Okay, Madame Clerk, it looks like we have enough folks. I don't know if we can go ahead and get this meeting started. We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order for the Reno City Council on February 11th, 2026. Madam Clerk, if we could start with the pledge of allegiance. I do see executive director of the Truckucky River Flood Management Authority, Mr. Robersonson. If you could lead us in the pledge, please. indivisible with liberty. >> Thank you so much, Dr. Robson. Madame Clerk, if we could move on to roll call, please. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Moving on to item A2, roll call. Calling roll for Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, Reno City Council meeting. Council member Taylor, absent at this time. Der >> here. >> Vice Mayor Martinez >> here. >> Eert absent at this time. Council member Reese >> here. >> Council member Anderson >> here. >> Mayor Shivy absent at this time. Mr. Vice Mayor, you do have a quorum of the Reno City Council. >> Thanks so much, Madam Clerk. And with that, um, we're going to go ahead and move on to public comments, and we'll do the proclamations after public comment today. Great. We're on item A3, opening public comment. Um, it should be noted for those in attendance 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've stated your name and you will be afforded three minutes. For those participating in chambers 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 this 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 today is Terry Brooks followed by Mark Markel followed by Joe Meechum. >> Good morning. It's me, Terry Brooks again, and today I'd like to share with you my thoughts on depression and what seniors go through. When we were all young, we focused on education and in doing so, we learned about self-expression. Then later on in life we were focused on occupation and that kind of focus often led to an obsession. And then later on in life we focused on being retired. That was a future goal that all of us desired. So when we finally retired and left our long profession some of us may have found ourselves in a state of depression. When we leave our job and finally retire, some of us could compare ourselves to a depressed or flat tire. If or when we find ourselves in a state of depression, it can be like leading in a state of agitation. And when we find ourselves in a state of agitation, it can feel like being in a state of suspicion. And when we find ourselves in a state of suspicion, it can feel like being in a state of delusion. And when we find ourselves in a state of delusion, it can feel like being in a state of hallucination. All of these stages we go through during a state of depression can all add up to a state of constant confusion. So far, I've never found myself in a state of depression, but I sometimes find myself in state after state of confusion. And whenever that happens, I sit down and take the time to grab a pen of paper, pen and paper, and write down write about it in a rhyme. I would like to thank you all for listening to me today, especially when you put up with me in such confusing things that I say. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Brooks. Mark Markel followed by Joe Meechum followed by JJ Phoenix. Can you hear me? >> Go ahead, Mark. Okay, my name is Mark Marl and I I'm a victim of a drunk driving crash. I I God will me alive to show you people and warn you people not to get in the car with a drunk driver and expl I I don't talk that well cuz I've been in the hospital for four months. I was in there and it I fell hit my head and it did a number on me. But anyways, it's been since ' 89 I had my car crash and I'm still paying for it today. So, it just goes to show you people what could happen and how long I went to 89 plus 89. a lot. I don't know. But I I'm here to warn you people and people and just being an example. I think that Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Marco. >> Joe Meechum on behalf of City of Reno Human Rights Commission, I think, and the Reno Tahoe peddlers or hub, I'm sorry. On behalf of Hub. >> Hi. Well done. Thank you. >> Good morning. Uh my name is Joe Meechum. I'm a local cyclist and I ride with Project Hero, City of Reno Hub. It is an adaptive cycling program that is sponsored by the city of Reno through parks and recreation. And I'm here today for what I think is a joyous occasion. I'm here to thank you, the city council, um the city engineering and parks and rack for a project that was funded through this council on uh veterans parkway and Miriloma uh the intersection of Miraloma and Veterans Parkway. We are a veterans club. We're veterans and first responders. Our mission is to provide hope, resilience, and recovery to people who are veterans, first responders, and connected to those who are in recovery from both physical and mental issues. And that corner once constructed, that parkway on Veterans Parkway is the best thing that has happened to the cycling community. And that intersection as designed turned out to be very unsafe. So, we're just here today to thank you for listening to us. Specifically, my my husband is the volunteer hub leader for the city of Reno Project Hero Hub and um he worked the from Councilman Miguel Martinez all the way up from uh the director Nathan Ult in parks and wreck. And at this time, I'd like to welcome them up to receive a plaque uh on from on our behalf. We also represent the Reno Tahoe peddlers who have sponsored our group. We have a lot of low riders. So these are parapolgics and um quadripollegics that are on bicycles riding Veterans Parkway daily. Uh parks, your parks and reccks department has a wonderful adaptive cycling program and this is a key feature for that program. And so with that being said, uh we'll share these posters around and I'd like to know if uh Katie Harrison could also come up. Uh as an engineering manager, the way this project was sponsored and funded is highly complex and I'd just like to thank Katie for her sponsorship in navigating this project and getting it through the many boards and commissions that it had to go through. So with that being said, thank you very much. And if uh Councilman Martinez, if you'd please come forward. Uh >> director. >> Yeah. If we can just get you all >> Julia. Did I say it right? Okay, good. >> If we can get you all to come up here, then we can take a group picture. >> All right. >> Thank you, director Ulia, Katie Harrison, and looks like April Wolf is joining us as well. >> There is one more person that I'd like to invite in the photo. Um, April Wolf is the city of Reno's adaptive and con inclusion manager and she is what we call our bike mom. Um, there are many many cyclists in this community that uh because of April's work both um handicapped uh what do we able-bodied are riding thanks to April and the city of Reno parks and reccks department. Thank you. Thanks Bike Mom. Where do you want me? >> Thank you. JJ Phoenix followed by Eddie Lorton followed by Elena Depp. >> Somebody uh for the record my name is JJ or James Phoenix and I go by JJ. So uh um new manina Albertita Phoenix. So I'm from Pyramid Lake uh pyramid tribal p tribal member. So good morning members of the city council and the community and all the staff. Uh my name is James Phoenix. Most mo most know me as JJ and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today for this public comment. I'm here today to speak briefly about two items. My role with the Nevada Department of Veteran Services. if you haven't heard what they are, what they do. And then my candidacy as the incumbent for the Washer County School District, District C, the seat, it's open, so I need to run for that. A little bit about me for those of you who don't know me, I'm a member of the Pyramid Pyute tribe. I grew up here in Reno Sparks, Washo County area. I raised my family here. I finished my law enforcement career here. And I served in the Marine Corps. Uh retired from the Reno Police Department and later retired from the Army National Guard as Lieutenant Colonel. Uh, I've also had the honor of serving as a chairman of my tribe and serving on the council. Uh, and uh, I was appointed to Washer County School District last year in 2000 January of 2025. So, I was appointed I got this year and I've got last year and I got this year. But, of course, you know, if you got to run for that seat, you got to run for election. But, at the Nevada Department of Veteran Services, we are a state veteran agency. We are not the VA, but we work closely with them. NDVS provides veteran service officers that file claims for the veterans and their families. Operates two state veteran nursing homes, one here in Reno, one in Boulder City, and two state veteran cemeteries, the one out there in Fernley and the one in south uh in Henderson, south uh of Henderson. Uh we also manage uh outreach and do volunteer programs and support vendors and their families statewide. So we're not just uh just here in Reno, Nevada. Uh, regarding the Wo County School District seat, I am running as the incumbent for the district seat C, uh, which is Wingfield, Spanish Springs, uh, all the north valleys, even over to Cold Springs. Uh, again, I'm running as the incumbent, and I support the district strategic plan and their guiding principles, but my strong focus on is on strengthening special education services, doing my best to advocate whatever I can from the community to the district for the students and their families. We want to try to increase certified teachers, instructional aids, and classroom resources. Over the past year, I visited all 20 schools in district C. Uh went met with all the principles and listen closely to their successes and challenges. Uh this year, my focus is on continuing that outreach, including uh all the specialty schools here in Washop County, learning more about them, advocating for them, and staying engaged with the public like I'm doing today. I'll hit all the cabs and I'll stay and listen to the constitu constituents so I understand their point of view. If you want to know more about uh NDVS look online uh and know more about me to finish it up jennixenvy.com you can learn more about me. Thank you very much. Thanks so much, Trusty Phoenix. >> Eddie Lorton, followed by Elena Delipop, followed by Bahar Jazani. >> Hi, for the record, my name is George Eddie Lorton, running for Reno mayor, but I was hoping maybe uh we have a Fourth of July coming up. It's going to be our 250th year anniversary for for the United States. So, I was wondering, we hadn't had a parade in two years, and I talked to Hillary a little about it a few months ago, and so I was hoping that maybe out of our discretionary funds, we could maybe pass the hat and have a Fourth of July parade this year since we hadn't had one in two years. So, I heard it was around 25 grand to do a parade. I'll check into it further. But if you know the council doesn't do it, I know the city could organize it and we could go to the casinos and if there's a balance, I would pay that balance so we could have a parade this year. But I think it'd be a great thing to bring our community out, celebrate our city instead of people going to Sparks and other places. I think Reno needs to have a Fourth of July parade. So, I'm hoping you'll consider that and and think about it. And if you need money at the end, I would definitely donate so we could make sure it happens this year because it's been two years since we've done it. So I appreciate you if you could think about that. And then also I'll be speaking later on the up andcoming union contracts and the waste management increase is to where I'll get deeper into those under the agenda items. I won't spend any more of your time. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Elena Delopas followed by Bahar Jazani followed by Damian Cole. Hi, my name is Elena Deapas. Um, I come here today to provide space in this room to discuss what many of us are feeling uh grief and frustration toward. This is the death of our community member Michael Johnson Jr. on uh February 3rd at the Wells Bridge during what is claimed to be a welfare check. Whatever the family and community thinks that this looks like, we want justice for Michael Johnson Jr. This could have been easily prevented with the right resources being provided in those moments of crisis. As a community, we have already been working toward alternatives utilizing police because we know that they are simply not equipped to deal with psychological crisis, substance use crisis, or interpersonal conflict leading to escalation. We have already been doing on the ground work serving the needs of our community members without police intervention. We are demanding that the police budget have a 0% increase and that resources instead be provided to evidence-based solutions such as hiring more community health workers and on the ground trained intervention teams that do not involve the police. There are many programs in place nearby cities such as MH First functioning in both Sacramento and Oakland with a goal that resonates with our community here. quote to provide lifeaff affirming community-based mobile response to mental, emotional, and psychological crisis and substance use issues. Instead, pointing apologize and in doing so to work toward the decriminalization and dig stigmatization of both mental health crisis and substance use issues. instead pointing to long-term systemic causes that undermine our ability to live well together and free, especially for the most marginalized and vulnerable among us." End quote. This is what we're working towards right now, and we call on you to support this. Another example is Safe Streets Baltimore. Currently operating neighborhood by neighborhood, providing many services including victim services, hospital-based violence intervention programming, community outreach, life coaching, and mediation, and violence intervention. An academic evaluation by John's Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Daniel Webster shows a statistically significant reductions in shootings by 23% since the inception of their program in 2007. These are the strategies that work for these crises and this is what we want. This is why I am currently enrolling in a community health worker certification along with many others up to about 80 people I believe training um training process partnered with Larson Institute at UNR along with many others. Instead of criminaliz criminalization and violence towards the those that are already in crisis, the only way we can ensure the safety of our community members is by getting trained to do it ourselves. Thank you. Bahar Jazani followed by Damen Cole followed by Rita Planchin. Hello, my name is Bahar Jazani. I am a graduate student at UNR and a longtime organizer with the mutual aid group, Family Soup Mutual Aid. I'm here to speak on the murder of a young black man, Michael Johnson Jr., by RPD officers last Tuesday. This senseless act of violence is extremely concerning and must be looked into further. In what world is it okay for concerned citizens to call for a wellness check only for police officers to arrive and murder the person in distress? That's the opposite of a wellness check. In what world is it okay for the media to frame this murder as an officer involved shooting just just to neglect the fact the officers killed an innocent man? The media continues to manufacture consent for violence against those deemed as less than human. And the city justifies this dehumanization by refusing to take action. As Elena just said, we need better and more creative solutions besides the police. Otherwise, Reno will continue to fall behind our neighboring cities. Eugene, Oregon sends teams of unarmed civilians, including an EMT and a mental health worker, to deal with 911 calls that in Reno are dealt with police. Not only does research show that these interactions have a better success rate than ones involving police, this program is cheaper and more sustainable, Eugene has kept this program alive for over 30 years. So why can't Reno? Why is Reno always falling behind? This is why the community has banded together to find solutions, including the community health worker training partnered with the Larsson Institute at UNR. Funding public health is the answer to public health crisis, not violence. I urge city officials to do everything in their power to release all body cam footage of the murder of Michael Johnson Jr. and the names of all officers involved. His family deserves justice and peace. Divest from RPD in the upcoming fiscal year and instead fund researchbacked non-violent alternatives. Thank you. >> Damen Cole followed by Rita Planchin followed by Kelsey Owens. Good morning. My name is Damen Cole. I'm a resident of the Riverside Artist Lofts and I'm here to help represent um the other uh residents there. Um, basically we have a parking situation problem where originally when the uh parcel was divided up into two parcels in 1999, uh the parcel that remained part of the Riverside Hotel building uh was granted an access way and a very small parking lot. And this has been a growing issue over the last few years. We have 35 residential units plus it's also shared parking with um it's a multi-use building. So, basically what's happening is we have lost several different resources over the years um to handle overflow parking and I'm not sure exactly what has been done to make those replacements. I know that we used to have a a deal with the public parking lot on First and Sierra Street and that's gone. Um I'm not sure what happened to it. Uh people have been over the years parking in different places either in metered parking or at the Calva parking lot which is no longer an option. We used to park at uh the uh Wo County courthouse parking very large area. That's property of the county. Uh so that would be a different thing. But the reason why um I'm coming to this is because um I'm here to support my neighbors. We have been trying to contact the city to try to uh come up with some sort of solution for this either uh public uh parking pass permits for for residential parking. Um I've also said well how come we can't uh you know what happened to the the thing about the the parking garages? And then also I remember during the Truckucky River vision plan uh the consultant uh approached um the Carter brothers for 50 South Virginia Street saying, "Hey, can we turn your private parking lot into a uh plaza with a bike path through it?" And uh you could have parking across the street at the city council. And the conclusion was yeah, then they were willing to do that. It was put into the plan. It was voted upon and and approved by the city council. But whenever we try to come up with solutions, we're usually told no for some reason or another because parking permits aren't allowed in um uh a mixeduse downtown area. It's the wrong zoning for it, things like that. So, yeah, I'm really I would love to try to come up with a solution and we've also uh approached our uh uh building manager about it as well. The owner of the building lives in Minneapolis, so they're not even in the city. we have to go directly to uh to the the property management for for some kind of solution. So yeah, we're looking for a solution. The property manager is looking for a solution and so uh Rita who's coming up next, she can tell you a bit more information about what she's done uh to try to contact the city and the responses that she's been getting. Okay. Thank you. >> Rita Planchin, followed by Kelsey Owens, followed by C. Mcomes. Hi, my name is Rita Planchin. I also live in the Riverside Artist Lofts. I'm requesting that us 50 or so artist residents be allowed permit parking in downtown Reno. Our beautiful historic building has only nine parking spaces with over 35 loss lots. We are forced to either dodge the meter person, suffer, I think it's a $40 parking ticket, or park in a neighborhood over 10 minutes away. I've submitted copies of many communications that I've sent to the city since 2020. I think I've received only two responses, both from Paul Ellison. On 111423, Mr. Ellison stated Reno Municipal Code 67020 only allows residential permit parking zones to be created within a neighborhood that is zoned single family residential. So my request was declined. I wrote back and asked how can we change the code. On 92625 Mr. Ellison again stated, "My request was declined, co quoting the same municipal code." He went on to say, quote, "The reason for this is that restricting parking to residents only would prohibit patrons from accessing the businesses in the area, negatively impacting those businesses." He also said the city has commissioned a report on parking in the downtown area and based on the findings of this report, the city may adopt some changes in the not tooistant future. At this stage, a preliminary report has been produced. We artists in the artist loft are requesting that the code be changed or an exception be made. Parking for the city's artists would barely impact parking on the street since most of us juggle parking there anyway. I've attached to my submission a partial list of major cities in the United States who have already provided their residents with parking permits downtown along with an urgent call for action from our manager stating the ways parking is becoming even more restricted for all of us. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Kelsey Owens followed by C. Mcomes followed by Tara Tran. >> Sorry if I'm a little slow. My doctor told me not to even be here today, but some things are too important. For the record, my name is Kelsey Owens. Last time I spoke before you, I was homeless and I was here to speak against the new antihomeless ordinances that now further endanger our city. Now I speak to you as a house resident of Midtown. So maybe that'll make my voice louder. Honestly, I didn't come here today expecting to change busted hearts and minds with my words. I came here to look at some of the people responsible for the death of my neighbor. I live about four blocks from where Michael Johnson Jr. was executed by individuals funded and then routinely shielded by this city government. It has been haunting me to think about how if Michael was only a few blocks away from where he was in any direction, he would have actually been provided with real services. Family Soup, Hampton House, even my own yard where we are providing more for unhoused people than this city is. I encourage anyone here to feel empowered to help their neighbor and maybe walk up to that person who seems like they need a wellness check. And if they're safe to do it themselves, do it themselves cuz the cops are certainly not capable of a wellness check. Remember that you can just talk to your neighbors and help them yourselves. Please. It's been working for a lot of us. There's proof all around you that we're already doing it. Look to those who are already doing the work. Please don't invest in the police. C. Mcomes followed by Tara Tran followed by Tom Dunn. >> Hi everyone. Uh my name is C. Mcomes. Uh I am uh a resident of WI 3 and uh I am uh and I also I also work as a historian. Um, I uh I actually found a fairly re relevant um article yesterday in the archives or or or piece of legislation that was uh that was drafted by the NAACP uh in on September 28th uh 1959 uh to actually the mayor and city council. Um that was uh it they were talking about uh in the run-up to the Winter Olympics uh which was going to take place in Tahoe in 1960. Um they were warning of uh of segregation, discrimination being a dark mark on the city of Reno. And I want to read uh specifically they cited Reno as uh one of the worst Jim Crow towns and uh US Commission on Civil Rights um that uh from Nevada actually also mentioned that um the basic situation uh to respect in respect to uh segregation uh is uh not seriously disputed by any competent local authority uh within Reno. Um, so what they were saying was that everyone is aware of this. Uh, segregation is an issue. And why am I talking about segregation? Uh, I want to uh point your attention to exactly where, uh, Michael Johnson Jr. was murdered. Um, he was murdered on the Wells Bridge. Beneath the Wells Bridge is the area where people were segregated in the 1960s. This is why people are talking about the era of segregation never ending. You know, like Michael Johnson Jr. was murdered in a segregated area, historically segregated area. This is talking there. This is the NAACP reaching out to you guys in 1959. This is why people are saying nothing has changed. Segregation has not ended. This is an issue. A member of our community was shot six times by RPD. They were going there for a wellness check. They shot him six times. This is unacceptable. He was He was murdered for attempting to break containment, for attempting to break for attempting to get out of a historically segregated area. I really want to draw your attention to the fact that nothing has changed since that time. We really, really, really need to do better. And I think that entails and this will actually help with the with the financial issues that the city of Reno has been going through as of late. We really really need to consider putting our money not in more policing. We really need to consider putting our money into community first responders that show up not armed and will not shoot someone in distress six times in a historically segregated area. Thank you so much for your time. Tara Tran followed by Tom Dunn followed by Tyler Maynard. Totter Tran for the record. The Reno Police Department keeps asking for a trust following Deputy Chief Tom Robinson's arrest for soliciting child prostitution. Your new deputy chief finance said, "I would say that I want them to give us a second chance. I want them to look at the other interactions we've had with the police, look at other really good work that we're doing, and then know that we are the ones who are going to hold these people accountable." Someone did give you a second chance. A bystander saw Michael James Johnson Jr., a 27year-old in distress who had just found out that his brother had been imprisoned and feared he might be suicidal. Worried for his well-being, the bystander called 911. And because it's the only so-called support that's actually funded, the police was sent to do a check on his well-being. Chief Deputy Chief Nance said, "I understand why our community would not have faith and trust. Perhaps then it would be sensible to not have seven officers surround one scared man in a circle. As a witness said, they were close enough to hold hands." And