Madame clerk. All right, madame mayor, we're ready to go if you are. >> Hey, thank you so much and I appreciate everyone's patience. Um, there are certain protocol that we have to follow before we begin the meeting. So, um, thank you very much. Okay, it's Wednesday, August 27th, 2025. And um I would like to call up Chief Nance. Where are you? I would love for you to lead us in the pledge and then lead us in a moment of silence. >> Please stand to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Uh thank you, Madam Mayor, and uh members of the council. I appreciate uh this opportunity. Uh as most of our community knows, uh we lost a beloved member of of our uh RPD family this week. Uh very tragically, Sergeant uh Ernest Casmier uh passed away on Friday night. And at this point, uh, we would really, uh, appreciate if everybody could join us in a moment of silence and keep his thoughts, your, uh, thoughts and prayers for his family and friends and RPD colleagues. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you very much, Chief Nance, and to our whole department. They're here behind you. And we appreciate you so much for your sacrifice and service. I know you guys are going through a really really tough time. Um I just our hearts are just breaking for everyone in our community. Um just know that if there's anything we can do at all, please don't hesitate. >> I' I'd be remiss to not mention the outpouring of support from everybody uh both in the community, our electeds and uh other city leaders and the help that they've provided us through this very challenging time. So thank you for that. >> All right. Thank you so much, Chief. Right, Madame Clerk. I am going to send it to you for roll call. >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Calling roll for Wednesday, August 27th, 2025. Vice Mayor Taylor >> here. >> Council member Dor >> here. >> Council member Martinez. Council member Eert >> here. >> Council member Reese. >> Absent at this time. Council member Anderson >> here. >> Mayor Shivy >> here. Mayor Shiva, you do have a quorum of the Reno City Council. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Before we go into public comment, I would like to introduce our mayor for the day. We're trying not to scare her away too much from politics, but um this is Mave Redmond and we are excited to have her. She has been shadowing certain professions uh throughout the city this week and today she gets to be mayor for the day. So Mave, um introduce yourself a little bit and tell us a little bit about you and who you are. Well, thank you for having me today. I am a high school student from New York and I am just really excited to learn about politics and all of that. My great-grandfather was the speaker of the house for Illinois and so I've always had an interest in it and super excited to be here. >> So, it's in the blood. Okay, >> I got it. All right. Well, thank you. We're excited to have you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um I'm going to send it back to you, uh, Madame Clerk, for public comment. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Our first item today is opening public comment. Members of the public may hear, observe, and provide public comment virtually by registering through the following link, which can be found on reno.gov/meings. https colon slash slashl i n ks period r e n o period go vward slash c o n c i l08-27. It should be noted for those in the audience that comments are to be addressed to the mayor and council as a whole. Comments heard under this item will be limited to three minutes per person and may pertain to matters both on and off the council's agenda. Council may not take action upon any matter not agendaized on today's agenda. When you're called on for public comment, please state your name for the record and begin speaking. The timer will begin when you say your name and you will be afforded three minutes. For those participating in chambers in account in accordance with council rules 6.3.11, while in this room, please be respectful. Disruptive behavior from audience members like clapping, yelling, whistling, etc. which impede the meeting may result in a warning issued by the presiding officer. If the behavior continues, you may be removed from chambers. If you're an attendee in the Zoom meeting and would like to make public comment, please raise your hand at this time. >> Our first public commenter, >> our first public commenter is Darren McDonald, followed by Mark Markell, followed by Terry Brooks. All right. Good morning, Darren. >> Good morning, madame mayor, members of the city council. Uh, I'm calling to speak on the motion before you, B1. That's the motion for the financial advisory board of which I'm the chair and our work plan and our uh report for the year. This year, we predominantly focused on the reviewing of course the quarterly reports. We review the budgets, the the augmentations to the budgets, the fee schedules that are proposed through the work dig diligently done by the finance department and that comes before you as well as we review all of the audit reports prepared by internal audit as well as the external auditor. Moss Adams and uh the ACE report for the city. We work predominantly with the um the big project this year was probably the travel reimbursement policy. We went through that for several sessions to try to make some recommendations for the city manager to uh begin to implement. So we uh we sit as an advisory board. We sit uh as an advisory board to you to the city managers and finance office as well as uh to work on any special projects you may have for us. >> That's fantastic. How long have you been on there, Darren? >> Uh I will be concluding my fifth year uh in October. That'll be so full term there. It's about uh we are 11 member body. I think we have 10 members presently. >> Actually, you also have on your motion for G2 uh replacement for one of our uh absent holes. We did vote for to recommend Brian uh Herbis. >> Okay. >> Forward to that position. >> Perfect. All right. Thank you so much. I'm so glad you're here. It's really important to have uh your independent view. >> No worries. >> So, please come anytime or reach out to any of us. I think it's really valuable work that you do. Oh, we we have uh a great complement of a lot of different skills on that board. So, it gives us a lot of different perspectives and hopefully that helps. >> Yeah, definitely. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> Mark Markell followed by Terry Brooks. [Music] Good, good morning, madame mayor and city council and city manager. My name is Mark Markell. I confirmed your resident. All I want to do is warn people and show people what can happen when you get in the car to the drunk driver, but the city manager before you and her secretary who I retired, she was a little old lady before, but they told me not to come here. And I feel it's an important message not to get in the car with a drunk driver because it's a bad scene. I can't walk anymore. I can barely clean my apartment. I live at a building managed by ASI [Music] and it's a very important I was involved in drunk driving crash we were doing 100 and we're roll eight times and I got jacked and the car landed on my head. So, I have a serious brain injury. So I I listen to what people say and and hey the only reason I'm here they told me not to come but the only reason I'm here is cuz I believe it's important to warn people and show people what can happen to drunk people ride with drunk drivers what what drunk drivers can do went ruin my life. Uh my my son's a cop and my daughter works at uh well I have a daughter. I don't I don't know where she works. She works. She walks dogs. Anyways, I just want to be sure I I it's ruined my life and I just want to be sure people don't drink and drive. Well, I got a car drunk driver, but I want to be sure that people don't drink and drive. I I just I I don't know. I'm brain damaged. So please get the car with the drunk driver. >> Mark, >> thank you. >> Great message. Very important. >> Thank you so much. >> Terry Brooks, followed by Kristen Kennedy, followed by David Shakar. Good morning. It's me, Terry Brooks, again, and today I'd like to share with you my thoughts on Social Security and what seniors go through. Most seniors have worked for several decades and have paid a lot of Social Security. And finally, when turning 62 or older, they get to collect Social Security. And when they finally retired and left their job, they left an opening for someone younger to get that job. And while those seniors are retired and collecting their social security, those younger workers who replace them are paying for social security. So when seniors become 62 or older and consider their work already done and younger people can get their old jobs, it benefits everyone. Because of social security, seniors who have worked a full life can then retire and relax and enjoy the rest of their life. Some seniors who collect Social Security use it to pay their rent, while others use it for other things because they don't have to pay rent. I had to retire four years before I could collect social security and I just couldn't wait till I could collect social security. My house was already paid for so payments for rent or rent I didn't have to pay. But I deposited into my bank account to save for a rainy day. Then I had to sell my house and move to Reno and started paying rent. And it was my social security that wound up paying my rent. Social Security was a good idea to not only help older seniors, but it also helps those in the families of older seniors. To do away with social security is what some politicians want to do. But if it quit, if I quit, if I quit receiving my social security, I don't know what I might do. Social Security is a means to give back to those who never stop giving. And by giving back to them, it helps them make a living. I would like to thank you all for listening to me today and I look forward to coming back if I feel secure enough that day. >> Oh, thank you. >> Very good, Terry. Where are we at? >> This is chapter 14. And just so you know, I've only got 32 more chapters. >> Great job. >> Kristen Kennedy, followed by David Shakar, followed by Steven White. Good morning, Madame Mayor and members of the council. For the record, my name is Kristen Kennedy. I'm the executive director at the Domestic Violence Resource Center, and I'm here today to express our deep gratitude for your consideration of our funding request listed under consent agenda item B14. As I'm sure you know, domestic violence survivors often carry more than visible scars. Every single day we work with individuals who are not only healing from abuse, but they're also confronting complex challenges of substance use, often opioids and other co-occurring issues that arise from prolonged trauma. For many, healing isn't possible without addressing both the violence they've endured, and then the substance use that follows. The funding you're considering supports critical group therapy, individual counseling at the domestic violence resource center as well as the delivery of domestic violence specific support within our partner agencies that deal with sub addiction recovery. These services many survivors simply don't have the resources to access on their own. So they're not just therapy sessions. They really are lifelines. and their lifelines that help survivors build rebuild and regain stability and reclaim their lives. The domestic violence resource center is preparing um for a major step forward. Soon we'll be breaking ground on a 40,000 square foot resource center that will include a 100 bed emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors. And your investment um represents our first step in building the programmatic capacity to expand services. So, it allows us to begin growing the trauma-informed, compassionate support that survivors need to heal from both emotional trauma and substance use. Your consideration reflects not only a commitment to public safety and health, but also a compassion for those whose voices are often unheard. On behalf of the survivors that we serve and our staff and our entire community, thank you for recognizing this need and believing in the power of healing and recovery. We're truly grateful for your partnership and your leadership. Thank you. >> All right, Kristen, thank you. Incredible. Incredible work you guys do. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. No, it it's incredible. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> David Shakar, followed by Steven White, followed by Steve Shell. >> Mayor, >> good morning. >> And mayor for the day. welcome and appreciation to the always awesome Reno City Clerk's office who provided valuable assistance to me. >> Um, 25 years ago, uh, Nevada instituted Assembly Bill 351 and requires the constitutional protection of free speech in Nevada's public parks. I'm going to read just a couple of things about that. Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States has recognized that art is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment. hand. Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States has held that public parks are quintessential public forums where citizens may engage in constitutionally protected expression, subject only to reasonable restrictions on time, place, and manner of their doing so. Whereas the president's committee on the arts, pardon me, and humanities has found that participation in the arts and humanities unlocks a human potential for creativity and supports a thriving culture that is at the core of a vital society. Uh recently there was a public event in a public park that is in the domain of Wo County. It's not a Reno public park. It was Retro San Rafale. They had this thing called the Greater Reno Tahoe Cityfest and I was confronted by several Wo County Sheriff deputies that did not like the fact that I was drawing free caricatures for veterans and active duty personnel. To be clear, that wasn't their decision. It was an event promoter that realized that I was not a vendor. I guess they thought I was a vendor because I had uh an easel and I'm drawing people. Um I have a 10-second video I'm going to show you where the county Sheriff's Department thought that it was some type of a private event. >> The citation is 500 Federal 3rd 953. that negates what you're saying in that landmark civil rights case that covers state of Nevada and other states that I do have a right to be in public and exhibit and sell my own self-created artwork. >> This park is being reserved is not public right now. >> It's not public right now. Even though it was advertised as being public in 2007, >> they just said that it's not public right now. And the other Washington County Sheriff's deputy said it was uh p it was private. That's a public park. You have a you have a right to do anything with only reasonable restrictions in the public park. Am I finished already? Yes, you are. I know it went fast, but um >> I have so many thoughts about this. >> I'm very disappointed >> um in the promoter >> um and I'm not familiar with them exactly and hopefully we can have a conversation. I do have um some ideas that I think could be very beneficial. Maybe signage in the park that says, "Did you know?" and something that everyone can refer to because we want to continue to encourage freedom of expression and arts in the park. Um, that came from this gentleman over here. So, um, David, I will reach out to you and I'm very, very sorry. >> So, thank you very much. >> May I just add one more thing, Mayor? >> Sure. >> No disrespect at all to the Wo County Sheriff's Deputies. They exhibited uh, exemplary professionalism. They they were they are wonderful. >> They were patient. Yeah. No problems whatsoever with them. It was only the ignorant event promoter that didn't know that it's okay to draw free portraits of veterans and active duty military personnel or anybody else who wants one. >> Yeah. I I love what you do. Absolutely love it. Love it. >> And by the way, thank you for making art legal as you did with the former administration back in uh April of 2014. >> Yeah. Reno Municipal Code 5.14. >> Thank you so much. Right here. All right. Steven White, followed by >> Mr. White. >> Steve Shell, followed by Rya Baker. >> Good morning, Mayor. >> I'll have to go home and listen on the on the computer as to what you just said. I can't hear a thing in here. >> I'll send you a photograph of one of my paintings. You know, I get to looking around the room, mayor, and realizing you, me, and Mark are the last one standing from the previous administration. >> That's right. >> Isn't that pretty amazing? >> That's true. >> Um, a tribute to New York. I toured the country for over 40 years as an artist doing oil paintings, selling my paintings directly to my customers. And I always knew that I had a first amendment right to do that. But I didn't really learn about my first amendment rights until I read a ruling out of New York City, Barry versus New York, where artists in New York City sued the city of New York for requiring them to have a business license. And they won that case in the lower federal court in the district court uh second circuit. I saw the need once I read that ruling. immediately. There were two flaws in that ruling. The first flaw in that ruling was they didn't limit it to self expression. And the problem was that then when they passed that, the city basically opened up the parks for everybody selling expressive merchandise and because they didn't know that it was restricted to self-expression. One of the reason why I brought the lawsuit against Reno and the city of Sparks was to get that defined as self-expression. Not that you can back a truck up and load a whole bunch of artwork from Japan or China or whatever and sell it in the park. It has to be self-expression. The other thing is this second circuit ruling didn't really define who a first amendment protected artist is. A first amendment protected artist is protected by the first amendment because their artwork has no other purpose than to be expressive. My paintings done on canvas have no other purpose. snag on the wall. Look at one of the oldest forms of human self-expression. If I did the same painting on a t-shirt, it has a dual purpose, both functional as well as aesthetic, and that becomes commercial merchandise. Interesting, isn't it? Um, I have enough time here. I wanted to talk to, you know, young artists today haven't got a chance. Visual artists, where can they have where they how can they put their artwork before the public? What? put your work in a gallery, they take 50%. You're lucky if they'll take your work in a gallery if you're not a known artist. Well, you going to do one of these festivals, it cost you $400 or $500 entry fee. You'd have to have a $1,000 display. You know, it's impossible for a young artist to even get started selling artwork. And there are literally the talent in this community is incredible. You got all these young people doing incredible artwork and no venue for them to sell their artwork or put their artwork before the public. And that's why art in the park is so important. I noticed on the agenda you're getting ready to spend a couple hundred,000 on a doggy park. On a doggy park. You know, I love animals and I love the doggies, but by God, if you can spend $20 and something thousand on a doggy park, it seems to me you could also spend a little bit of money putting venues in the park for young artists to be able to show their artwork and get it before the public. Thank you folks and God bless you. >> Thank you so much, Mr. White. >> Steve Shell, followed by Rya Baker, followed by Victoria Van Vanamberg. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Nice to see you. Great to see you and everyone. Uh, for the record, my name is Steve Shell. Hello to Mayor Shivy, council members and city manager Bryant. I am the founder and president of the nonprofit Behavioral Health Association of Nevada that is building a statewide coalition of behavioral health professionals and allies to focus on prevention, advocacy, and policy regarding mental health and addiction. It is an honor to be here today to express my gratitude for all of you and especially Mayor Shivi for your continued focus on mental health and addiction and the work you are doing with the opioid lawsuit settlement funds. I have lived in Reno almost 16 years and have dedicated my career to advancing access to mental health and addiction services. The opioid emergency continues around our country and right here at home. And we have too many deaths occurring from opioid overdoses, particularly with fentinel. I believe the opioid overdose prevention initiative that I have proposed will help increase the focus on prevention and help educate our community about the risk of using opioids and what to do if a loved one overdoses. Not only is access to treatment a critical issue for our community, but also prevention that is based on the fundamental foundation of education. Most individuals do not understand the meaning of opioids, drug overdose, or even drug abuse in general. And there is a significant lack of awareness about the deadly effects of fentinyl and other opioids. Also to note, drug abuse typically has underlying mental health conditions that have not been addressed. Families are often torn apart when a loved one is experiencing an addiction and/or mental health crisis, and they are left feeling isolated and not knowing where to turn for help. Prevention is a very important and necessary step to address the opioid challenge. In addition to asking for your support for the Behavioral Health Association of Nevada, I would also like to ask for your support of Care Solace to become a service for Wo County School District students and their families. Care Solace is a nationally recognized care navigation company that connects individuals of all ages to mental health and substance use resources on a 247 basis as well as a variety of social services to assist with income, housing or food food inse insecurity. I would also like to ask for your support of NAMI Nevada, which is the National Alliance for Mental Illness. They are doing incredible work and using peers with lived experience to help educate families about mental health. Thank you again, Mayor Shivy, Council members, and City Manager Bryant for your time and for what all of you do for our community. You are so appreciated. So, thank you. >> I I don't even know what to say. I don't know a bigger champion for mental health in our community. I I can't begin to thank you how many times I have reached out with um some serious hardships for people in our community and you have done a remarkable job and connected them with services and just been remarkable. >> Thank you >> when it comes to resources. So thank you so much Mr. Shell. I I am just beyond grateful. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you all. I really appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Rya Baker, followed by Victoria Vanamberg, followed by followed by Isaac Holden. >> Good morning, Madame Mayor. