with disabilities to attend?

Um is it affordable for attendees?

Is it free or is it very low cost um admission?

Um, you know, has there is there an outreach plan?

Are they reaching out to the community like we asked?

Um does the event create opportunities for local vendors or nonprofits?

Those kinds of questions um I think would be important when you are assessing the community impact of an event.

Secondly, we have economic impact.

So we're looking at revenue generation for the community, job creation and workforce development, long-term economic value, and then local versus regional economic benefit.

So some potential questions that you could ask um of yourself or an event um promoter would be you know, talking about the number of local vendors, artisans, or food trucks participating.

Are they using local contractors or service providers, such as security event staff, that kind of thing?

Um are there opportunities for smaller emerging businesses?

Um, will it drive traffic to uh nearby commercial districts?

Um are they using volunteers?

Are there temporary job opportunities?

Um is it supporting ongoing development activities or goals for the community?

Um those are all things that would help kind of uh you rate whether this uh special event um should receive subsidy or uh or fee waiver.

Third, um, we're identifying financial need.

So this would be um the promoter's financial need.

We can look at have they submitted an event budget?

Is it set is it submitted and is it transparent?

Um what is their financial capacity?

Is there public benefit or is it only for for private gain?

Um are there alternative funding sources identified?

Have they looked at grants and uh partnerships um in order to hold their event?

And um, are they considering equity within their event?

So again, here are some of those questions.

Um not read them all to you because I kind of said all of them already.

But um, you know, are they relying heavily on volunteers?

Are there opportunities for youth um employment development?

Um have they pursued grants sponsorships?

Um, would the event be reduced or canceled without counts county subsidy?

That's something to think about as well, or would they be able to do it in just a different capacity?

Um and then the sub would the subsidy that we provide um remove financial barriers for underserved communities.

Finally, we've got operational impact.

Um that's looking at the actual um impact on the department itself.

So we're looking at park capacity and resource use impact on the park operations and staff, um, the environmental and the infrastructure impact, uh safety and risk management, uh, logistics and feasibility, and then disruptions to regular park use.

So some potential questions to ask would you know, does this event fit here in this park?

Um, how much space is required?

Is it exclusive use or is part of the park still going to be available to our regular users?

Um, what's the quality of the event safety plan?

Um, what is the expected wear and tear on turf trails and facilities?

Is there potential damage that would be expected as part of a large-scale event?

Um, and then what's the plan to deal with waste generation?

Is there a recycling plan?

Um, I am well aware that not every special event that comes is going to be able to say yes to all of these things.

And I'm not um implying that every um event that uh would receive a fee reduction or waiver would say yes to all of these things.

These are just topics of conversation that might help you make a better decision or a more informed decision.

Yeah, there's one more slide.

That is not there, so I will just read it to you.

Um there are some final questions that I included in your packet.

Final questions I included in your packet as well, um, that just kind of summarize the four criteria that I identified.

Um, really, those final questions kind of summarize uh the rest of the criteria.

It's talking about does the community benefit um justify the cost of the subsidy or fee waiver?

Um, is the event accessible, equitable, and aligned with county values?

Um is the organizer demonstrating responsibility and transparency in both their planning and in their presentation?

Uh will the event place an unreasonable burden on park staff?

Um, and then finally, does the event enhance the community in a meaningful way?

Um those are those are all really big questions, and um I'm hoping that getting these criteria to these those event promoters who may come to you and ask for a subsidy will help direct their presentation into addressing some of these things, should you agree?

Um but that is uh the subsidy in in a nutshell.

Um I'm hoping that that framework gives you um a place to start when you're evaluating these things.

Um and I'm happy to ask answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you, Superintendent Dear City.

Um Chair Jones, I in the final questions to consider, and this is something that uh you know, does the community benefit justify the cost of the subsidy?

And some of these special events are asking for very large uh fee waivers.

And with respect to these very large fee waivers, I think it's um incumbent upon us uh to really evaluate that.

And these organizers uh, in my opinion, might want to uh be respectful and open up their books.

They don't have to have all the details, but I think we as a commission, if we're gonna be approving enormous fee waivers, that we need to at least figure out what's going on here and what is their real state of affairs.

Thank you.

Uh, this is uh Commissioner Joel uh on that note, Chair Jones.

I for some of the I think every nonprofit that has come to us with a fee waiver, I have looked on the IRS website because their tax returns are public information.

It is very eye-opening.

Um my uh specific question.

So I just want to clarify only the commission, only the parks commission can grant a fee waiver, or is it possible for staff to do some of the lower uh like a very small event that's just asking for a fee waiver because it's a very small event, family gathering type thing.

Does that have to come to Parks Commission, or can staff follow that checklist of questions to ask to make that determination?

Um Stephanie DRC operation superintendent.

So generally the fee waiver process that we're describing would come would come from large special events and would come directly to park commission.

So you have the authority to do so.

We don't generally get fee waiver requests for private parties or smaller events like special activities, but um, should that happen, then we could uh assess that within the department as well.

But park commission has the responsibility of applying to fee waivers.

So we're I just wanted Commissioner Joel again, we're just not we're not, I just don't want to make sure that we're time we're uh we're not by by approving, or we're not it's not an action item.

Okay, all right.

I'm I'm I'm a soup sandwich going on here.

Um so your hands aren't tied to address a small request, then that would you're that you wouldn't have to tell them like, oh, you have to take that to Parks Commission because you know, for us to look at a 250 dollar fee waiver, like we're the county's gonna spend more in staff time just to put it on this agenda.

Um so like I I would it be wise to add to this a threshold amount where like staff looks at fee requests under $500 and above that it has to go to the parks commission.

Um Stephanie DRC um operations superintendent.

So this is not um a formal document.

This is just a document that I'm creating for you as uh a consideration as you are looking at these things.

So I don't know that it necessarily needs to be added here because this is just uh a tool that you can use.

It's not necessarily um, you know, a policy.

Um, and I will let Eric Handle ask for that.

Uh thank you for the record, Eric with Washington County's community services department.

Uh what what's in front of you today is specific to special events.

So think back to that definition that we went to.

This is specific to special events, special activities, normal rentals, that type of thing.

Yeah, there's some language in chapter 50 uh 95 that allows the director to do some fee waivers and that type of thing.