when Michael tried to run, your officer shot him six times. Six times. And we're supposed to believe that these officers ever had his welfare in mind? Is this the really good work that you're doing? How much of our supposedly insufficient budget was spent on overtime that night on the seven officers paid leave? And we're supposed to believe that they're trusted to be held accountable by who? By themselves? By the other jurisdictions with their own reputation for murder and corruption? Or will you? You who allocate the overinflated budget, who are meant to represent your constituents? Do you want to represent the RPD is even remotely capable of accountability? Release the names of the officers involved. release the unaltered body cam footage immediately. What do they need time for? To edit it like they edited the footage of Micaia Lee in Sparks. By RPD's own policy, you have until February 17th to release the footage. If RPD really wants public trust so badly, the least they could do is take accountability for murdering someone that only wanted help, that only needed help. If you want our public trust, you could assess and respond to the blading corruption within the police force in the upcoming fiscal year. Assess what the 456 people employed under the police and what the 113 million police budget are actually achieving. You could invest in real solutions founded in evidence and public health. We are supp providing support to people every Tuesday at the brief sign free food and harm reduction at Hampton House and we are talking to our neighbors. I'm currently enrolling in a community health worker certification and training process at UNR to respond to people in crisis. Your community has you >> Tom Dunn followed by Tyler Maynard followed by Jack's Hart. >> Good morning, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of the council. For the record, Tom Dunn, vice president of the Reno Firefighters Association. Uh just giving you an update on a couple of things we've had happen over the last several months. Uh back in December, the Reno firefighters distributed over 150 food baskets throughout the Treky Meadows. this past December during the Sam Sabini Christmas food basket project. Uh this project is fully funded by your firefighters and our retirees with our own money. We take no outside donations. Uh in 20 I'm sorry, 2025, the Reno Fire Department ran over ran 57,135 calls for service, which is a historic high for our department. And that was an increase of eight 8.2% 2% from 2024 where we ran over 54,300 calls for service. And finally this morning on this specific item item, I'd like to publicly thank Adria White and Patty Medina in risk management. We are currently in the process of selecting our next workers comp third party administrator. Uh Adrien and Patty have done an excellent job over the last several years of repairing some of the long-term problems that we inherited by a previous long-term thirdparty administrator. Uh Adrian and Patty have led a transparent and collaborative RFQ process and we would like to publicly recognize and thank them for their work. Thank you. >> Tyler Maynard, followed by Jack Hart, followed by Lucas Janowski. >> Hi, I'm uh Tyler Maynard. I'm here to discuss the fatal shooting that occurred on February 3rd of our community member Michael Johnson Jr. It is clear to me that the police in the past are unable to handle folks in our community who are in crisis as well as in present day. Sparks police shot and killed an 18-year-old man named Mica Lee in 2020 who is suffering from a mental health crisis. And 5 years later, another life has been taken in similar circumstances. We ask that police do not receive any increase in funding and that we seek a community-based alternative that doesn't involve the police. but people who are trained in deescalation, crisis care, and have a closer tie to the community. Uh me and a few other people speaking here today have mentioned and are enrolling in a community health worker certification and training process through the Larsson Institute uh with UNR. This is what I and many other community members believe to be the step forward in keeping our community safe and we ask that you consider to help fund more community- based care in the future. Thank you. Jack's Hart, followed by Lucas Janowski, followed by Free the People via Zoom. Hello and good morning. My name is Jax Hart for the record. Uh, first, thank you to those who decide to show up to your job today. Um, I would like to request a moment of silence for Michael Johnson Jr. who was killed by officers during a welfare check on February 3rd. If you don't know, a welfare check is meant to help people in mental health crisis, not a response to a violent crime. There is no reason guns are necessary in a check like this. Michael was shot six times simply for trying to run away, which is likely in violation of US Supreme Court decision Tennessee versus Garner in 1985. I would like to echo the sentiments shared by Alena Bahar, Kelsey, Tata, and C, and my other neighbors who are advocating for evidence-based community alternatives to armed police officers responding to welfare checks. There are programs around the country, such as Baltimore's, that have instituted successful and evidence-based programs that deescalate and don't increase violence. Regardless of your opinion of Zoron Mandani, when he was elected, NYPD officers quit in droves. In the aftermath of that, New York City has had the lowest incident of violent crime and murder ever in a single month. Literally, fewer police resulted in fewer violent crimes. These strategies from other cities that my neighbors presented work for those in crisis so that they can receive services they need without risking being shot. Based on data available online, RPD kills black people at a rate of six to 12 times greater than the rest of the population, and something has got to change. My requests are for the city to release all body cam footage from the event on February 3rd, as well as the name of all officers involved in the shooting. We need this community to work together to take care of each other and keep each other safe. This is why I'm currently enrolling in a CHW certificate and training process partnered with the Larsson Institute at UNR along with many others from our community. Instead of criminalization and violence towards those in crisis, the only way we can ensure the safety of our community members is by getting to trained to do it ourselves. Thank you, >> Lucas Janowski, followed by Free the People via Zoom. Hi. Uh, hi. My name is Lucas Janowski. Um, I am a manager at the generator, the community maker space that is here in town. Um, which through the help of Kelsey, we have gotten to help with the heater block program, which has helped countless homeless folks stay warm through the winter and not perish in their tents. That is to say, I would say at this point, the Reno generator has done more for the homeless community than the the uh Reno PD. Um I was on my way home from work the other day and I was witness to the murder of Michael Johnson Jr. Uh from what I could see and from what I filmed, um the situation had deescalated. He was walking away. He was walking down the bridge. He was complying with the officers asking him to get off the bridge, which in all honesty, useless. Build a build build just build a walkway. Um, and then from my motorcycle, I watched uh Michael Johnson murdered in the street. Something has to change. I've had nightmares ever since. I come from a very violent place. I am used to being shot at. I am so tired of police acting with impunity to murder people in the streets. It is exhausting. I have seen more dead bodies than any one of you. Personally, I am exhausted by this. And accountability does not come in silence. Release the names. Divest from the RPD. Put more resources into community health, community services. There are countless people in the room that have the resources to do that. There are spaces that are willing to give their space for free, aka the generator, to help people. Help your people stop murdering them. >> Free the people via Zoom followed by Christian D. Brown. My name is Nathaniel Phillips. I am a downtown resident. Um, I'm originally from Las Vegas, but I've made Reno my home for several years now. I I am already a certified community health worker, one of the earliest certified health workers in our state. And I'm a community organizer that works with directly impacted people impacted by prison and police violence like myself. Um, and I'm here both to appreciate the comments that have preceded mine and to add to the echo to the flurry of voices who are devastated and disappointed. In 2020, we came to Reno City Council demanding that the sitting police chief who was operating who was moonlighting as the city manager at the time step down or resign precisely or approximately because of RPD's collaboration in the cover up of accountability for the Sparks PD murder of Micaia Lee, who was a suicidal 18-year-old black man. It is eerily remiss uh eerily similar to the murder of the brother just the other day, one of the first nights of Black History Month, when RPD responded to a so-called welfare check. And within moments of talking a man down from taking a distressed man down from taking his life, they then extinguished his life. The Reno PD is the second worst ranking police force in our state according to policeborreport.org. And at one one point, RPD was recognized as shooting at black Renoites 26 times more than white Renoites in a city with less than 500 black people in it. I am one of those black men that the RPD has a pension could have a penant for murdering. So, I don't need to say things that my colleagues have already said. But it is it is um unacceptable and I hope that Councilman Ree and Mayor Shivy are listening. We can no longer be cheerleaders and puppeteers for the Reno Police Force. You did nothing significant in 2020 except try and plate the NAACP and your donors. If you actually care about not murdering black Renoites, Councilman Ree and Mayor Shivi, you will come to the table to work on alternatives or your political career, Councilman Ree, will end in shatters. Happy Black History Month, y'all. Christian D. Brown followed by Aubrey Adams via Zoom. D. Brown. This is going to be my first public comment, so it's probably going to be pretty short. Um, I'm here to also speak up on the shooting of Michael Johnson Jr. Um, as well as our continued descent into mass surveillance. Um, just as some of the earlier community members said, uh, I also believe in having people better trained in es in deescalation and having people that are community- based instead of force-based. Um, I mean, it's uh, sorry. Um, I can only imagine what would have happened if it was just one dedicated first responder or community member over those multiple officers that were there. I can imagine that it would have been a different situation. Um, simply put, I think we need a better system for our community that holds unchecked power accountable and protects our community instead of hurts it. Um, continuing forward, uh, it just seems that also this continued descent into mass surveillance is just getting worse. Um, it's getting kind of scary, like 1984 stuff. Um, I mean, with drones following people on the highways and the police department bragging about it, um, about all these rain cameras all of a sudden starting to get connected into the whole system, this is getting really weird, guys, as far as just general mass surveillance stuff. It's, uh, something that I think we have to really tackle in a different sense, too, and start realizing what's kind of this whole system that's kind of coalesing around us right now. Um, anyways, that's kind of all I got. I'm just kind of shooting from the hip here. So anyways, uh there we go. Thanks guys. Have a good day. Aubrey Adams via Zoom. to speak. >> Aubrey, >> can you hear us? >> Aubrey, if you'll There you go. State your name for the record and begin speaking. >> Can you hear us? >> Yes. Can you hear me now? >> Perfect. Go right ahead. >> Yay. Okay, good. Man, I was really like going off. But hi, my name is Aubrey Adams. I'm a therapist in the community and just local organizer person and I live in Sparks. Um, this shooting I was trying to look up information about how the police responded to it and it was difficult to find because there were so many from so many different years. This problem is obviously not being um taken seriously. My clients do not feel safe at all or supported by the mental health crisis services here. They include RBH places like crisis centers that they can go to when they are feeling suicidal um because they know that they're going to be treated like prisoners and will not be taken care of. Um they do not feel safe with me or anyone calling the most team on them which I can assume was called in this case. Um it is the local crisis response team that sends therapists with police. I always make sure to point out that police go with the most team to all my clients just in case that changes their mind. And I can say up till now 100% of the time it has changed their mind. It's extremely frustrating and honestly scary to be the safest place for a lot of my clients to go when they're in these kinds of crises. It's irresponsible for these kinds of things to continue happening and for there to be no significant response. I echo every request of the 10 or plus more beautiful people before me. We really, really, really need to do something. Thank you. >> Thanks, Audrey. James Matthews, you're up. >> And Madame Mayor, that's our final public commenter. >> Hi, James. >> Come on, guys. >> Hi. >> Um, yes, I'm here because I'm still having problems with the Arena Police Department. I've been still facing racial attacks to the core for the past three years. I've been sexually assaulted. I could have hit hidden runs by these detectives and nobody will do nothing about it. Like nobody won't help me or nothing. These racial attacks are to the core. They do things that make people think that I'm crazy when I talk to them. Um it's it's unreal and somebody needs to help me with this. Like this Reno Police Department is out. It's out. It's it's unexplainable the stuff that they have done. I have video surveillance. I have all kinds of proof of all these attacks that I'm facing and nothing's being done. They're having people that are just getting out of jail. Um confidential informants like all kinds of different stuff and plot and set up and do stuff to attack me and nothing being done. And also, um, somebody from the city manager's office, they said that they were going to do something about it. And then they had the same detectives that were attack, uh, doing all these setups call me back the last time I was here. So, this stuff is just going on and on and on, dude. You know, I need some help. I mean, like, we got to get down to this. I'm tired of coming up here to you guys complaining about the same problems, and I go home and experience the same stuff. It's It's unreal. It's like all you guys are seeing is that hey, they can kill him. That's all it is. It's just like a a racial lynching. And you look familiar, too. You remember when I was parking my car and you came up behind me and you asked me if um I was okay cuz I was parking in the red. Do you remember that? >> We need to have Yeah. >> You don't remember that? >> You shouldn't. >> And you have the You had your cell phone. >> You don't want to elevate. Mr. Matthews, you have to address the council. James. >> Oh, yes. >> Um, when you were here last time, did someone meet with you? >> Yeah. I've talked with the chief of police, man. She passed me over to the um internal affairs. Internal affairs don't do nothing about it. I have reports for the past three years of the stuff that has happened. >> Okay. >> Did you didn't meet with anyone from the city manager's office, do you know? >> Um, no. It was a tall baldhead guy. Um him right there. Yeah. Yeah. You he knows who I am. Do you remember? >> Yeah. Nothing happened. >> Can Can we please make sure that we sit down with James? >> Yeah. Can we do something about this? Because all it is is being said is that yeah, we're going to do something. We're going to help you get done. You know, I'm still experiencing the same stuff. I have no employment, no victims of crime. Nothing helped me. my car out there. If they did a hit and run, you guys, a hit and run. They scrubbed the camera to where the car um the person that's doing it cannot be identified, but they you can see him backing up to where um you can't see anything. I have it on camera, you guys. You guys got to see this. Give me a chance. Take a look at my stuff before you assume anything and just look at it. That's all I'm saying is just look at the stuff that's happening. That's that's it. >> And then if there's something wrong, then hey, I'll deal with it and address it mentally. But other than that, man, you guys got to see this stuff. It's unreal the things that are happening. >> James, do you have a um contact >> agent? I I'm going to have Christie and I'm actually going to have um ACM attorney. >> Okay. >> And ACM Hodgej. >> Yeah. >> Meet with you because I want to make sure that they're get that's getting addressed, >> please. >> All right. >> Do you do you have a contact? >> Yes. Abs. Absolutely. I will leave it with somebody. >> Okay. >> You leave what you got? Yeah, please. >> And the the clerk. >> All right, >> our final public commenter is Jamie Brian. Thank you guys. >> Thanks, James. >> Good morning, mayor and city council members. Uh, my name is Jamie Bryan. I'm a small business owner and the owner of a business called Sweat Reno. As of January 14th, my business has been closed. I'm not here because I needed ear. I am here because what happened to me reflects a bo a broader issue facing small businesses in Reno. And because when I tried to engage the city for help, I experienced in action. Small businesses invest significant capital into uh permitted buildouts, specialized equipment, and long-term leases to offer something meaningful to the community. In my case, I invested heavily into a permitted commercial space and equipment that cannot simply be packed up and relocated overnight. Under most commercial leases, tenants operate under a triple net structure. That means we pay base rent, property taxes, uh commonary maintenance, repairs, landscaping, management fees, and often improvements that increase the value of the landlord's property. Tenants fund roof replacements, paving operational expenses, and rising property taxes. is yet we do not own the building. In my situation, escalating commonary maintenance charges c became the pressure point. I have evidence on the record of billing inconsistencies and lease disputes. However, when conflicts arise, landlords have attorneys on retainer. Small businesses often do not. Legal representation can cost thousands of dollars that small businesses simply do not have. The standard advice given to tenants here is to hire an attorney. For many small operators, this is not financially possible. But the lease dispute was not my only concern. I reached out to the city arena multiple times to report what I believe to be unpermitted construction and potential compliance violations being conducted by a neighboring tenant in the same commercial complex. I provided documentation. I requested inspections. I reported what I believe posed safety and compliance risk to the building and business operations within it. I did not receive meaningful follow-up or clarity regarding enforcement action. The message this message small business owners receive in these situations is that we are largely on our own. As of January 14th, I've been denied access to my business space. I received correspondence from my landlord's attorney indicating that remaining fixtures and equipment may be treated as abandoned. I dispute the characterization. This is an active legal conflict regarding possession of my property. This highlights a serious power imbalance. When disputes escalate, landlords control the premises and have legal resources small businesses frequently do not. Many operators simply leave before it reaches a stage reaches the stage because they cannot afford to fight. When I publicly announced my closure, thousands of people saw my post, many commenting expressing concerns about rising commercial costs and similar pressures. I have personally spoken with uh small business owners who were priced out one to two years ago and their former spaces remain vacant today. This is not only an isolated event. It reflects structural instability. This is not about voiding private contracts. The question is whether the city has any role in addressing system >> keep going. No, no, keep going. I want to hear you. >> Uh this is not about violating private contracts. the questions in whether the city has any role in addressing systemic displacement that leads to prolonged vacancies, excessive cost escalation, and the loss of local businesses. So my question are these, what are authorities the cities the city of Reno currently have or intend to pursue, including tools such as vacancy taxes or anti-speculation measures to prevent commercial landlords from displacing operating small businesses and creating prolonged commercial vacancies or excessive rent increases. The has the city studied vacancy patterns following small business displacement? Has the city examined transparency standards in commercial cam billing? When small businesses report potential fraud, code violations, or unpermitted work to the city, what is the protocol for investigating those compliant complaints? If vacancies are are considered, how would or if a vacancy tax would be considered, how would the city prevent those from being simply passed through to the tenants under current lease structures? This is towards the end. Uh small businesses are economic infra infrastructure. When they close, neighborhoods lose stability, jobs disappear, and storefronts sit empty. If the only practical remedy available to small businesses is excessive is expensive litigation, then there is ex effectively no accessible protection. I followed the rules. I invested uh in this community. I went through proper permitting process for my buildout. When I had concerns, I reported them through the appropriate city channels and sought clarification through council offices. I was informed that the city does not get involved in legal disputes between private parties. However, this raises a broader broader concern. Many small businesses wait months for permit approvals or temporary clo temporarily close to comply with updated requirements. At this time, there is no there is a perception in the community that larger or franchise operators are sometimes able to open and operate while compliance issues are still being resolved. Whether accurate or not, the perception undermines confidence in the system. Small local businesses feel that we follow rules and invest everything we have. There should be some consistency and transparency and enforcement. I'm asking the city council to publicly address whether this issue will be studied and whether policy solutions is exists to restore balance and protect Reno small business community. Thank you. >> Thank you Jamie. Um there's someone waiting over here from business licensing. >> So there Tyler's right there. Will you we will you please meet with her? Thank you so much. >> All right, madame mayor. With that, we have no additional public comment registered. For the record, we did receive one uh we did receive uh 10 letters of correspondence. Those have been distributed to the Reno City Council as of 4 p.m. yesterday, Tuesday, February 10th. We're moving on to item A4, approval of the agenda. Oh, I'm sorry. We're moving on to proclamations. >> We We're going to go into proclamations. Give Give me just a a minute, >> Madame Clerk. Thank you so much. >> Our friend was talking about a dead man and you cut their mic off. We are going to go into a 5m minute recess and we will be back after that. >> Thank you. 83rd session of the Nevada legislature. So joining us today is government affairs The community is really going to benefit from the new public safety center in a lot of ways. It's a state-of-the-art brand new facility that's going to allow the public access to us in a way that they've never had before in the city. It takes a lot of people, a lot of effort, and a lot of time. It takes every individual, all of us on a daily basis to make this project work every single day. >> I grew up in the area. Wanting to make this city great and and keep this city safe was a big part of it. It's a great testament to the city of Reno, too, just that they would have the leadership uh and the guts to go forward with a project like this that's so important to the community. >> We needed something that was large enough for the uh expanding police department. the the current site that the police department are on would need to be demolished because the building has some real structural problems along with some hazardous materials that need to be abatement. The hazardous conditions that you can find in buildings such as this are things like asbestos, things that um were commonplace in buildings at the time when this was built. You have um old pipes in here, you have old um ventilation, you have dust. >> They're working in jail cells. The water quality is not good over at the other station. It's important for us in our community to realize that, you know, they're doing a great service for us. They're all protecting us and we need to we need to protect them as well. I have employees that work out of old jail cells on the second floor, which is, you know, pretty much an abomination that you spend your life doing a service to our community in a jail cell. It's got bars on the walls, but we're not able to provide the space that these employees need and treat them with the respect and dignity that they deserve. When you work in a building that has issues, that doesn't show the benefits that you are bringing to the community. We looked at the fact that we could reuse an existing facility. You know, there's a lot of character in the city of Reno and we do look at keeping some of that character. This building being the the Reno Gazette Journal had a lot of history and I tell you when I w when I first walked into this building I felt I felt the buzz of all of the media. Um it was just it was really energizing. Justin came over and we took a look at it. We knew that that it would be a