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, council members. >> Hope you guys are doing well this morning. Um, my name is Rya Baker and I'm from Crossroads Women's and I'm here to speak about how much of an impact a PRSS Academy would be for men's and women. with my own personal experience with the PRSS. My PRs, my PRSS name is Jess and she's quite amazing. She had a huge impact on guiding me through this program as well as my any emotions that come up during this process. I deeply feel this opportunity would impact the whole sober community community here in Reno because the amazing roles of a PRSS shows us that we too can switch our lives to a more positive and sober life. Also, a higher level of education is possible while we are recovering from our addiction. Um, if we had an academy right now for PRSS training at my facility I reside in, I would love to join and be a a positive support for all my new sisters who are coming into the program. I just think it would be great to have more support and more possibility to show anyone who's coming in for addiction that we are capable of anything that we put our minds to. um we already have a stereotype on us as we are addicts and so it's really hard for us to be in this field and have um like just um just have faith that we can make something out of our lives and not be addicts. And that's all I have for you guys today. >> Rehea, I have to tell you, your authenticity is inspiring. >> Oh, thank you. >> Wow. Um, also tell the public what um what that means >> for um >> Oh, it's a peer recovery support specialist. >> So, we have two that are at Crossroads Facility and they are quite amazing. They've been through um addiction. They've been through recovery just as we have. They're there to support us through anything we need. Um just to talk. I mean, it's really hard coming out of years and years of substance abuse. >> Wow, you're so strong. >> Thank you. >> Incredible. Well, we look forward to working with you guys. You guys are doing amazing work. >> Oh, thank you. >> Appreciate it. Oh, thank you so much for listening. >> Wow. >> Thank you. >> All right, Rehea. >> Victoria Vanamberg, followed by Isaac Holden, followed by Jesse Wooten. >> Good morning, Madame President. City Council. U My name is Victoria Van Amber. I'm with the Women's Crossroad Program. I'm speaking on item B14. I've worked very closely with my PRSS as she has impacted my life in so many ways and been a guide in my success and recovery. She is essential to my program and is by my side helping me almost every day. I'm supportive of the Reno Municipal Court and the PRSS Academy. I'm a part of the specialty court program and I think it would be wonderful to see this opportunity given to those who are working diligent diligently to live a better life. Also so we who have lived experience can share our knowledge and give back to our community and to also provide the training and employment opportunities to people who are part of the court programs and where it's not readily available to them. >> Wow, good job. >> Thank you. >> I feel like future mayor is in here >> over here. >> Thank you. >> Fantastic. >> I appreciate Thank you, Victoria. >> Thank you, >> Isaac Holden, followed by Jesse Wooten, followed by Doug Irwin. >> Good morning to everyone here today. >> Good morning. >> My name is Isaac Holden. I'm a part of the men's Crossroads program. And first, I want to say growing up, I didn't really have much peers around me. And when I came to the Crossroads community, there was something special there with a peer support specialist and being able to relate closely to me. Seeing that compared to something that I never had before has been very significant in my life, I've been able to have a meaningful relationship with our support specialist Kenny. And moving forward, it's been very something to look forward to in my program as well as others that I share with. It's something that I look forward to. And I just want to thank you for everybody being here today and for the opportunity to speak. >> Yeah. Future senator. [Laughter] >> Good job. >> Thank you. >> Jesse Wooten followed by Doug Irwin followed by Wyatt Denninger. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Jesse Wooten. here as a member of the Crossroads Supportive Living Community here speaking on behalf of the Crossroads Peer Recovery Support Specialist Academy tied to agenda item number 14. I'm speaking to address the opportunity as well as the importance of what a cohesive and partnership-based relationship with the Specialty Court and programs like Crossroads can truly achieve in the lives of this community. With that being said, this relationship is not only attributed to my own personal success, but also this partnership shows how the Wo County specialty courts in partnership with peer recovery support specialists are developing the growth and care that the community needs as a whole by addressing the struggles of mental health as well as addiction. From that growth together, we as a community will seek success. Thank you for your time and understanding. >> Thank you so much. Good job. Were you nervous? >> No. Yeah, I love to ask that question because they're like, "Oh, oh, good job though." >> Doug Irwin on behalf of Edon, followed by Wyatt Denninger, followed by Ventura Almaza. >> Good morning, Madame Mayor and Council members. I'm Doug Irwin from Edon for the record. And on behalf of the Edon Foundation and the entire Reno Startup Week team, I'd like to thank you for your contribution to this year's event. Um, your support keeps Reno Startup Week free to everyone in the community and that accessibility is really at the heart of why that matters. Um, Startup Week is about more than pitches and panels. It's about building a culture of innovation and possibility right here in Reno. It's where small business owners, uh, students, founders, investors all come together to like share ideas, build connections, and create companies that will, uh, shape the future of our community. Um last year we had,00 people participate and register and this year we're building that in a huge way. Um the Reno Experience District RED will be our home base during the day and we'll have sessions that run there throughout the week about 70 different sessions. Um each evening the city will come alive in different places with headline events. Uh we'll have a kickoff event at the rooftop uh of Red, which is an amazing view of the entire city. Um followed by a startup World Cup uh competition at Cargo. And then we did a new collaboration this year with Offbeat Music Festival. So, our closing party on Friday will be in collaboration with Offbeat Music Festival. And then finally, um I don't know if you're UGG Boots found fans, but the UGG boot founder Brian Smith will be here giving a keynote address at the end. It's been presented by uh Entrepreneurs Organization. Um and then because it's Reno, we've got to make it a little bit more than just about business. Um at lunchtime, Red's Courtyard will be coming alive with live artists and DJs. Um and just adding a little creativity and energy to the day. Um, and we've repurposed the dome that was first shown at the Western Lights uh, festival and that's going to become our decompression dome where we'll be hosting wellness sessions. Um, it's our way of reminding people that taking care of yourself is just as important as building your pitch deck in your business plan. So, the real impact though um, of this will happen long after the week is over. Uh, businesses launched, the partnerships formed and the confidence gained by someone who suddenly sees himself as an entrepreneur. um that ripple effect is what you're making happen possible. So, thank you very much. So, behalf on behalf of the organizers, the partners, thank you again and we'd love to see you during the week. Um there's lots of opportunities. I think we put some requests in there, but we'd love to have you come out and experience firsthand the incredible energy of Reno's entrepreneur community. So, thank you. >> Oh, Doug, so nice to see you. How long have we been doing Startup Week now? >> This is our third year. >> Our third year. >> Yep. We did one like a really really small one in like 2016, >> but we did startup weekend a long time ago. >> Weekend much much shorter. >> Well, that was what I think we were doing that 10 for 10 years, 13 years. >> Yeah. And look what's happened now. We have like world changing AI companies. Unbelievable. Enterprise it. And >> it's Yeah, it's it's unbelievable. Fun fact, before I ran for mayor, I tried to get this guy to to do it. >> Much happier you did it. >> He's much happier I did it. Doug, thank you so much. I love what you guys are doing. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Wyatt Denninger followed by Ventura Almanza followed by Lisa Hill via Zoom. >> Good morning, Madame Mayor and Council of Reno. My name is Wyatt Deninger and I am here on behalf speaking for the men's crossroads and women's crossroads for the PRSS peer recovery sport specialist academy. Um, I would like to start off with saying that the peer uh PRSS team that I have experienced at the men's crossroads is phenomenal and they do excellent work. They have helped me navigate through so many obstacles and have been a pillar in my recovery, my program and overall my whole life. Um, I feel that acquiring this PRSS Academy within this uh within our program is going to help extensionally and phenomenally. And I should have wrote this down. Um, >> you're doing great. >> I'm a little bit nervous. >> Of course. Listen, it's one of the biggest fears besides flying and going to the dentist. I hate all I hate all three. >> So, it's crazy that I'm in a job like this that I have to speak for a living. So, but you are doing fantastic, Wyatt. Matter of fact, I was like, "Okay, next congressman. You're doing awesome. Thank you. >> Keep going." >> Um, but yeah, this will this opportunity will help with my generation and future generations within this Crossroads program thrive and grow in all areas and aspects of life. And I want to finish this off with saying thank you for your guys' support and appreciate you guys for letting me speak. >> Well, why great job. I couldn't tell you were nervous at all. >> Thank you. >> His face is getting red now. >> She's a little bit I feel. >> Great job. >> Thank you. >> Ventura Almanza followed by Lisa Hill via Zoom followed by Dora Martinez via Zoom. Uh >> oh, you two look like a like troublemakers back there. >> Good morning, ma'am. Good morning. Morning city council. Uh my name is Ventur Almanza. I am currently a member of the crossroads community. Uh I am here to address the opportunities and progress that peer support specialist has made in my life. Uh recovery with this sport of have been able to develop the skills that have put me under pathway right away. Uh living this success would have been possible wouldn't have been possible uh developed without the support and life experience of my peer support. Special my peer support specialist Kenny helping me to develop not only internally but externally by allowing me to promote a positive influence to the Latino community around me and by allowing me to build healthier ties to the courts and the community as a whole. Thank you very much this morning for allowing me to speak. >> Thank you so much. Appreciate it. >> Lisa Hill via Zoom. Good morning. It's Lisa Hill. I live in W 5 and my comment today is regarding the city's effort to improve councils, boards, and commissions. And I'm hoping Jackie Bryant is there. I can't really see on my screen, but um I agree that change and improvement is a necessary part of our community. And one of the things that I think needs to be updated is how decisions are made. um with all these councils, boards, and commissions using Robert's rules. There comes that time in the meeting when the chair says, "May I have a motion?" And all in favor say I and those in opposition say nay. A vote is taken and then the body moves on. And you know there are serious consequences to this type of process. There may have been many many public comments um during the meeting or maybe council members who have valid reservations or points that they tried very hard to make during the meeting. I think we've all been there when the vote doesn't go in our favor and how disappointing that is. I think there's serious consequences to ignoring either the ideas presented or public comments that are made that are different than the vote outcome. Um, and I wanted to say that there is a different process out there and it's being adopted by cities and groups all over the country. It's called consent decisionmaking. I included this in my comments in a survey that was done by the city about boards and commissions and I'm hoping that you will take a serious look at changing from Robert's rules to consent decisionmaking. The process actually encourages discussion and incorporates different points of view. So it quickly identifies those that feel that the proposition is either good enough for them or that they agree with and it also identifies those that seriously object. Before a proposition is made, the serious objections are in integrated into the proposal and then the group moves forward with a motion that is made with some of those inject objections in mind. Um the process agre honors differences and leads to more effective decisionmaking and less time used at meetings were people who didn't necessarily feel like either their voice was heard or that their ideas during the presentations were not incorporated into the final proposition. I think this is a model and a way forward to reduce some of the discord and the polarization that we're experiencing. We the people want effective decision uh decision m decisions and effective use of time at meetings. And so I request that you, Jackie, and the council and all of the staff seriously look at the idea of consent decisionmaking and consider transitioning all your boards and commissions to this type of process. Thank you for listening to my feedback. >> Lisa, that's that is fascinating. I I have never heard of that consent dec I'm going to absolutely look into it because Robert rules is all or nothing. Um, so this is fascinating. Thank you so much. >> I will make a point to resend my comments with the organization that is involved with >> um training groups on this. I did send it already, but I will send it again. >> Thank you so much, Lisa. >> It's great. >> Our final public commenter is Dora Martinez via Zoom. >> Hi, Dora. Good morning. Dora, on your phone, if you would press star six to unmute. >> Yes, I can you guys hear me? Okay, >> we can hear you now. Thank you. >> Oh, good morning. Uh, madame clerk. I I appreciate your tone of voice every time and how um the space of your speech cuz some of my friends um are deaf and heart of hearing and they use the caption and it captures everything. So, thank you. Good morning, Madame Mayor and Councilmen, women. Um, this is Dora Martinez. Madame Mayor, I want to thank you and those of you who voted to keep your baby, the Reno Advisory Accessibility Committee. I'm so glad that you guys are going to give us some time to show that we are the stars. Um, and I want to thank um the other um the other uh committee that you guys reserved. It's important. I talked to my friends in Las Vegas and other counties and they are so envious that the mayor of city of Reno um you know created this group and it's thriving and they're still trying to create their advisory um committee and it's not getting off um quite yet. So I appreciate everything you do and I want to thank um Jackie the the city manager. I got her letter um about the weekly uh announcement and congratulations um Miss Jackie. It's accessible. Thank God. Thank you, Madame Mayor. I know that you are like on top of that. Um and I hope that whoever comes in in the next administration stays on top of it because you know as blind people we we kind of try and be on top of things so we can advocate and be part of the community. But when things are not accessible from the get-go, it's hard. So, I appreciate everything you do, Madame Mayor. You are like my hero of all time. And I want to thank also Khalil William for always rain or shine, thunder, wind. He he he gets um he gets people to cut the bushes and and fix the sidewalk so me and Jerry can walk safe and sound. So, I thank you so much, Madame Mayor. And um just a little note that when we were there the other time um we got help and I thank you so much for Monica and her staff for always um you know entering my call and I appreciate it. Um, and there is a note to a person that um when I was um catching the bus the other day um and this person kind of did this um I guess uh cleverly. I can't see at all as you know. And he threw a cup at me and he goes, "Oh, you're a Shivi lover." So, I'm here to say yes, I am a CBI lover and we are in charge of the weather and everything that's going right and wrong in this city. And I'm proud of it, Mayor Shibi. I'm proud of you and and the council people and I thank you for all that you do. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I'll be mute now. >> Well, Dora, you are very, very kind. Um, thank you for the kind words, but that's not what my email says, so I'm very I'm very grateful. Um, and Khalil, where are you? I have to be up close. I don't see you over there. He's not here today. But thank you, Khalil. Um really appreciate it. And um city manager Bryant, honestly, um it means a great deal that I don't think people don't get to see the behind the scenes of what you guys do and what our staff does. It is really, really remarkable. Um so, Dora, I'm super grateful that you recognize that and I am grateful for your advocacy. She is my my fierce advocate, uh, disability advocate, and she does not stop. And if you mess with her, she'll call you out on Twitter. Well, now it's an ex, but um, she does a remarkable job, and it's people like her that are shaping our community better and better for all those that are that have disabilities. And, um, Dora, you are a remarkable woman. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart. um because you are doing a phenomenal job and you're making RTC accountable and better. So, thank you. Um okay, we are going to move into some city manager comments. Before we do that, I do want to recognize because we talk a lot about mental health and addiction and what that looks like. But guess what? We don't get to see often times your faces, your stories that connects us in a way that compels us to understand better, to stop the stigma, to want to be a part of the solution and not the problem. I am so grateful um you know, Rehea, Victoria, my future mayors, Isaac, Jesse, um and the last gentleman that spoke, you guys are all impressive and it makes me want to jump in and do more. There are two champions over here. I think I see him. I have terrible eyesight and so I have to be really close. But I think I see Frankie over here. Am I right? Please. He hates this. I can see his face is getting red. Frankie, please um raise your hand. This is a remarkable champion in our community. Look at him. He doesn't want to get up. Um and then I I guess I can't call you Officer Shabbandi anymore. >> Definitely not. >> What are you, Mr. Shabbandi? >> That's That's fine. >> That's fine. Um, but these two gentlemen are doing incredible work on a a lot of individuals behalf in this community. And it's because of you that I am made aware of what this community needs. It's never ever enough. But I do um want to meet with you, Frankie. I want to work more um because it's it's people like you that are making the difference. And it's hard for you to get up here and speak because there is such a stigma and I can only imagine how, you know, how scared you, you know, what that fear feels like. Um, and so, you know, for me, it's been very personal, too. I lost my brother a few years ago, um, to an overdose. And so, I I just, you guys all inspire me, inspire me like I, you know, like I said, we get to see what the impact is because you came and that means a lot to us. and this council is very very proud to support you and with the opioid money we want to do more than that and um I'm so grateful we prevailed in court and because of that we were able to fund incredible programs like your peer support but we want to do more uh that's why that money really is going to be essential. So, we want you at the table and we appreciate everything that you guys do. And um all my future mayors come back um and you know, love to have you in my office and um talk about things that we can we can help ways which we can help. So, >> all right you guys, thank you very much. >> Madame Mayor, I apologize. We have one additional public comment. >> Oh, good. I'm so sorry. We forgot we forgot one. Ron Ariel, >> I was wondering this is another champion in our community. You have no idea what this gentleman has done. I think he isn't even has a proclamation after him. He's done donations to our fire department like a boat that helps rescue people. Um, this guy is an advocate through and through and through. This is Dr. Ariel and he was a big part of my COVID committee when we were um struggling with COVID. And so the floor is yours. We are honored to have you here today. >> Well, I I have to keep up with all of you. I mean, I see the work that the city council does and the the city manager and the mayor and and all of the members of of the of the council and I I can't be lazy. So, you know, you guys got all show, right? >> Never. You never are. Well, I'm I'm I'm here because you know I represent Every Mind Matters and today you are considering a donation of $1,000 to our organization for which I'm I'm grateful for that consideration. As you know, we uh take uh young people who are in uh difficult circumstances, poverty, sometimes chaotic and uh social situations and difficult family situations and we shove them through school. And we mentor them and we follow them and we support them financially and academically and uh socially through uh through UNR until they graduate. We have a 100% graduation rate. I'm here to give you a brief update. Um, two two of our fellows are in graduate school. One is at the University of West Florida uh training to become a professional athletic trainer. Um, she's uh dealing she she loves it. She she loves Pensacola even though it's hot and sticky. And um she's even making friends with the palmetto bugs. For those of you who don't know what a palmetto bug is, it's a cockroach the size of a small mouse. >> Oh. >> Um and uh you know you it's just part of the scene, right? Um but you don't you don't have to feed them though. They feed themselves. It's it's fine. Um and uh another one's in graduate school at UNR to uh become a psychologist. A third is a nurse. Uh she's going to be moving to Sacramento soon. Um she she has done an outstanding job after graduating from Orvis. And um so our next fellow to graduate will be in about it should be in about 18 months. She is in the honors college studying computer science and uh she was just elected to the FCAPI honor society which uh is for business and engineering and yours truly is a member of fappify. I was elected in 2000 >> and uh so we're we're very proud of her and she's uh actually uh I heard last she she successfully interviewed for an internship. So she'll be interning with a software company. Um not sure the details yet. she's going to fill me in. And then our uh our next fellow finished his freshman year um dealt with a lot of difficulties there but uh successfully navigated it and has um his his professors are telling me that he's a gifted student and um so we're we're we're happy that we we've added a board member too uh a young lady who's a uh who works at another nonprofit who works works very very hard has been a peer mentor to him or near peer mentor to one of our fellows. and um she's she's um she has a tremendous work ethic and even though she works two jobs to support herself, she is donating time to us and so you know there you go. >> That's fantastic. Thank you so much for all your work. I have personally met your fellows and they are incredible, incredibly inspiring. So and then also his wife is hiding back there. She's a wonderful doctor in our community as well. And so thank you so much for being here. Great. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. With that, we have no additional public comment. We did receive 11 comments which were general general in nature or not directly associated with an agenda item prior to 400 p.m. yesterday, August 26th, 2025. These comments were written correspondence received via our reno.gov online public comment form or by email to our office. Copies of these have been distributed to the Reno City Council and are available to the public on reno.gov/meings. three letters in favor, two letters in opposition, and six letters that were neutral or concerned. >> Okay, fantastic. Thank you so much. Okay, at this time, I'm going to send it over to our city manager, Jackie Bryant. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. We have no changes to the agenda and no attorney client meeting today. So, we'll hear the agenda in the order posted, and we will have lunch at your discretion. >> Well, um, this is very rare. I know. >> Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Okay, then I'm going to ask for approval of the agenda. Item A4 to >> approve. Second. A motion. I have a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries unanimously. Okay. Item A5, approval of the minutes. >> Motion to approve. >> I have a motion. >> Second. >> I have a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries unanimously. All right, we're going to head into consent. That's item B. Um, there are several items uh on consent. There are 16 in total. With that being said, I'm going to ask council members if they have any items they'd like to pull off consent. I'm going to start with you, Councilwoman Anderson. >> Not today. Thank you. >> Nope. Okay. Councilman Martinez. Thank you. >> All right. Councilwoman Taylor. >> No, Madam Mayor. >> Uh, mayor for the day. >> No. >> Nothing. You're so easy. Okay. Uh, Councilwoman Der. >> Yeah. Uh, just item B10. I have to read a disclosure and leave the room. >> Great. Okay. Item B10 from Councilwoman Der. And then I don't know if Councilwoman Eert is on the phone. Oh, yes. Yes, you are. Sorry, I didn't see you up there. Go ahead. >> Um, I'd like to pull item B8, B11, and B13, please. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Thank you. And then I'm just going to defer to city manager um where you want those to show up in the agenda. >> I think given that we only have four of them, we can do them immediately. >> Okay. >> After you vote on non-polled items. >> Okay. And then I would just ask uh madame clerk to take um an um a temperature of the room who's here so we can get all of you out and about uh among your day. Unless you want to stay and hang out with us. Hopefully we won't bore you too much. Um, okay. That being said, um, I have a motion. >> Yeah. Second. I have a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed. >> Motion carries unanimously. Okay. Item uh, B8, B11, B13, B10 have been pulled off the agenda. I'm going to ask um, Councilwoman Der to read Yeah. her disclosure and then leave the room. >> Yeah. Uh, Madame Mayor and fellow council members, in relation to item B10, um, and madame clerk, um, in the interest of full transparency on item B10, I'm disclosing that I serve on the board of directors of the Lake Ditch. And item B10 involves the approval of an amendment to a 2002 use and maintenance agreement with Lake Ditch Company, which is a nonprofit corporation, uh for the purpose of uh the use and maintenance agreement for the purpose of extending the term of the agreement for an additional 5 years through September 10, 2030. On this matter, I've sought guidance from the city attorney's office. I've been advised that I have a commitment in a private capacity, which I actually alerted him to. um in the interest of the Lake Ditch Company. I have also been advised that the independence of judgment of a reasonable person in my situation would be materially affected by my relationship with the Lake Ditch Company. Accordingly, I will not be participating or voting on this item today. Uh and I'll be leaving the room. Madame Clerk, please accept this disclosure and lodge it on the record for the meeting and I'll step out. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> And Madame May, I'll make a motion. >> Hold on one second. >> Approve. Okay. So, I have a motion u from Vice Mayor Taylor. I have a second from Councilman Martinez. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries uh unanimously. Okay. And then we're going to head into item B8, B11, B13. And just to let the public know, all other B items have passed. So, congratulations. Thanks everyone. Okay. Um, let's start out with item B8. Correct? Is that correct, Madam Clerk? >> That's correct. >> Okay, go for it. Bye, you guys. Have a great day. Thanks for coming. >> Okay, take it away. >> Morning, Madam Mayor and City Council. I'm here to speak on BA, which is a contract extension for our clean and safe program. >> Okay, madam mayor. Is it right if I ask questions? Yes, please. Please do go ahead. >> Thank you. So, when I was reviewing the staff report, I wasn't exactly clear why we needed this extension. It looked like the contract was already approved through September 30th. So, can you just explain what the difference is on what the contract we have now and what the extension is on specifically? >> Um, Counciloman Taylor, >> Mr. Harper, if you'll step, >> I'm going to run out. Chris, >> Chris, >> I'm sorry. I can't hear. There's a lot of >> mic. Okay, >> sorry. First time people said I'm not loud enough. Uh, this is a contract extension for the clean and safe program. It's an addendum to the contract. The original contract ends on September 30th, 2025. The addendum ended on May 8th and this extends it from May 8th until the end of September 30th when it will be included in our new contract beginning October 1st. >> Okay. So even though it's after May 30th, we've been continuing on with this program. >> We've been continuing services, the contractors been continuing services um to this point. >> Okay. So, are we paying them a separate invoice at this time or how does that >> No, we are not able to pay the invoices until this is approved by council. >> Okay. All right. So, at September 30th, will there be a new contract coming forward? >> Yes. And then I'll be put submitting for a new city contract and that will include the clean and safe program along with all of our other contracts that we have for our city. >> Okay. Okay. And do we have the invoice amount for the time frame from um May 30th to or May when was the end of the contract? >> May 8th to September 30th. >> To September 30th. Do we have invoices for that time frame yet? >> Yes, we do. >> Okay. And those have been submitted? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um Okay. Um but they're not included in the staff report, >> the invoices. No, I did not include those in the staff report. >> Okay. I was just curious what that amount was since it's outside of the the contract that we had signed initially. >> Yeah. The >> um >> that amount's going to total the $85,611. >> Okay. Okay. Um that was all the questions I had. I don't know if anyone else else has anything. Do we have any other questions, council members? Okay. Motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. All those in favor? >> I >> I motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. And we are moving on to item I believe B 11. >> Council member Eert. >> Yeah. Um I know that we had somebody u give public comment from the financial advisory board. So I just wanted to see if there was anything specific they would like to talk about with um council regarding the annual report. Um I know that our um budget is um kind of um a topic of interest considering some of the issues we're having. So I just would like to hear kind of a a brief um uh feedback from the financial advisory board representative um regarding you know the things they've reviewed. >> So I don't think that person is in the council chambers anymore. Council member Eert. >> Okay. Okay. Um well then I guess I'll go ahead and make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I >> I thank you. And I believe you are up again. Council member Eert with item B13. >> Yeah. Um I just wanted to, you know, talk about this a little bit more too. I know that we've had some people this morning give comments about recovery as well. So, I I don't know if um maybe city attorneys, it looks like uh Mayor Shibi is not around um at this at this moment um to just kind of talk about what does this mean when the city of Reno is is um working with the state for these opioid um recovery um locationations and allocations of funds? >> Yes, sure. This uh for the record, this is John Shipman of the city attorney's office. Um essentially, this item is a housekeeping item. uh the city of Reno along with the uh Nevada attorney general's office and all the other local jurisdictions in the state of Nevada have opted to participate into opioid related litigation and nationwide there's a settlement um case out there and multiple cases out there. Um so in in our case uh the the city signed on to the one Nevada agreement. Uh again, this was uh what the uh attorney general um was requesting. Uh so that basically all the local jurisdictions in Nevada are are are treated as one big block. Um and so we had a number of settlements early on that were rather large, things like the Sackler settlement and you know CVS settlement. Um we're kind of at a point where more and more um uh distributors, retailers of o op opioids are wanting to come into the settlement. Um and so we're getting a lot of um uh you know smaller settlements coming in. So currently in the pipeline we have eight settlements uh that total $51,000 and and rather than coming with eight different staff reports to uh to each meeting, uh what this resolution would allow is for the mayor to sign off on those settlements. um just from a a purely administrative standpoint and we believe that's appropriate given that we are parties to the one Nevada agreement. Um so if you have any questions I'm here and available. >> Yeah. What would those where would those $51,000 go? Like what what does that money go towards? So, what it goes towards is that there's a essentially a um a schedule or a list or a menu of um we call them referred to kind of as like opioid abatement programming. And there's a variety of different things that that money can be used for. I believe if if I recall there's like um on item B14 um that was has been approved um uh it lists you know a number of programs that the city's using that money for approximately $1 million at this point. So, uh, what it does is it allows us to fund kind of for the next x number of years as the settlement money comes in, things like opioid prevention programs, um, opioid treatment programs, um, awareness programs, um, getting people into treatment and that sort of thing. So, uh, like I said, there's a list. It's set forth in the settlement agreement and we can forward that to you if you want to see that. But >> Okay. No, I just thank you for the information. wasn't um exactly clear on on how how the funds were distributed and what programs they went to. So, thank you for that information. >> Sure. >> Do we have any other questions, council members? >> Okay. >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. All those in favor? >> I. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. Um we are moving, Madame Clerk, on to item C1. And this is discussion and update from the Nevada Housing Coalition. Welcome. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good morning. Good morning to the mayor, members of the council. Thank you so much for having me uh present today in front of you. Uh today I would like to present um on the coalition and on the 2025 legislative session um surrounding um housing. Um and so again, excuse me. I'm I guess I'm a little nervous, huh? Um >> do you need some water? Do you want >> No, no, no. I'm good. Thank you. Thank you. Uh but with that being said, uh we believe that home means Nevada and it's for every Nevada deserves a a home to be in. Um and so again, for the last seven years, we have been uh a prominent advocate around affordable housing throughout the state of Nevada. Next slide please. Um so we >> I'm sorry. Oh okay. Thank you. All right. So we are a 501c3 statewide member-based organization. We have been in existence for the last 7 years. Um in the last seven years, we have been able to grow our organization to have over 350 members um representing 200 organizations statewide. Our mission statement is to promote the is to promote the development and preservation of affordable housing for all Neadans through collaboration, education, and advocacy. Advocacy is our main core competency. We are uh strong advocates during the legislative session and over the last three sessions we have made tremendous strides in providing and uh making appropriations of monies that goes towards affordable housing. So before we really do a deep dive into housing, we have to look at the landscape and the infrastructure around the state of Nevada. And in in the fiscal year 2022, Nevada ranked in the bottom 20% in five of the largest funding categories that is a agriculture education energy environment, natural resources, health, non-medaid incomes security and social services. Um, and then of course just as a six, transportation, we were ranked in the bottom half at 37th. So when we start talking about, you know, where we go and how do we build, we first have to look at infrastructure as as a main key point for us to be able to provide housing for all Neadans moving forward. I'm sure by now this has been promoted throughout um the state and to all of our jurisdictions um since it's been released. But just as a review, uh where we stand right now in regards to uh the lack of affordable housing is at a shortage of 78,218. Um this is for and this number really truly represents the extreme lowincome individuals. So these are individuals um as you see on the screen the next number family of four averaging roughly about 27,890 for a single individual we're looking at 14 to $20,000. And so for every 100 households for extreme low income we only have 14 units available. Um this is is damning to be quite honest. Um, we need more housing overall. If you just if you add in even market rate housing for all of us, we're into the hundreds of thousands closely close to 140,000 overall statewide. Now, when we look at the affordable housing supply as a whole, you'll see the number at the bottom. We have 34,952. In Clark County, we have 25,993. In northern Nevada, we only have 8,959. This number represents has uh was represented and and brought to us by the Nevada Housing Division, Assembly Bill 213, which was approved back in 2023. This was we were able to gain reporting metrics um for each of the jurisdictions so that this way we can get an accurate account of the number of housing or affordable housing units that are available throughout the state. What I will say is that with the ARPA money, the 500 million that came into our state a few years ago, by the end of 2026, we will have a a total of over 3,000 new affordable units available. So that number, although that number, and we have had units built, you should be able to add another 2,000 to that. But here's also the the other issue of surrounding this. We also have affordable units that are coming to terms, meaning that their tax credits are now expiring. And so over the next few years, we will have also another 2,000 units that will more than likely be lost um because they will be then be converted to market rate. Um so we are as a coalition, we are looking for other revenue sources that this way we may hopefully maintain some of those units and keep them as affordable housing. So let's now take a deep dive into the housing affordability particularly here in Reno. um as you can see on your screen and then again this was uh created or the information was provided to us from paycheck to paycheck the national housing conference which is a national organization based out of DC it shows and I'll just look at the if you look at to be able to afford a twobedroom apartment you need to make $63,400 um when you look at the essential workers or you look at the salaries of our of our individuals that make statewide you see that On average, we are not there yet. So, hotel, motel, rental, desk clerks, 29,000. You have retail salespersons at 30,000. You have elementary school teachers at an average salary starting off at 60,000 roughly. Child, family, and school social workers, 64,000. And again, your highest end is at general and operation managers who average roughly at about 94,000. So, as you can see, just to afford a studio, you need to be making 42,000. Um, and to be able to afford a four bedroomedroom unit, you need to be making over $100,000. What is this in plain sight or in plain information? This means that over 50% of our population statewide are cost burdened by the total cost of what they're paying towards housing costs. When you look at home ownership affordability, the annual income needed to make a 10% down payment is 182,763. When you look at annual income needed for a 3% down payment, you're looking at 194,000. And again, let me put this in hindsight. This does represent only a single individual. Um, and so this is not taking into account dual homes, uh, where you have multiple streams of income coming in. But imagine if you are a single adult um, and you need to be able to make $200,000 just to make a 3% down payment on your future home. That is not reasonable and it's not acceptable. And of course, we we look at this. We know that the cost of um home prices has has risen over 200% over the last 15 uh in the last 15 years. And wages has only uh risen 36% during that same time frame. And so the state average um as many of you already know is roughly at around $64,000 a year um for uh Nevada employees. And so again, when you look at it that even from a regional perspective, we are the lowest um wages in in this area. Arizona is roughly at about 78,000. California is at 90,000. Utah is roughly at about 86,000. Um and so that puts Nevada completely way below the list. And so we are not competitive as it stands right now. So let's jump into the legislative session. Again, focusing in on housing, as we know, 1,200 bills were uh presented during the 2025 legislative session. Out of those uh 1,200 bills, 63 housing bills were represented, which made it 55% of all bills introduced. Let's put this in hindsight. 10 years ago, 2015 session, there was three three housing bills. In 2019, that was when we first initiated the state tax credits. Um so from where we have been 10 years ago to where we are at now we haven't made tremendous slides and which means that the governor as and as a state housing is a top priority. Um and this is and we are moving in the right direction. 500 um bill 518 bills were signed into law and 87 bills were vetoed. Let me make a comment on the veto bills because there has been a lot of conversations around that. We have to also realize that again 10 years ago we did not have 1,200 bills. um that were presented um and and so when you look at the bills that were vetoed, number one, we have to also understand not every bill has to can get through, right? But number two, if you look at that number from a national perspective, we're actually in the middle of the lane. Um and so I this number is not as bad as some folks may look at it. Again, we have to look at it and and make sure that we're putting it all into perspective. Even from a housing perspective, we had 40% success with moving our bills forward. That is a huge win for the state of Nevada. When we look at the housing bill outcomes, uh we look at affordable housing, nine bills passed. That means funding going into those areas. Tenant rights, landlord tenant law, two supportive housing, five. We had unprecedented numbers of num uh monies that went towards that. Rental assistance, eviction diversion, manufactured mobile home parks, three bills that were able to be signed into law. tenant anti-discrimination, fair housing three, local government zoning land use three, property abatements one, and then we only had five bills that were actually vetoed. Um, one thing that sticks out, and we'll talk about that, well, I won't be able to get dive into too much of it, is preservation. I alluded to it just a few slides ago where we have a ton of multif family units that are coming to terms. We do not have a preservation fund to be able to save those, which means we need to either have a one-time appropriation to be able to maintain these housing or we need to have a dedicated revenue source that will help us preserve those housing units. None of those bills there was not a bill presented during the session around those areas. And for the Nevada Housing Coalition, we are looking at providing and doing does that mean my time is up? >> No, you >> Okay. Um, so for us moving forward into the 2027 session, we are looking to create or advocate on behalf of putting together a preservation bill draft request. So, let's go into some of the uh session wins. Assembly bill 366, the Nevada Supportive Housing Development Fund. In 2023, we created the initial bill, Assembly Bill 310. That was a onetime appropriation of $32.2 million. With the leadership of Assembly Member Danielle Monroe Marino, we came back. we was able to get a get a permanent funding source out of our general account moving forward. And so this year we was able to appropriate $20 million that will go towards supportive housing initiatives going forward. um every year moving uh moving going in through the next sessions. It may not be 20, it may be more, it may be less, but this is a huge win because now we will be able to provide case management, um mental health services, behavioral health, workforce development, and other uh additional services under this bill, Assembly Bill 62. This was really a mixed bag um of success. Number one, we was able to get the technical language approved and moved forward. This will allow us to move our projects a lot faster. However, on the flip side, we were not able to get an expansion on our state tax credits. Um, generally speaking, we we looked to expand our state taxes from up to 10 years, 100 million um due to politics, I should say. Um, we was not able to move that forward, but unfort and and unfortunately, if we do not have an expansion in the 2027 session, um, affordable housing development will completely come to a a complete crawl. Um we have roughly about $13 million in credits um that will get us through the first half of uh 2027 and again if we do not have an expansion um projects at that point unless they have the gap funding necessary we will not be able to develop anything moving after that assembly bill 475 eviction diversion again $20 million or $21 million that will be allocated throughout the state 15 million going towards Clark County uh 5.2 2 million going towards the city of Reno and 750,000 going to the uh rural housing authority. Again, this is for eviction diversion. Again, there's a lot of red tape that goes in through that um because once a person has to literally go through the eviction process before they can even get assistance. However, this will also help us maintain and keep some folks housed going forward. And then finally, the hu the biggest win of all session was Assembly Bill 540, the Housing Attainable Housing Act. Um $130 million $33 million was appropriated that goes towards um more single family type h housing. This will be for home ownership and for rental uh rental situations. And so we are looking to build um more town homes, condos, duplexes, triplexes of that nature. We have also uh there's terminology in there that will go towards um expediting licenses for developers to come into the state to be able to build in our rural communities. So this way we can hopefully uh build our workforce in those areas. Some of the bills that didn't make it that we defin that we advocated for and and was and was not pushed and I'll only highlight a couple right now is our corporate housing. Um we know that you know our corporate investors are coming in. There was an investor out of Wall Street that came in and bought over a billion dollars worth of property just last year and they turned that into almost a $3 billion profit um for those for that entity. they are taking over. They are one of one of the core reasons why housing uh home ownership um the prices of um being able to own your own home and rentals have skyrocketed over the last 10 plus years. Um we are looking the bill overall was a great idea. However, um I think we have to go back and re and revise how we want to curtail um what how much growth they can actually come in and how much they can purchase. Um the bill asks for only a 100 units per per investor to come in and be able to purchase. However, investors are very smart. They're they're of course business savvy. Um they can open up multiple LLC's and and still um catapult their their uh portfolio as much as possible. So again, we have to we have to be able to work with these individuals. It is a necessary evil because it does stimulate our growth and our economy. However, they can't be demanding and taking over the market moving forward. Also, uh take a look at the restoration improvement districts. This is another bill um that will would help us be able to convert commercially uh vacant buildings into mixeduse development or affordable housing. Um those are two bills that, you know, we would like to be able to bring back um in 2027 to see if we can move those forward. Again, these would um increase our inventory and these are um moderately quicker for us to be able to revamp and get more folks housed. So with that um that is my presentation. Um I definitely appreciate you allowing me to speak in front of you today. Um just as a couple of updates, we do have our sixth annual uh conference coming up. We normally every uh every odd year we have in Southern Nevada. So it is held at the circa um hotel and casino is a two-day event um where we'll be discussing uh development ideas, policy, um preservation uh so forth and so on. Um we have an exciting lineup available. Um so if you are available to come down um we will definitely work with you. We have scholarships and we have um all types of other opportunities for us to be able to provide to you. Um if we also have virtual webinars every fourth Wednesday of the month. I'm missing mines because it's in about the next 15 minutes. Um but is al also today we're highlighting 540. Um and so the housing division is looking to get those funds out the door by the end of this year. Um and so uh Christine Hess the CFO and um Steve Acroof will be highlighting um how that process will work. Um and again if you're not a member we encourage you to become a member um so this way you can stay in the loop of all with all information surrounding affordable housing. With that being said, thank you again. I will take any questions and uh I appreciate the time that you've given me. >> Yeah, I have a question. Thank you very much for your presentation and the work that you do. Council members, I'll start with questions to my right. No, no questions. Council member Derer. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, sir, so much. That was very informative presentation. Uh you said you were nervous. I I wouldn't have said you were even nervous an inch. >> I couldn't tell at all. >> No, I mean I think you do this every day. >> Good job. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um I just want to And could you say your full name again? >> Maurice. M A- R I C E last name Paige P A G E >> P A G G E Okay, Maurice, thank you so much. Um the work that you have done is so incredible. This whole housing coalition, um I'm so pleased with the bills you did get through. Um I am sad for the ones you didn't. Um in terms of the issues that you raised, I just wanted to uh echo on two of those. and that is that this issue you raised right at the beginning about retaining affordable housing. We've been really struggling with that here at Reno that a number of um units that went in 15 years ago. Usually it's a 15-year or 30-year um have have uh threatened to go out into become market rate home housing. Um we have worked with some of those developers and been able to retain those as affordable housing. I don't know the exact details. I don't know if we've helped pay them a difference or what we've done, but we have been able to pull a few of those back and retain the housing. If not, all of those people would have been unhoused, >> right? >> And we were already struggling to get the people that are on the list housed. >> And so, we just could that would have been a very, very dramatic. And I think everything you can do to continue to help keep these homes affordable, this housing affordable, um, will be very much appreciated by us. It's it's something we're very aware of. Um the second thing I wanted to say is you um shared with us salary information which has been hard actually for me to get. Um and you talked about the average wages for teachers and many other professions and I really think it puts it in stark contrast that people that we think are gainfully employed and that should be able to afford housing are cannot. I I mean what they can afford is not affordable. Correct. Um, and so I think the more that we get that information out, the the more people actually understand. Sometimes we get push back on affordable housing. I I know that might come as a surprise to you, uh, or not, but um, and they think, well, these are these are are people that are um, you know, criminals, uh, drug addicts, mental health problems. I mean, they only see the negative. They assume that where people can't afford things, something's wrong with them. But what they don't understand is something's wrong with both our pay scales don't match up with housing availability. And you pointed out the issue with corporations buying up homes. And I saw recently that Senator Rosen at the national level is sponsoring uh probably a companion bill. >> Yes. The home act. >> What? The home act that would restrict corporations. Also, I don't know the details of that. Um do you think I I mean it sounds like those kind of bills have been attempted before. I don't know if you think that there's a chance of passage, chance of signing. And then the second thing I wanted to point out, this other bill you highlighted about historic homes being able to translate those into housing. So, right here in downtown Reno, we have the Riverside Lofts, which was a historic building, which a corporation from the Midwest came in um and worked to keep those affordable. And I'm talking rents at $300 a unit to $500 a unit um as long as you were making art, >> right? >> And um those have been incredibly successful. I would love to see, you know, even on a smaller scale that kind of housing. So any thoughts you want to add on any of those four topics? >> Yes. So number one, I think when when you talk about preservation, you know, the dollars have not been there um from a state perspective for years now. Um, we all know we we approached this legislation session with trepidation because of where our state budget was and with everything that was going on from a federal perspective. Um, and so from a coalition, we had to take a step back and not put provide any or put forth any bills um simply because we didn't we knew that the funding opportunities just were were not going to be there. Um and so again, you know, we have had multiple conversations with the governor um and we have had other conversations with jurisdictions um talking about the preservation, talking about the needs of it. There is interest around it. Um and so we are looking to >> preservation in this case being the existing affordable not going to market rate. >> Correct. Um, and so we're looking to be able to create that, but again, we're looking to get buyin from all the jurisdictions, uh, so that this way we can have the movement and the partnerships available to be able to, uh, bring that forward and hopefully get get the train moving with that. Um, with Senator Rosen and her homeac bill, it was actually that bill was actually introduced a few years ago from Congressman Horford. It was turned away. It has now been um, >> uh, >> resurrected. I'm sorry. >> Resurrected. >> Resurrected. Thank you. Um by Senator Rosen and and so we're looking to move that forward. It is being um introduced um on the floors and the coalition has supported Senator Rosen in the in moving this forward and hopefully again getting some traction with that. As of as of today, we have we're not getting any movement around it. Um and again, we're so we're keeping our fingers crossed, you know, to see where where it goes. >> Well, I mean, timing is everything, right? and it may not be the right environment, but you know, keeping that in the forefront of our minds and continuing to understand how that's so dramatically affected availability. So, >> anyway, keep working on the historic buildings. I'm now our leazison to historic resources. I'd love to see more of this. >> Um, thank you for being here today. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Council member, do you have questions? I don't really have a question, but I just found it interesting the um comments about how much um property has been taken over by investors. Um did I hear correctly that it was $1 billion worth of properties um have been purchased? >> That is correct. >> That's incredible. that I think has a huge impact I mean obviously on housing affordability and I know that there's some properties being built um not in my ward but right adjacent to it that are brand new homes that are for rent only um and I always worry about the impact that has on the um affordability of housing um knowing that rents can continue to go up unlike a mortgage that kind of is set um in place for a significant amount of time. So, um I think it's it's great that you highlighted that. I think it's a real um issue that eventually is going to have to be addressed. Um I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I know it's a very large percentage of residents in um Reno are owned by um investment companies. So, thank you for kind of bringing attention to that, too. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> I didn't have anything else. Thank you very much. >> Okay, madam. I have a couple. >> Yeah, let me just jump in really quick. Um, >> Maurice, thank you so much. This is so helpful and very very beneficial. Um, I'm curious on a scale of 1 to 10, and maybe I shouldn't ask you this question. Um, how you feel the level of importance in Carson City this um, crisis is. >> Well, it was the talk now. Jackie is like I'm I'm just I I would just like to get the temperature from your perspective. Um because you know we are there intermittently. You're living, eating, sleeping, breathing this. I'm just curious how you felt cuz sometimes I think we go into the legislative and they don't realize how much we struggle with some of the things that the bills that they pass, the bills that they don't pass. We are doing this every single day. um you know, for them it's very very different. So I'm curious what your thought is. >> I if I had to give it a number, honestly, I would probably give it around a nine. Um yeah, I I would definitely >> That's fantastic. Good. >> Um you know, even when I spoke to the governor, you know, he said outside of education um and everything that's going around uh federally with the healthc care issues, he said housing is right there. >> Um and he wants to be able to put the resources into housing. Um, and if you looked at some of the other bills, even if it if it mattered around health care or transportation, um, or even for that matter, education, housing had some type of part um, in that. Um, and so with that being said, everybody has it on their mind. We know that we're building neighborhoods that had that doesn't have roads, that, you know, has no access to um, public transportation. Um, and so we're we're considering everything when we're looking at how where housing is going to go. >> Excellent. Thank you. Wonderful, wonderful presentation. And just um why don't you give us a little background? I don't know if you started your presentation with that, but who you are and um I I'm so impressed. >> Thank you. >> I see a big future for you. Uh >> oh, don't say that. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, te tell us a little bit about you. I assume you're not a Reno resident. >> No, I actually live in southern Nevada. I'm been a resident of Nevada for 20 plus years now. 22 years. Um, I'm originally from New York. Um, and so New York, Philadelphia area. So, it's great to see you and have you in have you in our great state. Um, and so I've been working in the housing and homeless uh field for the last 15 years. Um, and so I got my start with Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada um, as their business development um, representative. And then I've been able to just catapult work with the state, work with the county over the years. And I'm I'm now the executive director for the coalition. And I've been in that role for the last two. >> Wow. Well, I think you're impressive. >> Oh, thank you. >> Fantastic job. And we could not tell at all if you had any nerves. >> Just a little little dry throat. >> No, you did great. You did great. Let us know if you need water, whatever you need. >> Absolutely. Thank you so much, Maurice. >> Appreciate everything. >> Thank you so much. All right. Great job. Can I I'm sorry. Can I please? >> Uh, thank you so much, Mr. Paige, for your presentation and the work you do. It is very, very important and we are very grateful. And I will start off by saying um the legislature was pretty kind to City of Reno with our rental assistance and our eviction program. So we're very we're super grateful for that. This council is extremely supportive of affordable housing and it's a passion for all of us. It's what we hear from a lot of our constituents. Um, one thing, a couple of things that I'm taking away from your presentation is that as a region and as a city of Reno, we need much more supply. Yes. Out there and we need to work on raising the wage of the people that we're trying to house because they just can't make it. >> Absolutely. >> The gap is too big. One thing that I wanted to ask you to talk a little bit about is the Attainable Housing Council. I know you gave a a recap of that, but um I was very excited to recently learn that our own Dan Morgan has been appointed to that council and representing Northern Nevada. What do you anticipate coming out of that and the timeline? Obviously, more supply, but what what do you see as the future if you had a crystal ball? >> So, I and again, you know, we have some great leaders um on the housing council. They were just introduced last week. I believe they will be setting up their first meeting within the next couple of weeks. And again, the framework and the uh the emergency issues will be getting housing in the rural communities, making sure there was there will be housing um spread across southern Nevada so that um again southern northern rural and your tribal communities are getting their fair amount of housing. Um the bill is designed to be able to create roughly between 5 to 7,000 new units over the next few years. And so if we are able to touch those numbers, the five to seven and and be able to increase home ownership throughout the state while also reducing um the amount of um the or reducing the amount of costs for homes. Um so that this way our our younger generation of of workers workforce are able to engage in home ownership and be able to create that pathway of generational um um wealth wealth. uh then I was hopefully would look forward to us being able to have a permanent funding source um moving forward that will help us create more housing going forward. Um again, you know, when I first moved here, and I'm sure if you all have been here, um there was that starter type home um that we could, you know, all embark on. I remember my first home being, you know, 1100 square feet. It was about $125,000. it was great for me and and my son at the time to be able to start um and and I've been able to progress from there, taking the equity and and continuing to build. And so that's what we want to see with our with our with our seniors that are retiring that would like to downsize. Um our our again the the folks that are coming out of college, entering the workforce, they're looking to create or purchase their first homes. We want to be able to get started with that, you know, um minimal cost for them. And so $460,000 you need to make over 150,000 just to be able to qualify. Um these homes are looking to be priced in between the low30s. Um so folks will be able to qualify for those and be able to move forward. Um and you're looking at an easier down payment. Um again with 540 um you're looking at down payment assistance. You're looking at interest rate buyowns. Um and then with that we're also looking to uh um purchase more land so that this way we can build out. Um the other thing too the most one of the other important uh factors is again I mentioned this earlier with the rural communities um you know with mining being one of our core um um funders is for the state we are hiring folks from other regions Utah New Mexico and so those folks are taking the income that they've made here and taking it back to their communities. We want to be able to keep these folks here and and we we're only able to do that if we're able to build housing in the rural communities. Bill Brewer, who is the executive director for Nevada Rural Housing Authority, the first thing he told me uh when I came on board as ED was that we need a thousand plus homes in the rural communities to be able to build our workforce and sustain the work that we are doing out there. And so the goal of 540 hopefully is to be able to, you know, start that trajectory of building homes um and and also being able to provide people with an opportunity to start their home ownership journey. >> Great. Madam if I can just say one quick thing on behalf of RHA, I'd be remiss the Reno Housing Authority when you mentioned generational wealth and trying to start early with these education. I'm so excited that Reno Housing Authority and we've all worked with it and supported it that they are doing programs with our youth to help them save money to put down to towards their first house or um the down payment. So, just I think the community is really working together because we understand how important this is and the need. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Um, just really quickly because because I don't know this, but Vice Mayor sits on the Reno Housing Authority and so I'm curious to know, um, are you working closely with all the housing authorities in Nevada? >> So, >> oh, all the how many do we have? >> We have three. We have three. So, we have the rural, the Reno, and Southern Nevada. And actually, all three are sit on my board of directors. Um, and so we do work very closely with them um, and with all of our initiatives going forward. >> Yeah, that's fantastic. Good. Okay. Well, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> All right. Have a great day. >> See you, Maurice. >> Okay. >> Okay. Where where are we? Um >> we are on We have Mac um Rossi in the audience for item G4, I believe. If you wanted to >> Let's do that. Let's move on over so you can have a full day instead of sitting here and being bored with us. Actually, no. I should I'm going to get emails now going I can't believe you called council meetings boring. They're really not boring to us but on the outside some people always say h how do you sit there and this is what we do and so we're kind of nerds in that sense. So for us it's not boring but we want to make sure that you're not bored. >> That presentation was very impressive. >> Did you like that? >> It was >> I thought it was good. Yeah, it was great actually. Okay. Um Madame Clerk, we're moving to which where is it? G. >> Item G4. >> Okay, here we go. Um, this is item G4. Madame Clerk, do you have any public comment on item G4? >> Madame Mayor, we do not have any public comment registered for item G4 and have not received any correspondence. >> Okay, that's fantastic. I'm going to send it over to Councilwoman Eert. Can you hear me? >> Yes, I can. >> Okay, go ahead. >> I'm sorry. Is this for the senior advisory board? >> Yes. Item G4. >> Got it. Got it. Sorry about that. No problem. Um, so I just wanted to say first of all, um, because of the pause in the boards and commissions, I haven't had, um, interviews with any of the applicants for the senior advisory board that weren't already um, on the board. So, at this time, I'm just going to be reappointing the existing members um, until I have an opportunity to meet with the other applicants individually. So, I just wanted to um say that because I know Mac is there and he's also an applicant for this advisory board. Um so, at this time, I'm just going to um reappoint Stan Dowy, Barbara Dvers, and Terry Brooks. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Um because Mr. Rossi is here, I would love to um recommend him. Um is that possible at this time, Councilwoman Eert? Um, I I'm not comfortable doing that just because as as a part of process for me, I've I've personally interviewed everybody before I appoint them. Um, so I just would like to have the opportunity to meet with Mr. Rossi prior. >> Okay, good. And you're going to reach out? >> Yes. Okay. Yeah, staff is already working on scheduling um in uh interviews with all the applicants for um the senior advisory board and for my NAB applicants as well. >> Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Yeah. >> Okay. So, I have a motion from Councilwoman Eert. >> Second. >> I have a second. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. >> Motion carries unanimously. >> Okay. Madame Clerk, we are now probably heading way back to item C2. Right. >> Yes. Madame Mayor, we're on item C2. >> Okay. And we don't have anyone else in the room, so this is perfect. Okay. Guess what? It's all you. Miss Van Beurren, give us some good news. >> I don't have that. >> Thank you. Vicky Van Beurren, director of finance for the record. Thank you, Madam May. >> I guess it could always be worse. So, we should look at it last half empty, half full. >> Okay. So, at the last meeting that I was here presenting, council made a request that I come back monthly to you to just kind of give a quick update on what we're seeing and um where where we're seeing challenges, what we're seeing for the future as we start to build out next year's budget. And that's really why I'm here today. This is the first of that start of that process. So, I plan to be here at um the second meeting of every month just to give you an update. And some of these may be generally focused in one area or another area. Today I'm really going to focus on the general fund, the revenues and the expenditures and really what the trends we're seeing in that because this is so critical in understanding this piece of it as we start to build the next year budget for 27 which I can't believe we're even saying it right there. I know. >> Can you believe it? >> Right. Um so this aligns with the strategic plan through fiscal sustainability. It's part of our process of looking out into the future. We look at what's happened in the past and what's going to happen. we think in the future based on the best information we have at the time. So, I'm going to talk again about how did we get here? We've talked about this this in the past, but I'm bringing it forward in a little different format this time to hopefully um speak to some people a little differently. Um it is a complicated subject and I'm trying to make sure that everyone's kind of clear because I do often get what happened to all the revenue. you know, we've talked about it. We've kind of gotten there, but it seems to be there's still some people that, you know, they don't really understand what happened to all the revenue. At one point we had revenue and now we don't. What's what's what happened there? >> Yeah. >> And so, and then I'm going to talk about where we are for 25 closing out the books for that >> because one year we had a $10 million surplus. And so I love how, you know, there's just more negativity on when you have less, but then when you have revenue, no one mentions mentions that. So it can either come or go come or go. We've seen that on both sides. >> Um, you know, tough tough years and then some years much easier. So it's been a lot of history through ups and downs on the finance side, >> right? >> So I guess not uncommon. It's not. But this is different and I'm trying to um explain that today in a way and hopefully it resonates with you. This is different than what we've seen in the past history. >> And so this is what's creating the extra not only the challenge of it. We don't have a history of really what it looks like either. And so that's where I'm hoping this resonates with you as council to see that. Um the audit is currently underway for last year and then we will bring back the audited statements to you in December. This is our annual process as we close out those books. So how did we get here and what happened to all the revenue? So how did we get here? What we're seeing is persistent and weakening revenue growth and the economy is in a pre precarious state cooling but it's not collapsing. So we we're not in a recession, but we're not growing either. We're really in this flux, and we're not really sure how long that's going to go or what the impacts are going to be, how long this is going to occur. This slow revenue growth is due to the loss of compounding revenues, and it's especially damaging over time, which we'll talk about today. So what happened to all the revenue? Well, the momentum has been disrupted. the city not only misses out on the current year