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Record of Proceedings

Washoe County Board of Commissioners Meeting – September 15, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, September 15, 2026
BodyWashoe County, Nevada
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, September 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:57:40

Original source
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22:41

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22:43

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22:51

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22:55

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22:58

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23:10

Or Apple TV.

23:11

Search for Washo County.

23:31

Stay engaged.

23:34

Now available broken fire TV and Apple TV.

25:21

So sometimes she drops off during the calls.

25:24

So we'll let you know what we're going to do.

26:37

That's what Alexis just said.

26:51

No offense to me.

27:04

I can't in the back, I think in the right.

27:15

I can look it up.

27:28

Good morning.

27:32

I'm going to call this meeting to order at ten AM on September 15th.

27:39

And we're going to call the Washa County Board of Commissions meeting to order.

27:43

So welcome.

27:44

I'll go ahead if I could and ask for a roll call, please.

27:52

Would you like to salute first?

27:56

Yeah, I I can do the solution to the flag if you want.

27:59

We are just doing something, but I was going to do the roll call, but I'll go ahead and follow the protocol.

28:03

Mr.

28:04

Bennett, would you ask your class to please do the Pledge of Allegiance for us today?

28:09

All right, here we go.

28:23

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under the individual with liberty and justice for all thank you.

28:37

Did you feel like you were in school?

28:40

All right, well, go ahead and call roll call, please.

28:44

Vice Chair Garcia.

28:45

Here.

28:46

Commissioner Hill.

28:48

Commissioner Clark is absent.

28:50

Commissioner Herman.

28:52

Here.

28:52

Here by phone.

28:53

County Manager Kate Thomas.

28:55

And our DA today is Lindsay Lidell.

29:00

We'll move now to item three, invocation.

29:03

Manager Thomas.

29:04

Thank you, Madam Chair.

29:06

This morning we are joined by Cesar Manera, who is from Word of Wife Ministries to lead us through the invocation.

29:14

Good morning, dear commissioners.

29:20

And thank you for the opportunity to give me to be here and to pray.

29:24

And thank you, everyone, for being here.

29:38

And that is the instruction that we're given.

29:41

And then it says, so that we can live peacefully and in quiet lives marked by godliness.

29:48

So I think it's cause and effect.

30:00

So if we if you can join me in prayer, I would greatly appreciate it.

30:03

Heavenly Father, in the precious name of Jesus.

30:06

Again, I say I thank you for the opportunity to be able to come and pray and declare your blessings, Lord.

30:16

In all the commissioners, their particular lives, their families, their children, their health, everything that is related to them.

30:27

And just like the scripture that I read, it says that we should pray for those who are in authority, so that we could live better lives as you lead them and guide them.

30:41

And they bring peace and good things to our region.

30:46

And I pray for this region as a whole, that as you are included in our thoughts on our leaving, so that God, this will be a good place to live for our families, for our children, for everyone that is going to be a part of this community.

31:06

We pray all of this in the precious name of Jesus.

31:10

Amen.

31:11

Have a great day.

31:12

Thank you.

31:22

Just due to the conflict for the sheriff's office.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement███████████11%
Strategic Planning█████████9%
Library Board Appointments████████8%
Procedural██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Public Comment█████5%
Fire Management█████5%
Regional Planning█████5%
Firearms Regulation█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Washoe County Board of Commissioners Meeting – September 15, 2026

The Washoe County Board of Commissioners met on September 15, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The agenda included proclamations, consent items, appointments to boards, a master plan prioritization update, strategic plan approval, multiple ordinance readings, and public hearings. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Cesar Minera of Word of Life Ministries.