big effort but to reuse the the same building we thought that it would it made a good fit. There was a lot of a lot of challenges um a lot of work between our architect and our police department on figuring out how to fit in uh police department in this building. >> Police departments generally don't visit people on the best days of their lives. They're usually when they're having something going on that's creating uh some sort of trauma or some sort of experience that usually isn't positive. And then to come into a place that's not welcoming and inviting and comfortable and a place where we don't even have private rooms to talk to people currently uh is going to change that dynamic completely when they walk into the new public safety center. First step is is you've got to have an architect. We probably sat down for at least 9 months going back and forth. Is this space the right size? Does this space have enough windows? um how do we get uh access uh for video and surveillance and that sort of thing. They did an absolutely fabulous job putting together a set of of plans for us. >> When I looked at the designs initially, I was so proud that they were already in that space where they needed to be. There were very few modifications that I even had to suggest. >> We looked at a it's called a design bid build cuz we already had the design. So, we put it out to bid to the public. Plentium builders, they were our selected bidder. >> Part of it is that we knew that the city needed this project. We knew this was a was a a community need and we knew it was a challenge and so we sort of look at ourselves as someone uh or a company that is willing to step up uh and and take on a tough challenge. One of the things that we also looked at in in that time period is funding as as you all know everything doubled in price practically a after co and that was a shock to us. >> The pandemic affected construction uh in so many different ways. All those things sort of you know conspired to go against the cost of the project. Uh so that was a challenge. Uh but you know, I think we did a great job of of uh bidding out the project, getting the right subcontractors on board, vetting the pricing, uh making sure that it was fair and reasonable based on the current economics. >> We sat in a room and we were like, "Okay, what can we do here? How can we provide you the community with the facility that this community really needs?" Our project manager, Justin George, he actually came over. >> Thank you everyone for being um so patient. It's been a very heavy morning and so um we just need some time to get our um thoughts and and emotions together. So it's never easy to sit and hear the community in so much pain. It's very very difficult and especially um you know on the mental health health side of the challenges that we've faced in this country for so very long. So I just want to say thank you for your patience and and I know that it weighs on many of your hearts too. Um I just always say it's the deepest darkest secret we don't talk about in this country. So, I just want to say thank you. Um, it's also important to celebrate people in your community that are doing really really good work and someone that I have admired um greatly for a very long time. Um, even before I I was able to work with this gentleman, I I have to tell you it is so impressive uh with with uh what Mr. Mike Vanhound has accomplished. You have been um you I think you've given us a lot of hope in revitalization, but you have given us a lot of history in revitalization. That is rare. It's something that will live on forever, and I'm I'm grateful for your service. Um because I know you're getting paid a lot of money to do it. Um no, and I should clarify that because then people think you're serious. Um, no one everyone on the on those boards does it out of the love for the city and their community and their public service. So, I want to say thank you. But you have reached an incredible milestone with Downtown Makeover. And I don't think a lot of people know that. And and actually um anyone that's watching or listening, you have got to go and see the work of Mike Vanhen. It is impressive. It is precise. It's beautiful. It's um accurate. It's well written. And you've been doing this. This is what's so amazing. Am I right? 20 years. >> 20 years. That is phenomenal. And it's phenomenal work. Um I I would just love for you to stand up here. We have a special proclamation for you because this needs to be recognized. I want to know um why you started this and what's what's your love for revitalization? Well, he gets to go second, Madame Mayor. And and Madam Mayor, just for the record, we're reconvening at 11:31 and all members are present. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> I'm going to read a few words and then we're going to let the man of the hour come up and say a few words. Uh I am honored to be in front of my colleagues in our community to honor Mr. Van Hton with a proclamation from Madame Mayor. And so I'll read these words and then we'll do the diddy. So it says, "Whereas no one knows downtown Reno better than Mike. And whereas for 20 years, Mike has diligently chronicled and documented the developments plans projects failures and triumphs of downtown and Midtown Reno in his highly respected blog called Downtown Makeover. And whereas his comprehensive reporting is known as required reading for any developers, other media and public officials, and all elected officials. His fellow community scribe Alicia Barber said, "Town makeover is the gift that keeps on giving for Reno." And whereas Mike serves on the redevelopment agency advisory board and his home is ideally located between downtown and Midtown, providing him with a front row seat to witness and document Reno's renaissance. And whereas he hopes to be writing Downtown Makeover for another 20 years with the same philosophy does today. No ads, no subscriptions, all community pride. Now therefore, I Devon Ree on behalf of Hillary Shivy, mayor of the city of Reno, Nevada, do declare February 11th, 2026 as Mike Vanhton Day in for the city of Reno >> on up. >> And Mike loves dogs, so it makes it even better. >> Mike loves dogs. There is one more thing before we give you the mic and that is Madame Mayor is the only one who can bestow such an honor on you but she'd like you to come forward because she has something for you up at the front. >> Okay. Well, I think you took it from me. I did. >> Oh, you did? Like where where is it? >> Give it to you. >> All right. Well, there's only a few people that have a key to the city and so we want to give you this just to honor you and let you know how much we appreciate you and your work is absolutely unmatched. It's beautiful. And I just needed you to know that you are very celebrated today. So, um you cannot speed with this key. Um but we just wanted you to have a something to remember this day by 20 years is absolutely fun phenomenal. And thank you for your community give back. It's incredible. >> Appreciate that so much. >> Ah, what do you think? >> I'm >> You're getting red. >> I am getting red. >> You all know I'm pretty shy. So >> he that's the one thing about Mike, he's super shy. >> So I really appreciate this honor. Means a lot to me. >> So thank you so much. Uh you know I I I started this blog just because I love urban living and I saw the potential in downtown Reno all the way back in 2006 and we face challenges that no other city in this nation has with you know 20 plus casinos closing. >> Yeah. Will you will you say that in the microphone because I want people to know the history of why you started um downtown makeover. Um I have had urban planners from AC across the country and other mayors study your site and look at it, do a deep dive and they tell me that your expertise is is really um commendable but something that they haven't seen before. So I'm just curious. I just want you to tell people why you started it. And do you have a background in ID? I I you don't. >> No, I I have a degree in graphic design actually. And >> Well, it is beautiful. Your site is beautiful. >> Well, thank you. >> Yeah, but that that I don't know. Maybe in your past life you were an urban planner. >> Maybe I was an urban planner in a past life. You know, I just started it because I um moved here in like 1999 and just I move I've always I grew up in downtown Los Angeles and so I'm very accustomed to urban living. I I can't really imagine myself out in a in a suburb. I I think I would, you know, probably die of boredom. And I saw the potential here when I moved here. Um, and no one was really reporting on the the transition downtown was making from being very casinocentric to um, turning into a neighborhood. And I thought, you know, I think I could contribute my skills as being a a web designer to telling that story. And it just kind of, you know, took off from there. And the first post I did on Downtown Makeover was about my own neighborhood and turning it into a bungalow district. and and we ended up doing that and turning it into a conservation district. And my second post, ironically, was enough was was about a a grocery store retail study all the way back in 2006. So still relevant today. >> The insight, the insight you had. And for those of you that don't know, Mike now sits on the RDA board and I've been listening to your comments, your feedback, your suggestions. They are fantastic. They're phenomenal. I couldn't be more proud of that board and particularly the work that you're putting in it. It's really going to make a huge difference. >> Thanks. I just want people to be proud of the changes that have happened in downtown Reno and and take some community pride in it. Um you know, and it gets a lot of flack. And so if someone else is out there talking about all the achievements that have happened and and the struggles that we've overcome, um that makes me happy. And you know, I' I've heard people have actually moved downtown because of my site. And there's 5,000 people who call downtown home who who who love it. And so, um, the more awareness I can bring, the better. And I hope to do this for another 20 years. >> Well, you're amazing. We hope you do it for another 20 years, too. Let's get a a quick picture. >> Congratulations. You say we're going to take a quick picture. Um, and we've got some friends. Hagen Sandaval from the Historic Resource Commission is here and Wesley McQuillin is also here. So, we're all going to take a picture up here. Family and friends celebration. You want to have your proclamation or your key or both? That sounds good. >> Hagen, my site is I'm a big fan of your work. I'm a huge fan of your work. >> You're so talented. Follow him on Instagram, everyone. How What's your site? >> It's this side of Reno. It's just >> this side of Reno. >> Mike covers the new. I cover the old. So, >> yeah. But I I love it. It is phenomenal. Big fan. No, no. Get in here, everyone. I I need everyone to get close. We want a good picture. Okay. Come on. >> All right. Here we go. >> Come on. >> I'll be behind that. >> All right. >> Thanks so much. >> Okay, Madame Mayor, we have a second proclamation, but I'm not sure if I have all my students in. So, we'll call our students in. Our great golden griffins. Yay. Come on in, friends. >> Come on, you guys. >> Good morning. You can come up behind me or you can sit or stand, however you'd like to be. Hello. Welcome and good morning. Thanks for being so patient. Come on in. Fill all the way in back here. We'll get you all in. >> Future mayors. >> Yeah. Madame Mayor is always fond of having our future mayors in the house. So, I'm going to read a proclamation and turn the mic over to them. But this is a proclamation from Mayor Hillary Shei that reads, "Whereas the great golden griffin's team 21632 is a middle school only, First Tech Challenge Robotics Team based at Honors Academy of Literature, a public charter school located here in the heart of downtown Reno. And whereas First Tech Challenge is a nationally recognized STEM program that engages students in designing, building, and programming robots while fostering critical skills such as problem solving, collaboration, leadership, and innovation. And whereas the great Golden Griffins have been selected to represent Nevada at the Governor's Cup in Washington DC on February 20th, 2026, a prestigious national event that selects only one team from each state. And whereas the G3 robotic students will showcase the talent and academic excellence of Reno's youth on a national stage and reflect Reno's commitment to educational excellence, innovation, and the cultivation of future STEM leaders. And whereas the accomplishments of the great Golden Griffins bring positive recognition to Reno and demonstrate the strength of partnerships among schools, families, and the broader community. Now therefore, I Devon Ree, on behalf of Hillary Shevy, mayor of the city of Reno, Nevada, do hereby wish success and best of luck to the great Golden Griffin. >> Wow. Congratulations. >> Okay. You're going to read something for us? >> Okay, go ahead. What's your name? >> My name is Addison. >> Addison, nice to meet you. Go ahead. Good morning, city council members, and good morning, madame mayor. My name is Addison Wood. I am a seventh grade scholar at the Honors Academy of Literature, a K through 8th public charter school right here in downtown Reno. We are here representing our robotics team 21632, the great Golden Griffins. We are a part of First Robotics competing in their first tech challenge or FTC. We are we are headed to Washington DC to represent the great state of Nevada. >> I have I have the honor of being our ambassador for our state for school and our team. As an ambassador, I'll be able to introduce and explain First Robotics to any Nevada representatives like you today. This last week, we had the we had what is called a league tournament. All of the FTC robotics teams in Northern Nevada competed to qualify for state. At league, we also are recognized for being graciously professional, such as being respectful to our fellow teammates, to our coaches, to our comp competitors, and to the officials representing FTC. One award that we received was the reach award. The reach award. We reached out to another team in Northern Nevada to help with a presenting their robot better with 3D printed number plates. We also were privileged to help an orphanage in Nairobi. We are able to send them Legos and start their journey in robotics. Thank you for your time today. >> Wow, you sound like a governor. >> Impressive. Are you guys excited? >> Yes. >> You're really excited. I'm excited for you guys to see DC. It's a beautiful city with tons of history. You're going to learn so much. You're going to love it. And we're going to be very proud when you represent us there. So, you got to make sure you go and tell them how great Reno is. But, okay. You want Do you have a have something you want to say? Hi, my name is Christian and I'm an eighth grader at Honors Academy and uh I'm also the the team the G3 team's drive captain. >> Cool. Okay. >> What the drive captain does basically is organizes drive teams, you know, little controllers and driving our robot. organizes drive teams for uh our our competitions and make sure everyone gets like an equal amount of time >> play time. >> Good. I love this. >> And uh also the build of our robot. Uh when we got the Rev starter kit, it was in pieces. We built it up with the instructions, but then we made some changes like we flipped the wheels from the outside to the inside to make our robot uh the turn radius on our robot bigger. And we also changed the arm design because it was letting the the balls aka the artifacts slip through into the the flywheel which was getting the balls stuck. So, >> that's very technical, >> right? This is why we're leaving it up to you because you're good at this. >> And, uh, we changed the arm design, I think, three, maybe four times until we got a good arm design that doesn't let the ball slip through. And, uh, also the balls don't get stuck on the side. Uh what we do in the game is basically this year uh we shoot balls into a basket uh which scores us points uh which uh gives us a spot in each tournament. And we also have a 30-cond autonomous period where uh we don't get to touch the controllers yet. Everything we've programmed into the robot, it does by itself. >> Hey, uh, and and in the 22nd endame period, you could either keep scoring balls or, uh, you could park into this little square that could also score you points. Uh, another reason why we flip the wheels from the inside to the outside because they count the wheels uh, in the square. As long as the wheels are in the square, it's a full park. >> Okay. Well, it's a good thing I'm not on your team. I would be very bad at that. >> Is that it? >> Wow. Well, congratulations. Great job. I'm so proud of you. You did great. >> Thank you. >> All right. Are you >> So, it's now the coach's turn. >> Okay. Go right ahead. >> All right. Um, thank you for having us here today. My name is Kelly Crosby Sturts. I'm actually the librarian at Honors Academy and I have the great honor to be their coach, >> which is a huge honor. This is an amazing group of middle schoolers. Um, you heard from Addie and you heard from Christian. Um, but what makes this team special on top of everything they shared is they are not just building a competitive robot. They're also building a team. They're building outreach. They did talk about that we are working with that orphanage in Nairobi. Um they don't have a robotics program. >> Um my father who's 80 actually went out as a mission part of a missionary talked me up and the missionaries actually flew out here to learn about our robot. And so we've been um trying to help them create a robotics program there for their students to have those skills once they leave the orphanage. And our kids have been working very diligently trying to help bridge that gap. Um they work not only at building the robot, they also code the robot. It comes with no code that they design their code. They create um the code that actually they can code specifically their controllers. They are PlayStation controllers and they uh code it to how they feel um is working for them to drive in a competition. So they have all of these skills, but they are 11 to 14 years old. >> A >> um and they have worked very very hard this year in order to make this team the amazing great Golden Griffins, not just the great Golden Griffins. >> Um so our selection into the Governor's Cup as the sole representative of Nevada has been an amazing journey for them. They have worked very hard and diligently trying to raise funds for our trip. Um, which we are still raising funds for our trip. It is a huge expense to take 14 middle schoolers. >> You're right. >> To Washington DC. >> You're right. >> Um, so I would like to present my team, the great Golden Griffins. >> Oh, and congratulations. >> Just really quickly, we anyone know if they want to donate or what you guys are doing to raise money? Yes. >> So the community knows, >> we have had a GoFundMe going >> um since we got our it's actually a very short period of time. We didn't get notification um this is the inaugural year, >> okay, >> um for the governor's cup for our level, which is the first tech challenge. We got our notification on the 2nd of December. >> So we have been really working hard. So we do have that GoFundMe. We also have where um direct donations can be made um either through our parent group which is our 501c3 uh the champions of honors academy um and also can be made directly to the school um for us to help get all those funds available. Um our kiddos actually wanted to give you a brief demonstration of what our robot does if you're all interested. >> Okay, sure. Let's see it. >> My drive team. Go ahead. So each drive team is made up of four students. There is one student that is what is called the human player and they would be and this is Ellie and she would actually be loading the balls which in the game are called artifacts. You can't have any more than three in the robot at a time. Um then we have one who is our chassis driver who's controlling the wheels. Then we will have one who is actually our flywheel or our launcher. Then we have what's called the human or the student coach and they're the ones standing in the middle with our uh drive hub which actually gives them a lot of signals about if the flywheel is going at the speed it needs to go. Um she sets the autonomous code, she sets the drive code and she also is watching the field because there are four robots competing at the same time in the field. So there is a lot and it's a 12 foot x 12t field. There's a lot of activity going on at once. It's not just solo. >> Okay. >> So, you guys ready? >> She said, "No, I'm not." >> Okay. What >> is it working? >> It's connecting. >> She says no. Well, guess what? This is great because we're getting a little practice before before you guys go to DC. So, this is where you want to get all the kinks out. You want to get them out at home before you get back there. So, this is good. So, as much as you're probably stressing, don't don't stress. This is good. >> Yeah. Sometimes it's also the Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi has a hiccup. >> Got it. Okay. >> That's actually the name of our robot. Our robot is actually named Hiccup. >> Okay. Uh, one of the reasons we put the wheels on the inside of the chassis is because the game the robots can hit each other and it kept knocking off one of our wheels. So, they named it Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon. >> Okay, smart. >> So, >> we all know about >> Yeah, >> normally this is not an issue. >> No, you should check it out. >> Is it cool? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, exactly. count if anything can go wrong, it will operate. >> Oh, I'm I'm hearing something that sounds like R R2-D2. There we go. All right. So the wheels, if you notice, the wheels are actually a mechanum wheel, which means that there is a motor to each wheel that controls independently the movements. The rollers on the wheels are turned at a specific angle, allowing it to crabwalk, which gives the students much greater compatibility um to be able to directly line it. This is Ben, who is one of our returning members. He is in high school, and he came back as a mentor to help the kids. Yep. >> Right. >> So, you hear that is our flywheel that they've activated in order to uh be able to launch those balls. So what they would be doing in this is there's actually uh different areas that they would be positioning in order to make those goals in the field. Um and so they have a high, medium, and low setting. So they are allowed to um they are able to shoot it at any space in the uh competition field. That was our low setting. Now we are on our higher setting. And you can see the difference. >> So thank you again ladies and gentlemen. >> Um well this is our presentation of our robot today. >> That was fantastic. I hope you guys are proud. That is impressive. So, come on over. We'd love to take a picture with you guys. >> We actually my members uh my team would like to present gifts to each of the council members. So, >> Rosie, start from this side. Keep going. >> Harrison, go on up. >> Oh, okay. Those who have them, keep going. >> How cool is that? >> Go down the line. >> You guys, that's so cool. Thank you so much. Oh my gosh, a keychain. I can totally use this. Nice to meet you. What's your name? >> My name is Le. >> Hi, Le. Nice to meet you. Thank you so much. >> Are you excited? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Come on you guys. Let's take a picture. >> Take a picture. There's one. And here is two. Okay, >> you ready? Okay, on the count of three, I want everyone smiling and then we're going to suck it in because it's going to make us taller. It's going to make us taller. Okay, here we go. One, two, three. Suck it in. Me too. >> Thanks, AJ. >> All right, you guys. Congratulations. Go get them back. Okay. I want to hear how it went, but go home and and get or go to DC, get it done, and bring it home. So, we're excited for you. All right. Good job. Thank you so much. >> Did you see someone missing one? Oh, I think everyone got one. But there is a gentleman right there by the name of Eddie Lorton. You can give him one and he would be very appreciative. We got to show Eddie some love, too. >> Okay, Madame Mayor. >> All right, >> one more proclamation, I think. >> Okay, let's do it. >> Always a joy to do this. And I'm not sure who's here for this one, but this is FCCLA. >> Who's here? >> Oh, fabulous. Come on up. >> Hello. Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> More leaders. >> I understand. You're our own. By the way, that jacket is fantastic. I'm going to have to borrow it from you. It's his tuxedo jacket. It's beautiful. I love it. Okay, take it away. I'm excited to hear this next proclamation. >> Okay, Madame Mayor, um whereas Family Career and Community Leaders of America, also called FCCLA, is a national nonprofit inter or intracurricular career and technical student organization that supports family and consumer sciences education by preparing students for leadership careers and civic engagement through integrated classroom and applied learning experiences. And whereas FCCLA offers members an opportunity to work together for everyday purposes for the improvement of themselves as their families, careers, and communities. And whereas the organization extends classroom learning through chapter service projects that develop leadership and employability skills and helps young men and women learn how to plan, make decisions, carry out program evaluations, and take action through working with other youth and adults within their school community and the state. Now therefore, I, Devon Ree, on behalf of Hillary Shevy, mayor of the city of Reno, do hereby declare February 9th through the February 13th National FCCLA Week. >> All right, congratulations. Okay. Well, I want to hear a little bit about this. >> Hello, Mayor Council members. My name is Tegan Richardson. I'm a current senior at the Debbie Smith CTE Academy that just opened here in Reno. >> Yeah. Before that, I was a uh student at AECT, the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology. I have had the honor of serving multiple roles among FCCLA, whether it be just a chapter member my freshman year, state president for Nevada FCCLA my sophomore year, or running as a national officer candidate this past summer. I have had a glorious experience with this uh organization as I have gone through. uh to talk a little more about FCCLA, I will bring up our current state vice president of public relations, NEA, as well as our chapter president, Cheyenne, um to give a little more about our school. So, go ahead. >> Okay. >> Hi, my name is Cheyenne. I'm the chapter president of um Debbie Smith FCCLA. Um at our school that recently just opened, we're a CTE school that focuses on careers. And part of our academy is CTSOs which are um things that students can participate in such as events and stuff like that. Other events such as HOSA or um FCCLA. We compete in events that help our community that help us reach our future jobs. >> I love it. >> Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Na Huber. As Taken said, I am the current vice president of public relations for Nevada FCCLA. As Cheyenne said, FCCLA is a CTSO or a career and technical student organization, meaning it is an organization that is led mostly by students such as myself. FCCLA correlates with family consumer sciences, meaning it ties into career pathways such as hospitality and tourism, education and training, which is what we are currently enrolled in, human services, public services, business services, as well as arts and media. It allows students to prepare for future pathways straight out of high school. And through the competitive events that FCCLA offers, students are able to put these career and technical skills into real life applications. >> Wow. How old are you? >> I am a junior, so I am 17. >> Wow, you are phenomenal. I You girls are blowing me away. You sound like senators. You got up there with confidence, with pride. You would make Debbie Smith very, very proud. She was a remarkable woman and you are representing her every single day. Impressive, I have to tell you. Impressive. And you came before us, didn't you? And gave a presentation at council one time. Did you do that ever? You did. And you and you blew us away. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> I am telling you, you guys are our future. We are just honestly, you blew me away. I remember that day. >> Thank you. >> I was like, I know who this is. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Okay, what's next for you girls? >> We kind of wanted to open any questions if you guys had any questions about kind of like whatever our organization is, um, what our school does. I know Debbie Smith is kind of new, but definitely not a new concept with AACT. Um, this summer we're hoping to send eight children to nationals. Um, which is also in Washington DC. Um, we are looking for funding if that's something I'm allowed to say. Um, we're looking for >> the DC fund. >> Yeah, we do need a DC fund. Um, we do not have any GoFundMes or anything like that, but we're looking for both public and private sponsors to sponsor our trip to Washington DC. And we'd love to bring more students, but unfortunately that's our budget right now is only eight. Um, and we'd love to bring more students and give more students the experience to go to nationals. I've gotten the experience to go to nationals three times now. Um, I was the only freshman my freshman year that got to go. That was in >> How come I'm not surprised? >> That was in Denver, Colorado. And it was literally a life-changing experience for me. I got to experience so many new opportunities, meet so many people from across the states. Um, it's a national organization, so I seriously know people all the way from New York all the way down to the south end of California. Um, it's really a revolutionary experience that we'd love to offer to more high schools in the area, as well as just promote and try and get a DC fund going. It would be awesome to do that. >> Doesn't she sound like a governor? >> Remarkable. The hope is state superintendent eventually. Yeah, I'm going into education. So, >> okay. Well, there is nothing you can't accomplish. I am certain about that and we can't wait to watch your journey. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> So, congratulations, girls. Phenomenal job. Let's take a quick picture. Okay. And you're all fashionable. >> Thank you. >> I'm loving this. >> Okay. My first. >> Okay. >> So, same protocol. Smile and suck it in. Okay. Here we go. One, two, three. >> You got it. >> Okay. Good. All right. >> Thank you so much. >> Thanks, you guys. Cuz you're Aren't Aren't you at the clerk? >> You're so nice to meet you. I'm loving this look. You You'll end up being like some Vogue editor or something. >> Hi. Nice to meet you, too. I've been loving your hair. Thank you so much. >> Oh my god. You guys should come hang out. >> Okay. Bye. Good job. All right, Madam Clerk. Hello. Okay. Um, get us back on track so we can back get back into business. And I appreciate everyone's patience. It's this we have a lot of community members doing great things and we wanted to recognize them. So, uh, we need to get back to business, though. So, let's start out with, um, I think we're approval of the agenda. Am I right? Okay. So, I'm going to ask for an approval. >> Can I get some changes? >> Actually, before we do approval of the agenda, I'm going to send it to the city manager, Jackie Bryant, uh, to bring forward any housekeeping or changes to the agenda. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. We'll have an attorney client meeting during lunch today. Um, after you do the consent poll, I'm going to recommend that you move right into item C1 and hold the pulled consent items because our presenter for item C1 has a hard stop at 12:45 today. I think we underestimated the timing. So, we can either move that forward or pull him ahead. Other than that, no changes. >> With those changes, motion to approve. Madam Mayor, second. >> Okay. I have a motion. I have a second. All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed? Motion carries. Okay. All right, madame clerk. >> Madame Mayor, we're on to approval of the minutes item A5. >> All right. May I get a motion to approve the minutes? Move to approve. >> I have a motion. I have a second. All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries unanimously. All right. Uh we're going to head into consent items. And I'm going to start with you, Councilwoman Anderson. >> Nothing. Okay. >> I'm good, too. Thank you. >> You're good. Okay. Nothing. Madame Mayor, I have item B7 to read a disclosure on >> B7. >> B7. >> Okay. Council Dur. >> Yeah. Normally I would like to pull item B2 because the dollars are very high, but given all that's happening, I'll just uh just note for the record to those listening, this is a important way we spend our money is on providing critical infrastructure services and they can cost a lot of money. Thank you. All right. >> So, that was on B2, but I'm not pulling it. >> Okay. Council Neighbor. >> Yeah. I I um in agreement with Council Member Doer, I just want to kind of say what it is real quick. gets award of a contract to uh resource development company DBA far construction corporation for the Truckucky Meadows Water Reclamation Facility uh digtor uh number four converter replacement project in the amount of $4,25,000 and some change um with Reno Share being uh close to 3 million. So, I'm not going to pull it, but I just think it's important to say what it is. Um and uh there's uh two other items on the agenda. I'm sorry, one other agenda item. No, two others for uh sewer. Um if people watching at home want to pull this up on the um available materials on reno.gov, it's item B3 and B4 are also regarding uh the sewer fund. Um these items are both under 500,000 each. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'll move to approve all items remaining other than the one pulled for discussion B7. >> Okay. I have a motion. >> Second. >> I have a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed? Motion carries unanimously. >> B7 was disclosure. >> Yes, we are going to head to B7. >> Madam Mayor, fellow city council members and madam clerk, in the interest of full transparency on item B7, I am disclosing that I am Irish and a member of the sons and daughters of Aaron. Sato is a nonprofit charitable organization that works to revive, foster, and promote Irish cultural events, interests, and sentiments in Nevada. The city donation will support Sato's mission. I pay an annual membership fee and meet fellow Irishameans at organization sponsored events. On this matter of sought guidance from the city attorney's office, I have been advised that as a member of a charitable organization, I do not have a commitment in a private capacity to the interest of Sato. Madam clerk, please accept this disclosure and lodge it on the record for this meeting. Madame mayor, I move to approve item second. >> I have a motion. >> I have discussion. Yeah, go ahead. I just want to say that um I think this disclosure is kind of frivolous to call out that um somebody is Irish. I think it takes the spirit of what disclosures are supposed to be um and makes light of it and I think consider the continued um potential um ethics issues happening with a candidate for mayor. I think that it's in bad taste to make that type of disclosure. Um I think we all might have some degree of Irish in our lineage. So I just want to say um I think it's it's um it's silly and uh unbecoming. Thank you. >> Point of order. Madame Mayor and privilege, >> Mr. Cler or Mr. uh city attorney, this was provided by your office to me in response to my inquiry. Is that correct? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. No, if it included the the portion, we're not going to we're not going to attack each other. We're going to move on. We have business to do. This is in the in in the weeds and we're moving on. Okay. >> All right. >> We need to vote on that. We have a motion in a second. >> I have a motion, a second. All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed. >> Motion carries unanimously. Okay. It's been a morning. We could all do some yoga. We could all do some what else? Jogging, running. I don't know. >> Smiling. >> Smiling. I love that. Smiling, laughing, more laughter. Okay, here we go. We're going into item C1. Correct, Madam Clerk. And I am excited. This is item C1, Truckucky Meadows Water Authority presentation. And we have two experts here that know this business uh inside and out. So, I'm going to hand you the floor. Go ahead. >> Morning, Madame Mayor and uh council members and our Toma board members. My name is Danny Roder. I'm the assistant general manager over at TMO. Hearing good things about you, too. >> Oh, thank you. This is Cara Steelen. You should probably know more about her. >> We do know more about her. She's remarkable. >> Uh, senior hydraologist, >> super talented woman. >> And so, I'm going to give you a quick intro and get out of the way to let you hear from the smart people. >> Go ahead. >> So, this is uh just touching base on our recently completed 2045 water resource plan. And so, this is the fifth version of this plan since Tumblr's inception. And this year, one of our big highlights was developing a summarized version at a glance report. It's about 10 10 pages. There'll be a QR code at the end if anybody wants to check it out. But it's really been a big effort to try and have that be the starting point and then the plan and the and all the backups be the deep dive after that. This is part of uh what we do at TUML all the time. We're always planning. We're always planning 20 years out for our resources. We're always planning 20 years out for our facilities. Every year we're we're analyzing our funding plan at five years uh that all impact customer rates or facility charges to new development. And with that, I'll hand it over to Cara. >> Thanks, Danny. Cara Steelen for the record. Um so, as part of that kind of planning wheel, we're here again today to talk about the water resource plan. The real goal of the plan is to analyze every five years whether or not Tommo has adequate water resources to meet the community's needs over the next 20 years and beyond. This plan um does that 20 years but goes well beyond it towards the end of the century. Um and basically what we're trying to do is evaluate and implement innovative solutions to make sure we're always planning for the future to ensure that the community has sufficient water resources moving forward. And a key part of our planning process is maintaining community confidence and transparency so our customers understand how we plan for the future um and to ensure them that we do have sufficient resources. We look at our customer survey to help guide our resource plan and the contents of the plan. And so um we do a bi-anual survey and these are just some of the topics that are reported most commonly by uh respondents. Of course, people aren't concerned about maintaining the high quality of drinking water, keeping it affordable, and then having sufficient supplies. And the number one concern we hear is how are we going to meet the demands of a growing population in our region. So, looking at this graph, the green uh line chart shows the population of Wo County. We serve about 90% of Wo County and uh the blue bar chart shows tumble production in acre feet. So you can see over time um demand has increased but you can see there was a pretty significant drop in the early 2000s and we're actually just about to the same demand we were at in the very early 2000s. So demand has not been increasing at the same rate as population growth which is important to note um due to a lot of uh conservation measures and other efficiencies that I'll talk about in a moment. This is the heart of our plan which is our 20-year demand projection. You can see over the next two decadues, Toma's water demand is projected to rise approximately 1.8% annually. It's fairly conservative projection and we usually end up coming in kind of under that demand projection when we look out in another 5 years. This is a historic look at our sources of supply. So we generally use about 80 to 85% surface water, 15 to 20% groundwater, which is shown in the blue and the green bars. And then the purple is our privately owned stored water and our credit water, which are basically our drought supplies. And we've only had to use those um about six times in the last 35 years. So they're a great backup source for our region, but thankfully we don't have to use them that frequently. Looking towards the future, uh Truckucky River water rights graph is a little bit complicated, but basically there's a set number of water rights on the Truckucky River at about 226,000 acre feet. And over time, you can see the brighter blue bars and the green. Over time, basically what has been happening is as the region has been transitioning from more ranch areas and agricultural to urban areas, those water rights have been con converted to municipal and industrial use from agricultural and dedicated towla for us to serve municipal water supply. Over time, there's about or there's about 40,000 acre feet left. And so that's we're relying on that conversion, that continued conversion with um development over time. One of the main reasons in the graph I showed earlier that water demand is not increasing you know at the same rate as uh population growth is due to a lot of our water conservation practices. We have water efficiency codes such as assigned day watering. All of our customers are metered. They're all on advanced metered infrastructure now. So they have real-time updates on um leak detection and how they're using water so they can be more uh they can conserve water as needed or be more efficient. We have seasonal water conservation consultants, tier rate billing structure. All of these incentivize conservation. Similarly, this is um our residential per capita water demand. So the green lines show the gallons per capita per day. One is total use, one is consumptive use, which means that it takes into account the water that makes it back into the river system through the water reclamation facilities. And so you can see that uh over time our per capita water demand has been decreasing and kind of stabilizing. And again, that's mostly due to those conservation practices. It's also a trend seen uh in a lot of the American West. This graph is a bit complicated, but I wanted to highlight that we do look at climate variability and future conditions all the way out to the end of the century with with increasing demand. This is one climate scenario that we look at in the plan. And you can see this is basically shows the mix of our future water supplies. It shows Truckucky River, groundwater, our upstream reservoir storage, and then the red would show any shortages. These are kind of the most extreme um scenarios shown in the uh this chart. And basically, you can see there are some very minor shortages out in the future. And that's why we plan for the future now is to ensure that we have sufficient water resources to meet any potential shortages. And so this chart shows basically that with increasing our aquifer storage and recovery program, which is where we take treated surface water and inject it into our groundwater aquifers in the winter months, we can alleviate future shortages basically by expanding our groundwater bank and future resources. Additionally, we're looking at a range of other future water resources. Um the plan shows kind of just basic benefit and challenge tables. This is not an infrastructure plan. This is not our capital improvement plan. This basically looks at kind of high level concepts about you know projects that might take 10 to 20 years to complete and um how we would get there and just start to think about those projects to meet future demands and increase off- river reliability. Lastly, the plan looks at our all of our initiatives to protect the watershed and environment. We have a lot of community collaboratives including the Truckucky River Fund, uh the middle Truckucky River wershed forest partnership. We work a lot with one truck river partnership council and on our washer county integrated source water protection plan. So we rely on all those community collaboratives to help protect our water quality and our water supplies. Uh we also um have a great source of renewable energy with our historic hydroelectric plants on the river. So the key takeaways from our plan are that we have sufficient water rights to address the region's growing demand over the next 20 years. We have a really resilient and reliable water supply and but we're constantly analyzing future resource options to ensure that um we have offer reliability that we can be resilient to droughts, climate variability and it's important to note that this is an evolving document. It's why we update it every 5 years and look at new studies and new projections but we're also constantly looking at that. It's not just a put it on the shelf every five years. So, it is a key um you know tenant of Toma that we're always focused on ensuring that our water supply is sustainable for the future. So, with that, Danny and I are happy to take any questions. The resource plans available at tow.comwrp2025. >> Wow, you are impressive. I love this. I think there is such a massive story here that rarely gets told. I do see the Nevada Independent actually reporting on this. Have you seen their Yeah, she's saying yes. Yes. track. Yeah, we track all the news in the community on water. >> You do? >> Yeah, for sure. >> Okay. Um and I So, I just think it's something unless it's negative. People unfortunately um like to talk about the negative more than the positive. And I think this is really positive, but I also think it's really important because our drinking water is so essential to our overall health, to the overall region. Um it just on so many different levels. And we've seen where other cities have really struggled with this. um with the challenge with their own water. And so it's a it can really uproot an entire community if you are not paying attention to this and keeping it your priority. And you guys are keeping us safe and not only safe, healthy. Uh it's pretty remarkable and the conservation efforts are outstanding. So you should be very very proud. Um I did some of this I did did not know. But you are you from here? >> I'm not. I'm from Michigan originally. >> Oh, okay. How long have you been here? >> I've been at with Tama for 10 years, so quite some time. >> Okay. See, and you're following other cities across the country and what they're doing. Where do you think we rate? >> Oh, I don't know. That's that's hard to I think I think Well, we're No, I mean, we're absolutely I just mean I think there every region faces such different issues, but I think we're Yeah. in amazing shape and and yeah, we have a great water supply here. >> Well, that's really nice to hear you say. Thank you so much. Okay, I'm going to open up any questions. I'm seeing Green, of course, our water expert over here, Naomi Der. She's going to jump in. So, take it away. >> Well, the only thing I'm going to jump in is um not on the substance, but just on the process. It's been a real privilege to serve on TAMA. They're one of the best, most highly rated agencies in our region and actually nationally. Um the work they do is stellar and um you know I've gotten to know Cara over the years the same 10 years you know I served on TAMA since she came and um I've been very impressed by the management of Tama that have constantly put her out front um because she is recognized expert so thank you both for being here um it's what we've heard at TAMA we're hearing it again today but I appreciate that it's going to a broader audience the people that attend Tamwa meetings are very hyperfocused on water and this is a more general population and the general population needs to know what our status is with water. And I think one of the excellent things you did this year was to produce that executive summary and I've given that book now to many people and I keep requesting more copies. So I I would say kudos. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah. >> All right. Any further questions, comments? >> Madam Mayor, >> go right ahead. >> Thank you both for the presentation. I had the chance to review it um a few days ago. Um two things. One is um I think Tamwa is really the gold standard for um water and water related issues throughout the western United States. I had the privilege of serving on Tamwa for the first six years I was on the body and to an absolute te every member of staff was highly excellent in their jobs uh the duties that they performed. John Zimmerman is an absolute prince of human being. Um you have made a lot of inroads towards educating the public that I have been very greatly appreciative of. And so I just continue to say um because we live in a desert and water is such an important resource um we will rely upon you I think for many years to come to provide that safe uh drinking water which is also affordable. So thank you for being here today. Thank you for the update. Uh thanks to my colleagues who serve over there now. We get you know sort of regular and frequent updates about things going on in the water world but you all are doing awesome work. Thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Okay Miguel, do you want to >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Thanks so much, Madam Mayor. Um, and thank you, uh, Tomasa for all you do to make sure that we have, uh, enough natural resources to make sure that we're providing all of that for the community. Um, I just want to mention too that it's been an honor to get to know sort of more of the work that you're doing, how complex the system is. I think um in your presentation um there's stuff about supply and the you groundwater usage versus other things and some of the measures you've done for sustainability, but I'm wondering maybe Mr. Uh Roder, if you could go over the complexity of the system in Tammo, you know, different elevations, the number of, you know, pump stations and lift stations and everything that you have to deal with and the complexities that the system is encompasses to service all your customers here in the Great Basin. >> Yeah, thanks Miguel. That's a really good question. Something to point out. Um, not only when you're operating on the most litigated river in the country is it a challenge, um, then you try and figure out how to get water across 2500 feet of elevation change. We have something like 330 pressure zones that we're managing at any given time. And every time we uh mention that number to people across this the country, um they laugh at us because they're when they're the size of Vegas and they have, you know, maybe 80 pressure zones and we're so much smaller and have 300 um with probably 120 booster stations, 100 tanks, 80 80 90 wells, adding treatment plants all the time, it seems. Um it's just a it's a big lift. And so when you know we're we're representatives here today and car has done a huge lift with this job. So thank you for that. Um but there's 300 people back every day you know keeping tabs on all those pressure zones and uh like we had a water outage here last night if you didn't know that. Um >> well no because you have so many >> Yeah. They they had that back on by about two this morning. So it's it's around the clock. We appreciate them and uh thank you for the kind words. >> That's fantastic. >> Thank you. I think I'll just close up by uh showing also my appreciation for having not just done a strategic or an executive summary of this in you know robust plan but also translating it into Spanish and making it accessible for our Spanish speaking community. So thank you for all your work. >> All right. Thanks Miguel. Let me just ask you one thing because you know it's really been a topic of conversation um especially on on the West Coast when it comes to water and natural disasters and fires and things like that. Can you give us an idea what you guys work on behind the scenes that we don't really know about and to also some of the things that whether we can improve or um I guess ways that we have the ability to uh mitigate some of the because of the vast water supply we have. That's been a big topic of conversation. Can you weigh in on that and and how you guys have been at the table and what you've been doing because honestly we we I I I feel like knowing this because I do know a little bit background on this that we are in a much better place than most communities. Can you talk a little bit about that? Yeah, I'll just quickly say it's not getting any easier to provide water and wastewater services um with new regulations and new climate change things and new um