revenues, but we're losing future growth on that. So everything that's happening now is impacting compounding in the future. So over time, this creates a widening gap between what the city could have earned and what it's actually bringing in. And that's what's so critical to understand here. The longer the compounding effect is stalled, the more significant the cumulative loss is going to become. I've talked a lot previously about we're in year four, so I really wanted to highlight what that means here. So slow revenue growth for the general fund began in fiscal year 23. This was following years uh following the years of the pandemic where we had really high uh revenue growth especially in consolidated tax which is sales tax because people got stimulus funds they went out and spent it. We got that money back in sales tax. So we had really high growth following that. That's fiscal year 23 that you see here as year one. We had a decline in cax of 1%. That's our largest revenue source that we have in the general fund. other things have happened since that time. And so when I've come forward and talked to you about we're now in year four of this cycle, year four for us is fiscal year 26. That's the current year, but we're in year four of this. It's a slow roll into this. It's not a surprise. We didn't fall off a cliff, but we're slow rolling off out and we don't really know what it's going to look like. Um some of the slides I have kind of demonstrate that as we get out in the future, but you'll see some of the things that are occurring in here um have offset some other things. So, for example, in fiscal year 23, although cax actually declined that year, year-over-year, we saw increases in franchise fees and business licenses. Um in those spaces, franchise fees rates were increased by the utilities and so those rates increased that year. we get a percentage of it as a city as a franchise fee. And then in business licenses, businesses were still booming from the pandemic. The money coming out there and as a percentage of gross revenue, you know, comes it kind of business licenses and licenses in general tend to flow with the economy and so you see that in this space too. So really in fiscal year 23, we didn't have a lot of impact to the budget. Although one large revenue source declined, the others grew so much they filled that space. Following fiscal year 23, um in fiscal year 24, uh se tax increased 3%. So this is when everyone started talking about that soft landing. The feds are going to get that soft landing. We're going to get back to normal growth. Well, back to normal growth is typically CPI, year-over-year inflationary increases. And for CEX, it's normally around 4% if you're looking at that. And that's because of inflation and then population increase. So it looked like in fiscal year 24, yes, we're heading right back to that same trend. But at the same time, you'll notice on here, franchise fees went flat. They didn't even grow CPI year-over-year, which is normal for those. And licenses and permits, those sorry, licenses, they declined 7%. So, a couple of other things are starting to happen in that year. So, then we go to fiscal year 25, which is the year that we're still closing out. We recognized very early on that Cax was not coming in um growing. It was either flat or declining. And along with the other challenges of reporting coming out of the state, this has been a hard one to kind of predict, but we do think it's going to end about flat or 2% below the prior year. So, it's declining. Franchise fees declined year-over-year and licenses were flat. So, all of these things together are really starting to impact as we continue to move out. Also knew in fiscal year 25, you'll see at the bottom one-time funds that were used to balance the budget. And that was due to the labor contracts that came in after the point the budget was adopted. And so, one-time funds were used. The only way to get out of those one-time funds is we need to grow revenues so that we can grow into that space. We're not seeing that as we continue to move forward. And that's really where the challenge is. You'll see in 26 this continues to compound and we had to use 9.5 million of one-time funds to balance the budget and we had to make $16 million in reductions to balance the budget. without this compounding growth. This is the impact that you see. The gap gets wider as we continue to move out. I want to kind of talk about it. Um continue on to the next slide so you can kind of see how this works. So the current year budget for the general fund, you'll see the the four major sources of revenues on here are sea tax, property tax, franchise fees, and licenses and permits. Those are the areas where we really see growth that growth meaning uh due to inflation uh inflationary impacts as we move forward and you'll see compounding growth there. When you look at this uh the four major sources up there comprise 80% of the general fund and they really comprise the majority of the revenue growth that we see for the general fund. When you look at the other sources, they comprise about 20%. And we really don't see a lot of growth in that that space. That's why for this presentation, I'm really focusing on these top four to talk to you about because the other ones don't necessarily grow year-over-year. A lot of times they're flat. In that space, it's because the fees that we charge are either regulated by NRS or municipal code or as a policy decision, a decision is made to keep fees low for a certain reason. And so in these spaces, we don't see a lot of growth there. So we really depend on these four top ones to grow in order to support and continue to provide the services to the community. So when you look at CAX, I'm going to talk about the first top two on here first. Consolidated tax, this is a history over 25 years. the average growth rate is about 4%. And that's typically because of um inflation and then population growth. You see about 4% growth every single year. As things cost more, people buy them, you have that inflationary growth. I want to highlight out on the side the five years that I just talked about fiscal year 23 to 27. And that's the area where I'm really going to focus today. When you see the growth year-over-year, this percentage growth in this major revenue source, this growth in that five-year period on the right hand side doesn't look like any of the other years out here. Doesn't look like the recession that you see in the middle. It's very stagnant. And we're not sure how long that's going to go on. We're not sure if it's going to decline more. But what we're doing is preparing so that we're don't have normal growth, but we have some type of stagnant growth as we continue on until we have more information. Taking the more conservative approach as we look out into the future. Um, normally when you budget, you budget based on normal growth. We know normal growth is not occurring. So we are not basing uh what we're seeing in the future for normal growth. So property tax, property tax is the only one of these four sources that's really continuing to grow at a normal pace and what we expect. Although you can see in the last 5 years it has uh flattened a little bit uh and flatten by flattened I mean gone to 7% and kind of evened out and that's due to uh new construction the slowdown with the new construction with the interest rates that increased. Property tax has its own challenges obviously depreciation tax caps, and other things. So, this is never going to really skyrocket outside of new construction because of those tax caps. This is probably the maximum we're going to see as we start to move forward with this one. So historically, if you overlay these two together, uh you'll see that consolidated tax declined first during the recession and then two years later immediately followed by property taxes. So you see cax dip first in the recession and then property tax two years later and that's due to foreclosures, reassessments, and things. So that's always typically been the cycle during a recession. One of the things that comes up a lot of times is, well, why can't we afford the same amount of people we had at one time that we had at another time? And right here, I was just trying to capture some of that to give you an idea of what it looks like. And so, in 20 2007, between these two large revenue sources, we had $und00 million. Didn't return to that same dollar amount until 2016. So, it took 9 years to get back to the same dollars. not inflationadjusted dollars during that time frame, but during that same nine years, the average employee cost increased 23%. So where you could afford one position prior to that, now you can only afford a portion of a position, point8 of a position with the same dollars because although we have the same dollars, costs continue to increase year-over-year. So, I put this slide back in here just to kind of talk a little bit about the expenditure side. I'm not going to do a deep dive on expenditures today. I want to really focus on the revenue piece of it and then going forward as I keep coming back, we will have a lot more deep dives into the expenditures to talk about those as we build out the budget. So, um this slide is one that I showed back in January to you at council. Um and it just highlights that in those big years of revenue growth in 21 and 22, the revenue growth exceeded the salary and benefits uh the labor cost growth that we had in the city. Starting with 23, we started to lose ground where the labor cost started to exceed what we had in revenue growth. And as we go forward, this is we we could see this coming. If the pattern continues, we could see this coming and we projected it out um for that time. When why do we keep talking about labor costs so much and you know not looking at total costs uh as far as total city budget wise? Well, labor costs are 81% of the budget. And so those have uh other factors that we know ahead of time if they have collective bargaining agreements and things that we can build in as we factor things and build things out. And so labor costs are a significant portion of our budget. And so for this reason um we focus a lot of time on the growth in labor costs because as compared to the growth in revenues because it is a significant impact to the budget. When you look at um the expenditures in total the $321 million in total expenditures in the general fund of that um police fire and dispatch account for 64% of those expenditures. So more than half of the budget in the general fund goes to fund those departments. So if we circle back to the revenue piece of it, what do we have to fund everything in the general fund? Really, these are the four that grow and these are the four revenue sources that fund the stuff that happens in the general fund as far as a growth basis. And so you can see this is a percentage growth over uh the 5-year period that we were talking about for sea tax, property tax, franchise fees, and licenses. You'll see that really high growth in 22 at 10% for CAX and then declined, grew 3% flat, and then we're kind of predicting about 2% for the outy years for this year and for next year. Still kind of uncertain. budget is something we watch all year long and we make adjustments during the year. If these we close out the books and we see things coming in different as we roll, you know, monthtomonth. Um those conversations come up and adjustments are made during the year just like they were last year. Property tax, you can see really steady growth there. Franchise fees kind of, you know, all over the place. Normally, you see between 3 and 5% growth, that inflationary growth year-over-year, and same in licenses, but you see some kind of strange things going on in these spaces as well, which are creating extra challenges for us to balance the budget. If you look at the same chart, but just by dollars, not by percentage. This shows the dollars over time. And I like this chart because it really shows what happens with, for example, property tax. Property tax has that compounding growth. So over this 5-year period that we're talking about, 44% growth. Significant. That's stairstep growth. When you look at CATX, the same 5-year period, and what we're anticipating, 7% growth. And that's our largest revenue source. It's just not growing with that flattening. And it's not a one-year thing. It's not a two-year thing. And it's not something that's going to be fixed in a year. We're not going to have a big boom and then continue to grow on that. This is a problem that we're going to have for a while. Um, franchise fees you'll see, grew significantly and business licenses, too, because they had a lot of growth in that 23 time period, which is part of this 5-year period that we're looking at. But then they're flattening as we go out farther. When you look at how would they have grown under normal circumstances, in normal circumstances, this is how we would budget. We would budget based on how does the economy normally react and what does that look like as we move forward. That's how everyone normally budgets. So when you look at uh consolidated taxes, if we built in a growth rate of 4% year-over-year, you get that stairstep effect like you have on property tax. And what ends up happening here, you see the gray bars or that projection. If it continued to grow in a normal rate, that's a 21% growth rate over that 5-year period we're looking at. Much different than 7%. Which is what we're actually seeing. Same thing out for franchise fees and licenses and permits. You see some growth there. Again, they have a little larger growth on this chart because they had growth in 23 over 22. So, they grew initially in this 5-year term we're talking about pretty significantly, but they have flat, they've changed since that time. So, if you overlay the charts, this is really what the this is the look of what happens here. So, you have your actuals on the top or our projections as well for those out years. And then the gray bar at the top, that's that revenue piece that we're losing. And you'll notice the compounding effect of that revenue piece that we're losing. Uh the longer this goes on, the bigger the gap gets. So you'll see for CAX, there's a small little bar for that little gray space in 23 and then as you continue to move out, it gets larger and larger because we're missing out on that growth year-over-year. Um again, same thing happening for franchise fees and licenses if you roll these together. So, same information. I've just rolled it up by year here so that you can see what that impact is over the year. The revenue growth loss. So, the estimated loss of the revenue growth over the 5-year timeline here from fiscal year 23 to 27 is estimated at $74 million. 45 million of that is consolidated tax. Um, the costs continue to grow every single year. And these ma major revenues right here are not keeping pace with the expenditures and particularly because of the compounding growth. So you'll you can see that same effect here as we roll them together. Started out $5 million that we were losing in 23 goes to 108. It keeps getting larger. The longer we stay in this flat stagnant economy, the larger that gap gets as we continue to move out. So, as we look at uh closing out the books for 25, we're looking at the results for that. They're really coming in as as expected. You know, early on we we figured out uh that CAX especially and franchise fees were not trending as we budgeted them because we build the budget so much earlier than the year when it actually occurs. So early in the year we recognized those were not trending as we anticipated and adjustments were made during the year to reduce it spending um hold positions you know change spending patterns so that changing those spending patterns would fill the gap that we thought we were going to have this revenue in. And so for 25 um it's really trending as we anticipated. Is it trending to budget? Yes, mostly except for um CAX and franchise fees and then the expenditures are trending uh below budget by 4%. And that's the gap that will fill by not spending it. We didn't have the revenue coming in and we recognized that early on and that was the adjustment made. What we don't know is how long this is going to occur and how much bigger that gap's going to go as as we continue to move out. We also have challenges here too. I don't have rollups of the revenues for you today because we're still awaiting some C tax receipts, consolidated tax. We are still short June. Um not sure when we were supposed to get that this week. I'm not sure that it will come in this week. We will see. Um but as of May, we're trending, as I mentioned before, 2% below the prior year. And um I still anticipate we're going to be flat to 2% below for this for fiscal year 25. Um grants and acrruels, we're still working on that to close out the books, interest, income, and we have some other things that are still pending that are larger type items. But right now, what I'm seeing is everything is coming in as we anticipated as we talked to you about when we were adopting the budget. Um, again, expenditures coming in under budget and this is just really offsetting that amount that we knew we would be short in revenues. So, as we look out for next month, um, I'll be coming back on September 24th to the year council meeting and I'll have preliminary results for fiscal year 25 at that meeting. They will be unawudited, but I will have results at that point hopefully. Hopefully, I'll have cax then and all the revenues. Um, and we'll we'll really know where we end that year. Where are we in that year? Um, we'll have a discussion on is there an impact to fiscal year 26 to the current year budget. Do we need to start making adjustments to that based on how we're ending the year? And then looking out for fiscal year 27, what that budget development process looks like. So, this is kind of the first step of understanding our revenues and then as we move forward looking really taking a deep dive into our expenditures. So with that that concludes my presentation and I'm glad to take questions. >> Thank you Vicki. I will start to the right of the dis with questions for Vicki. Council member Anderson. >> Oh god it's so hard to even start talking. Sorry Vicki that you had to give us that report. This gives me such anxiety. >> Me too. But as a I'm a you know person of action and it just um reminds me of the RSCBA when they came in um last week or to our last meeting and gave their presentation about the incredible work that they're doing bringing I think 18% more visitors to the area yet the spend is still going down. We're getting more volume of people coming to the region and spending less. we're still losing, you know, that that spend there. So my challenge to all of us in the city um people that are stakeholders for a vibrant Reno and a vibrant region, we need to work together on what we can offer as a region to help start driving those numbers up where we are offering a value that is so special and unique that people will come here and actually invest in their, you know, their time here. That's really the only control we have right is being the best place for people to consider coming and either living and spending or visiting and spending right for now. Is that true or no? >> Yes, thank you for that question. Yes, growth. We depend on growth um in order to support just the services that we provide. um at your next meeting, I believe it's on September 13th, property tax will be coming forward and you'll see the challenges in that space. These revenue sources that we depend on in order to fund the services that the community expects and needs. There are significant challenges with those revenue sources um and the declining impact of those revenue sources, property tax, tax caps, you know, all of these things. And so the only real space is we have to keep growing. And you, you know, there's conversations on we don't want more growth. You know, people don't want more growth and filling things. But really, we have to have more growth in order to keep doing the things that we do here at the city. >> Yeah. And if we can't have growth in in residents, we can have growth in visitation. So, >> thank you for your continued education on this topic and keeping us on top of it all. Thank you, Council Member Martinez. >> Thanks so much, Vice Mayor, and thank you, Director Van Beerren, for the presentation. Similar uh to what Council Member Anderson said, I think it's the presentations that we've gotten in the last two meetings have definitely painted a not so rosy picture for us and the situation that we find ourselves in. I think uh what's been eye opening for me as a council member to understand is how much actions outside of the city really affect our operations and our revenues and how we're able to direct some of those funds. So, I I guess I'll take a step back and ask you if there are if you believe the city is doing everything in its power to make to do cost-saving efforts and to squeeze as much as we can out of our revenue sources to provide those services that make Reno such a great place to live and what we hear from our residents. Um, and so just wanted to hear your perspective on that. >> Sure. I think absolutely. you know, um, people say a lot of times doing more with less. It's not necessarily doing more with less. Changing the way we do some things, I think is some of it. Using technology as best we can, implementing um, restructuring departments. A lot of these things manager Bryant and her team are just really working on diligently. We meet regularly and talk about, you know, options, things that they're looking at, costing things. And so I think we are all working in that space, especially manager Bryant and her team to make sure that they're optimizing the results for the community with what we have. >> Great. And I think during the briefing, I I asked you a little bit about uh department expenditures. Um, and just wondering if we can have that same conversation today about how the city manager's office and with your advice. There's sort of been a steady amount that each department has been given and what actions have been taken in that space. >> Thank you for that question. I believe your question was regarding service and supplies, the budgets and those. Okay. And how those have grown or not grown over time. We will have a much deeper dive into that as we move forward. I tend to kind of focus on labor costs because they're such a large cost and when those change even a slight amount, it changes the dollar amounts tremendously. Um, but over the last few years, especially since I've been here, I've been here nine years, we've really held departments to a very flat pretty much budget for service and supplies. So they've had to find better ways to do things, newer ways to do things, combining with other departments, collaborating with others, um because in that space their budgets really have not grown. Um so I don't know that there's a lot more to give in that area as we start to move forward. Um in this last budget cycle, if you remember, we did reduce uh those department budgets by 5%. So in not only have they been held flat for many years, they actually found a way to find savings of 5% so that we could balance the budget for the current year that we're in. >> And if I may take just a few seconds, I just wanted to make sure we got that on the record because there is a process that the city's going through to make sure that we are being effective in what we're doing and providing those services at the same level that we can. Thanks so much for the grace, Vice Mayor. Oh, thanks. Um, Madame Mayor, do you mind if I go? >> Okay. Thank you. Um, this is quite sobering. Um, and I, you know, we all appreciate all the work that you've done. I'm going to reiterate what Council Member Anderson said. I think this is a great opportunity where we're all going to have to really work together to move through this and this is something we haven't seen in 20 years. This is a financial pattern that we haven't seen in 20 years or ever, um, as far as I know. So I think the the challenge is um a great one, but also comes great opportunity and uh it's an opportunity to see how we can change the way we fundamentally do business. And I'm going to ask uh our our city manager and you to come back with some really robust ideas and we're probably going to have to say no more than we say yes in the