Okay, but now that's specific to special events and you would see that fee waiver in whatever agreement came forward that you would ultimately approve.

So that's how you're approving, quote unquote, the fee waiver or the fee reduction, it's through the approval of whatever agreement comes before you for consideration.

Uh thank you, Director Crump, um, for clarification.

I don't believe do we have any more uh questions, comments.

No public comment chambers.

Uh I have no public comment on Zoom, but Commissioner Kazanski does have her hand raised.

Very well.

Thank you.

Yes, Commissioner Kazanski, again, um, thanks for that presentation.

I think this is a very um helpful framework.

I do just have one question.

While you were um going through the material, you suggested that applicants might be able to tailor their application or their presentation to us by um looking at some of the policy goals of the uh event itself.

And I'm just wondering if the applicants will see this framework or if they will be provided with it, or if they will have some way to know what what the objectives um that we will be um focusing on are.

And I'm just wondering if the applicants will see this framework or if they will be provided with it, or if they will have some way to know what the objectives that we will be um focusing on are um again, Stephanie DRC operations superintendent.

That's a great question.

I didn't anticipate that we would share this directly with them.

This was um more a tool for the commission to use.

However, um, I don't want it to be a secret of what what we're looking for.

I'm happy to share that criteria with them and basically what's important to us um as a department and organization so that they can take that into consideration when they are making their presentation.

I don't think it hurts anyone to know um what we expect or what we're looking for.

Thank you.

Very well.

Any more questions, discussion?

Hearing none.

Uh, thank you, uh Superintendent DRC.

Uh, moving on to item number nine.

Presentation, discussion, and possible approval of a special event agreement with Reno Street Food LLC for the Food Truck North Valleys events to be held at North Valleys Regional Park on Thursdays, June 11th through August 6th, 2026, at a cost of $6,600 paid to Washoe County for the current year and corresponding dates in both 2027 and 2028.

This is for possible action.

Again, Stephanie DRC Parks Operations Superintendent, you're gonna get real tired of me in this meeting.

Um, so last year an event was brought forth um as a trial event um for food truck Thursdays out at North Valleys Regional Park.

Uh, this event um by Reno Street Food was a compliment to the original Food Truck Friday um and an extension into those that North Valleys uh area of our community and into the North Valleys Regional Park.

Uh it was a great success, and we they are interested in returning.

Um, so we are bringing forth a special event agreement with Reno Street Food that includes a three-year agreement.

We would like to extend um that agreement uh past what we did last year and in a one-year agreement.

So I would like to uh introduce Drew Schroeder to uh provide a presentation on this event this worn out.

Good afternoon.

My name is Steve Schroeder.

I'm the owner founder of Reno Street Food, which puts on community food truck events, and we've expanded this last year.

We are now Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as you can see in our logo.

I just want to start out with saying thank you.

Um not just something that a company puts on, it requires the community to do it.

It requires a lot of forethought, a lot of approvals in the process.

And I want to say thanks to you guys for and Stephanie and Andy and Celia out of the park, uh, for allowing us to put this on uh and together when we started through the course of the event in constant communication uh with park staff and how we can do a better job for our guests for the parks and for our community.

And uh 2025 was a great success.

I think I even provided some of this in the beginning last year for the proposal to for us to do this.

But for those of you new commissioners, uh congratulations and thank you for being here.

Uh, we started in 2012 with the goal of creating a food truck industry that Nevada, Northern Nevada did not have.

When we started in 2012, there were literally only six food trucks that existed in Washa County that were registered.

Um by 2025, just on the books of the city of Reno Business Licenses, we're seeing over 150.

I think we're close to about 200 food trucks in our area, made up of many cuisines.

So the vision has come to fruition in growing an industry.

That industry um has done great things for our community.

Um we need an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the mobile food industry to grow and thrive.

I wanted a place for families and friends to gather and be together.

Um I was raising small kids at the time, and then you know, in Reno, I grew up here.

What do you do under 18?

What do you do under 21?

Um, and what do you do as a family?

And being in the parks, which is the special sauce, the secret sauce, not so much the food trucks, it's the parks that create the opportunity for those to gather and come together.

I want to create a culinary experience for Reno, much like big fan of Anthony Bourdain and his shows.

And uh I went to Calpali and San Luis Obispo and they had a thing on Thursday nights that's been going on for 50, 60 years called the Thursday Night Farmers Markets.

They close down the streets, they bring out barbecues, they bring out vendors, farmers' markets.

It's a wonderful activity.

We didn't have that at the time.

We're getting close to it now.

Food Truck Friday at Idawell Park has been a huge community solution for that and a great gathering together.

We are a free-to-attend event.

That's been our motto and our vision from the beginning.

We want everyone to be able to come down.

And the beauty of that is just seeing, you know, single parents with kids, maybe they're struggling.

They can come to the park, attend the event.

They might not even purchase from a food truck, but those kids are going to school on Monday to say they went to Food Truck Friday.

And that's where our success is.

We expanded this last year with our North Valleys and South Reno locations.

We've achieved what I wanted: a family event, a community gathering.

One of the great things about food is it brings people together.

My favorite statement is food's one of the things that can transcend language, culture, and religion and bring strangers together.

Kind of like being on a cruise ship when you meet people, you usually meet them at the buffet and then you turn into lifelong friends and you go home and you stay together and communicate.

North Valleys Regional Park.

So what a great park.

It's huge.

And I love it.

And in review with uh Andy, uh this last year after the event, you know, our guests, our challenge for last year to do this, which might continue this year, not sure.

Um, if you've ever driven to North Valleys from Reno, um the highway was the problem.

Uh, we had many guests who were trying to get home that couldn't get there on time, or it took them too long to get there.

Our food trucks were late.

Not our problem, but it was a problem.

Um, the freeway closures.

And on Thursdays, I was lucky enough to three of our nine and Thursdays.

The road was closed due to accidents.

Um North Valleys food choices.

There's not a lot of variance in food choices in the North Valleys in terms of restaurants.

Interesting, uh, I did meet with the uh neighborhood advisory board back in October.

And I know it's a city project, but the city is also very interested in the growth of this event and in having this event, as well as we at the county with the use of the park for the constituents and the you know guests, uh those that live in the North Valleys for being able to have some food choices.

And as they move forward in their decisions of you know, planning commission towards reality of any projects coming on board, they're asking more and more about what food is going to be coming to North Valleys.

