Washoe County Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting – May 26, 2026
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Washoe County Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting – May 26, 2026
The Board of Fire Commissioners met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 9:00 AM to adopt the final budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. Following a staff presentation on the budget, the board voted unanimously to approve the budget and certify it for transmission to the Nevada Tax Commission. No public comments were received, and no action was taken on the other agenda item regarding a State Infrastructure Bank amendment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public hearing or the separate public comment periods.
Discussion Items
- FY2026-2027 Budget Adoption: Fire Chief Richard Edwards and staff presented the tentative and final budget. Key figures:
- General fund revenues: $59,571,662; expenditures: $56,384,400.
- Projected ending general fund balance: $6.3 million (11.25% of expenditures).
- Capital Projects Fund: $3,204,000 in expenditures, including $4.5 million projected ending balance; three Type 3 engines delayed to FY27.
- Other funds: Extraordinary Repairs ($176,000), Emergency Fund ($1,500,000), Sick/Annual/Comp Benefits ($1,310,000), Stabilization ($550,000), Debt Service ($1,317,653), Workers' Comp ($507,500), EMS Enterprise Fund ($6,058,839).
- EMS Fund: transport revenues $2.2 million, GEMT $1.1 million; 18 personnel assigned to ambulances; accrual-based accounting.
- Staff noted a projected negative net position trend in the general fund, requiring future mitigation.
- Commissioner Hill commended staff and pledged support and legislative advocacy.
- No discussion or action on the SIB Amendment (Item #5) was captured in the provided transcript; the meeting moved directly from the budget presentation to the vote.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to adopt the final FY26/27 budget made by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Herman. The board voted unanimously (all ayes) to approve and certify the budget for transmission to the Nevada Tax Commission.
- The meeting adjourned at 9:18 AM.
Note: The agenda included Item #5 (SIB Amendment for Hidden Valley Fire Station Apparatus Bay), but the transcript does not reflect any discussion or action on that item. It may have been considered earlier or postponed; the provided materials do not include its outcome.
Meeting Transcript
And then our services and supplies is the other 1.4 million, an estimated of that is 500,000 for the north of township 22 cost 711,000 for high priority items, and then adding uh programs that we had placed on hold. This is a list of the 711,000 of the high priority items that was identified by the um the district. Uh the general fund tenant of budget at summary is we are projecting an ending fund balance of 6.3 million at an 11.25% of the expenditures. Capital projects fund. Um we are projecting to end at 4.5 million projected ending fund balance. Um keep the key thing there is that we are um we were expecting the type the three type one engines for fiscal 26, they will not arrive until fiscal 27. So that carries forward along with the grant money that goes with that. Oh, I skipped extraordinary repairs. I'm sorry. Extraordinary prepare uh repairs we're expecting to end at 216,000. Um high level for the capital projects fund is we have the um the 4.33 percent of tax revenue that we transfer from general fund to uh the capital projects fund. Um the high level expenses are 255,000 in loose equipment, 712 in SCBAs, 172 in MDTs, 123 in mobile routers, 293 in VHF radios, um, and the type three again. The type three engines will be taking delivery in 27. Uh second annual comp benefits fund. We this is where we are uh budgeting for the potential seven retirement retirement payouts with a projected fund balance of 53,000. Um, the emergency fund we are projecting to be an ending fund balance of 2.6 million, and then the stabilization fund we are projecting ending fund balance of 150,000. Uh the debt service fund, we have 1.3 million in expendit uh debt payments of principal and interest next year with a uh projected fund balance of 446,000. And then the emergency medical services fund, we are projecting the ending fund balance to be 716,000. Um these are some key points for the emergency medical services fund. Uh the transport revenues are expected to be 2.2 million. The GEMT is expected to be 1.1 million. That's due to a two-year uh calculations based off of two prior two years. Um, and we had some we had three big fires in fiscal 25. Um the tentative budget expenditures include salaries, wages, and benefits of four permanent employees or of an 18 uh personnel that are assigned to the ambulance. And then just one item of note is that the EMS fund is accrual-based accounting, therefore, additional costs include that you do not see in the other funds is the compensated absence, OPEP purse and depreciation. Workers' comp fund, we are projecting an ending net fund, uh, ending net position of 576,000. And then this is the general fund forecast that I shared last time. Um an item of note is that we obviously can't go into a negative fund balance position, but this just helps us to see where we're heading and helps us gives us time to figure out some things that we need to do to mitigate that. And that's the net change in millions, and then that's the end questions. There we go. Thank you. Do we have any questions? Commissioner Hill. No questions, just commending you and the team for pulling all this together and looking forward to a great next fiscal year, and we'll be um supporting you however you need as uh we move forward on the challenging budgeting situation. So, and we'll be advocating at the legislature for TM. So thank you for that. Thank you very much. Well, hearing no other comments, I'll entertain a motion. Have a motion by Commissioner Hill. Do we have a second? Madam Chair, I recommend we just ask for public comment one more time after the presentation. Okay. Is there any public comment? There's still nobody signed in. Okay. So you have to ask beginning and end, huh? No, you usually after the Oh, because it's a public hearing. Gavel twice. Got it. All right.
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