future. And when we're looking at $74 million over these years of lost revenue, that isn't that's not going to be an easy feat. But I know that we can if we put our heads together, we can absolutely do it. My one question is when we're looking at um year five, you have a projected 2.7 increase in the sea tax. So once we start closing our books for 25, um I think what I had mentioned is I'd like to see a worstc case scenario. So if we're seeing less than predicted, when do you start adjusting that 2.7% to zero or even below that? So we can start looking at what our options are. >> Thank you for that. The the 2.7 that you're referring to is for 27 as we're looking out to that. And really that's still kind of being developed and looked at. This is just our first kind of idea of what that is. The 2.7 comes from the state's projections. um we don't always use their projections because sometimes we fluctuate a little different in northern Nevada than southern Nevada and what we're seeing and the state does kind of an overall projection. But as far as their projections from their economic forums this last year, they were spot on for what we were seeing. And their projections, uh their final projections that they had in the spring said 2% for the current year we're in and 2.7 for 27. And that's really where we're at at this point. Um, we'll close out the books. We'll see what the state's doing. We'll see what other economic forums are out there. And we'll really regroup as we start to build the budget and and have more conversations on what does that look like as we move forward. I do want to mention that we are not um we're not unique in this across the country. Local agencies are experiencing the same thing. And it's the same thing that I showed you. It's that slowdown and the stagnation that we have not seen like that in the past. and it's just going to grow as we continue to go out. Um there are lots of articles every week that are coming out on what cities are saying, what they're doing, things they're going to think about. And so we are always looking at that as well. Um and I know manager Brian is as well because we're not unique to this. This is a situation that all local governments are really having right now in the country. Yeah sure. >> Yeah, sure. Um, thank you so much. And I had a preview of this presentation which was super helpful. One of the most helpful things about this presentation was your exclam explanation of how we got here. So, you know, it seemed like we dropped off a cliff, right? We went from just being fine to 25 million in the hole. Like, it seemed impossible. and you've you've spent some time with us explaining about the franchise fees and doing a deeper dive on that, but it was really hard to understand still how we got here. So, this be begins to help us understand the details more. Um, so with that, I just wanted to say a couple things. Um you we each year in the budget we talk about our fees and one of the fees is licenses and throughout the year we've talked about for example liquor licenses and that we're very low um compared to other jurisdictions especially in Nevada and I wonder we talked about it last year but we haven't seen a change or proposal for change and I'm just wondering we we getting this dire news but if we could start taking some steps to blunt the impact. Another example, last budget we talked about parking, parking, parking, that we should consider um our collections and what it costs and stand up a parking unit, but here we are and we haven't done it, you know. So, I guess what I'm wondering is you're the deliverer of the bad news, but our manager has the ability to start implementing some things immediately like we don't have to wait all the way to next year's budget to do some of these things. So, I I wanted to bring up about that that I think we need to quickly look at it. And a simple example, we know there's over a thousand um Airbnbs in Reno, just Reno, not not the larger area. We're charging nothing for license fee. Nationally, it's about average of $300. That could be $330,000 next year. You know, if we took the time to move forward with a business license for Airbnbs, I mean, almost everybody's doing it. I don't know why >> we're not doing it. I mean, so these are just some lowhanging fruit, you know, and maybe you're working on it, but maybe I'm just a little impatient. Like, we've we've been hearing about these ideas for quite some time. I would just like, you know, next couple meetings, give us some proposals for uh raising a license fee. And I'm not just talking about the your typical. I'm talking about the atypical things. We're not even licensing that. It's it's sort of what we're not even collecting. I'm not saying go raise license fees for all the businesses that were already paying if if you see what I'm saying. I'm I'm just saying look for things that are unlicensed or unregulated. So just some ideas. >> Yeah. So uh we had a presentation a couple of months ago from Mr. Farada on residential licenses and that we've indicated that'll come back in October. October >> privilege licensing will be part of the fee schedule discussion and that'll be >> but do we have to wait all the way till next July? >> I'm going to ask the attorneys that I think there's a reason that we only do fee schedule changes once a year and I can't remember what it is. >> Okay. >> Uh for the record, John Shipman, um it there's just a more involved process if you do it kind of midyear. Um potentially have business impact statements come into play and that sort of thing. >> And one more thing for your list is um we talked also about all the rentals. Same thing. >> Okay. That we're not char we're not >> And that's all coming back in October based on council direction. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else? >> Not for me right now. Thank you. But I I really appreciated this. >> All right. Uh thank you so much, Vicki. Um one of the things that I've been really impressed um Jackie hasn't been here that long in this seat. She reminded me the other day that she's been here four years. I can't believe it. Four years in April. >> Unbelievable. But this is one of those areas where I've been super impressed um with city manager and her diligence in this space. It's impressive. I don't think that there is a day or sometimes I feel like an hour that goes by that you're not paying attention to this. um because it is definitely a different territory. Here's the one thing that I would say and I and please don't take this in the wrong way at all. Um because I think you're fantastic. I think we've actually been super fortunate to have some very very strong um finance directors in in my term and I would say the thing that has helped a lot in other capacities is having maybe an outside audit, different set of eyes because we look at these budgets day in and day out and they and they become very um I guess standard and speaking with other mayors I said that that really made a huge difference of coming in with a totally different perspective and firms that do that that look at other cities and and to your point about other um revenue sources where you know we might be missing something um it can just be really I think beneficial when you know all of us I mean I know I've been sitting are, you know, probably too long and it's a good thing for term limits, right? But I'm just saying not that you guys have them and anyway, but I'm saying we get so conditioned on what we're looking at and someone from an outside perspective might just see some things that we don't see. So, I'm really curious. I'd love to have um possibly the council weigh in on a discussion at some point of having an outside audit of maybe some recommendations that we haven't thought of before. It is challenging too because guess what? So it's not that easy whenever I say this and the reason why is because we are the only state the only state which a lot of people always um miss that part of the conversation when we're talking about how uh you know governments finance themselves in the state of Nevada but we are the only state with depreciation property um you know I guess complexities and so it's fascinating when you talk to people that aren't from Nevada they're like, "Wow, I've never heard of that. I had no idea." I mean, it's really really remarkable how it affects us on every every level. And I've always said, "We always have to rob Peter to pay Paul, it feels like." So, it's um incredibly challenging. So, I just know how tough your job is and and thank you so very much. Um and that you know the other thing too that's hard because half your constituents will agree that these are the things that you should invest in and the other half will be like absolutely not. Why are you doing that? Why are you investing in this? You know um everyone has a totally different perspective of what they want to see funded. And I'm grateful that this council really your priorities are right in line I think where they need to be with public safety and you know the people that make this organization run. So anyway um with that I was just one of the things that I think if there is some discussion maybe that's a possible way to have us have just a different perspective outside perspective or also a report card. How are we doing? you know, something to that capacity like, hey, you know, we think this is what we see. 90% of cities are right in line, you know, with this is the priority or whatever. I don't know. But I just feel like sometimes an outside perspective and like I said, Vicki, I'm a big fan of yours. Um, >> thank you. >> But I think, you know, it's always good to have someone else that hasn't seen it before. But again, the challenge is they have also not seen this dynamic in the state of Nevada before either. So, it is a little more challenging to get someone to come in and and do that. >> Um, Councilwoman Der and then I will if any of you guys Oh, Councilwoman Eert. I'll um >> are you >> I'm going to go to Okay, I'm going to go to Councilwoman Eert and then back to Councilwoman Dur. Go ahead. >> I didn't have anything additional to add. I think the rest of council pretty much covered everything. I am also interested in just, you know, trying to figure out how to have more types of events as well. I think that's a good space to be in. I agree with Council Member Anderson that it's um kind of um disappointing to see that we had an 18% increase um in events um but or not events but just you know people coming to events and you know that the these numbers are still going down. Um so just really um looking forward to finding ways to increase revenue whether it's through um fees or more events and just our different partnerships with RSCBA and um other areas. Um just looking forward to exploring those with council. Um so that's it. Um the other questions I had have pretty much already been asked and answered. Thank you. Okay, Council On. >> Yeah. Um, you know, Vicki, something that I've been thinking about, but I have really not mentioned to anyone, and I guess I I've been nervous to mention it, but it's like I haven't fully accepted that the $25 million shortfall is actually a $25 million shortfall. And that is because the state changed their accounting system. And we've seen the evidence in just this month where you told us that revenues came in not just 5% below or 10% but almost 40% less just for one month and you said other cities experienced this as well and that there's a problem with the new accounting system. My question is did this problem just tr um crop up in June or has it been sort of threaded through some of the previous months as well that could have led us to this point? So I would love um to somehow to get that question answered from the um state department of taxation to understand or or maybe it's the treasur's office or both but to understand have we even received our full revenues and the reason I asked this question while all the jurisdictions sparks and wo county also had shortfalls all of our numbers were pretty different they were pretty different and I I it doesn't seem like whereas the 40% or 37% shortage was pretty much the same >> to across that's what you told us. >> Yes. >> Um so I guess I'm just wondering I'm a little questioning whether this is really really really true like is it really 20 million or is it 22 million you know so you see where I'm coming from. I've been wondering this for a long time. I haven't vocalized it. So thank you. >> Thank you. I would like to respond to that a little bit because I do have some answers for that. Um, we were seeing declines in CAX revenue prior to the state changing their system. They changed their system in November. >> I came to this body in October of last year and said, "Look, we're seeing declines in this space, the softening of the economy." So, we were already making plans. Yeah. >> Prior to them changing systems. once they change systems, it's just really, you know, it's made it very hard for us to really tell from that point forward what it looks like. So, we really look to a lot of other things. What are other local agencies seeing? What are we seeing as a whole as far as spending patterns for the economy, for consumers? So, we're we're having to kind of extrapolate from a lot of different areas in the space because of the challenges that the state is having in their reporting system at this point. But we were recognizing this the flattening prior to them changing the system. So I'm comfortable that yes, this flattening is continuing. It's something that we're still seeing a pattern of. >> Well, until you you assured us that at the end of the fiscal year, we'd have a much better understanding about the impact of the new system and we saw this dramatic challenge for June. >> So it raises questions and I guess I'm not as satisfied. I understand you're but often trends can hide something else like we saw a softening but was it a softening of 2% uh but it were 5% below you you see what I mean like it may be in the trend but there may be other things like you've showed us today that go into it well maybe the state's accounting system is one of the things that is also playing a part >> so thank you appreciate that >> okay thank you very much Any anything over here? Okay. All right. Um, anything else you want to add, Vicki? >> No, that's it. This is just for discussion only. There's no action item required from you at this point, but I will be back. >> Just to accept. >> Perfect. Okay. Thank you so much. All right. I don't think we have to take a motion. Carl, >> no. >> Carl's making it easy on us. Okay. Thank you so much. Okay, madame clerk, we are going to head into um something C3. Do you have any public comment on this item? >> Madame Mayor, we do not have any public comment on this item and have not received any correspondence. >> Okay, thank you so much. Um, this is going to be a discussion on possible recommendation for ordinance introduction, the 2024 International Fire Code and International Wildland Urban Interface Code. So, I I'm excited to see this presentation by Chief Cochran and the one and only Boston, >> right? And I guess it's going to be all you instead of Chief Cochran. But um I may have said, "Oh my gosh, all I want to do is just pet this dog." And I'm like, I think we all feel the same way. Look at how cute he is. >> He's adorable. >> Look at how good he is. Can you believe how he's just grown into this role? >> Yeah. It's been 4 and 1/2 years now. He just turned 6 years old. He's been with City for 4 and a half years now. >> Has it been See, time goes by like that. >> We know if we don't bring him, everybody will say, "Where's Boston?" >> Well, that's true. We all >> We bring him. Everyone looks for He's the most popular person in the building. >> True. >> Um Sean O'Brien with Reno Fire Department. I'm a captain in the fire prevention division and I'm here to present to you the uh our proposed adoption for the 2024 International Fire Code and 2024 International Wildland Urban Interface Code. So as far as the strategic plan goes, this of course aligns with public safety along with fire department. Every six years we update our codes along with the building department to make sure that the city is using the most current safe codes so we stay in line with technology developments and things like that. So quickly touching on some of the changes in the 2024 international fire code. Um the there's a section that's been added for the storage of lithium batteries with batteries being ever more present. There are also in our amendments, we also have a section added for battery recycling facilities. These are starting to become more common. That section also does address storage both indoor and outdoor at the recycling facilities. We have a update to our fire lane requirements which will clarify where and how the signs are to be posted to keep fire lanes open. We have updates to our emergency service radio system. So this is to make sure that we are aligned with Wo County for our radio systems. Uh we also address ESS section. So this is when we say ESS it's energy storage systems things like Tesla power walls. We're seeing those more and more in both residential and commercial. And then there's also a new chapter that addresses temporary heating and cooking operations. So things like when we do special events, tents, cooking operations, things like that. New for 20, excuse me, new for 2024, we're uh proposing the adoption of the International Wildland Urban Interface Code. So, this would actually align us with our partners and our neighbors. Wash County adopted this in 2012. Sparks adopted this in 2018. It addresses fire access and water supply issues. It addresses ignition resistant construction. So any building that's built in a wildland urban interface would depending on the hazard severity would have to be built to a certain specification. Uh it addresses defensible space which is the area between the building and the wildland to make sure that it's maintained to slow the spread of fire. When we adopt it, there will be no additional sprinkler requirements by adopting this code. uh it will require vegetation management plans for new developments and then it also has a what we call a fire fire hazard severity form and what this form does it allows us to go to an area or look at an area that's being developed and make sure that we accurately assess the hazard of that area. This is a map quick map of the current uh WOOI map that we have. In purple, you see the sphere of influence in the city of Reno boundaries. And then you have the different hazards, low, moderate, high, and extreme. You'll notice that currently we don't have any extreme areas in the city of Reno limits. And most of the high areas, of course, are on the outskirts, and a lot of them are already being developed. So, the impact should be pretty minimal. our proposed impleation uh implementation timeline. We are going to follow the lead of the building department's adoption of their 2024 edition of codes. So once we get adopted, once we get approval for city council, uh we will accept as fire department during plan review, we will accept either the 2018 or the 2024 code until January 1st, at which point we will switch over and accept only the 2024 code from then on. So developers will have the time and opportunity to make that switch. At the direction of the council, we did look into a concept of adding something to the amendments, which would be a requirement for building in the WOI area, which would be three or more access roads. Um, so currently the international fire code only requires a maximum of two. So we have one road always and then it dictates when you need a secondary access road. Uh, this also with this requirement comes a distance requirement. So if you have to have a secondary access road, that road has to be a certain distance from the primary road to make sure that if something bad happened to that primary road, that access road is still safe. We are already finding challenges when it comes to the land that's left in the city of Reno to develop and we've been working with developers in getting those secondary access roads to meet the code requirements. A lot of the developments that we currently have, we would not have been able to approve if a third access road was required because there's just simply not room. Um, also there's a cost location challenge with this. Not only the cost to build the road, but then potentially a cost to the development itself of limiting how much can be developed because they're worrying about access issues. Um, and it's fire department's recommendation that we look at things uh as a totality. So things like adopting the WOOI so that we actually have the space between the buildings that the buildings are built to a higher standard things like sprinkler buildings all these add in together are a greater benefit to new developments than having just a third road. So uh recommended motion um direct staff to bring forward ordinance introduction adopting the 2024 international fire code and international wildland urban interface code. Okay, fantastic. Thank you very very much. This um is music to my ears on so many levels. I'm going to start out with um comments from council and then we'll wrap up and I'll just ask you a few questions. Um Councilwoman Anderson, go ahead >> because I know you're there. >> Can you describe to us and thank you for the presentation? Um sorry, I'm always forgetting to thank people for all the amazing work that you do. Um, can you describe to us with the the adoption of this code how it might change how a developer would approach defensible space to a development just as an example? >> So if we you mean in the WOOI area I assume you mean if we adopt the WOOI um change how I guess would be my question. >> Well, how would they approach ensuring that they had appropriate defensible space in their development design? >> Right. So where you would say thumbs up, you did this well. >> So they can always reference the map we have and if they don't agree with if a developer doesn't agree with the current map that we have, again, we go back to that fire form that I discussed for the hazard severity form and we can work with the developers so they can propose it to us. And what that form does is it's basically a point system talking about all the safety points that matter to us as a fire department to ensure public safety. And then they can present this is what we're developing. Here's how it meets these points. Therefore, we are actually lowering the hazard to this. >> And that tells us what they need to do when it comes to the ignition resistance construction that's required for the area to make sure that the homes are what we call home hardened. >> Okay. So, for example, um that would maybe designate where landscaping could be in in and around a property that's developed, right? how close it is to a house, how close it is to a fence, how many trees are actually added to a development or removed from a development to make it appropriate. So sometimes in these areas, additional vegetation is not wanting to be added because we're trying to increase defensible space. >> Correct. It's it's always a balance because our goal with defensible space isn't to just put make a concrete jungle so that it's perfectly safe, right? It's about slowing fire spread and limiting fire spread, keeping it back and providing the first responders, our firefighters, room to get behind the structure and actually fight the fire and keep it away from the structures. >> Okay. >> So, ve part of this, I think I had mentioned is a vegetation management plan. So, for instance, if a developer was creating a new residential area, that HOA would have to propose a vegetation management plan to maintain throughout the years maintain that defensible space at all times. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Of course. >> Thanks so much. >> It did. Yeah. >> I was a little gunshy on that one. >> Yes. Thanks so much, Madam Mayor. >> Yeah. Thank you for the presentation. I just want to make sure that you're saying these new uh codes are going to be in place for new development. It doesn't necessarily affect current homeowners. They don't have to go and install a sprinkler system or upgrade to um I think you put Sorry, I'm uh ignition resistant construction. There we go. No, it does not. So, that would be what we would call existing non-conforming. So, anything that's already the permits are already in have been approved before this code uh or houses that are existing, structures are existing, they do not have to go back and retrofit. We will not we will not require that. >> Okay. And for your the map that you have on uh page seven uh or slide seven, the areas that are in yellow are considered the wildland urban interface. >> So really blue u blue moderate is where you start with some of the construction requirements potentially and then yellow is the high and then that has the higher higher end requirements. Yes. >> And but as you mentioned most of the space is already developed >> correct. It isn't going to impact >> developed or being currently developed. Yes. >> Okay. Perfect. Thank you so much. >> Of course. >> All right, Vice Mayor. Thank you so much. Um so excited to see this, too. I think we started this back when I was in planning commission. So great, great work and I'm really um impressed with the vegetation management plan. I think it's fantastic um that you included in this. I know we had a lot of comments on that. One thing I wanted to see on the timeline when this goes into effect, is there a process between working with people that are in the development process and the notification? And I'm sure the answer is yes. I just want to that's one of the questions we're going to get is how are we going to let people know how and when this goes into >> Yes, we will just like the building department did. We will reach out to all the contractors and and the professionals and make sure that they get copies of everything and know what's happening. Yes. >> Fantastic. Thank you so much. Thank you for your work. >> Of course. >> Thank you, Boston. I bore him. >> All right, Councilwoman Der. >> Yeah, thank you. I too am super excited about this. Um it's something I've been looking for for a long time. Good. >> Um I just wanted to ask a couple questions. Um uh if we could show the map, which you are. Um and so the the new requirements would only apply what in the yellow and orange or >> also the blue. the blue >> blue would just be fewer requirements. So if you >> um if developers were to develop in a moderate area um you would still have some roof requirements, there would be vent cover requirements, there would be um gutter cover requirements, >> but it wouldn't be quite to the same level as if you were building in yellow or red. Correct. >> And on slide six, if we could turn to that, you you say added for 2024 and it says no sprinkler requirements. So I'm kind of confused. Are we dropping them? >> I apologize. No, and I apologize. I missed a word here. No new sprinkler requirements. >> Oh, okay. I thought we were dropping them. >> No. No. Um, so under wildland urban interface code, there's actually a section that anything built in the wildland urban interface automatically requires sprinklers. Gotcha. >> As you know, Nevada law does not >> does not allow that, right? So, we we actually are going to um we're not going to adopt that specific part just like the state the state also um is not adopting that section. Uh that way all sprinkler requirements are maintained from previous years. So >> but we're not allowed to add new. Is that what you're saying? The state of Nevada kind of >> NRS dictates that for private residents that it only if it's 5,000 square feet or over or local requirements in this case for the city of Reno if it our response time is more than 6 minutes. >> Okay. Very good. And then if you could go to the slide on the three or more access roads. So this is I'm glad you addressed it. This is something I've really been pushing for not all developments but developments in the WOOI. And when you answered and you gave these things um you said that there's kind cost and location challenges but were you just talking about the WOOI or throughout the city? >> No, about the adding the third the third road for the WOI developments. Well, I will tell you that um that I just don't think it's enough um on some of these developments. And maybe for a small development, it's not that big of a deal, right? I mean, 30 homes or whatever it is, but when you're talking about a thousand homes or more, and they're all exiting out on these two exits, uh and some are right straight to the freeway. Um and you have to wend your way through neighborhoods to even get there. Those are the things I really worry about. And I would really like a little more um assessment of those. I guess I mean if we have an opportunity to provide this level of evacuation in these areas where we know are very subject to fire, I really think we should be looking at it. I understand we're looking at the totality of improvements, but this is something we've been talking about for I don't know eight years and um I really just saying you know it'd be costly to do. Well, I think everything you've proposed has a cost with it. Fair, >> right? And everything you propose, whether it's distance or whatever, has a cost. And I'm not sure why this cost is different than those costs. >> If you like me to address that, please. >> I think the biggest difference in cost when it comes to this versus the other recommendations is the ability to develop the lens. Again, we've had multiple projects that are going on right now where we had to work with developers to figure out how to even get that second access because we required it to work where it actually met the public safety standards. >> A lot of those if we required a third, well, I understand what you're saying, more is always better. Uh if we required a third, those projects just wouldn't be feasible and the development wouldn't be able. The downside, if I may, um, the downside is potentially, the reason I'm bringing it up is that we keep seeing these large fires, whether it's in southern California, Hawaii, Northern, you know, Oregon, Washington, Northern California, where people are dying on the road, not being able to evacuate. >> And that's a big part of why we are, as the fire department, we are pursuing the adoption of the wildland urban interface code. the the whole point of that in my opinion the whole point of the wildland urban interface code is to keep those large fires on the exterior of our developments and not inside >> right but unfortunately these fires keep going into cities places we never thought they would go and I'll just personal example when that Colin ranch fire came what in 2012 there's at least a thousand homes between me and that fire and I thought that's fine they'll have to burn a thousand homes to get to me but no it jumped into a canyon burned three houses the next thing I know it is across Ross the street from my house. It skipped 990 homes. Correct. >> And came to my house. We We have a different setup than a lot of places in America. So, I'll leave it there. Thank you. >> Okay. >> That was wild how it jumped over. >> Right. >> Never seen that before. >> And now we're in an embedded neighborhood that I'm not even in the WOOI, but it's getting much more difficult to evacuate. So, I'll leave it at that, but I may have one other followup once we get there. Um, Councilwoman Eert, go ahead. reminder. >> I don't have any questions at this time. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so many questions. Um, but also I have a lot of praise and gratitude. Um, he's going to hate me whenever I do this, but JW, can I see you? Hi. I want to say thank you so much for this. I really appreciate all the work you've done. Um he's so humble up there. This is why he's hiding in the corner, but he knows how important um a lot of this work is. And Chief Cochran, you know how important how serious I take it and I really appreciate the presentation on so many levels. Um so JW, I'm super grateful. Uh I think you've been doing tre tremendous work um in our public safety areas um from dispatch to fire to police. So I see you over there. That's the purpose of me looking at you. Anyway, um question. You talked about the dates that they were adopted from Sparks and Wo County. Correct. >> Why are where were we? >> Uh I was a firefighter at the time. I do not know. I was not in the prevention division at that time. >> I was 12 at the time. Um Chief Cochran, do you want to answer that question? Absolutely. Thank you. So Dave Cochran, Reno Fire Chief. I think the answer, you know, it's a judgment call. It's a policy decision. At the end of the day, a lot of the developments were going in were maybe not going in but being proposed. Stonegate, for example, was a PUD where we could actually impose the requirements without the need to have the law in place. We were requiring these same things, but not by virtue of having a local law. There's also the state uh wooi that we could impose and utilize that as >> a standard for what we would require. So, we felt like we were making the same safety requirements ass of the development community, but this gives us a better tool to do that. >> And I appreciate that. And as I've said before, and I did not mince my words, as you guys know, I get very fired up, no pun intended, about this um topic that if we have a catastrophic fire, which we have, you know, um that is very real. And I'm telling you, everyone will say, "What did you do? What did you not do?" And they will hold us accountable to every level. And I want to be able to say, "We did everything that we possibly could to make our city safe." And so that that's the way I want you to think is proactively. If there are things on the table that we have not done, we need to know about it. And we want to be proactive because um like I said, at the end of the day, I mean, there's going to be no grace or mercy for us being irresponsible. So, um I just want to be really clear about that because I think this is long overdue. Um and it, you know, sometimes perception is reality. Everyone needs to know that this is top of mind, you know, all the time. I mean, it's one of our biggest biggest um concerns on on this council. So, I just want to say thank you. I I appreciate you being proactive, but we want to see more of that. >> Absolutely. >> More um more proactive approaches. >> As you know, I agree and we agree with you. Life safety is number one and property conservation and this goes towards both of those. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. And um I want to bring up a couple of topics. Um, Councilwoman Eert brought up at um, several meetings ago, she was very concerned about lithium battery uh, fires and then I think you were talking, Chief Cochran or >> more. >> You're more you're more involved in that space. Would you please give an update to Councilwoman Eert because I remember it was of grave concern for her. >> Oh, update on what specifically? you were looking you were looking at um certain measures for lithium batteries and I think uh Chief Cochran you said that there were new tools that are available that are coming out to mitigate those fires. Those fires are incredibly difficult to >> um get on top of. >> So yeah, Chief will um talk on the actual operation side as far as the code goes. Um certainly the code's addressing it. It's a technology that's not going anywhere. It's just increasing. So, we are definitely um a new, like I said, a new section has been added for lithium battery storage to make sure that the warehouses that are full of these batteries are doing it properly. Simple things, some of it is simple, right? Um the batteries having to charge under 30% when being stored, then they don't present the same hazard as if they're stored over 30%. Uh we also have a section in our amendments that we propose that's for the battery and recycling facilities. or battery recycling on these lithium batteries is actually a new technology that's coming far and it's really exciting for future energy purposes but it does pose potential hazard. So we have a new section that includes indoor storage, outdoor storage, spacing, storage requirements of these also. >> And that leads me to one thing and I want to ask this and um manager Bryant this really might be something that we all need to think about is looking at when we license businesses like let's say um businesses that use lithium batteries. We we have seen a lot of actually fatalities um from lithium battery fires breaking out in like um bike shops that are using the the electric bikes. And sometimes you will see that they're not using the chargers that that are supposed to adapt to charging those. They'll use outside manufacturers from different countries that are really, really dangerous. They have had fatalities, massive fatalities in New York. Um when I was in London, they had them um all from lithium batteries. Um people were plugging in in the wall and because the charger was not um the direct manufacturer, that's also a thing that everyone should be very concerned about. always try to use the direct manufacturers charging because a lot of times the ones that are made um overseas are really they're very dangerous and I think businesses that a lot of their uh you know what they're doing is obviously carrying um these products so I think they should have to register in some capacity so the city knows where you have lithium batteries um in larger capacities because in New York even though it's very dense But on the bottom floor there was a bike shop and the a fire erupted from the lithium um batteries and the whole building went up in flames and people lost their lives. I mean just so tragic. So I think it's something you we're seeing more and more of and then you hear about cars catching on fire and then they they're just so hard to put out. But I thought we were doing something now that I remember. I I thought I gave some donation funds to help those businesses that might have lithium battery bikes. >> Put them in there. >> I think what you're referring to are the uh the EFIX fire extinguishing product. >> Um so that's one of the tools that we're looking at. The actual extinguishment tools are I'll talk a little bit about that in a moment. Um the main tools are those initial fire suppression systems that Sean was referring to. So when we put in a battery storage facility, we require them to put in a system that will extinguish a fire if it starts in there. So we don't and and prevention, you know, the easy fire put out is the one that we prevent from starting. So that's why all these requirements are really the primary tool in keeping those fires from happening in the first place. Now to your point about extinguishing, it's a very dynamic world out there. >> Uh NFPA recommended using these blankets that you throw over burning uh cars that have lithium batteries. Then they pull that recommendation. Yeah. >> And then there's other extinguishing products that are effective and then it turn determine that they're not that effective. So we are keeping our finger on the pulse of all that. And we've been going to demonstration participating in demonstrations um testing out products. So like I said there's there is not an answer out there is probably the the short true version. We are keeping our finger on the pulse of what's happening though so that we are as up to date as possible >> including training all the entire department on those products. And then last but not least, by adopting this, does this help with our fire rating for on the insurance side? We call that um what's our rating? >> The ISO. >> The ISO rating. >> This does not. >> Okay. >> Um unless Sean told >> I wonder if on the insurance side, nothing. >> It's more insurance. The things we need to look at uh to improve in that area are the water supply, um staffing of course, and equipment are all probably the top three. We're a ISO2 number one is the highest. We're a point or two away from being a number one. So, we're continuing to work toward that. One of the things we're working on, just to preview something that might be coming in the not too distant future, is adding a truck company to the south end of the city, which would really give us a bump in that rate in that regard. >> So, just to remind this council, we are an iOS 2 >> two. >> Remember that when your constituents ask you and um Wo County is an iOS 3. So, we all need to be at that standard. How do we get to 01? >> Um, water supply and staffing a truck down south would get us to 01. >> Okay. We need to we need to be there. >> Yeah. So, I agree. >> Thank you very much. >> That's one of the goals that we're working on. >> We need to be there >> and we have something in the works to move us in that direction right now. >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Okay. I I am done. Shut up. Oh, go ahead, Counciloman Eert. >> Yeah. I just wanted to thank you for bringing that up and I didn't I didn't really bring it up because this I didn't really think about it with combining with the the wildlife fire mitigation, but there is um you know going to be more lithium battery com um components coming into the area as time goes on and I know that the fumes from that also are extremely harmful to people. Um, are we looking to do any kind of education for the community about, you know, how to deal with fires in a bike shop until, um, fire services could be there or, um, you know, evacuation if there's a larger back, uh, battery storage facility? I know that there's potentially a battery storage facility coming to my ward that MV Energy might be partnering with um to do kind of um battery uh power storage and off- peak times that then they put back into the grid and on peak times. Um and that is kind of out in a um remote area. Um, so that's part one is how how are we going to tell people to remain safe if there's a lithium battery factory and part two is the mitigation piece. I know that we have PAS contamination throughout the city. A large portion of it is in my ward where the former firefighter training station facility was. That's my understanding. Um because of the practice they did putting out fires with um foam previously that had P fast in it. Is there any kind of procedure for keeping um future chemicals used to put out lithium battery factories um or batteries in general contained so we don't um contaminate you know ground soil or ground water in the future? >> Yes. So, we don't use that type of foam anymore to begin with. And so, the foam we use now is all natural. It's non-toxic. Um, to your first question, when it comes to the actual factories and getting education, our education as a fire prevention division will actually remain the same. Our goal for anybody during a fire is to safely get out and let the professionals do what they do. and for us to make sure that especially as these new plants like you're talking about, these new warehouses are installed that they actually have the stuff so that it'll control and contain the fire to the structure and put the fire out before it gets too large. That's also a big part of this adoption with those codes is making sure that there's separation distances of these piles of batteries. So, if one battery gives way, it cannot activate that next battery before, you know, a sprinkler system is activated. Um, as far as the um, access you were talking about for the battery farms that they're partnering with NV Energy, we are working with those factories that are producing and installing those batteries. So, there will be fire access. We will have water on site. These um, each module is actually has a self-contained suppression system so that it doesn't spread to the other batteries. So the idea would be there for our firefighters to now that we have access and water, we can get there and we can make sure that the fire does not spread beyond the original unit that's been affected. >> Okay. So, um I just want to get back to the the um fire suppression. I know you said it's it's all natural now. I'm just concerned like things like arsenic are natural, too. Like I'm not trying to be dramatic or anything, but there's things that that may be natural that might um not be okay to have get into our our water table again. So, I just want to say, you know, we were using this PAS foam pretty liberally because we thought that was safe, too. So, I just would hate to be in a situation where in the future we find out again that something we were using um turned out to not be so safe after maybe it interacted with lithium. Um, I'm not sure, you know, that I'm fully um, uh, comfortable with just assuming that it won't cause any problems in the future. So, I just wanted to say that. >> Go right ahead. >> Yeah, just >> Oh, and then I'm going to go to um, Councilwoman Anderson right after you. >> Okay, perfect. Um, on your vegetation management plan, I just wanted to be clear. I remember when we were first uh the canyons project was first in and one of the vegetation management plans was to put in vegetation along this road that they would irrigate to get water up in that area. I mean that came straight from planning as a mitigation effort instead of having less ve vegetation they were being asked to have more. Does that resonate with you? Is that something you see? >> It's still Yeah, that can be a complete possibility. So there are the you know the um green and watered plants they are very very resistive and that's what I was mentioning earlier with the vegetation management that's a great great point because we don't have to just because we say defensible space or vegetation management plan that doesn't mean that we have to actually cover everything in concrete right >> um we can absolutely have a beautiful place to live that is friendly to all the residents and also fire resistant >> okay and the second thing I wanted to ask is I know that you're here today um to prepare us for future introduction item. Um I would like to um continue to explore the third exit. And so my suggestion I would ask you guys to do this is rather than look at it every you know in all locations everywhere maybe look at these highest fire danger areas the yellow and orange or even just the orange and look at just your larger um developments. So not your two and 300 uh home developments but maybe your 500 to,000 to 5,000. should they have a third exit? So, in other words, picking the worst of the worst and looking at are those instances where a third exit would make sense. >> Could you research on that instead of just saying, well, you know, your slide showed, well, there's a cost and um you know, uh this and that. I would love to see us do better in these most extreme areas. >> I'd be happy to re research that. My request would be uh if we could move forward potentially with the ordinance proposals to make sure that we are in line with the building department on the adoption. >> Oh, absolutely. >> I'm also wondering is there some way on this topic that maybe there it's a certain size and then it triggers into that. Is that >> that's what I'm trying to get at is that the high the biggest things and in the most extreme dangerous areas would implement this because they have more room to work with. They have much more space. They're they're talking about thousand acres, not 40. That kind of thing. >> Understood. Um it's it's hard because at some point, you know, where do we draw the line? That is where it becomes difficult. We didn't find anywhere else in the nation that has required a third point of access. So once we start hypotheticals, we can't really evaluate that. >> Yeah. But maybe they should. I mean, especially up in these places like Oregon and Washington, upper upstate California. I I mean, we keep seeing these fires and people keep getting killed and I know we're doing everything on mitigation and to stop the fires in the first place or keep them smaller, but um you it it's been coming up more and more from the public that they are not feeling safe when there's congested roads that empty out into their development. They're very worried about their evacuation. So, they're worried. I'm just wondering if there's something we can do to address it. >> Okay. >> All right. Good comments. Thank you. Um, Councilwoman Anderson, go right ahead. >> Madame Mayor, I was just I was going to just address and support Miss Door. I understand your point and I I get worried about these things, too. I just one thing we need to realize is that a consumer has a choice to move into a neighborhood knowing whether or not there's the intern or the national standard of two entrances or exits. They are moving into a wooi area by choice. Um some of their homes are going to have sprinklers