Um Education.

We brought food to North Valleys that there's not restaurants that represent those food, cultural food.

So it was great to see people that were having an opportunity to try something that they hadn't seen before or maybe in their neighborhoods, had not bought from.

Um business model is to provide a space to gather, eat and hang out with family and friends.

And that was a great from day one when we started through the end of the summer.

We saw that growth take place of people just bringing their chairs, hanging out.

Um, the interesting thing about Food Truck Thursday that's different from Fridays, different from Wednesday.

Um, the population, because there is a lack of restaurants in North Valleys.

Um, and I was talking with Andy about this.

I go, I don't know how to track the quantity of people that are in the park because what they do is they drive in, see the food trucks, order, get back in their car, go home with it.

So we've become a restaurant solution for the residents of North Valleys.

They didn't stay in the park.

I want them to stay.

But um that was interesting.

We're committed to this event and for the growth, and thank you for having this proposal for the next couple of years that gives us as a business owner satisfaction of the uh not knowing as you go into putting all your resources together to create a business entity.

And uh, we're committed to growing the awareness of the event and growing the event for the residents of North Valleys.

Uh the event was a success.

We brought 14 restaurants a week on wheels to the park.

Um, because of the limited dining, again, we provided food options that are not available in North Valleys.

And um, like I said, we became the go-to restaurant location for those on their way home.

And if we're satisfying that, then great.

We're doing our job.

As you can see, the map we put together, it kind of shows the usage of the park where we lay out the food trucks, guest parking.

Um, we'll be doing a much better job thanks to uh um notification from Andy and Celia about their concerns with making sure we have better signage in the park for guest parking.

Um, everybody likes the simple way.

You know, we see a parking spot, we all want to park in front of the business.

Um, but there is so much parking in this park, it is unbelievable.

I wish Ida Wild had that.

Um we won't be growing this event in terms of what uh the quantity of food trucks coming.

Um our events are different than others because we have a very symbiotic relationship with the food truck owners.

So we're watching their gross sales and their total transactions to know if the audience members are satisfying at least them to keep in business.

So we're always watching.

Do we bring less trucks if there's less people?

Do we bring more trucks to satisfy more people?

I think this is gonna be a pretty good after doing this for 15 years.

I think we have a pretty good number of how we're gonna solve this problem.

Um we bring the garbage cans, the park cleaning staff, we bring waste management with a dumpster into the park.

We have a cleaning crew that cleans the park.

Our motto is leave it as you found it.

And that's our pride in leaving a park in great condition, if not better than when we found it.

Um the park is just a great footprint surrounded by neighborhoods, plenty of parking, plenty of grass for friends and families to sit together, great ingress and egress, which is very important, and minimal impact to the residences nearby because of the way the park is situated.

And Skyvis is just a great, you know, four-lane freeway um to get in and out.

I just included a bunch of pictures from our event that took place this last year, and uh what a fun place to be.

I enjoy it.

When uh four o'clock arrives and we open up and everybody starts selling, and you you know, the guests come in and they start ordering the food and talking about the food and their experience and how they enjoy it and seeing the families and the kids run around.

Um, that's a great thing to do.

We just included some of the highlights of uh what we've been able to do in this community in the last 15 years.

Um another opportunity for food trucks to grow and thrive.

Another opportunity for them where mostly they would go to a maybe a parking lot or a single source location.

Bucks Drive has been very prominent for food trucks to be in a parking lot.

It's a one-off opportunity.

They're not gonna make as much money as coming to an event where we provide the people, they feed the people.

Um, it's provided some economic impact, business growth.

We've created employment during the week where all these food trucks are bringing people in to work for them that might not have that opportunity.

We did see over three million dollars spent by consumers on food trucks at all three of our events in the last year.

Uh we did 31 events, and we saw over 100,000 people attended.

A majority of that was at Idawild Park.

We've seen increased business license revenue, sales tax revenue, permitting and licensing through other departments.

And every week we are booking 90 of these food trucks to give them an opportunity to sell and succeed where they wouldn't have that.

And with that, thank you.

And I hope to do this again.

Thank you, Steve.

That was excellent.

A lot of information there.

Um obviously, this is a very successful event.

And um thank you for taking the time to put this together.

And you know, a hundred thousand people.

Um that's an enormous impact on our community, and that's a tremendous thing.

Very well.

I will open it up to any questions, comments.

Hi, Mr.

Schroeder.

Uh, Commissioner Flangus here, nice to see you.

Um, I wanted to ask, I see on your diagram you have live music.

I was wondering if that's a new addition to kind of bring people into the event longer, or if that was there before and they just didn't take advantage of it.

B.

The answer is B.

Um we did.

Our model was as a sticky factor, they call it in business, bring the band and live music.

Um, it was just single performers.

We put up a tent, provide the generator for the sound.

Um it didn't work at North Valleys Park where it works at the other parks because we had so much of the audience coming and leaving.

So we didn't have that sit and stay.

So we we won't be providing music going into the next year.

I have designated on the map.

But that was a really interesting experiment that kind of blew my mind on why that wouldn't work.

I love music, I love supporting local artists.

All of our musicians are from our local community.

Um, we pay them well.

And um that's a hit and miss.

I'm gonna have to really figure that out because I can't put my fingers around why that's not working at this location at this park because it's in this community.

Um, but we'll be using those financial resources in other places to help make this event better.

Commissioner Jewel.

Um, I'm just curious.

How does um how does the uh the fees work like for your business?

Is it a percentage or a flat fee for the trucks to attend?

It was a learning experience for several years when I started it.

So we are just a flat fee business.

So the bit the trucks know it, it works two ways.

The trucks know this is what it costs to be there, so I can make as money as much money as I can, do the best.

I know what it's gonna cost for me to be here.

In years past, I've done percentages.

The challenge there is I'm not able to install a POS system into each of the trucks to manage what we call the Z tape, which is the final tape that comes out with uh the results.

Um food trucks are in very independent business owners and don't like you to know how much they make and how much they have to report.

So I'll kind of leave that there, and you know what I'm saying.

Um, so I have been we've been we changed it to flat fee.

So we're that and that our growth, our financial what that's it.

As many trucks as you see there times a flat fee, that is our revenue.