Consent Calendar

  • Safety Awards: Recognized three employees (Jibri Sharp, Marko Markovic, Gloria Jimenez) for safety contributions.
  • Gift Card Donations: Accepted $13,750 in gift cards from multiple donors to distribute to victims of the Hawk and Bug fires whose homes were destroyed.
  • Trail Easements: Approved three Public Trail Easement Deeds and Maintenance Agreements with Mesa View by Desert Wind, LP, for trails in the Sun Mesa Subdivision, including approximately 0.43 miles of trail on 62,526 sq. ft. of easement area.
  • NV Energy Easement: Approved a Grant of Easement for utility facilities at 10575 Silver Lake Rd., Reno, for a railroad crossing safety improvement.
  • RPC Appointments: Appointed Linda Kennedy and Daniel Lazzareschi to the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission for terms ending June 30, 2028 and June 30, 2029, respectively.
  • Uncollectible Taxes: Authorized striking $119,710.90 in uncollectible personal property taxes from fiscal years 2018–2024.
  • Grants Accepted:
    • FY27 Office of Traffic Safety grant up to $72,000 (county match $18,000) for traffic enforcement checkpoints.
    • FY25 Homeland Security Grant up to $154,000 (no match) for bomb squad x-ray equipment.
    • FY27 Office of Traffic Safety grant up to $47,250 (county match $15,750) for three Preliminary Breath Test kiosks.
    • Retroactive approval of Security Agreement with Reno Street Food for law enforcement services at events (no fiscal impact).
  • All consent items were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Terry Brooks: Advocated for multicultural hiring practices, stating diversity increases collaboration, innovation, and productivity.
  • Tammy Holt Still: Criticized the county's response to the Hawk Fire, alleging inadequate air support and delayed emergency declarations, and expressed concern about higher tax rates for rebuilt homes.
  • Barbara Smith: Requested monthly public reporting of aggregate, non-identifying ICE detainee numbers held at the Washoe County jail.
  • Kanise Tasman: Expressed concern over automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in Reno and Sparks, citing privacy risks and misuse incidents including stalking (61 reported) and non-law enforcement use (106 incidents) nationwide.
  • Deirdre Nolan: Raised teenage drug use in Nevada, noting the state ranks 42nd in teen drug use and 48th in education spending ($3,663 per student vs. Massachusetts' $36,000). Called for improved education and anti-drug campaigns.
  • Kathy Meade: Warned that the City of Reno's Meridian 120 project (detention basin with two 36-inch outlet pipes draining into a country-maintained ditch) will cause flooding on her property and county roads due to undersized 18-inch pipes under the county road.
  • Sandy Tibbet: Blamed the Hawk Fire deaths (including a woman found in a ditch) on lack of air support and criticized county/state response; demanded answers and cleanup.
  • Penny Brock: Questioned equity in early voting locations, noting Commission District 3 has more sites than District 2 (90,000 residents, only two early voting locations). Also raised concerns about new “super centers” from California.
  • Eileen Eklund: Urged the board to require the Sheriff’s Office to publish monthly aggregate ICE detainee data, noting over 60% of ICE detainees have no criminal record.
  • Deanna Radcliffe: Detailed concerns about the Meridian 120 project's drainage redesign, which she said bypasses on-site retention and dumps stormwater onto county infrastructure.
  • Farrah Downey: Expressed interest in serving on the Washoe County HOME Consortium Technical Review Committee, citing her experience as both a formerly homeless individual and a real estate provider.
  • Deanna Newcomb: Voiced support for the equine facility code amendments (Item 18), thanking staff for years of work.
  • Penny Brock (later on Item 16): Asked the board to include specific funding in the Strategic Plan for a community center and fire station in Washoe Valley (Commission District 2), and for improved emergency roads.
  • Penny Brock (on Item 17): Opposed reducing BCC meetings from three to two per month, arguing it limits public input and violates First Amendment rights.
  • Katherine Yarte: Spoke in full support of the equine code amendments, stating it took her 1,114 days to obtain a business license under the old code. Called the update clear and workable.