and so >> I understand the spirit of your request and I support the spirit of your request. I just think that we need to um project by project be intentional and thoughtful project by project. >> Yeah, I like that a lot. And there's a whole bunch of arena where this would apply and >> you're right. Do we save people from themselves? Well, I think that's what they're doing. Like an average consumer would not say, "Yeah, put sprinklers in my house." We making a decision for them >> and so this is just, you know, call it a third leg of the stool since it's a third road out. But I hear you that there's personal choice to live. I I'll give you an example. When I was looking for a new place to live 15 years ago, uh my husband said, "Well, the one place we can't move is anywhere near Galina, anywhere that has trees." He lived in Oregon. He was on the volunteer fire department. He lived the dream. And he said, "We're not moving into, to your point, a more dangerous area." Um, I was shocked then to find out that the area we did move, oh my gosh, there's a fire across the street, um, unexpectedly. And you, you know, you do the best you can to protect yourself. And so that's why we have building codes, standards, requirements, is that we're trying to protect the public from the things they don't even see. And a lot of times people are supposed to read their CCNRs. Most don't. They're like hundreds of pages long. I mean, they move in, they give us a call. Well, I don't understand about this park or why do I have to pay for XYZ thing, you know, the HOA requirements and so on. So, anyway, very well taken point. Thank you. >> Yeah, you're welcome. So, Madame Mayor, if we're ready, I'm happy to make a motion. >> Council, anything else? >> No, thank you. >> Okay, perfect. I'm gonna send it to you. >> Okay, thank you. I move to direct staff to bring forward an ordinance introduction adopting the 2024 International Fire Code and the International Wildland Urban Interface Code. >> Okay. I I have a motion. I have a second. All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed. >> Motion carries unanimously. All right. >> And then I'm asking for in a separate effort over time if you could continue to explore this third exit. You said on a case- by case basis you do certain things. If you can continue looking at that, that would be great. Thank you. >> Um, last but not least, hold on. I want everyone to get up just for 10 minutes. Um, walk around, get something to eat, and then I'm going to hand it over to Vice Mayor. I think she's good with that. And, um, we'd love to get a picture with Boston. I know Mave would. That would be great. And I'm bummed that Mark walked out because I was I wanted to introduce Mark to you guys because Mark actually started here. He's not in the room anymore, but he walked out. >> Why did you break? >> What? Is that for me? Maybe not. Maybe talking to kiddos. Um, but I wanted you guys to meet Mark because Mark actually started here as a security guard and was a security guard for a few years and he showed such interest in working at the fire department. Maybe he was at the fire department too in some capacity and Carson not not at all. But anyway, he showed such an interest and then Chief Cochran. >> Yeah, you're talking about Mark Wright who know >> Yeah, I just think it's a great story. >> Yeah, he did start here as security in the building. Um got attracted to the fire service, found a pathway into our fire prevention division, then became an investigator and so he's really he's been very happy and very successful doing that. >> He's been very very good. I'm super happy for him. But see, dreams do come true at city hall. >> But it's very cool because I think he never thought in his wildest dreams that he would be where he is. And I and it also shows the level of mentoring and dedication and just I think it's very admirable that you guys recognize um people because it's people want to be in the in your industry. So >> we appreciate that. Thank you. >> Good job. Okay, we'll be back in 10 minutes. Don't Don't leave, Chief. With the dog. Don't leave with the dog. Okay. Madam clerk, are we ready to get going? >> Yes. Oh, >> okay. Welcome back everyone. We are reconvening the Reno City Council meeting of August 27th and we're going to move into item C4 and I believe we have Mr. Cody to kick us off. Thank you. Welcome Cody. And just noting for the record that it is we're reconvening at 1:43 p.m. and Mayor Shivy is absent and is uh Miss Eird online. >> Yes. >> Present or can somebody Thank you. All right, council city manager Bryant. My name is Cody Freeman, HR business partner for the city's HR department. I am here to present on item C4. This is a summary of stakeholder feedback for the city clerk's performance evaluation. Although you may already be familiar with the format of the presentation, I still want to begin by talking about the process. The first step was one, requesting feedback about the process in general. two having HR then facilitate the process and the communications for it and three gathering reviews from three different sets of groups. Those groups included external stakeholders which are peers from our regional partners, internal stakeholders which are employees at the city of Reno and council. The response rate was a little under 70% which is considered good and the responses were gathered using an electronic platform in a confidential and anonymous manner. Next, I want to talk about the criteria that was used. It was ranging from exceeding expectations to no basis for judgment. Again, no basis for judgment means the reviewer did not have the opportunity to work with the city clerk in that capacity and therefore could not submit a response on that category. That being said, we looked at the following five categories which I'll cover in my next five slides. And lastly, the survey included an open field for comments and you will see those comments scattered throughout the presentation. The first area that was evaluated is communication skills. 93% of respondents rated exceeds or meets expectations. When looking at communication skills, there was a focus on fundamentals of oral communication and written communication along with the ability to present effective quality presentations in public settings. The next category being interpersonal skills in relationship summary. 89% of respondents rated exceeds or meets expectations. In interpersonal skills, there was a focus on the ability to gain trust, relate well to others, foster positive working relationships with council colleagues community organization, and government agencies. The next category, leadership. 89% of respondents rated exceeds or meets expectations. This included the ability to make decisions in a timely manner, use of sound judgment in decision-m, and staying current on management practices and techniques to increase the value brought to the city. The next category, innovation. 88% of respondents rated exceeds or meets expectation. This category focused on the ability to exhibit a short-term and a long-term forward-thinking approach and being receptive to change and new ideas. The last category being management. 94% of respondents rated exceeds or meets expectations. This area focused on being knowledgeable of the city charter, possessing the ability to delegate authority and grant authority at proper times and operate with sound judgment in the evaluation of when delegation is appropriate. Now, as I approach the end of my presentation, what usually goes handinhand with an evaluation is a discussion around salary and benefits. I wanted to provide a quick recap of where we are today. As a uh the salary and benefits for the city clerk are set by city council and that being said, the city clerk is not seeking an increase at this time. On the benefit front, this means that the city clerk was impacted by the recent PERS contribution rate increase which resulted in a reduction also known as an adjustment of the city clerk's salary of 1.625%. What I do have in front of you today is the recommended motion, which is approval of the annual performance evaluation and giving direction for performance goals for the upcoming year. And at this time, I'll pass it back to council. >> Great. Do we have a a no presentation from Mickey? >> Oh, okay. We'll move right in. Do you want to say anything? No. Okay. I'll move into uh council council comments questions. Councilwoman Anderson, >> Mickey, I just I don't have a lot of experience with you. I'm sure that in the future I'll have more to um contribute to your um your evaluation, but in the in what you have worked with me on, you've been professional and prepared me well, and you keep me on my toes and doing the things that I need to be doing, and I thank you for that. And your team has been really responsive. So, from here on out, I expect that I won't see any, you know, only the same and better. So, thank you, >> Council Member Martinez. >> Thanks so much, Vice Mayor, and thanks uh Cody for the presentation. I appreciate uh you all obviously every year being willing to go through this process and getting feedback. I think that's one thing I definitely want to highlight is just your ability to be able to work with everybody in the organization and taking some of the feedback that you may be hearing and adjusting uh what you're doing and trying to perform better. So I I hear great things from your team and from folks in the community that interact with your office uh and making sure that you have the resources available to them to provide uh those those duties that you need to for the organization. I also want to give you thanks for being there to provide information whenever I've needed some whether it's about a process or certain uh paperwork that needs to be filed. I know you've always been diligent in providing that response and making sure that I'm informed in what needs to happen not just for my own stuff but for any constituent that comes up and so thank you >> council member Eert. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, I just wanted to share that I I um have found the uh clerk's office to always be really helpful. Um, I've also had um training for my um various board members uh through the clerk's office. It was really helpful. And um I did some like shadowing with the clerk's office to see what the process is for um providing um public records request. And it's just a very overwhelming amount of kind of tedious work that needs to be done. And I I would really love if um we could get maybe like quarterly updates from from the clerk just to highlight how much um work is done in that office. I think it's really important for um the council members and the community to know um have better idea too of what's going on in the clerk's office. It um it's a it's a huge responsibility and I think she's done a a fantastic job. Thank you, Council Member Ibra. Council member Derer. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, I want to concur with the comments that I've heard from my colleagues. Um Mickey, I found you and your team to be incredibly responsive uh to any questions for um areas of improvement for just getting the information out and I particularly noted how your the external reviewers uh were very pleased with their interaction with your department and at the end of the day you are very forward facing you know outward facing um you also have a lot of internal constituents right you're always having to get information either to them or from them, right? Which I'm sure both are a little bit challenging. Um, but overall, I found you just a really delightful person to work with and I've had the pleasure of many years of working with you. Um, I noted from the presentation that um, virtually every area was either in the high um, 80s or in the 90% satisfaction, meaning that you performed extremely well or uh, reasonably well um, to to meet what the needs are. And um it seemed like the highest one of those was in the area of management and understanding the charter and using good judgment um in terms of how to apply the charter. You know um you've been around long enough that you know you don't have to call the lawyers or attorneys for every little question. Um you're very um a self-starter and um have independent ability to get information to answer the public's questions. Um the areas um it's interesting that council member Eert mentioned a quarterly report because I have that written down too. Um I was thinking that if you had an opportunity to present us quarterly with um not just metrics of what your office is doing but even some anecdotes or some examples of either some challenging things you dealt with in the previous quarter or even some simple things that have become routinized or even areas for innovation that you're thinking about. I I think that would put us closer in touch with your office. Um so I want to support her but I mean I had it independently written down as well. Um and then finally just two things. Um I think um in the innovation area although it was still high it was the lowest of your areas and I think that that continues especially in today's world with the budget challenges and the the demand for us to ever uh do things ever more elegantly efficiently. I think this is an area that you could focus on over the next year, which I know you're looking for. You're looking for feedback. You want to know how how can you help us better and how can you uh manage the clerk's office better. So, innovation would be, you know, just looking for opportunities to improve process. Um, and then the final thing I want to say to my colleagues is I begun meeting with um the clerk a little more frequently myself uh every few weeks and um uh the mayor wanted me to pass on actually she's not here but she asked me to pass on that if anybody has anything if I can facilitate anything I think she asked me to do this because I've been here a long time 11 years starting my 12th year um if I can um be a bridge in any way please just give me a ring um if if that'll help. But you're more than welcome to talk directly to the clerk. She works for all of us. And uh it's so thank you for your service and everything you do. And I also want to recognize one more thing. You specifically did not ask for a raise. And um in fact, you said you're not seeking a salary increase at the time. And I am just very proud of both you and our manager in this tough year for recognizing where we are and and you know deciding to suck it up. not not asking for an increase and in fact I think the presenter pointed out that you're actually going to get a decrease just as the manager did because of the PERS requirements actually is a net reduction. So um thank you for giving to the group um in terms of finances as well as everything else you do. Thank you. >> Thank you Councilwoman Door. Um Mickey I know this is not your favorite thing to do get in front of everybody so I'll be very brief. I share the sentiment of my colleagues. Um, I am interested. I started thinking about we really only have two employees, the council. We have the city manager and we have the city clerk. And we I check in with the city manager multiple times a week and Facebook. But I don't I think a quarterly or whatever update would be really important um moving forward. So that's all I have to say. Thank you for all of your work and your team's work. And we're looking for a motion. I believe >> I'll make a motion. >> Okay. Um, I'll make a motion to accept the um, city clerk's 360 degree performance evaluation and the comments that were made by the council and the direction that was provided. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion to second. All those in favor? >> I I >> Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. That was >> relatively quick. Um, I believe we're moving into ordinance adoption and that is item F1. Carl. Thank you, Madame Vice Mayor. Ordinance adoption, Ordinance number 6717, an ordinance amending title 2, chapter 208, article I, entitled in general, section 208010, to transfer city ledgers, listing all of the city's boards and commissions authorized by the city council from the city clerk's office to the city manager's office and other matters properly relating there, too. council members, do we have any questions? >> Make a motion. >> Sure. [Music] >> Sorry. Can we put it? >> Just a motion to adopt. A motion to adopt. >> Second. >> Uh, we have a first and a second. All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. >> All right. Item F2, ordinance adoption. Ordinance number 6718, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 12, entitled Access Advisory Commission, sections 208840 through 208920 from the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating there too. >> Council members, any questions? Okay, >> motion to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. >> Right. Item F3, ordinance adoption, ordinance number 6719, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 11, entitled City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission, sections 208760 through 208 380 from the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating there too. >> Motion to adopt. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any questions? All those in favor? I >> I. Motion carries unanimously. >> All right. Item F4, ordinance adoption, Ordinance number 6720, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 7 entitled Financial Advisory Board, sections 208 380 through 208474 of the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating there too. >> Motion to adopt. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? I >> I. Motion carries. Item F5, ordinance adoption. Ordinance number 6721, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 2, entitled Recreation and Parks Commission, sections 208 020 through 208090 of the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating their tube. >> Move to adopt. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I I motion carries unanimously. Item F6, ordinance adoption, ordinance number 6722, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 10, entitled Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, section 208660 through 208730 of the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating there too. >> Motion to adopt. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. All those in favor? >> I. Motion carries unanimously. Item F7, ordinance adoption, ordinance number 6723, an ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 13, entitled Urban Forestry Commission, sections 208930 through 2081000 of the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating there too. >> Move to adopt. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second. All those in favor? I >> I motion carries unanimously. Item F8, ordinance adoption. Ordinance number 6724 and ordinance repealing title 2, chapter 208, article 8, entitled you, city council, sections 208480 through 208555 of the Reno Municipal Code and other matters properly relating their tube. >> Move to adopt. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. Thank you, Carl. We are on to item G. Um, board appointments. Madame Mayor or Madame Clerk, >> skip. >> Oh, oh, I'm sorry. We are going to skip G1 because it is the mayor appointment. Move on to G2. [Applause] All right. Do you since I'm the client or the council leazison, I make a motion to appoint Mr. Brian Erbis to the financial advisory board. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion. >> Moving on to item G3. This is Councilman Martinez. >> Thanks so much. On item G3, I'd like to appoint Elsie Domingil and Kathleen Schneider. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion, a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Um item G4 five. >> G5. >> G5. And this is Councilwoman Der. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um I have three openings for regular U members. And um of note, I have some people in the alternate category that would like to move up to regular member. And I didn't realize that they had to I should have realized that they also have to show up on this list. So, I'm going to hold one of the appointments um so I can move one of those folks up. Uh it's my intent to move up Mike Ginsburg, but he's not on the list today. So, um for the other two, I'd like to appoint Donna Keats and uh Bill Shrimp. >> Second. >> We have a motion to second. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I I motion carries unanimously. >> We are on item G6. Councilman Martinez. Thanks so much, Madame Vice Mayor. For item G6, I'd like to appoint Pablo Nava Duran, Ed Park, and Marie Rodriguez as regular members of the W3 Neighborhood Advisory Board. >> Do you have a second? >> Second. >> Okay, motion second. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I >> I motion carries unanimously. And that leads us to mayor and council comments. Um, Council Member Eert, I'm going to start with you online. I don't have any at this time. Thank you. >> Okay. I we hope you feel better. Council member Anderson, >> I just wanted to remind everybody about the California mural um public outreach event tomorrow. Councilman Door or Councilwoman Door, I understand you're going to be there. >> Oh, yeah. >> I won't be able to make it. So hopefully you we can connect after and you can kind of give me the highlights. But um I'm hoping that people that are interested in that in that really special neighborhood show up and really give their feedback. Well, and to that end, I did post it on Facebook and um that the meeting was happening tomorrow. Um it looks like I got a quite a bit of interest that way, but again, that's not uniform. That doesn't get out to everyone. And I was going to ask, I don't know if Jennica is still here, but I didn't know if the invitation um could be resent to the W 2 NAB um to make sure that they know that this is happening. >> We'll do that. >> Okay. At least those members. I mean, there's a W to newsletter group if it could be sent to that. Those are, you know, 500 or,000 people that are interested. So, thank you, >> Council Member Martinez. >> Thanks so much. I just wanted to highlight uh the over $200,000 that's going to Wilkinson Park to bring a dog park to a new space in W 3 and thank uh the council and the CDBG subcommittee for approving that award. Thank you. >> Council member Derer. Yeah, I just wanted to um recognize one of our own members which is Miguel Martinez. Um he did something at the last meeting which speaks to something that happened at today's meeting. Um today's meeting we heard from Lisa Hill and Lisa was proposing a different style of decision-m that um tries to get towards consensus and take into account different people's perspectives. And I saw Mr. Martinez modeled that behavior at the last meeting where he put a motion together and it sort of picked uh from various people's comments and put it into a motion and I think that um I had seen people in previous councils do that. Um the one that stands out for me is Judge Pierre Hashef. So he used to he's an attorney. He used to do this all the time. I used to attend those meetings um of serving in a different role and I saw him meeting after meeting pick up comments from different council members and put it into the motion and um I haven't seen much of that um including myself because I'm often making proposing changes but um I I really appreciated what you did and I really think it speaks to what we heard from Miss Hill today about trying to see if we can work together that maybe somebody has an issue or an idea and maybe it's not a mainstream idea but it's not a bad idea and um could we incorporate that somehow. So I just some kudos. So thank you. >> You appreciate it. Thank you. >> Okay, madame clerk, do we have any other public comment? >> Madame Vice Mayor, we do not have any public comment registered. We did receive a non-speaker who just submitted some comments of concern that will get uploaded into the record. Additionally, um, we've received two letters of support that were received after 5:00 pm yesterday or 4 pm yesterday. Those have been distributed to the council and are also a part of the record. And with that, we have no additional public comment. >> Okay. Fantastic. Great meeting. Council members, do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> Move to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. Thank you.