So we're not as some folks in the community think, oh, we're doing so well, and that that business guy's doing great.

It's it's pretty flat.

Sure.

Yeah, I understand what a dumpster costs to rent.

So you certainly have expenses.

Commissioner Baker, uh, first off, I I want to commend you.

Uh you you took a simple idea and executed it very well 15 years ago.

Thank you.

Um, and our community's better for it.

So I appreciate that.

Um on the North Valley's kind of layout specifically.

So you did identify last year that you have different a different consumer base.

So they're using it as essentially a takeout restaurant.

Yeah.

Have you incorporated that into your access management plan?

So you have kind of a to go um section and then a to stay section.

So you kind of have maybe a lack, uh, you're trying to prevent kind of cross-pedestrian traffic flow, because if someone's there for 10 minutes versus there for two hours.

Um it's just a different use.

So I was wondering if that was ever addressed in the and kind of the transportation master plan purpose.

Well, that's a great question.

Um the ingress and egress into the parking lot is very good, very accessible.

And being able to pull in, find parking, be able to get out of your vehicle, come to the trucks.

The trucks are the food trucks are designed for it's all to go anyway.

It's just a matter of do you want to sit and stay, or do you want to leave?

Um that'd be a good discussion.

I mean, if there's a way to optimize and be more efficient in what we do in our operations, I'm all for it.

Yeah, and I think you might you probably don't calculate how many people are trying to take to go, but they get frustrated because they can't find a spot close enough and they just leave.

So if there's an access route where it's easy in, easy out, and maybe the food trucks can accommodate that by having online or QR code ordering or something, and uh food's ready to go, man.

All those things I would love.

The only way you work with small businesses that we don't interrupt their business operations, their subcontractors basically.

I wish I could tell them what to do and how to be better.

It's dependent upon how they want to do their business.

Um, I'm currently in the application process right now for our June starting events.

Uh we do our applications January, February, and that's a time where we're able to get everybody before they book anything, so I know how many we're able to get, but we've included, and this year we went fully online.

So we've included the question of the POS systems, um, you know, what they're using.

Do they have an online ordering system?

And is there a way that I could hook that up to make it easier for a consumer?

Uh many of them don't.

And it's just simply um the business owner's reporting mechanisms, the business owner taking on an additional expense to be able to provide that.

Um my background is in small business development, uh, entrepreneurialism, event management, event marketing.

I'm doing everything.

In fact, we're holding three seminars this year with our food truck owners just to give them a sense of um the real world application of what things are happening in the entire industry across the United States for food services, food operations efficiency, ordering, um, all these things that maybe in their little bubble of wearing the hat, all hats of an entrepreneur, they're missing a few things.

If we could provide that to make a better experience, I wish all of them had a QR code and an online ordering system.

I wish I'd be able to get in my vehicle when I'm leaving the office, place my order so that when I arrive, it's already ready.

I cannot manage that for a lot of reasons.

I wish I could, but that would be the perfect world.

Okay.

Oh, you're on hello, okay.

Um thank you again, Mr.

Shadar, Commissioner Flangus here.

Um, I wanted to ask one more time because you mentioned you had the same kind of 14, 12 to 14 um trucks in the North Valleys.

I was wondering if that rotates and if you inform the community about if they rotate um between the locations, anything like that.

Yes, the answer is uh yes.

So it's a quantity of 12 to 14, and they rotate.

So when I get the list of all the trucks that say, yes, I want to do a Thursday night of those 40.

If I can only put out 14 of them, they'll go through a rotation.

And I want that rotation too.

So when you know, in the event marketing experience, um, I want the consumer when they arrived to think, oh, it's it's new and exciting.

I might move the places of the food trucks.

Oh, it's new and exciting.

So it keeps them coming back because I want them to attend um, like we had in South Reno, so many people that were there.

I could have counted, um, and we took pictures of them.

We had a little ceremony.

They consistently came every single night that we had one of our events, and that was a that's that's the goal.

That's a special thing, and I wish people could do that.

But um, yeah, we rotate the trucks.

Commissioner Garcia for the record, welcome.

Thank you for your presentation.

I just wanted to offer my um overwhelming support for the business model and the efforts you've made in the region.

I think uh a lot of people forget about the amount of food deserts we have throughout Waship County.

And I would say that we also have community engagement deserts throughout Washoe County.

Certain neighborhoods do not have those hubs or those places where people feel a draw or connection to, and while you're temporary, I think you do provide kind of that watering hole uh phenomenon that happens in neighborhoods.

So you're supporting small businesses, you're you're generating millions of dollars in sales, you're helping create jobs, um, you're increasing community engagement.

Um, but I think really one of the things that stands out about you is your great community partner.

You're working with all the jurisdictions.

Actually, you're not working with Sparks yet.

Yeah.

Yet, but uh you've been great to work with.

So I just wanted uh say thank you and um thank you for adapting to the needs of the unique needs of each park.

I think that's really important.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I appreciate that.

Um, Commissioner Joel, uh question.

Uh so my background's fire safety.

Uh great event.

Love what you do.

Glad we did it last year.

I just I see that we're going for a three-year permit, which I think is fantastic for your operations.

Um, but you know, generally no one cares about the fire code until you know one of your food trucks is hot fuel in a generator and has a flash fire with a dozen people standing around, and then the public screaming, like, why did this happen?

Uh so I just want to make sure, like, and this maybe this is for staff, but when an application, a special event application comes in, uh, does it get forwarded to the fire department that would respond?

And I'm actually because North Valleys Park is actually in the city limits, correct?

Or is it in a little pocket?

It's I apologize.

Uh Stephanie Diarchi operations superintendent.

Uh, that park is is a pocket.

So we are surrounded by the city of Reno, but so it is it's county response.

So, do those do those applications get forwarded to Truckee Meadows Fire District, or do you have to work with them directly for the fire department permit?

So, to answer your question, yes, we're very aware of fire safety.

Open flames, you know, the state of Nevada actually passed a code two, three years ago for propane inspections, uh natural gas.

And so all of our trucks, it's not and me at the pro owner, I'm at a different level of it, but all of them, they cannot even participate unless they've had their fire inspections, which give them their health permits.

Um, on site, every single week I prepare a vendor list that comes out, and I bombard everybody with these lists weekly, and they're sent to both uh what is it, trucking meadows?