you need power to provide water and the power uh go when it goes through a change like they have recently and a new paradigm where they're shutting off power ahead of uh of wildfires. How are you going to get the water where it needs to go? And so in the last probably five years, we've invested heavily in backup power generation. Um recently we bought I think it was six or seven um massive trailer uh dump truck hall generators um for to keep everybody in service whenever that happens. So we're we're constantly in contact with the the fire agencies um Envy Energy. We've actually over the last year had about quarterly meetings with them to try and stay ahead of it. Um, so we're always trying to make sure we have enough redundancy, enough um enough manpower to to stay ahead of it and keep everybody in water, including fire hydrants. >> Thank you so much. That really means a lot because it's, you know, it it really is that reality that we're living in today. And so we need to make sure that you have all hands on deck that nothing stops, especially in our region because we're so susceptible. And we appreciate your partnership, but also really paying attention to that. And we also need to know what you guys need from us in any capacity because I I don't want to hear, you know, last minute that we don't have something that's going to keep our entire community safe. And so go ahead. >> Yeah, I would just say uh to all you up there, I know you know this, but uh when we coordinate with your public works staff, with your fire staff, with your utility staff, um you have a great staff and they come to work every day and do just like we do. Um you want to just get it done. um so that there's no notice of uh anything that they do. >> I love that and they love to hear it and they need to hear it because oftentimes they're the ones they really make the city run and we take a lot of that for granted like you said 300 people are coming to work every single day and making those are making sure those are open. So it's impressive. I don't think people know how extensive it is. That's why anyone listening rci is a good way to kind of get a deep dive into the backside of the city. So, I know there's a lot of people that attend and just love it and the staff does a great job. So, all right, you two, good job. We'll get back to the water. >> We need you. >> All right. Thanks so much. All right. I don't believe we have to um take a motion on this. It's just a presentation. No ask. So, with that being said, we are going to um head into item C2. And this is a presentation update from the Truckucky River Flood Management Authority, someone else that knows water incredibly well. He knows water inside and out. George, hello. >> Hello. How are you? >> Take it away. Nice to see you. >> Thank you. So, we're going to go from oh, do we have enough water to oh no, we have too much water. So uh >> thank you for, uh, having me here and I was here last year and >> it's really an honor to talk to you all and it's Thank you for giving us your, uh, board or your council members. Uh, Miguel is uh, our sitting uh, >> vice chair. I hope he will be continuing. I don't know, but we will vote on that on Friday. >> And Naomi Der has been with our board forever. Um, no, she she pre she pre-dates me and she used to sit in my chair. So, she's very well acquainted with our our our agency. So, next slide, please. >> Okay, >> let's go. Oh, do I do it? I am sorry. >> Oh, no, it's fine. >> An idiot here. >> Okay, here we go. Um, so I think I've given a slide like this before. Who we are, we're a joint effort. We're a we're we're based on an ICA. Um Reno, Sparks, and the county all have a say in governing our authority. Um what we do, we build infrastructure and we manage flood plane to reduce flood damages. The governance is an authority and like I said with the cities and the county and the funding is from a 1/8 cent sales tax that was passed right after the 1997 flood. Another thing that we have is we have a multia mission. We have uh we're looking to improve flood plane planning. We're looking to support emergency responders. But the bulk of what we're going to spend our money on is to build flood mitigation infrastructure and that's where a capital improvement plan comes into play here. uh all the different things that we're working on to uh start on and build and there has been a lot of activity uh postco and it's really starting to accelerate this year so it's kind of a fun time to give a presentation on this because we're doing stuff. It's like I don't want to go do a presentation and go well we're not really doing anything and sometimes it felt like that when I first started but now we're really rolling. So that's really fun to do. So why why are we why do we do all this flood mitigation? our biggest project which we now call the uh Truckucky Meadows Flood Project which we it's been called other things uh and similar in scope living river uh was one of the names locally preferred plan local rate plan but this project is is really important because most of the damage done by the floods major floods like the 1997 flood happen in that area in green right there on the slide And that area alone, the total damages from a 19 or 2018 study was 2.5 billion. That's more now, but about back then about two billion of that would be in green right there. So the flood project takes everything in green out of flooding for a 1997 style event or size event. So it's a very um it's a very important thing to take that out. Notice that the airport is there. The uh Reno industrial area near near the airport is there. Um and also the Sparks industrial area is there in green. And it there's a lot of jobs, a lot of a lot of businesses, a lot of people put out of work when there's a major flood. So I kind of want to land on this slide for a minute and tell you exactly what is going on before I get into the CIP itself. Um you can see our estimated total cost forward for the entire Truckucky Meadows flood project is 202 million. But in addition to that we also have targeted flood projects and one of them um it's not on this map but we are just started broken ground. It's a joint effort between Reno uh the conservancy and us to build uh to to build up the uh the burm there on Riverside and to do it without destroying trees and destroying the character of the neighborhood. I think I was very clear with Mayor Shivy that I never want to do that. I never want to destroy the character of the neighborhood, but we want to pro provide more flood protection without cutting people off from the river. So, this is a great middle ground that gets it up to about a 50-year flood protection and yet doesn't ruin the character of the park and will happen fairly quickly so it doesn't keep things closed down too long. And it's just been great working with your staff. We've we've worked through things. Your city engineer, utilities director, they've all been great on this. And so, we've been working on this for a while now. And it's great that it's in construction right now. Uh in addition to that, that's a targeted project is these Truckucky uh river flood projects, which are the main project because it has the highest uh impact. it will, you know, cause the greatest cost savings if there is a flood. And you can see right now, uh, if you go to your far, I guess it would be your far right for you, um, the Vista Narrows project. We are going into final design. We just had that done in December. We're working on final design right now. We're working on the final aspects of the permitting. We are hoping to get a construction contract early next year and actually build this thing. uh the Sparks North levy. We just put out a uh request for uh qualifications on that and we're actually going into design on that and those requests for qualifications are due um next Tuesday. So, we're going to actually start looking at design options on that. We really have not done far design on any of this stuff yet. And this is a great big step for us is to get there. Look at the Rock McCarron project. Most of you are very aware of that project because of all the public input it's had, but that's moving along. We are next month or probably in April, we're going to have a 30% design there presented to our board. And so that's moving along and by the end of the year we'll be we'll be going into final design there. And we're trying to we're looking at funding options and everything else so we can build that thing as quickly as possible. And it's we're actually looking very carefully at the park has 11 fields right now uh flat fields in it has all kinds of river features and nature features in it. So it's it's trying to do both things at once and it will be the first major park when it's built since 2008. So, it's a it's it's really uh something that's incredibly rewarding to me and I'm just thankful for all the support on that from the city council here and your two representatives. Next is the airport levy. If you look at that one, that's going into design here next Tuesday. We're getting uh statement of qualifications. Same with the Tamwa levy. We just had the TAMWA presentation. that particular area right there. Toma has a treatment plant and that thing can be affected by flooding. We're trying to make it so it won't be affected by flooding except for a very extreme flood that's far greater than the 1997 event. And we're trying to do it in a way that doesn't hurt their operations. We're walking up and down the thing with them. We're talking to their engineers and we have great um cooperation between agencies on that one. And then comes the GSR BM and levy or now it's mostly a levy. And we've been working with GSR hand and glove. We've been talking with them. We've been going back and forth sharing information. And uh hopefully when they Well, it's not hopefully when they build their major additions. That is going to be a uh a great levy that will protect the airport, protect GSR, and protect elements of the Reno Industrial Area. The Colonies levy and flood wall is already been done. It's been done since 2009. So, that gives you an overview like everything is moving forward right now and it's really exciting time for us at the authority. uh the overall funds we have. We when I wasn't doing anything so to speak, we were saving money so that we would have money to do Vistan Arrows and do all this design work and throw some money at the Rock McCarron project. And right now it says 73 there. Now we're actually getting close to 75 million. The cash flow is 11 to 12 million per year. And uh we also do downstream mitigation. We did a major agreement with PLP. We did the Wadssworth pedestrian bridge that's in construction right now. Uh and we're also looking at a burm at Rainbow Bin in the future. So the projected costs um you know I you can you I know you've reviewed the slide but it is $22 million and change. Um and I don't want to really live on this slide very long but it just shows you some of these projects are very expensive. The most expensive is Rock McCarron. Uh it has so much going on. Levies on both sides of the river, a park, um a a detention basin, all this natural work that we're doing there as well. It is a very complicated and expensive project. And then we have targeted projects in Riverside Drive. I want to leave bring that one up. And that one is one that um you know, we're we're actually putting money into already before the CIP even begins for the next year. and we're putting that money into the Burm and we're going to be putting money into a flood wall on the other side of uh the bridge there at Booth Street. So, we want to seal off this area and protect it up to 50 years without messing up that community and cutting it off from the river cash flow. We we have positive cash flow right now, but we do anticipate going in debt in 2028-29 and we're working on financing options. The CIP components, the targeted and mitigation projects, um these are all the ones and all the money we're spending. So, we are spending money right now on Riverside Drive. we will be for the next couple of years uh until we get that uh the uh flood wall done. And so we're up to about $6 million in those kind of projects. Finally, this is the total cost of all these things and how it all works out. And each year of the CIP, you can see in fiscal year 28 and 29 when we're working on Rock McCarron, we're anticipating almost $80 million outlaid. Um, and the total outlay during this 5-year period is 180 million, which is different than the 205 million because we're outlaying money now and we will outlay money after this uh 5-year period. So, with that, I think I am ready for any questions and answers. >> George, thank you so much. I want to say I I sat on your board for a little while. you were always kind, accessible, and um when also I've made some comments that you know they're not doing anything. I think it I I wanted I want to set the record straight. I think it's these are projects we've talked about for a very very long time that you know seem to take for forever because government can have a lot of red tape and I know that you're dealing with a lot of environmental issues that are out of your control, Army Corps, those kinds of things. So, I get frustrated like most people do and then unfortunately you take the heat for it. But those were things in the works before you even got there. So, the train had left before. But I get I do get frustrated when they just take so long cuz we've talked about penrook forever. >> Right. >> Right. That's another one that's uh you know that's something that I'm helping with. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> For instance. Yeah. And so so that >> that is an issue is that I you know honestly I'm frustrated. >> I know you are. Well, that and I want to build you just got settled with it. It was so it was already wasn't on you, >> but it is my fault if I don't do it because I'm the easy target and that's fine. I I take >> Not really. There's other factors out there. So, you you can't say that. But I >> Everything that I can do and and believe me, uh Naomi and and Miguel have been very supportive. Everything that we can do as a board and I can do, we want to do to get this rolling. And my staff has taken on a lot more. We only have a staff of six people. I I have like 300 people. >> Can you believe that? >> But we have a budget of $12 million. So we contract out a lot because we have to do specialties, right? And so that's why, you know, it's so much money and the construction is going to be very expensive. So we're trying to save money so that we can do all these things and make it work. >> All right. Fantastic. Okay. Questions? Yeah, >> I'm looking to the right of me. I don't see any green lights. I'm looking to the left. I see green lights over here. Go ahead Naomi. >> Yeah, just real quick, I wanted to thank you. Um, one of the biggest surprises for me last year was the decision of the bo yourself to recommend and the board to approve the Milan McCarron project. And that of course includes two levies or a burm and a levy or a flood wall, whatever it's going to be. But it also includes trails and it also includes the 11 uh fields that you recommended or that you've noted are included. What what surprised me was not just the proposal to move forward with it, but the fact that the flood board would fund the recreation component was a huge change in policy uh from resistance that I've seen over the last 20 years. And I just think it's so very important to understand the multid-disciplinary nature of these kind of projects and the fact that our legislation that was approved by the Nevada legislature included uh not just flooding but watershed management, land management and recreation and other things as well, storm water, etc. And I think we saw the board take a dramatically different position and I couldn't be more grateful for that. I I didn't know if you had a comment on that. And then I have one more thing. >> Under your leadership, George, >> we Yeah. And it's it really the the way we're building this is that the recreation doesn't cost that much more, >> right? >> You know, and and it's going to actually provide a detention base and do a positive flood. >> But not everybody understands that or sees that, George. They don't understand the integration of all these factors. >> Yeah. And and I features, >> right? and I try my best and sometimes I think you go George you need to do better but you know one of the things that we have done this year is we've had put out a bunch of videos one of which is up to about 80,000 views and it's actually on the condition of the river and it will flood the history and all that it's really we're really concerned about flood awareness that people need to realize that that picture is not an AI picture that really did happen >> and uh it and it it actually we have worse pictures than that, you know. So, >> so George, I had one more question uh or comment and that is the you mentioned getting started on Vistan Arrows construction next year. I don't know when we talk year we talking calendar year, fiscal year, but regardless um do we have the permit from the core for Vistan Arrows or I thought someone reported to me earlier this week that you said that the core had not even begun working on our permit for Vistan Arrows. What what happened was is that for about 5 years they were slow walking this. >> Yeah. And um last last year and be the year before at the end, >> I really once we got that tribal agreement with the PLT, I really put the pressure on them, started talking to Cong congressional delegation, talked to the like really high up people at the core and went over their heads and so they have made more progress from October to today than they than ever. >> So not in hand yet, but you feel like they're making progress. Oh yeah, definitely. I think we will have it at least by the end of the year, maybe sooner. >> And the end of the year is calendar or fiscal >> calendar. >> Okay. So into 2027 you by then >> before 2027. Gotcha. >> And that's about when the final design comes done. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thing. >> All right. I don't see any other green lights. I will I will say this, George. Um, one of the things is Councilman Reefs and um, Councilman Martinez have felt really really strongly and I I do think it is a cause for concern to be honest with you. We have a large um, and I don't know I Jackie I'd love to know this and I'm not quite sure. We have a lot of of land at Pemrook um that has been in a a flood um a flood plane and um there are developers that want to come in and develop that site under a flood plane. We own that land right now. Um both of these gentlemen have had a lot of concern about the preservation and I honestly believe if we want to preserve that it should be something under the flood authority because isn't that what you are intended um to do is preservation and you look at all those water studies and all those tables and so um you know I would really like to have something on your agenda we are where we are discussing this because if we don't preserve that land, it will end up um probably being built on and I think that that area particularly that we've seen it very very problematic. So, can you talk a little bit about that? >> Yeah, I I've been working with uh especially Councilman Martinez on this and and working with different people that are trying, you know, like the consultant will come and ask me questions like, "Is this going to work?" No. Yeah. I mean, no, I'm not saying no. But yeah, sometimes I do say no. But but sometimes I say yes. But but the point is is that we're trying to work through this and figure out a solution. >> Um the problem is is that the land and all the stuff that would have to be done there, it really doesn't do a lot for the general flooding of the Truckucky River, but it is in a flood way and a flood plane. Not just a flood plane, but where water conveys. And so it's very difficult to do any development there without doing some serious mitigation. So you're worried about development. I'm not as much. I think they have to do very serious mitigation that costs a lot of money and you're trying to help them ease into it. Uh and they realize that and they're trying to work with you hard. But I don't you know we'll see if it can get over the finish line. Well, I think it needs this is what they've been concerned about too and we all should be but is we really need to preserve it. And what scares me and you know this because I've said to you, hey George, you got to come and testify at council for this that or the other. And then we're always kind of doing this eventually. It will probably be built on if we don't preserve it. And that's where I think your leadership is would be tremendous and we preserve that land for many many reasons out there. What do you think? Well, >> are we going to put it on your agenda? >> I'll put it on my agenda, but the problem is we it's it's I've got big things where I've got 5 to1 benefit cost ratios for cost going forward, big losses of money if we don't build the project, if we have a flood. Then we have that out there, which is we do want to preserve it, but how am I going to fund that? All of it's already I'm already going to be in the red with bonds and everything else to to build Rock McCarron to build Tumwa and all these other ones. So how how can I afford that? You know, that's kind of my dilemma. >> Well, I think you better be careful when you say that because when you do what happens is if something should happen out there and we didn't do it, then we it also puts us in that precarious situation. And I think if um you know we truly care about preser preservation and and the flooding those things that's your that is where um I do think it belongs under you to keep it um preserved so that we are doing exactly what the flood uh project set out to do. That's exactly what it's there for. And I'm afraid that at the city if it hangs out there eventually it will be built. And I think those poor residents would be um I think they'd be devastated and also could clearly be a huge safety issue. And so that's why I'm saying I want you to please consider working uh with the city so that we could donate that land to you and make sure that it is preserved. I think that that would that would really be um beneficial to all of us in the region. Le >> let's talk about that offline, I think. >> Yeah, I know it's a lot, but I want to hold your feet. um to the fire on this and and have those conversations because I'm hearing it but not I'm not seeing anything move and I think it's critical especially to those residents out there. Um they deserve that to be pre preserved and we've seen that issue come to council many many many times and every time it's controversial, it's problematic and I just feel like um it belongs under your purview for preservation. So uh I appreciate you listening. >> Yeah. Go ahead. Um George, I I would like to support the mayor in this. I think that there's two things to think about. Um the prevention is extremely cheaper than remediation and development relies on a lot of engineering calculations which may or may not work. Getting it under uh conservation easement under your purview takes it away from the spectre of development. And we do rely on that entire basin for water retention. You just showed us the map. So I do think I think it'd be a relatively lowcost deal for for the flood but create a lot of benefit. So in terms you just said cost benefit. I think for the cost and the benefit of provide might be really a win-win for the flood as well as city Reno. So I hope to see it on the agenda. >> I agree. It's definitely it's a little bit out of the box of what we've been talking before, but I think it's out of the box. It's we need >> But you're the change maker. >> You're making change. >> You've already proven that. >> All right. We will see you. We I want to talk to you offline about it and I I will talk with my board about it. >> Okay. And I would really appreciate that and I would appreciate the cooperation from the city of Sparks as well. Um you know, all of us need to work together if we truly and that honestly that property they should have a lot of interest in that too. It it's in their right in their sphere. No, they they are interested and and remember too, they did not there was no opposition to the Riverside project from them at all. They were happy to do it. >> That's awesome. And I love that they were working together. They I need them. So, George, I need them to put it on your agenda. Will you promise me that this preservation effort will be on your agenda and get back to me? I want the press to hear this because they have stalled us and stalled us and I want it on the agenda. Tell me that you'll accommodate us. >> I will talk to you offline and work on putting it on the agenda. I am not promising something I can't do. >> See? Okay. We're going to get serious. >> I will I will talk to you offline and I'll do what I can. >> And I appreciate that, George. But I also think that, you know, we've danced around a long time and it's time to really um do something out there that we've said we were going to do. And those residents out at Pemrick deserve it and they need it. We all need it. So, I appreciate you um always listening to me. you've always reached out. Um, even whenever you're you're probably irritated with my some of my comments, but I do appreciate one time he's like, "Why did you say this?" But anyway, George, thank you so much. Thank you for being here. >> All right. >> All right. Take care. We'll we'll have lunch. Okay. >> Yes. Do we need We don't need to take um a vote on that. It's just presentation. Go ahead. I'm going to send it to the city manager. >> We do not, mayor. Thank you. I suggest that the body breaks for lunch returns with for item C3, which is the hexagon CAD update. We have a team of folks here for that. And then after that, I suggest we pull up item F1, which is the Lakeidge Resort Ordinance adoption because we have individuals in the audience for that. Okay, perfect. That's what we're we're going to do. >> Do we have an attorney? >> Um, we do have a attorney client >> during the break now. >> Okay, but we're gonna We've got Cody here. >> Oh. I see you over there and I love his updates. >> Do you want to do that? >> You always make me feel really good that we're moving in the right direction. So, >> do you want to do that before the lunch? >> I think we should, Cody. What do you mind? I want to I want to because also you don't want to sit here, but