Discussion Items

  • Jail Status Report (Q4 FY26): Captain Stewart presented data on the Washoe County Regional Detention Facility. Key statistics: daily population average 1,212 (currently 1,260); 4,049 bookings vs. 3,926 releases; 64 medical refusals, 94 grievances, 113 ER referrals; suicide watch placements 198, interventions 10, zero completed suicides; inmate-on-inmate batteries dropped from 102 to 72; jail days saved via programs 6,971 days, saving $1.1 million. Vice Chair Garcia requested future reports include staffing study results. Commissioner Hill asked about ICE detainee data transparency; Captain Stewart stated they are contractually prohibited from releasing numbers for federal inmates, but will inquire if ICE publishes aggregate data.
  • Proclamations: Unanimously approved for National Forensic Science Week (Sept 20-26), National Voter Registration Day (Sept 15), and Emergency Preparedness Month (September).
  • Board of Equalization Appointments (Item 9): After multiple voting rounds and a tie-breaker, the board appointed Marilyn Dash and Robert Lissner as regular members (terms 1/1/2027 – 12/31/2030) and Karen Hayes as alternate member (term 1/1/2027 – 12/31/2027).
  • HOME Consortium TRC Appointment (Item 10): The board appointed Farrah Downey as the Washoe County Citizen Representative (term through June 30, 2029) after a single round of voting.
  • Master Plan Implementation Priorities (Item 11): Staff presented a revised priority list. After discussion, the board voted unanimously to adopt the following order:
    1. Leave of absence rules for Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment (Chair Andriola's request, mirroring CAB language)
    2. Dark skies code update
    3. Public noticing improvements
    4. High energy and water uses (regional coordination)
    5. Landscaping and irrigation code updates
    6. Standards related to emissions and resiliency
    7. Sensitive area environmental review standards Prioritized Development Areas (originally #4) were moved to the bottom. Commissioner Hill had suggested demoting development areas, but the board compromised to keep it as last priority.
  • Strategic Plan FY27-29 (Item 16): Assistant County Manager Dave Solero presented the new strategic plan with four focus areas: Fiscal Resilience & Stewardship, Sustainable Infrastructure & Growth, Community Health & Well-Being, and Culture of Innovation. The board approved it unanimously after positive comments.
  • Ordinance Reducing BCC Meetings (Item 17): First reading of an ordinance to reduce regular monthly meetings from three to two. The board introduced it (bill no. 1961) and set second reading for October 3, 2026. The vote was unanimous.
  • Public Hearings:
    • Equine Code Amendments (Item 18): Second reading of ordinance amending Chapter 110 to establish use categories for equine facilities (small, medium, large), adjust parking/landscaping requirements, and streamline administrative review permits. Adopted unanimously.
    • Congested Shooting Areas Ordinance (Item 19): Second reading of ordinance amending Chapter 50 to replace metes-and-bounds descriptions with maps and clarify procedures for adopting congested area boundaries. Adopted unanimously after a clarification that “areas” be changed to “area maps” to avoid misinterpretation.
    • Resolution Adopting Congested Area Maps (Item 20): Resolution R26-82 adopted new congested shooting area maps, including expansions south/east of Golden Eagle Regional Park and north of Sun Valley (between Sun Valley and Hungry Valley). Vice Chair Garcia emphasized maps use physical landmarks for clarity. Adopted unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Appointments:
    • Marilyn Dash and Robert Lissner appointed to Board of Equalization (regular); Karen Hayes appointed (alternate).
    • Farrah Downey appointed to HOME Consortium TRC.
  • Master Plan Priorities: Unanimously approved modified priority list; staff directed to begin work on the leave-of-absence rule for Planning Commission/BOA as the top item.
  • Strategic Plan: Unanimously approved FY27-29 Strategic Plan.
  • Ordinance Introductions: First reading passed for reducing BCC meetings; second reading set for October 3, 2026.
  • Public Hearing Outcomes:
    • Equine facility code amendments adopted.
    • Congested shooting area ordinance and resolution adopted.
  • Jail Report: Accepted as information; staff to look into ICE data transparency and include staffing study in future reports.

Meeting Transcript

Staying informed just got easier. Now you can watch live and on demand Washoe County meetings and content on Roku Fire TV and Apple TV. Right from your home on your schedule. As more people cut the cord and move away from cable. These new options provide a more flexible and accessible way to stay connected with your county. Or Apple TV. Search for Washo County. Stay engaged. Now available broken fire TV and Apple TV. So sometimes she drops off during the calls. So we'll let you know what we're going to do. That's what Alexis just said. No offense to me. I can't in the back, I think in the right. I can look it up. Good morning. I'm going to call this meeting to order at ten AM on September 15th. And we're going to call the Washa County Board of Commissions meeting to order. So welcome. I'll go ahead if I could and ask for a roll call, please. Would you like to salute first? Yeah, I I can do the solution to the flag if you want. We are just doing something, but I was going to do the roll call, but I'll go ahead and follow the protocol. Mr. Bennett, would you ask your class to please do the Pledge of Allegiance for us today? All right, here we go. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under the individual with liberty and justice for all thank you. Did you feel like you were in school? All right, well, go ahead and call roll call, please. Vice Chair Garcia. Here. Commissioner Hill. Commissioner Clark is absent. Commissioner Herman. Here. Here by phone. County Manager Kate Thomas. And our DA today is Lindsay Lidell. We'll move now to item three, invocation. Manager Thomas. Thank you, Madam Chair. This morning we are joined by Cesar Manera, who is from Word of Wife Ministries to lead us through the invocation. Good morning, dear commissioners. And thank you for the opportunity to give me to be here and to pray. And thank you, everyone, for being here. And that is the instruction that we're given. And then it says, so that we can live peacefully and in quiet lives marked by godliness. So I think it's cause and effect. So if we if you can join me in prayer, I would greatly appreciate it. Heavenly Father, in the precious name of Jesus.

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