Trucking meadows and city of Reno, so they're able to see those vendors that are on the list on a weekly basis and know who they are, if they're registered or not with both their propane certificates and their fire certificates, as well as we had multiple uh on-site inspections take place by both fire departments coming out to view and and have a great communication.

So we're in constant communication, they're on site a lot, and uh these trucks are very aware of that.

Yeah, I would well I would certainly say, like in your um graphic there of six licensed food trucks in 2000 and what year was that?

2008.

Was it 11?

Eight, eleven.

I'm sorry.

Um I mean, we all know there was a lot more than that that just weren't licensed.

Absolutely.

And I do I think that your events, I mean, particularly probably the the Idlewild one that started um basically getting licensed and following the rules became advantageous to to then participate be able to participate in your events.

Um, so I think there's an impact with that.

And then, you know, it used to be each agency had their own requirements for food trucks, and now it's a regional thing.

So a food truck that gets signed off by the county, the city, or sparks can operate in any three of those jurisdictions.

And like I said earlier, government efficiency, like there's a great example where you know they they made it easier for the business owner.

So thank you for your efforts in that.

Thank you.

A lot of great things have changed in uh 2012.

Um, I was actually part of um working with the city of Reno and their enforcement code department because we didn't even have a code or any municipal code for mobile vendors to operate.

trucks and now it's a regional thing so a food truck that gets signed off by the county the city or sparks can operate in any three of those jurisdictions and like I said earlier government efficiency like there's a great example where you know they they made it easier for the business owner so thank you for your efforts in that thank you a lot of great things have changed in uh 2012 um I was actually part of um working with the city of Reno in their enforcement code department because we didn't even have a a code um or any municipal code for mobile vendors to operate so like you guys are doing with your new policies we went out with staff um to look at six different regions of the United States that were having successful even at that time food truck operations how do they manage it how do they enforce it so we were able to write the code and it got passed um February of 2012 with the city of Reno that became kind of a everybody to look at and I know Sparks used a part of it one of the great byproducts actually I I was kind of the testing base so a byproduct of me starting the business is I became the funnel of or aggregator of all mobile vendors that wanted to participate.

Well now we had a place where I could track all of their licenses all of their permits everything so I became really for the first six years the centralized database of all the food trucks that we're currently operating and the ones that had adhered to the rules because we'll get calls from food trucks that are still single proprietor owned we recommend you know get an LLC do something better but support yourself um get your insurance because we get that a lot why do I need insurance okay well you're you're not ready you should stay in the cottage industry under those rules and maybe not present to the public you know you've got to get your health to permit so it became a great aggregate to send these you know maybe gray area vendors into the system to do a better job for public safety because at the end of the day it's about public safety so it's it's been quite a education on all sides with all departments that we interface with and you know we interface with thirteen different departments between city state county in order as a business owner to provide this event because all of them have a say in how we do this mostly for public safety thank you Steve any more discussion this is an action item uh and hearing no more questions uh I will entertain a motion hi uh this is Commissioner Hill um I would like to move to approve of a special event agreement with Reno Street Food LLC for the food truck North Valley's events to be held at North Valley's regional park at a cost of six thousand six hundred dollars annually paid to Washoe County for a three year term ending in twenty twenty eight and consisting of nine events per year during June July and August very well thank you Commissioner Hill God this is the worst commissioner Flanga second very well motion has been made and seconded do we have any public comment I have no public comment in chambers I have no hands raised on Zoom and I'd like to show for the record that Commissioner Biles Gurtler was online at 238 p.m very well thank you for that update okay we have a motion it's been seconded all those in favor say goodbye by saying aye aye oppose motion carries thank you commission the time is three sixteen uh the chair calls for a brief 10 minute recess we are in recess the recording has stopped

Mr.

Roman.

It's up to you.

Sure.

Okay.

Hold on.

This meeting is being recorded.

The time is now 3.24, and the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission meeting is now back in session.

We are moving on to item 10: presentation discussion and possible approval of the athletic field use policy.

This is for possible action.

Hello again.

So to continue our policy discussions, we are bringing forward an updated athletic field use policy for your approval.

This policy in its entirety has not existed and been approved through BCC.

Portions of it have been, but we are now finalizing and updating the landscape of youth athletics.

Youth and adult athletics in our community has changed significantly in the last several years.

Population has grown.

Demand for field use has increased significantly.

So we this is another one that we thought was really important to get in front of you soon so that we can uh so we can start utilizing that.

So I'm gonna introduce uh Jason.

He is our recreation coordinator who manages uh the fields and the field use allocation and to give you a presentation.

Hi, Jason Alberry, uh recreation coordinator.

Uh so the purpose of this policy is to establish clear guidelines for the permitting and use of Washoe County athletic fields and facilities.

These policies are designed to ensure fair and equitable access to all user groups, protect the integrity and safety of county-owned assets, and promote responsible stewardship of public resources.

This is a list of the athletic fields available for permitting with those uh those fields being split into field types of regulation soccer fields, youth soccer fields, baseball soccer combo fields, youth baseball fields, regulation baseball fields, and practice turf slash flat fields.

So some of the challenges and goals when developing the policy is that we have high demand versus limited supply.

We're managing an increase in league and team requests for a finite number of athletic fields.

And then some of our goals at a formalized legacy operations, we're transitioning from a lot of unwritten historical practices and fragmented drafts to a unified public-facing policy document for community transparency.

And another goal is administrative continuity to provide clear operational guidelines for rec staff to ensure consistent management across future seasons.

So rather than just going through the whole document and reading it out, I've just gathered some of the notable updates and additions.

In this section, we updated the priority list.

We added language stating higher priority, does not guarantee full allocation of all fields requested.

And we added policy regarding team applications that individual teams may only request field space if their rostered players are not already participating in another league utilizing Washoe County facilities.

In section 4.4, we added circumstances for withholding the deposit.

They were by failing to pay the utility costs within the 30-day deadline and by failing to remove the league equipment from fields within 30 days of the end of the fall season.

In section 4.8 inclement weather, we added language to highlight avoiding turf damage.

It is ultimately the responsibility of the league or organization to cancel or reschedule games and practices if conditions make play unsafe or a field use may result in damage to the playing surface.

In section 4.10 facility modifications and improvements, we changed language regarding volunteer work, that any volunteers must complete appropriate volunteer documents.

In section 4.11 keys and locks, we rewrote the section for clarity and added language regarding the required use of combination locks and the right to remove unauthorized locks.

We added policy regarding the end of season key returns that upon expiration or termination of field use permit, all issued keys must be returned to the county.

And in section 4.16 batting cages, we added policy regarding the removal of netting during winter break.

This was a request from the park rangers that due to the risk of bird entanglement, all netting must be removed from batting cages during winter break.

In section 4.17 soccer goals, we added language regarding labeling and condition that soccer goals must be labeled with the organization that owns them and must be an adequate condition to be moved for turf maintenance and upkeep, for example, mowing.

We updated language regarding winter storage that leagues must remove all soccer goals from the turf within 30 days of their permits end.

Any goals remaining on the turf after this period will be moved or disposed of at Washoe County's discretion, and all associated labor or disposal costs will be deducted from the league's security deposit.

They were our major updates for it.

If you did have a chance to read through the um whole policy, I'd love to take any questions that you had.

Thank you, Jason.

Uh excellent uh presentation.

Um done.

Do we have any questions, comments from the board?

Uh Commissioner Hill with his hand raised.

Very well.

Hi there.

Uh, this is Commissioner Hill.

And um, I thought that uh I think that section 4.2, which you referenced in your presentation.

Um, could you take us through the prioritization and the changes that you made?

Uh I see, you know, I'm looking at it right now, and I see the six priorities.

And I'm one question I have is are is that in order of priority?

Is number one more of a priority than number six?

Um, if you could just talk us through how this is going to work, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Yeah, so uh one is highest priority, six is lowest priority.

So county operated programs do take precedence over everything else.

And then going through that, we do uh tend to give priority to established user groups in good standing, and then um youth sports over adult sports, um leagues, and then leagues over teams.

So one thing that we did have to think about when we're putting this priority list together is that we didn't want an ironclad priority list with no wiggle room in it.

Um, and one of the one of the phrases that we came up with was that uh field allocations are determined based on priority, demonstrated need and equitable access.

Higher priority organizations may receive a greater proportion of available field space.

However, higher priority does not guarantee full allocation of all fields requested.

So what that means is this list doesn't mean that an established user group is going to get every single field that they request, and new adult sports teams are only going to get what's left.

This priority list means that the, for example, a new youth sports league may get a higher proportion of fields than new adult sports teams.

Uh Chair Jones, uh, it seems that our uh area and region is growing about two and a half to three percent per year.

And with that, uh, that's a lot of folks that that want to play on these fields.

Uh is there uh a master plan uh for the next 20 years or 30 years or something like that.

How are we gonna handle uh all of these requests with uh a finite amount of fields?

Uh yes, I would love more field space.

Unfortunately, the recreation coordinate, I don't have too much input on a 20-year master plan.

Uh Stephanie DRC operation superintendent.

So there is a master plan that was created um and adopted in 2019.

Um, so that does set kind of the overall plan for uh the department um on a much larger basis.

We are uh continuing to do master plan um updates at individual parks um as as we can.

Right now we're about to kick off the lazy five master plan process.

Um lazy5 is is currently used for youth sports, um, and then through that process, we'll see kind of what is the appetite for creation of additional fields um at that location.

Um, in addition, this is a um a challenge that all the jurisdictions are facing.

Um, this is is really community and region wide, not just a Washoe County um challenge.

Um so uh yeah, you're gonna hear a lot about uh sports fields um in the in the coming years, I'd say.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioner Baker, quick question on um allocation of a particular park.

I know I've kind of run into this.

Uh I used to sit on the Cal Ripkin board out in Spanish Springs, and I know there was some interface issues with lacrosse on a portion of the Eagle Canyon field and uh historically used baseball field for T ball and other things.

Has that been remedied?

I'm not on the board anymore, but I'm just more curious.

Uh yeah, Jason Alberry, recreation coordinator.

Um we did work with the lacrosse team and the Cal Ripkin baseball, and they we came up with the solution of implementing a movable fence between the two goals.

And I did follow up recently with Cal Ripkin, they were happy with the results.

Um I'm not sure if Lacrosse were as happy as they had the whole field before.

But one of the things we did want to look at is the intended use of a field.

Um possibly giving baseball priority on a baseball field.

Okay, thank you for the update.

Uh Commissioner Joel for the record.

Um, for the priorities, uh, so the established user groups in good standing listed as priority two.

Um I makes total sense, right?

I mean, just like with the food trucks, you give them a multi-year contract so they can plan their business for like you know what field space the folks that used it last year get it next year um or get priority to get it next year.

Um I'm thinking back to some public comment that we had maybe two years ago, where um the person was describing uh the situation, basically what's happening there, except what they were saying was happening was that the league was reserving and paying for more fields than they were using to essentially keep those fields for next year to keep priority.

They just looked at it as an investment, right?

If if they just paid the fee and kept the field empty, uh they would have the rights for it next year.

Um this person said that the issue was is that there was no enforcement uh for like fields not used.

So uh have you experienced that occurring?

And then do you maybe nix the priority when you find out that they're simply reserving it for for the uh the the seat license, so to speak?

Yeah, so um our whole recreation stuff is actually quite new with the county.

Um uh it's only my second year.

I had my first year first summer last year.

So we're all quite new.

And one of our goals moving forward is to do a better job of tracking field usage.

So as we move into this season, we will be working with the park ranges and the recreation stuff to do spot checks of fields and make notes of any empty field space.

And then does that lose their priority for that field for next year if they're not using it as paid for or as as promised?

Yes, that's gonna be one of the things um in good standing that we'll that we'll look into.

Okay, thank you.

Very well.

Any more questions, comments from the board?

Uh Commissioner Flancas here for the record.

Um, I don't know if I missed it, but if you could just mention the process by which if you had to take away a field that's been designated to a certain team or league, is that formalized in here?

Uh no, we don't have any formal process for taking away a field.

If it did, unfortunately have to happen, it would just be an email um going out to the sports league with the prior contract being rescinded and not contract, sorry, the permit being rescinded and the new one being put in place.

We did actually have a similar circumstance, not due to any circumstances that the leagues did, just a clerical era.

We did have to pull some permits back.

Um we canceled them and then reissued the new ones.

Very well.

Thank you.

Any more further questions, comments?

Hearing none, I will entertain a motion.

Commissioner Daig, I I move to approve the athletic field use policy to be in place for athletic play to begin on March 1st, 2026.

Thank you.

Motion has been made.

Very well.

Motion has been made and seconded.

Do we have any public comment?

No public comment in the chambers.

I have no hands raised on Zoom.

Very well.

Uh motion has been made and seconded.

All those in favor, sign by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Oppose.

Motion carries.

Moving on.

Item 11 update on pros consulting work to develop a service plan for the possible creation of a park district.

Good afternoon again.

Uh for the record aircraft with Washa County's community services department.

So this is our standing item for the creation of a service plan and uh feasibility study for potential future park district.

I'm happy to announce the statistically valid survey that's being done by the ETC firm.

Um they have over 700 surveys, I believe.

That was kind of their magic number.

So they'll be closing that out here uh probably in the next week or two.

Uh we've been working with the city of Reno and the City of Sparks on a joint landing page that will have branding from all of the jurisdictions.

Um that is going to go live and we're going to use our various communications teams and all three agencies and through social media to drive folks there to start.

Uh it'll be a page that we can continue to update.

Um, this is going to be a long process, you know, probably 12, 16, 18, 24 months, who knows?

Uh, and and information will change.

So uh we decided to create a page where we can provide uh up-to-date and accurate information, and it's not a city of Reno page or a Washoe County page that would be potentially confusing for residents if they're saying a resident of City of Sparks and they think it's not applicable to them.

So we're planning on going live with that page actually next Friday.

Uh and on that page, we'll have the um the survey as well.

It'll be the same survey that went out from ETC.

Uh, we wanted to get the statistically valid survey um completed, but then this will be a survey that's opened up uh to the entire community.

Uh, and anyone can take so we'll make sure and get you that link.

That will go live as well.

We just uh City of Reno worked on that uh to make sure it was accessible uh from ADA standards.

Uh and we plan to go live with both the landing page and that survey, which will live on the landing page next Friday, and we'll get you all those links.

So um there is also uh PROS Consulting, we'll be doing a virtual meeting with uh the Reno Youth Sports Association, so RYSA.

That's the City of Reno's kind of permitting arm for athletic fields.

Uh it will also be inclusive of basically all the um all the uh leagues that we permit as well, which many of them are already members of RYSA, but it'll capture that as well, City Sparks.

So uh they'll be doing a meeting uh that will capture basically all of the field permit holders for City of Reno, City of Sparks, and Washoe County.

Uh and that is scheduled for the um February 12th, I believe.

So that's all the updates I have.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Very good.

Um thank you, Director Crump.

Do we have any questions, comments from the board?

Hearing none.

Thank you.

Um moving on to item 11, park reports.

Thank you.

Again, Stephanie DRC, uh Parks Operations Superintendent.

So again, this is the time that I come and brag about the programs and the staff and the amazing things that they are able to do throughout the year.

So you get a little snippet of the of two months' worth of of the work that we do.

Um, I won't read all of the reports to you because we would be here even longer.

But here are some highlights.

So we ended the year with 8,996 volunteer hours spread across all areas of the department.

Using the current estimated national value of volunteers, that equates to over 312,000 or four additional full-time staff positions.

Our department has been very successful in using volunteers in lots of different areas, and it's something that we're really proud of.

In addition, a contract was awarded to Kimley Horn to assist the county in updating the Lazy Five Regional Park Master Plan.

Kickoff for that process will be this Thursday, and we are looking forward to hearing from that community on what they'd like to see in their parks.

Staff completed a trail construction plan for phase one of the Sierra Front Trail.

This includes 7.7 miles of new multi-use single track trail from the Michael D.

Thompson Trailhead to Hunter Lake Road.

This project is partially funded by a recreational trails program grant our or RTP, and it's expected to go to bid in February.

In addition, we also submitted another RTP grant for phase two of that project, which is bridge design and for improvements to the Nature Loop Trail at Rancho San Rafael.

Again, our Rangers hosted our annual Christmas trees for special families distribution event on December 4th.

Over 50 white firs were harvested from Glenac Creek Regional Park, and they were provided to families with foster and adoptive children, and then those with members that are active duty on the Nevada National Guard.

The trees harvested are part of a fuel mitigation efforts out at Gleena Creek Regional Park.

And the families are incredibly grateful to receive those beautiful trees.

We had a Santa, we had cookies and hot chocolate and festive music, so it was a great time.

Had by all.

Again, this year we partnered with KTMB to host two sites for the Christmas tree recycling project.

Overall, 6,640 trees were collected and 1,077 pounds of stream lights were recovered from those trees and recycled.

Toy Topia is an interactive exhibit that is opened at the Wilbur D May Museum.

It's a large-scale exhibit, family focused, that features the history of toys from the last century.

It will be open until April 26th, so I would encourage you to go visit while you can.

Another special event at Rancho San Rafael.

Dragon Lights concluded the weekend after Thanksgiving with a total of 85,142 people attending this year.

It was up about 4% over last year.

The event was very well attended, and we had mild weather for the majority of its run.

So I believe there was only one day that we ended up canceling for weather-related problems.

Other than that, it was open and well received by everyone who enjoyed it.

We are currently negotiating dates for 2026, but we would expect that they're going to run about the same time frame that they did this year.

And then finally, at our last meeting, there was a request for some additional information on the Davis Creek Regional Park Restoration Project.

That project is currently being managed by our capital improvement team, but they provided me the most up-to-date information that they have at this point that I'm happy to share with you.

There are some significant details that we're expecting to solidify in the next hopefully month or so.

So I hopefully we'll have more for you at our next meeting, but I'll give you what I have for now.

So as we know, the fire at Davis Creek was September 7th, 2024.

At this point in time, we have 90% design plans in hand with an engineer's probable cost construction cost.

Our hiccup or or where we're struggling is that uh it's sitting with the electrical in the park.

So we've determined the safest and most practical way to move forward is a complete uh replacement of the electrical system.

Um, that being because existing lines that um are there are untraceable.

Um, there's a direct bury install that doesn't meet uh current code.

Um, and then there's potential heat damage to the cables underground that we're not sure what the extent of that is.

So um we received an initial offer from the insurance company, and our risk management team is currently in negotiations with them to determine what the coverage will be.

Um so we're waiting to hear on that.

Um, once that funding is secured, uh we'll move forward with final design and proceed with permitting and bidding time frame approximately if everything goes well.

Uh, three months for final design permitting and bidding, and then it would be approximately four months for construction.

So, what have we done?

Um, we've really focused on the removal of the hazard trees.

So the trees that were there are very large, um and when they burned, uh they created some hazard for people in the park, and we're working really hard to get those down so that people can safely be in the park.

We've reopened the park minus the campground at this point.

Um, we are providing access to the Over Creek Trail, which people are really grateful for, and um, and also the the pond, um the rest of the park as well, except for the campground.

And um, and also the the pond, um the rest of the park as well, except for the campground.

Um and we've had multiple volunteer plantings and seedings to help restore a lot of that native vegetation that's no longer there.

Um should this you know continue to drag out a little bit, we'll start having conversations about what can we do in order to get the campground open in some capacity before we're able to do the construction.

Um that is a really uh a longer conversation that we'll be having, but I'll make sure that I update you as soon as we have more solidified plants.

So I'll do my best to answer any questions that you have might have.

Um if not, I will certainly bring it back the next time I see you.

Thank you.

Um Superintendent DRC, do we have any questions, comments from the board?

Uh Commissioner Jewel for the record.

Uh so is the I understand that the insurance settlement or the offer was significantly less than actual calculated losses.

Uh is the funding there from other sources or the the rainy day fund uh to help pay for the rebuilding of the infrastructure.

Uh so like once they get the designs finalized and it goes out to bid, is is that funded or the estimated cost of it funded?

So my understanding um is that we're waiting to see what that final number would be to determine whether where the additional cost uh or the additional funding would come from.

So that's kind of step two after we figure out what we actually have in hand or will have in hand.

Okay.

And I guess this question would be for Commissioner Garcia.

Uh the the county, I understand the county maintains like an emergency fund, right?

And rainy day fund, like getting this contingency fund uh is the official term.

Uh would that be able to help out getting Davis Creek back open, being that there was kind of an emergency that uh led to this.

Uh for the record, uh Eric Crump with Wash County's community services department.

So typically how these things would roll out if we were short uh based on whatever funding source, whether it's a grant or in in terms of insurance proceeds, we'd engage with our budget and finance team.

You know, they're the they're the smart people in the room.

Uh there is a contingency fund that the county manages, and and it might be budgets, budgets and finance departments recommendation to tap that fund, but there could be other opportunities as well.

You know, I'm confident we'll find the funds.

That that would be kind of the last case scenario, but it's certainly there available.

But um, you know, the county's got a $1 billion budget.

Um so these these might be you know big numbers for for parks, but typically, you know, something like this, where we're able to either tap uh savings from other capital improvement projects or defer capital approved.

So we really defer to them on how do we get this moving forward.

So cool.

Thank you.

I I you guys already know it, but you know, the the park is very important to the community and getting it very getting it back open as quickly as possible is very important to them.

And I think I don't want to speak for the rest of the commission, but I I think it's a fair uh thing to say.

Um so if there's anything that we can do to you know convince other branches of the county to make sure that this happens, um like I we're happy to do it.

So thank you.

I appreciate that.

It it's obviously very important to us too.

It's a it's a really special place.

It is agreed.

Do we have any more questions, comments or the Commissioner Bintaninski has her hand up.

Go ahead.

Hi, thank you again for um that update.

Um Stephanie, I appreciate that.

I I have a question about, and maybe this is uh an ill-informed question, but what is the best way for the public to be um kept informed about how the public can get involved in those volunteer events?

For example, is it just simply by going to the calendar of events page?

Um I I would very much be interested in planting, for example.

Uh sure.

Again, Stephanie DRC operations superintendent.

So I would encourage uh members of the public who are looking to get involved to uh visit our website, uh, check out our social media pages.

Um we try really hard to make sure that we're getting as many um of those opportunities out as possible.

Uh we love when the community wants to get involved and help us uh get where we'd like to be.

Um there's there's never enough.

There's always too many projects for us to do with within staff.

So uh yeah, absolutely.

Check out our website, check out our social media pages, um, send me an email, um, and I'll make sure that you get um the information that you need.

Thank you.

Very well.

Thank you.

Uh that looks like all the questions.

Uh thank you, Superintendent DRC.

Uh, director's report, Director Crump.

Uh thank you for the record, Eric Crump with Wash County's Community Services Department.

So uh since uh you last met, there's been several board actions pertaining to parks.

So uh during the October 28th meeting, uh the board accepted uh about thirty seven thousand dollars in cash donations from uh various sources.

Uh during the December 9th meeting, the board approved um the Or Ditch Wild Creek maintenance agreement.

So this is kind of actually the last piece associated with kind of full transition of Wild Creek Golf Course to first tea of Northern Nevada.

Um so uh the county has some responsibilities for maintenance of the ore ditch as it runs through the course, uh, and we were able through this agreement to assign the majority of that maintenance to first tea of Northern Nevada.

Uh and December 16th, uh the board reappointed Commissioner Sean Hill to this uh oh, it's based in the Ridge Parks Commission.

Um January 13th, they approved the easement that came before you that uh we granted to Tomwa at Lazy5 Regional Park.

Uh and then uh this is kind of opposite of what we normally do.

Uh they also accepted an easement.

Uh this was from Tomwa, and this is associated with our uh Canopa Ranch Trailhead and Trail.

So utilizing an existing roadway uh for ADA accessibility to uh base ultimately the river in that trail system.

So that's kind of exciting.

Um then we also uh in the January 20th meeting.

Uh our newest commissioner, Commissioner Flancas was appointed.

So welcome and thank you for your support and engagement.

Uh and with that, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Very well.

Thank you, Director Crump.

Do we have any questions, comments for the director?

Hearing none.

Uh very well.

Moving on to uh commissioner request for future agenda items.

This item is limited to announcements or topics, issues proposed for future workshops, agendas.

No discussion amongst commissioners may occur during this item.

Hearing none, very well.

Moving on to uh public comment.

Mr.

Roman.

I have no public comment, Chambers.

I have no hands raised on Zoom.

Very well.

Item 16 is adjournment.

The time is 3 55.

We are now adjourned.

The recording has stopped.