I like I said, you always give me like this hope. So, >> okay, then you need to leave. No, just kidding. Okay, go ahead. tell us that we're going in the right direction. This is an important one. >> Thank you. And uh good afternoon, council members, madame mayor, manager Bryant. Thank you for the opportunity for us to come and give you this presentation today. Uh my name is Cody Shadel. I'm the director for your public safety dispatch department. I also serve as one of four agency coordinators assigned to our hexagon project. Um as we've done in the past, we're here today to give you a brief update on current project conditions and the critical next steps needed to get to project completion. So it is good news. We we are moving positive direction. and we want to do that today. I'd like to believe that everybody shares in the significance of the project and the potential that it how that it holds for us in improving our public safety response and general emergency response in our region in our region and the community. Um unlike previous updates uh to provide a deeper look, we've actually been joined by our vendor partners today. So I actually have uh Ben Erns who is vice president of public safety for North America for for Hexagon Business. >> Oh, good. He's actually going to give you details and provide the opportunity for you guys to ask questions and I believe he has a short um a short presentation for you, but we're here as well to answer any questions you might have. >> Okay, fantastic. >> So, without further I'll give it to >> This is great. >> Thanks. Is the clicker right there. >> Thanks, Cody. And clearly I have some big shoes to fill after after those comments. But, uh appreciate the opportunity uh madame mayor as well as other members of the council and other city officials that are here. appreciate you allowing me to be a guest in your meeting today. I've got a couple slides that I'll go through and then I'll try to be expeditious through it because I think there's probably a lot of questions you want to ask. So maybe we'll allow, you know, the proper time for that. So again, as Cody said, first name is Ben, last name is Ernst, E R Nst for the record. >> He's done this a few times. You can tell. >> I don't know if that's good or bad, but >> it's good. It's good >> nonetheless. So I thought I would just >> You always know the ones that have come before government bodies, right? And have the experience when they spell out their last name. That's fair. Go ahead. >> Um, just a quick background. Most of you know this, um, but just thought I would just use it as a foundational tool. Um, we signed the contract in September of 2023. We actually kicked off the project in November of 23 and we really did that um with an agreement to implement the solution in 27 months. Working together with the various partners, uh, we tried to accelerate that and do that in 24 months for for a lot of different reasons. Um and so that you know led us to a goal initially of of system readiness uh in in September of 2025. Again that was the accelerated goal. Um and and obviously I'm here today talking about uh the fact that we didn't meet that accelerated goal and probably more from a overall disappointment perspective. The February goal that was more in line with the original 27 months. You know we didn't meet that as well. I'm here to talk about that and share some details. Um just at a very high level as you know as I just communicated the schedule is is is delayed. Um we are in the process right now of finalizing the system integrations to the various thirdparty systems that exist both at the local level as well as the state level. Uh and the the kind of I'll say system issue remediation is in progress and we actually have pretty good line of sight to resolving all of those items within the next 30 days. uh the the project details would say we have 33 go live critical items that's not a big number I don't know you know to have the context of all those numbers but 33 is kind of the we call them go live critical items that we're resolving and we have line of sight to resolving pretty much all of those within the next 30-ish days and then we're preparing for a go live in the fall of 26. just a a little bit of of context of well if you're going to resolve all the issues in the next 30-ish days why is the go live in the fall and what I tried to do is just put a highle timeline in place because what's critically important when we're talking about public safety emergency response systems is the training period and our agreement with the various parties has a contracted 90day training period for both the the men and women that are in the emergency communication center as well as the men and women the first responders police, fire, EMS that are going to be using the technology out in the field. And so that's why again system readiness if you will in the next 30-ish or days and then a very elongated training period to make sure that the users are ready to uh to use the system and then that feeds into go live and then a contractual kind of software reliability period after that. Um and so then the last slide I have um kind of touched on a couple of these things but just in summary um we're in the process right now of completing the system readiness that would lead into then the end user training and then again uh the other point maybe I'll just touch on is the contractual alignment and just maybe some clarification of what I intended by that point is really two things number one the delays it's I'm certainly aware that it has maybe burdened the various agencies with some unplanned and expenses. So, I've been talking with different leaders at the city level as well as the the county about uh making everybody whole through that. I recognize that there has been some additional out-ofpocket dollars that maybe the city's been burdened with and and our organization is is willing to step up and make sure everybody's whole on that. Um I've had multiple discussions with again I'll say all of the agencies but um both the agency coordinators as well as some of the CIOS at the respective agencies about sharing numbers and making sure we're we're being fair in that regard. Um and then I talked about the project go live. Um that's pretty much it. I just wanted to kind of go through a high level and I'm sure there's a lot of questions. I'm happy to answer whatever. >> Thank you so much. I really appreciate the background. JW over here is telling me um and he always gives it to me straight. He said that you guys are doing great work that you've deployed full-time people here. You're all hands on deck. Really appreciate that. >> Yeah. I think one of the um and it's a fair criticism is you know probably one thing that I failed to do was probably deploy those uh resources on site sooner. Yes. Um you know we have seven pe we have we have seven people I think seven people here this week. >> Um and it would be a fair criticism and I acknowledge that that maybe I was a little slow to do that but they are here now. They have been here since I'll say late late last year and we intend to have them here through completion of that system readiness. >> Well, thank you for recognizing that everyone always like you know no no but I think people understand whenever you say you know I'm sorry I don't know all these things. I mean we're human but all I can say is you know how you try to correct it and I've heard you've done a phenomenal job with that. That's all we can ask for. >> Good job. That's fantastic. Thank you. >> Um impressed. Come on up here, Cody. I need you to tell everyone >> why I and I truly believe this JW this is going to be uh one of the project this that this council um will be instrumental in saving lives and doing some tremendous work. You guys know we've been trying to do this for I don't remember how far we go back. How far when was this all put in? This has been decades. I mean, I've I've done a timeline and just on this project alone, it started in 2019 when we first started to last. >> No, but I go back way before that when this whole >> Oh, yeah. I mean, >> severing of services started. >> Yeah. 2012. We can talk about 2005. I mean, >> okay. >> There's a lot of history here. >> Um, I'm just I'm really grateful for this council. I'm grateful for the county. I'm grateful for the city of Sparks. Everyone came together. They worked together. Um, and you know, there's a lot of things that are changing that we should be very proud of. It will save lives. Cody, I really want you to tell um anyone watching, anyone here and this council why this project is so important and so needed. >> Absolutely. Um, I think we we've done a good job in the past talking about the systems that support public safety and and I think we hear from this body as well as the public that tends to be one of the number one concerns. um how you define public safety changes from person to person. However, our 911 system serves a a tremendous purpose in this community. And so when we look at this project and we look at the way that it it kind of fits into our 911 system. It's the backbone of everything we do on a daily basis. Um we have a system in its current space that that is outdated and we need to replace it. We also have partnering agencies like REMA and some of the other first response agencies in the area that operate different systems. And in the fact that we operate different systems, we're not able to seamlessly communicate. It requires manual call transfers. We subject citizens to things unnecessary and redundant questioning. And all of these things represent delays and possible failure points when we're trying when we're talking about something so important like public safety. We're talking about people's moms and dads and children that are experiencing crisis and emergency. We're talking about crimes that are happening. And and I think I feel like any improvement that we can make to shave off seconds do save lives. And really that is that is why we're here and that's why the city council has had made this a priority to say this is a critical investment in public safety. And I think as a region as a whole we've stood up and we're in a really unique time that we're doing it together and we're saying we understand that it's not about the city of Reno or city of Sparks or Wo County or REMA, it's about our community. And so it's it is an exciting topic and I'm happy to be here to share it with you. Well, Cody, I'm super super grateful. I again, I want to reiterate why this was so problematic. Everyone was on a different system and that can be absolutely catastrophic for people that need you, you know, at a moment's notice. And everyone's got to be talking to everyone. And the fact that this took so long is shameful. It's absolutely shameful. And that's what shows you what happens when politics get in the way. Um it it was gross. And so again, I want to thank our partners um just tremendously for working together. It's definitely a different time, but um everyone at the county city of Sparks and also I'm I'm glad you mentioned them. REMA has been a phenomenal partner. All of you guys came together and made it happen. I never thought in a million years we could ever get it done, but that's what goes to show you when you put your community first. Yes, it's gonna t take an investment, but you can't put a price on life. They're priceless when it's your family in, you know, in that situation, whether it's a heart attack or a fire, I don't care what it is, you want the best service possible. And so, I just I want to commend you. I never thought was possible because I saw um you know, in fighting with, you know, just a lot of immaturity and everyone put their differences aside. So, great job. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This has been the one of the biggest um pain points I think I've I've had ever since day one. So, thank you, Cody. >> Share that with you. >> Thank you, Cody. You're amazing. Okay, Councilman Ree, go ahead. And I if I see a green light on, I'm going to call on you. Go ahead. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um first of all, Mr. Erns, thank you for being here. I had the opportunity to watch the county commission meeting yesterday and um it was not an easy thing for you to stand in front of that commission, but I want to say a few things. First, of course, I agree with Madame Mayor that this project has an incredible uh life-changing impact on this region and beyond dispatch, right? I expect that our partnership with you is to ensure that successful outcome. And I I think too that it's critical that we get it right. But what what I'm concerned about is that we can both agree on that concept, but also have a moment to acknowledge that the delays are not easy and that as important as this is to our 911 system, there is not room for error at this point. So I need to hear from you something that helps me to understand that the project is going to be successful. Some reconfirmation of your efforts. I mean the project does support all these larger projects. I have the privilege of being the chair of the district board of health and so I get to be involved in the REMA franchise and in our fire dispatch universe. Right. So these are major updates and changes, but we're now talking about a project that was supposed to have been delivered last September. You're now saying in this update that it will be this September. And I don't know what to believe at this point. Um and so I need to hear more than what what I've seen so far. >> Yeah. Yeah. I guess so. First of all, thank you for your question. My my my answer to it would be really looking at the data of the critical items that have been identified by all the parties as the go live critical items and that's the 33 that I mentioned just a few minutes ago. Um we do have line of sight as I mentioned in the next 30 days to resolving those. I'd be happy to go into some of the details about the 33 because it again there's kind of a story with everyone but um again the efforts that we've done of of deploying resources on site to accelerate the fixes again the 33 um um we believe we have line of sight to resolving those in the next 30 days and I'm and I'm fairly confident in that. >> So when will we get an update on that 30-day project? Are you coming back? Is Mr. Shadel coming back? How do we hold you to that uh standard? So uh I am uh right now scheduled to be meeting with the various leaders and the agency coordinators on March the 16th. So uh that is I don't know what today is but that's close to 30 days from now. And so whether it's in that forum which we do have those uh periodic meetings or if there's a forum like this that you'd like me to come back I'm certainly willing >> well I'll leave that to the discretion. Madame Mayor at the district board of health I may have a bit more authority there. Look, I'm grateful for the efforts that you're making, but I think accountability matters, right? My understanding from talking to Mr. Hajj is that you have um the costs that have been incurred in this have been borne by you. The associated delays related to that. Is that correct? >> Yeah, most of them I would agree. >> Okay. And your staffing here has increased to weekly or they're on the ground here permanently. What's going on with that? Yeah, I have one resource that we've uh physically moved her here uh in in in a in a short-term temporary housing, if you will. Um the rest of the people come typically on Mondays and leave on Fridays. Um and depending on what the the work is for that week, it might be a slightly different skilled resource, but it is consistency of the same people over the course of any any given week. >> Well, and Madame Mayor, if I may, I'll just finish this thought. I think the I'm told that the e extra staff that you've dedicated to the project is making a difference, right? But but what I expect is that you'd say that that level of commitment remains constant from now until September, right? And that we would not have it be that you're here today, you talk to the county commission, you talk to us today. I I don't know if you've already talked to the city of Sparks. We all want the same thing. We want the product to work when it is launched and we want it to ensure that the kind of unified system is finally in place. Right. Um what I want is your commitment and your um word that those are the things that you know we expect and that you will deliver them. >> Yeah. The the impression of of the importance of the system has been made upon me. The consistency of the resources. The only thing I would say to that is as we move into the training phase of the project, the engineers who do the configuration and the fixing are going to be different than the trainers. It's a different skilled resource. So in terms of your ask of their cons being consistency of name, it's going to be harder for me to do just because the skill that's needed at the project is a little bit different as we move into different phases. But what I did mention is that that the resources that are working on the project now to get us ready for the system readiness will in fact remain to be the same. >> Well, and I'll leave this for my second time around as we pass through it. But I'll just say your company has been in business since 1989. You are in, as I understand it from looking at your website, 40 countries. Your client list includes DC Metro, Toronto Fire Service, Memphis Fire Department, New Zealand Police and Fire, NYPD. Sounds like you have the skills, but we have not seen it delivered. So, that's what I'm looking for. Okay. Thank you so much. >> Okay. Council Dur, go ahead. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um, my comments are more in line with my colleague. Um, I have been here a long time and as I recall, the last time we discussed this issue with our fire chief who was here explaining the delays, um, we're very uncomfortable because it was supposed to be February. there was a February deadline and it seems like in your business that you would understand how long things take and um you are very well spoken but I'm also kind of a no BS kind of gal and um >> you are >> I know and like my colleague I just I'm really struggling to understand the delay I I understand uh my brother recently passed away was in software development he also worked for local governments and he also um often performed, but sometimes he didn't perform. And I have a great insight into things that went ary, things that worked well. Municipalities holding people like you accountable. You're a large corporation. You have this huge client base. Uh I got to believe compared to New York City where a little bit of small potatoes. And I guess I just want to have the certainty too that you are going to I mean this is many months away. You're talking about what nine months from now, right? maybe having something done, but but I'm so used to hearing reports of progress that all have some glitch like I don't understand most of the words that you said contractual alignment, complete system readiness. I understand training, >> but training, I mean, and there's a time for training, but I think we're looking for when is the system complete that training can begin. Yeah. >> Right. And I really want to know that we have your personal pledge >> that to to my colleagues point that you personally are going to show up and you personally are going to take more than ownership than you just did which you acknowledged you maybe should have could have had more resources on site. But what is happening here? Are the people on site not communicating with you to say we're struggling. We don't have enough people to do the programming and how can this be that level of complex? We're talking about a what what is it called? a the actual recorder on the trucks that help track where they are so they can be properly dispatched. >> Right. That's not that comp. That's a GPS geoloccator of some kind. Right. And Cody, you're smiling, but what what is that called? >> Sorry. I think automated vehicle location. Yeah, that's I mean that's one component. I I will test this is a very complex system. Um, and not to discredit what you're saying, but it is extremely complex and we're asking a lot of agencies to participate in it. And sometimes just the participation of what we're doing is big. Um, not to defend the vendor here. Um, there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into it and we're kind of learning things as we develop the product as well. So, I I share in your frustration and time. >> I bought into share how essential this is. >> Yeah. back when I started. Okay, we're going on 12 years. We have been talking about better integration, better response, better dispatch to the units, better so we can better utilize the units. We we have been talking that subject for a very long time. So, I'm totally with the mayor in that, but I'm not with the understanding of giving you a pass. You know, I'm really really frustrated. I I want it yesterday. I wanted it last February. I wanted it the year before. And I don't I can't be there on the ground with you helping break down. If there are barriers, if there are resistance amongst the agencies that is over complicating this or making it more difficult for you to do what you need to do, then we probably need to know that in an honest way. Like if they're if pe if you say, "Well, I need to hear from X agency by this date on this thing," and you're not, and that then adds to a schedule delay, we probably need to know so that we can reach across to our other elected partners and make sure they're holding their staffs accountable. Thoughts on that? I mean, >> no, I understand. And we have engaged higher and higher levels as we've gone through the project and as we've found scheduling delays. We're now holding weekly meetings with executive leadership and those conversations are happening. Okay. >> I agree. They haven't probably happened at the elected level. Um, that's I understand that. As far as information sharing, we're happy to information share and depending on the outcomes. I understand one >> we're going to need more frequent updates. I mean, we just are. Okay. Thank you. >> That can be arranged. We'll arrange that with manager Bryant. Make sure that gets delivered to all elected bodies. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, Council Neighbor. >> Yeah. Um, so I don't want to beat a dead horse. I'm also really looking forward to this uh coming into place. I've um talked with the different local fire unions um with regard to our larger plan of hopefully maybe potentially one day um regionalizing if that's if that's the best option for the uh you know level of service we want to provide. Um and the um one thing I heard from everyone was we have to get on the same system for that to happen. So I think we're doing another study now um which will likely tell us the same thing but um I think we've all stressed that like this is really high level of importance for us. So, one for potential regionalization that we're looking into, but also like on a personal level, I have a family member that um I have to call 911 for sometimes and it is frustrating for me when I do have to repeat my same information multiple times and I'm waiting 8 minutes or whatever. And I don't know necessarily what that is. Um sometimes that's just it takes a while for people to get places, whatever. But um uh I'm looking forward to things potentially being more streamlined. Um with that in mind, um the issues that we're having, I'm not assuming that they're political. Are there is it um you know trying to get everything to speak to each other? I know this is a very complex um system. Is it is it you're trying to work out the actual bugs to make sure that stuff is talking to each other? Um like because if that's the angle um I know you don't know what you don't know like you have to make sure that the systems talk to each other. You're coming into a new environment and yes we're not um New York City but we do have you know some of the most uh calls for fire service in in the country. So we are a unique um city. We do have a lot of complexity. So, just trying to like uh maybe understand or give you an opportunity to explain a little bit more that maybe it's not necessarily a lack of communication with people, but maybe it's literally a technical um just process of of trying to work through making systems do what they're supposed to do. I mean, you're essentially trying to get multiple agencies, multiple systems, multiple things to speak the same language kind of, so to speak, so that everything's on one system. And that's not something that's you just snap your fingers and it does it. So just want to ask if that's maybe potentially an issue to maybe give some clarity to people that this is um you know not an easy task and there can be unforeseen hiccups. >> Yeah, maybe just a couple a couple comments um over the course of the last couple questions. Um I don't view any of our customers any more or less important than anybody else. um a life in New York City is just as important as a life in Reno, Nevada. So I do not look at our customer base and segment them in any type of importance. So um I do I do just want to make that point. Um the second thing I'll say about your question and I'm glad you asked because >> in in in the world of public safety communications, it can seem to be very simple that there is a call for service and there is a dispatch of an asset. >> What happens in between there? Let's just call that a a maze box. >> Mhm. >> And the process to get through the maze to take that call and dispatch it out >> is different than it is in Carson City, different than it is in Las Vegas. The maze to get to call for service and the workflow in the assets that get dispatched based on that call type >> that determines what gets sent >> is different in every agency across the United States. Yeah. And so when you ask about where's the issues, where's the challenges, it's it's working through those very specific workflows to this region >> to make sure that when the call comes in, >> and that can be a phone call, that can be a text to 911, the word call, I say in quotes, when that call comes in, >> the ultimate dispatch of an emergency asset, police, fire, EMS, it's working through that maze and making sure those algorithms and workflows match the way that the city and counties want to operate. operate. Yeah. >> And so that's where the configuration I would say is we're working through right now and ensuring that we can meet those requirements. >> Great. So thank you for providing that. I mean, I I just wanted to make sure everybody's aware that it's maybe not necessarily a willing like willingness to work together, but um you know, it's it's complex and the issues are, you know, very technical and um you know, ultimately we're getting a bunch of things that we're trying to come through on one system, you know, that we wanted to all make sense at the the end of the line, you know. Um, so just wanted to maybe um give a broader understanding of what potentially some of the issues are if that I don't know if it makes people feel any better, but um, you know, just wanted to clarify. Thank you. >> Okay, good comments. Thanks, Councilwoman Ebert. All right, go ahead, Councilwoman Taylor. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, you know, thank you. I appreciate you owning the opportunity to do better. That's really important, and I think we have covered that. Um, I want to go over the timeline a little bit of what we can expect. So, on the slide it says, um, you know, I'm not I'm not going to pretend to understand the technicality of this. I think at the end of the day, we want people when they call 911 to get an answer and a response and we can move on from there for what EMS needs to be dispatched. So, will we have a system in December of 26? Is that what we're looking at? No, I think you know our target right now is more in the fall. So I would say more in the September October range and we're working to aggressive >> in 26. >> In 2026, sorry. >> Okay. In 2026. So we go live hopefully September 26 and then >> calendar year. Yes. >> Okay. This is my last question and this is both for you and Cody. Um it is our responsibility here to make sure that you have the resources that you need. So, I'm asking you now, do you have the resources that you need for us to make that September 26th deadline? >> I'll take it sounds like it's direct to me. >> Whoever. >> Um, yes. I say based on what we know today, then yes, we have the resources we need. Seeing the vendor here, seeing their resources deployed with us up until the point where it says complete system readiness and they've made that commitment and we're seeing that commitment, then yes, I feel strongly about that. Now I say that with slight hesitation because I sat here six months ago, eight months ago saying we had the resources from what we knew at that time. So >> So this is my ask my words but >> this is my ask moving forward and I think some of my other colleagues have have um communicated this. Once you know that you need something else, please immediately reach out to the appropriate channels so this council and this body can get you what you need for us to go live on September 26. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, count or vice mayor Martinez. Go ahead. >> Thank you so much, Madame Mayor, and thank you uh Mr. Shadel and uh to you for being here and providing more information on the on I don't know if I have you know a lot more to add but just wanted to reiterate from what you've heard already it sounds like from the other jurisdictions um and my colleagues here on the dis of you know some of the frustration with the push back of the go live date and making sure that we provide this service and I know I hope you understand that it's coming from a place of making sure that public safety is of utmost importance to all of us and ensuring that our residents receive the best care that they can get while they are in those dire situations. Um, and so I don't think it's a personal attack on you or your organization, but it comes from uh uh we uh un uneasiness I guess from promising certain things to the community and not having have the ability to deliver those on time. And so, um, I think when I first recognized that there was a delay, I started watching, you know, the hexagon on call suite executive board meetings and it sounds like you are tuned in to what each member from that body is already mentioning and that you're being adaptive to the needs of each of those folks. So, I appreciate you being here. Now, obviously wish that these resources would have been deployed a little bit sooner to address some of the technical issues that have delayed the training for staff to get this going, but again, just wanted to share my appreciation and echo some of the comments that have already been said. Thanks. >> Okay, Miss Anderson. >> Hi. Um, I I'm really excited like the rest of the council and the community to get this launched. Um, one thing I wanted to point out is you're going to be removing a major failure point for us for any of our regionalization efforts as my colleague Miss Eert um, alluded to. So, this is a request for future opportunities and what we're going to need in the future because as Miss Eert um mentioned, we are in the middle of another study um as as a region at large about what it's going to financially cost to regionalize or consolidate some of our our fire services. So what I would like to know from you is what talent, technology or equipment are we going to need to budget for moving forward and making sure that the team that is studying what we're going to need to do regional regionalize wise that we are budgeting for what it's going to take to keep this hexagon system running supported and redundant as it needs to be moving forward. So, if your team can just be planning for that and making sure that you're communicating that with um JW and his team, that would be great. >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> All right, Councilman Ree. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. My last comments, Mr. Erns, I think you can sense there is a growing frustration by this body in large part because we want what you want, which we want is we want a safer community. We want to make sure that when people call 911, the closest and fastest response is made and that there are no delays in the system. I understand that you came into a community that had not made modernization efforts in 25 years and that you're working with a number of different jurisdictions. I don't think there's any technical wizardry that I can help you with, right? That's not the goal. But the issue is accountability for me. And I I want to make sure that you understand we intend to hold you to account. I think you've uh done some things in the last several weeks, maybe months about adding additional support personnel here. I understand that there's sort of a critical period right now as you try to get back to the go live testing mode. Um that is important. Uh we'll be relying of course on uh our employee here. We are one of the entities involved in this, right? We pay a proportional share through the E911 um committee, but at the end of the day um we have to own it and and what we are concerned about is making sure that our residents have the absolute best care delivered to them and that the timing issues do not cause people lives. So please go forth knowing that we wish for the success of the project. There is nothing we would not do to commit to its success, but I am not going to go build a system with my own intellectual capabilities. I'm relying upon you to do that. So, I will look forward to your updates when they come. Uh, but please understand like Miss Der, uh, I have a very low tolerance at this point because it's gotten long in the tooth. And so, for my part, I I want to hold you to account. I want to cheer for you when you're successful. And at some point in time in the future, I hope by September, we are celebrating the integration of these systems rather than thinking about the passage of time. Okay. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> All right. Any further comments? No. Okay. Thank you so much, Cody. Nice to meet you. Um I hope we didn't beat you up >> too bad too badly, but >> as you can tell, everyone's going to be chopping at the bit in September. >> So, we look forward to celebrating with you. >> Great. >> Okay. >> Thank you. I appreciate the conversation. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for being here. Appreciate it, Cody. Phenomenal as always. Really appreciate you. Please let us know if you need anything. Um I don't know. Um Miss City Manager, do you need us to take um I kind of feel like this is a presentation. We didn't really give much action other than I think what we our expectation I can't speak this morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep. Lots going on in the world. I'm sure many of you probably didn't get a lot of sleep last night. A lot like me, but a lot's going on in the world. Um very stressful times. And so we all just need to take a minute, take a deep breath, and um and just hang in there with each other. So, uh I don't think we need to take any action on this. >> No direction. So, there you go. You know what to do. You guys got this. Okay. Thanks you guys. Okay, moving along. I believe um our city manager, Jackie Bryant, wants us to go into attorney client. >> I do. Into each. And then we will return with item F1. Okay, that's good. I need everyone to eat. I need them to get up, walk around, go to the bathroom. You'll feel better. And then we will come back and continue to go to work. >> Madame Mayor, what time would you like to reconvene? >> Uh, we probably How long do you think that we need? At least 45 minutes. So, let's come back at 1:15. >> Sound good? >> At 2:15. >> Oh, I mean 2:15. I can't I can't see. I can't >> think. I can't, you know, all that good stuff. So, >> yeah. See, now it's getting further away from me. I need Does someone have 2.0 readers? That's what I need. >> Here and moved his office here and it worked out really well. He had >> 15,000 square foot. We will be back. Do they have public comment? Have they put it on the record? >> We were waiting for the >> Well, I am so sorry. We've had a packed agenda. I am so so sorry. Um, but what I was going to tell you, if you have any of their written statements, I'm happy to allow you to read them or if you could call them and say, "Let's put you on Zoom." >> If there's some way, Mickey, that you could connect them, that would be amazing. >> It's super important to have those on the record. >> Thank you. early in the project is upgrading the the structure of the building. So, this building had to be upgraded from a level two, which is what it was required for when RGJ occupied it, to be a level four risk category building. The upgrades that we did to the structure and foundation make this building able to withstand a a larger disaster and remain operational to be able to provide service to the community during a major event like an earthquake. Some of the elements involved with that upgrade um include upgrading the foundation, increasing the the seismic capacity. So, we had to add larger footings, larger foundations under the columns. We had to add some seismic braces to the building. We reused as much of the building as we can. We salvaged a bunch of steel and a bunch of concrete and a bunch of materials from being demolished and tossed into the landfill. We worked with the carpeting manufacturer to remove all of the carpet in the building and send that off to be recycled rather than, you know 100,000 square ft of carpet being removed and dumped in the landfill. replaced a lot of the old inefficient 40-year-old um HVAC systems with upto-date um efficient mechanical systems. Not only does it have a backup generator, but it's also going to have solar and a battery system to provide resiliency in this building to be sustainable and better serve the police department and community. So sustainability is something we're thinking about from the beginning through from design through to the ending construction. we're able to expand our women's locker room areas um and allow for that growth that we're hoping to see in our organization as we diversify and move forward. There's going to be space inside that facility that will allow us to conduct in-house training. We are going to have a much better access to things like a real-time crime center where we can actually see what's happening in day-to-day providing that privacy, that space, bringing people in and then growing our department in a manner that makes sense. moving into that new building and having all that equipment and that ability to do it is going to be uh very important to help those goals happen. I believe that we through our partnership that we have with the contractor, the architect and my team, Justin and and his team, they work together so well that we are going to deliver an excellent uh facility to for this community. It's going to be a generational project. It is a generational project and I think that our police men and women um deserve better than what they have now. I was very impressed with the team that was on the building team, the design team, um our liaison that's working with the police department. Everybody really had a good working knowledge of what we needed to put into a police department to make it modern but not trendy or flashy. Something that is going to withstand the test of time. I can't say enough about the hard work and dedication that all of the team has put forward and I'm just really excited to see how all their work is going to pay off. >> Feels great to drive by and and be able to point at something like this and say, you know, we were part of that. We contributed. Uh we helped get that over the goal line. >> It gives me goosebumps. It really does. being a part of a a legacy project like building a a police department. It it makes me proud of the the work that I do and it makes me proud at the end of the day when I can go home and and tell my family about the the things we're doing here. >> I want to provide this city and this community what it deserves for the police officers to come to this project, come to this site, be able to grow with this site and um a police officer deserves the best of the best and that's what this building brings to them, the best of the best. I think about the people really when more than anything. I mean, sure, I'm an engineer and that's what I do, but I think about the people and the people that are involved and that's what gets me right here because I think that there's so much heart in this community. I'm a public servant and and I'm going to do my best and my team, they're going to do their best for the public. One of the reasons why I joined RCI was just out of curiosity to know more about what the city of Reno does for everyone who lives here. It was a very genuine interaction with all of the people that we were able to meet throughout this process. That experience was incredible. >> I'm a small business owner and so I definitely felt disconnected. Um, not in a bad way, but in the way where I'm like, "Oh, if I have an issue, uh, who do I call?" This seemed like a great opportunity to get a lot of information in a relatively short period. >> You might touch the street department or you might touch the police department, the fire department for whatever reason, just being a regular citizen. But you wouldn't learn about almost all aspects of city government and how it operates. >> I have never seen a city that has been so peopleoriented. I mean, it really seems like they care and I love that about Reno. I love it. >> This is definitely eyeopening, informative. It's a way to just learn how this city runs and to meet incredible people street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. Getting people connected and, you know, running them through some kind of education and connection, I think, is incredibly valuable. >> You'll have an incredible time. You won't regret it. >> It's a benefit all the way around, I think. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here this week with Reno Public Safety Dispatch to discuss calling 911. Erin, what tips do you have for the community? >> Well, definitely it's a life-saving life-threatening emergency. You need to call 911. Things for immediate police, fire, or medical response. Make sure you know your location to give the call taker. And only use text to 911 if you can't make a voice call. >> Well, this is good information to know. And what should the residents also know about dispatch? >> We do have a non-emergency number for all the rest of the calls that aren't emergencies. 334 COPS. Those are things for like parking problems or graffiti. It's also important to know that our call takers take over a half a million calls a year, so we get pretty busy, but we're always looking for more dispatchers. If you're interested, go to reno.gov/dispatch for a job description. >> Outstanding information. Thank you, Erin. And don't forget to follow the city of Reno on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here today to discuss community court. Judge Hazlet Stevens, what exactly can you tell us about community court? >> Thanks, Chris. We hold community court each Wednesday here at the downtown Reno Library. It is an innovative approach to the justice system that offers services rather than jail time for our participants, many of whom are homeless. Services needed include those for substance use disorders, mental illness, chronic homelessness, and chronic unemployment. This is all good to know, but how does this differ from traditional incarceration? >> Community courts reduce crime, increase services to victims, reduce unnecessary use of jail, and save money by collaborating with service providers using a problem-solving approach instead of jail. We also recently implemented a treatment readiness program on site. >> This is all great to know. Thank you so much, Judge. And don't forget to follow the city of Reno on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here this week with the Reno Police Department to discuss the dangers of distracted driving. Officer Reza, what advice do you have on this topic? >> Thanks, Chris. Distracted driving claimed over 3,000 lives in 2020. Here locally at the Reno Police Department, we'd like to remind everybody that it is illegal to use any electronical handheld device while driving. Texting has become increasingly dangerous. >> Outstanding. And what other tips do you have for the community? >> If you do need to make a text or make a phone call, simply pull over on the side of the road where it's safe to do so. Once you've pulled over, it is now safe to make that text message or make that phone call. You can even put your cell phone in the back seat, in the trunk, or even in the glove box until you've reached your final destination. >> Thank you, Officer Resa. And dig this. For more information, go to renopd.com. Also, don't forget to follow the city of Reno and RPD on your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. Today we're going to discuss making a fire escape plan. Joining us is Chief Mandel from Reno Fire Department. Thanks, Chris. A fire escape plan is essential because it lets everyone in your household know exactly what to do in case of a fire. Seconds matter in the event of a fire, and an escape plan can make a world of difference. Start by drawing a floor plan of your home and marking all possible exits from each room. Then designate a meeting point outside a safe distance from the home. Practice your escape plan regularly with everyone in your household, especially children. It's important to make sure that everybody knows how to operate windows and doors. It's also important to teach household members to stay low to the ground and smoke and to feel doors for heat before opening them. Thank you, Chief Mandel. To create your own fire escape plan, scan the QR code on the screen or visit reno.gov/fire. So now you know with Reno. Thank you for watching the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. From lab swimming and drop-in sports to fitness equipment, the city of Reno offers many opportunities to get active and have fun. You may even be able to access these offerings at no cost. Kayla, what should residents know about insurance reimbursement? >> Thanks, Chris. Our parks and recreation department recently expanded their offerings with insurance companies, offering memberships to them at no cost. >> Well, this is exciting. How does it work and who qualifies? >> Yeah, the program offers memberships through their individual insurance company. The insurance company then reimburse the city of Reno for each visit that they come and use our facilities. The expansion of this program is especially beneficial to our seniors. However, it qualifies anyone 18 or older. You just need to contact your insurance company. >> Thank you, Kayla. And don't forget to contact your insurance company to learn more. Visit reno.gov/parksandre for more information. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here this week with maintenance and operations to discuss leaves. Tim, with fall being here, what advice do you have about leaf removal? >> Thanks Chris. This is typ typically the time of year we start to see the leaves drop and it's pretty simple. Property owners are responsible for the removal of leaves on their property and we ask them to do this in a timely manner to help from flooding or clogging drains during a rainstorm. >> This is good to know. What other advice do you have for the viewers? >> So, it is unlawful for homeowners or property owners to to rake or blow leaves out into the street. So, we ask them to please place them in their garbage cans or in a bag with the excess waste sticker for garbage pickup on their days. and if they could help out our street sweepers by trimming their trees and removing parked cars and garbage cans would be very helpful. >> Outstanding information. Thank you, Tim. And don't forget to follow the city of Reno on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. Today we're excited to spotlight the city's new rolling recreation center, a mobile recreation center designed to bring fun and activities to communities across the city. Here's Kayla Snow to tell us more. >> Thanks, Chris. Our rolling recreation center is all about making accessible recreation for everyone in our community. Our mobile recreation center travels to various parks following the schedule of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada Kids Cafe Summer Meals Program. This means that not only do kids get free recreational activities, but also a free meal. Our program offers a wide range of activities for people of all ages, including sports, games, arts and crafts, and so much more. The Rolling Recreation Center is free and open to the public. We welcome everyone of all ages to come out, have fun, and enjoy our city parks. >> Thank you, Kayla. Visit reno.gov/parks andreck to find out when the rolling recreation trailer rolls through a park near you. So now you know with Reno. Thank you for watching the Reno Minute. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here this week with the Reno Police Department to discuss the Save Volunteer Program. Evan, what is SAVE? >> Thanks, Chris. SAVE is an acronym that stands for senior auxiliary volunteer effort. It's a wonderful organization that comprises of seniors and they help the police department with additional resources and through their patrols they help with crime prevention and observations. >> Outstanding. Also, if someone wants to volunteer, how do they get involved? Basically, anyone in SAVE is 50 years of age or older, we ask that they volunteer 16 hours a month and they can, if you're interested, either call, email, or visit the website for Reno PD. Fantastic. Thank you so much, Evan. And don't forget to follow RPD and the city of Reno on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with the Reno Minute, I'm Chris Payne. Hello and welcome to the Reno Minute. I'm Chris Payne. We're here this week with public works to discuss street rehabilitation and maintenance. Jonathan, what can you tell us about this program? >> Yeah, thanks Chris. Our public works departments were working really hard to improve our neighborhood streets in our community. For instance, we're just finishing up a rehab project in Midtown where we included the replacement of our roadways, streets, sewer, and even out alleyway improvements. >> Well, this is good to know, but how are these neighborhoods chosen? >> Sure, Chris. Good question. The city inspects all our local roadways and calculates a pavement condition index or a PCI score. The streets with the lowest PCI scores are grouped and ranked based on factors such as utility placement or proximity to essential services. If you'd like more information, please visit our website at reno.gov/cap projects. Thanks so much, Jonathan. And don't forget to follow the city of Reno on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. It's it's very it's very hard living at the shelter. Um it's kind of it's kind of survive if you can uh until you can get out. And and and the thing about uh my situation was getting out was was a was a conduit for me to thrive. You know, once I was once I got out of there, as you can see, I'm I'm doing pretty well. >> Reno Works is a joint partnership with Volunteers of America in the city of Reno. And he was one of the participants that had applied for the program. He was going through some medical issues at the time and staying in the shelter. So, he had a big decision. He wasn't working as much. Um, he's staying here at Marvel Way and when he was getting approved for the housing piece, they were approving him at 60% AMI for the community and he wouldn't be able to afford that. So we had um facilitated some conversation with Marvel way and you know getting him something he can afford and he ended up I believe qualifying for the 40% unit or 30% unit and then um he was still making kind of a decision on whether he would be able to work and you know like maintain housing and I was kind of instrumental in hey you know you need to take this jump you're going to medically you know heal in your own place where you're not surrounded. And there was a point to where he was in the hospital and um he didn't know if he was going to have a bed when he went back. So I'm like, Renie, we can't keep doing this and we need to get into housing. >> It's it's been it's been a it's been quite a journey. And I I think I think if anyone anyone that sees me now that they're like they're like you were you were there last year and now you're here. It's it's it's kind of amazing. I graduated in November. Rayley's ended up hiring me and they were one of the partners. So I got a job at Raies and I'm working as a courtesy clerk over there. Uh I I beg groceries and push carts. >> The partnership with Reno Works and Raies is amazing. It gives the community a chance to get those unfortunate people a chance to get back on their feet and get their life back together. Rainey builds relationships and that's uh big here at um especially with our customers and the team members. Uh once you build a relationship, you build the trust and that puts everything together. The ultimate the ultimate was to get me in here and get me out of the shelter so so that I could thrive, you know, uh and and I have honestly uh I'm doing a lot of raies and I'm I'm working really hard and uh people see that for individuals that are thinking about applying to Reno Works or go for it cuz cuz honestly it'll help you move forward. >> Renie was one of the best participants. Always showed up with a smile on his face despite what he was going through. He um still supports the program to this day. Comes to graduations. He was amazing. >> Do you know how to survive a fire in your home? I'm John. This is Katie with the Reno Fire Department. And today, we want to share some important information with you. >> To survive, you need to know the basics of fire behavior. A fire needs three things to exist: fuel, heat, and oxygen. >> The best way to do this is to keep the fuel side of the triangle away from the heat side. The easiest way to survive a fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Today, we'll show you some ways to prevent fires from happening. And if they do start, how to evacuate safely. Cooking is the main cause of home fires and fire injuries, and you can prevent them. Here's how. First, stand by your pan. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off. Then, watch what you're cooking. Fires start when the heat is too high. If you see any smoke or the grease start to boil, turn the burner off. Another thing to keep in mind is to turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Then no one can bump them or pull them. Finally, keep combustibles away from the burners. Believe it or not, dogs have turned on burners accidentally while trying to get food stored on top of ranges. In our modern world, lithium ion batteries are everywhere. These types of batteries can be dangerous. So, here's some things to keep in mind. Stop using them if you notice an odor, a change in color, too much heat, change in shape, leaking, or odd noises. Charge and store spare lithium ion batteries away from anything that can burn. Don't put lithium-ion batteries in direct sunlight or keep them in hot cars. This is a fire risk. >> Here are some other things around the house to remember. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 ft from the furnace. oil burner, wood stoves, water heaters, and other heat generating equipment. When it comes to cooking appliances, space heaters, washers, and dryers, they should be plugged directly into wall outlets. Clean lint filters every time you use the dryer and never leave a burning canel alone. Looking at the triangle again, the third component is oxygen. Fire needs oxygen to survive. Progression of fire can be slowed by compartmentalizing your home. The easiest way to do this is to keep room doors and windows closed. The garage typically houses many potential ignition sources and heavy fuel loads. So, make sure the man door between the garage and living space is a solid core door with a fire rating of no less than 20 minutes. Any alterations to this door, including pet door installs, will allow a fire that starts in the garage, to quickly progress into the living space. Many home fires can start outside and spread into your home. So, don't store garbage or combustibles under windows or next to doors. Remove vegetation that is against your exterior walls, especially if it is dead and dying. Juniper brush may look green on the outside, but under the green hides dead needles that can easily ignite. Even with our best intentions, accidents can occur. Always be prepared to escape. On average, you only have about 2 minutes to escape a fire once a smoke alarm sounds. Working smoke alarms are critical. Install and maintain them in every sleeping room and every floor. Test the battery monthly and replace it if over 10 years old. Know two ways out of every room and make a meeting space. If you have children in the house, take time to draw a plan and explain it to them in a way that makes sense to them. The biggest takeaway is to make a plan and practice it. One common mistake we see after fires is that residents will open doors and windows thinking this will let the heat and smoke out of the house. Remember, fire seeks oxygen. Adding air to fire only makes it bigger and spread to those openings. When exiting, close the doors and windows behind you. For more information on fire survival, please visit our website at reno.gov/fire. Thank you. Be safe. Hi boys and girls. My name is John, fire marshal for the city of Reno. Did you know a fire occurs in a house every 65 seconds in our country? That's like every minute. Sadly, this also means many people get hurt. Your ability to get out of your home during the fire depends on early warning from fire and knowing how to escape if a fire happens. Fires can happen anywhere. The question is, are you prepared? Our extreme team is going to help you make a home escape plan. When you are done with that home escape plan, teach it to your family and other members in your household so they can escape fire as well. If you do that, you can be part of the Reno Fire Department >> Extreme Team. >> This is Boston, our fire dog. He's going to introduce you to our fire extreme team. >> Thanks, John. Meet the extreme team. Together, we're making a fire escape plan. This is Sean. He takes care of me every day, and he'll talk about fire alarms. Shel's here, too. Shel will teach us how to get out and stay out. This is Katie, and she'll talk about finding a safe meeting place. And finally, Telina is really excited to talk about why we need to practice our plan. The first part of a home escape plan is a working smoke alarm. Fire produces smoke. Smoke and hot gases move upward towards the ceiling. As a fire gets bigger, the smoke and hot gases move downward towards the floor and superheat the room until everything in the room catches fire. That's why smoke alarms are so important. They detect fire and warn you before the fire gets too big and you can't escape. Because smoke goes up, smoke alarms should be installed on the ceiling or high point of the wall. They should be in every sleeping room, hallway outside the sleeping room, and every floor. Smoke alarms should be tested every month to make sure they work. Have your parents or older brother and sister help you with this as you may need a ladder. To test the smoke alarm, push and hold the test button for 3 seconds. It should make a loud beeping noise. If it does not make a loud beeping noise, then have your mom or dad replace the battery or install a new alarm. Thanks, Sean. Smoke alarms can be loud and scary, especially if it goes off when you're sleeping and dreaming of chasing rabbits. If I heard an alarm, I will wake up immediately and run outside. But I have four legs and I'm low to the ground. You're human, so you need to be more careful when getting outside. Right, Shel? >> That's right, Boston. Remember, fire produces heat and smoke that travels up. Have you ever tried to breathe in smoke? Smoke can hurt your lungs, especially if it's superheated. If you smell or see smoke, you want to stay under the smoke. If you are in bed, when the smoke alarm activates, don't stand up. Roll out of bed onto your hands and knees. Stay low and go. Always know two ways out of any room. For most people, the first way out is the door they came into the room. That should be your first way out. Remember to stay low. Crawl to the door and feel the door for heat before opening it. The best way to do this is to feel the door knob in face of the door with the back side of your hand. If it is cool, then open the door slightly and look for smoke. If you do not see smoke, go outside to your safe meeting place. If you do see smoke, close the door and go to your second way out. Usually, the second way out is the window. Don't break the window. Broken glass can cut you. Practice opening the window in your room when you get home. If you have a screen, practice popping out the screen with your parents. It's usually pretty easy. If you live on an upper floor, talk to your mom or dad about getting a fire escape ladder and learn how to use it. >> Thanks, Shel. So, if you hear an alarm, don't hide. Get outside. If there is smoke, stay low and go. But once you're outside, where do you go? >> That is a great question, Boston. Everyone in your household needs to know where to go so when firefighters arrive, they know who is safe and who needs to be rescued. A meeting place should be a safe distance from the building. A tree, mailbox, or even a neighbor's house is a good safe meeting place because they don't move. A car, garbage can, or traffic cone is not because they may not be there when the fire actually happens. Once you're out, call 911 if you have a phone. Now, let's go back inside and answer some questions. >> Thanks, Katie. My first question is, should a person go back inside a burning house to rescue somebody else? >> Once you are out, stay out. Never go back in for anyone or anything. Once firefighters arrive, they are trained and have the tools to rescue anyone still in the building. >> What if I live on the third floor and I cannot get out? >> That is a great question. If you're stuck in your room and cannot get out, make sure your room door is closed, hang a towel or sheet outside your window. This acts as a signal to the firefighters outside that someone is still in the building. We will come get you. When firefighters enter the home, they will be dressed in turnouts and be wearing a mask, helmet, and a tank. This can make them look very scary. The mask they will wear will make a noise like Darth Vader. Remember, they are here to rescue you. Fire can make a lot of noise, so you need to say loud words over the noise to help firefighters find you. Help is always a good choice. >> Now, that's a lot of good information, but now what? >> Well, Boston, now we draw and practice our plan. Pretend you're a superhero flying over your house. From this view draw a map of your home. Include the rooms and all windows and doors. Now identify which rooms are used for sleeping and draw a green arrow showing your first way out and a red arrow showing your second way out. Draw your safe meeting place and circle it with both colors. Now the important part, practice. Sit down with all the family in your household. Identify where all the smoke alarms are and test them. Practice rolling out of bed and crawling to the door and then the window. Practice escaping from your door and out your window and meeting at your safe meeting place. >> That's great. So, to make a great escape plan, start with a working smoke alarm. Have at least two ways out of every room and meet at your safe meeting place. >> That's right, Boston. Now you have the knowledge to join our team. Let's get to work. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. It's back to school time and we're here with Officer Johnson from the Reno Police Department to discuss some great reminders on how to keep our students safe. Hey, thanks Chris. Here at the Reno Police Department, we want to ensure a safe school year for every child in our community. And so we have some important tips and reminders for drivers. Slow down in school zones. Always adhere to posted speed limits. Stop for school buses. It's illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to unload or load children. Yield to pedestrians, especially in school zones and residential areas. Avoid distractions such as using your phone while driving. The Reno Police Department will be increasing enforcement in and around schools this summer and fall to help keep all of our students and pedestrians safe. Thank you, Officer Johnson. And don't forget to follow City of Reno and RPD on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know we're with Reno. Thank you for watching the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. Today we're excited to spotlight the city's new rolling recreation center, a mobile recreation center designed to bring fun and activities to communities across the city. Here's Kayla Snow to tell us more. >> Thanks, Chris. Our rolling recreation center is all about making accessible recreation for everyone in our community. Our mobile recreation center travels to various parks following the schedule of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada Kids Cafe summer meals program. This means that not only do kids get free recreational activities, but also a free meal. Our program offers a wide range of activities for people of all ages, including sports, games, arts and crafts, and so much more. The Rolling Recreation Center is free and open to the public. We welcome everyone of all ages to come out, have fun, and enjoy our city parks. >> Thank you, Kayla. Visit reno.gov/parksandre to find out when the rolling recreation trailer rolls through a park near you. So now you know with Reno. Thank you for watching the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. If you're looking for a career in a fast-paced environment, perhaps becoming a Reno Police Officer could be for you. Let's go inside and speak with Officer Hunter Mccurio and find out more. >> Thanks, Chris. The Reno Police Department is on a continuous hiring basis. If you're interested in finding a career in law enforcement and finding a job with purpose, come join us today. Also, being a Reno Police Officer in Reno makes my city not just livable, but lovable. Every day looks completely different, and you're normally going to somebody's worst day, but you get to be that opportunity to make a change in their life and hopefully better their day. If you're interested in becoming a police officer, go to the city of Reno jobs page and apply for the police officer recruit position. If you have any questions about becoming a police officer, want to come do a ride along with us, you can reach me at recruiter reno.gov or you can reach me at my phone number 775-4370043. Thanks. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. Today we turn our attention to motorcycle safety. a crucial topic for our roads. Joining us is Officer Chris Johnson from the Reno Police Department. >> Thanks, Chris. One concerning trend that we're observing is an increase in speed related incidents involving motorcycles. Another issue we're facing is lane splitting, which is illegal in Nevada, but unfortunately still occurs frequently. Speeding reduces the rers's ability to react to unexpected situations. Increasing the likelihood of accidents and the severity of injuries. Lane splitting, besides being against the law here, is dangerous because it puts motorcyclists in a close proximity to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a collision. We also urge vehicle drivers to be aware of their surroundings, including motorcycles. Check your mirrors and blind spots often, especially before changing lanes or making turns. And remember, always give motorcyclist plenty of space on the road. >> Thank you, Officer Johnson, for sharing these important insights. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. Hello, I'm Chris Payne and it's time for the Reno Minute. We're here today with Reno Fire Inspector Telina Sky to discuss wildland urban interface or WOOI and how you can protect your home from wildfires. >> Thanks, Chris. The wildland urban interface or WOOI is the area where urban development meets wildland. These areas are at increased risk of wildfires. The city of Reno has implemented several initiatives to help residents mitigate wildfire risks, such as creating a community wildfire protection plan, which outlines strategies for reducing wildfire hazards, fuel mitigation projects such as goats and Rosewood Canyon, and residents can also participate in our dumpster program where they can dispose of green waste to enhance their defensible space. Residents should keep their home in the first 5 ft non-combustible and ember resistant. >> Thank you, Telina. For more information from the Reno Fire Department, visit reno.gov/ /fire and follow RFD on all of your favorite social media platforms. So now you know with Reno. I'm Chris Payne for the Reno Minute. >> I'm Jamie Peak with the city of Reno. I'm a housing and neighborhood development and I'm a housing coordinator. And I met Michael um with the clean and safe team. They were really instrumental in getting Michael into kind of like in contact with us. But we've helped him uh with some rental and deposit assistance and some private funding for a motel stay while we're trying to figure out his next moves. >> My name is Michael Jean St. Clair. I'm a Reno residents here in Reno, Nevada. I'm sharing my story about how outreach helped uh me and my family out over the last year. My wife passed away about a month ago. So, >> sorry. >> It's hard. >> It's really hard. >> This is uh my wife and my three kids, Michael, Tish, and Reeba. My kids, they're they're my life. And I guess it was then that kind of made me help me realize that I needed to get out of this one situation about being in living in the RV and getting a place of our own. Well, we were staying with some friends and then uh this landlord found out they were staying there. So, I got my RV out of storage and uh we me and my family, we stayed in it for about 3 years, I believe. Three, maybe four. Living in the RV, it was rough. It, you know, five people in a small area and then my RV broke down. They put a sticker on it for to be towed. And one morning I woke up and the tow truck was there and said that we had they're going to tow my vehicle. They wanted to give me a chance to move it. They notified these people from the state and they helped me get into, you know, put me in put me and my family in a motel until they found this this apartment. It's good to have family and friends and people like outreach to help out. I I'm glad there's people like them out there to help. Just don't give up. You know, there's people out there that can help and if they offer to help, take the help. Rise. Well, especially the outreach is mostly compiled of lived experience outreach specialists like myself. if I was in a tent 3 years ago. So, we understand what it's like to have that desperation and we just try to meet people where they're at. >> Just got tired of living the way we were living. I mean, we only had my wife's check and my daughter's check and we're trying to find a place, but you know, it's it's hard trying to find a place when everybody kind of looks down on you, you know. I appreciate the outreaches, you know, and my goal is just just uh stay here um provide for my I made a promise to my wife that I make sure the kids were always had a roof over their heads. So, that's my goal. >> Well, outreach would like to do anything we could to assist you in doing so. >> Yes. And like I said, I appreciate all your guys's help and and >> it's all good, brother. >> Yeah. >> Glad we could help. >> And I appreciate it. >> Oh, yeah. Hi, I'm Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran. It's an honor to connect with you as we look back on 2024. A year of innovation, strong work, and unwavering dedication to protecting our community. The Reno Fire Department reached incredible milestones, overcame challenges, and made a real impact on the biggest little city. Let's look back at 2024 and the achievements and highlights of the Reno Fire Department. 2024's wildland season tested our region with incidents like the Gold Ranch, Davis, and Callahan fires straining resources from across the West. Although these fires happened just outside Reno city limits, our firefighters stepped up to assist while ensuring our Reno community remained well protected. In 2024, RFD deployed 264 resources to more than 100 wildland fires, contributing over 65,000 hours of work. These efforts brought nearly $2 million in reimbursements back to the department. Right here at home, we responded to 51,737 calls for service, an increase of over 2,000 from the previous year. Our commitment to service continues to grow along with our community. The safety and training division saw impressive growth in 2024, paving the way for a stronger, more skilled team. We proudly promoted 11 captains and eight operators, hired 25 new firefighters, and welcomed five single roll EMS personnel. This year we ran two 3-week fire equipment operator enginemies, one two-week fire equipment operator truck academy, and a two-week acting captain's academy. These intensive programs help sharpen our skills and prepare our teams for any situation. We also expanded our monthly company level training sessions, introducing specialized active shooter training and wide area search exercises. And through partnerships with surrounding fire departments, we enhanced our response capabilities for wildland fires and hazmat operations. Additionally, we upgraded the training facilities at station 11 with new technology to improve the delivery of our programs, ensuring our team is always ready to meet the demands of our city. The Reno Fire Prevention Bureau experienced significant strides this year in 2024, starting with the appointment of a new fire marshal, three fire captains, and three new fire inspectors. Our team saw great success in our arson investigations, achieving an impressive 80% conviction rate, and completed over 6,000 building inspections to help keep Reno safe. For the fourth consecutive year, we hosted our dumpster program thanks to a grant from State Farm. This program helps neighborhoods in the wildland urban interface clear dry vegetation and debris, creating defensible space. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped reduce wildfire risk in our community. In 2024, we were also thrilled to receive nearly 245,000 from FEMA's fire prevention and safety grant to develop a community wildfire protection plan. This comprehensive framework will prioritize wildfire mitigation efforts, improve emergency preparedness, and ensure long-term safety for Reno's residents and infrastructure. Keep an eye out in the coming months for ways to get involved. We're excited to collaborate with you in 2024. We work closely with our community partners to update the regional hazard mitigation plan. The plan assesses the potential impact of all prioritized hazards to the region and provides mitigation strategies and actions to reduce such risks. The update ensures the plan remains effective in addressing the evolving needs of our communities. We also prioritized firefighter health with initiatives like our fourth annual cancer screenings and the introduction of the coronary calcium scan. These proactive prevention programs are vital in detecting early markers of heart disease and cancer. Critical steps for firefighters facing heightened risks associated with their profession. Additionally, we launched a groundbreaking pilot program with the Epic Brain Center exploring enhanced mindbody performance treatments. This innovative approach supports firefighters dealing with PTSD and other mental health challenges while empowering them with improved executive function to perform at their best. >> 2024 was a landmark year for the Reno Fire Department Emergency Medical Services Division with 30,649 calls for service. Collaboration played a key role in 2024 as we joined forces with regional partners to strengthen our unified response to medical emergencies. We were excited to welcome our new EMS management assistant and expand our specialized training for our single role program. Ensuring our EMS team is always prepared to meet our community's high demand for advanced emergency medical services. We conducted division level training on new medical equipment, including cuttingedge video lurendoscope blades that are vital in life-saving situations and new medications that can be used to treat various patient presentations by our mid and advanced level providers. We also implemented a new medical charting platform, further enhancing patient care. >> Reno Fire Department's support services division achieved significant milestones in 2024. enhanced vehicle maintenance and repair, increased apparatus safety, and equipment modernization. Through our apparatus replacement program, we added two new brush trucks designed for firefighting and rugged terrain and a state-of-the-art ambulance, ensuring our fleet meets the diverse needs of our community. We also enhanced operations by refining the use of fleet cameras throughout our vehicles. These systems capture critical moments during incidents, training, and daily operations, providing insights that improve safety and support crew education. Our logistics team continues to push innovation forward, adopting advanced battery powered tools on our fire engines and ladder trucks, and improve personal protective equipment. These enhancements extend equipment lifespan, improve functionality, and prioritize firefighter safety. Looking ahead, we're excited to introduce a new heavy rescue apparatus in 2025. The first of its kind for our department since 1986. As an all-risk fire department supporting many different types of incidents, this addition ensures our crews are ready to respond to any emergency no matter the challenge. As we reflect on 2024, the Reno Fire Department has much to celebrate. from our interlocal agreement with the Reno Tahoe airport authority enabling us to assume firefighting services across all airport properties and our partnership with Truckucky Meadows Fire and Rescue which now provides automatic aid to ensure the closest resource response to emergencies no matter the jurisdiction. We're building the foundation for continued growth and excellence. I'm pleased to share that we also received the keys to 455 East Sega Street, our future central fire station. We're excited to begin serving you from this state-of-the-art facility in 2027. At RFD, we believe that being part of the community is just as important as responding to emergencies. Whether it's hosting fire safety programs, participating in local events, or building relationships with residents, we strive to be more than the first responders. We're your neighbors, partners, and advocates for a safer region. None of our work would be possible without the dedication of our team and unwavering support of our Reno City Council, state, and federal representatives. Their commitment ensures RFD is always ready to serve and protect our community. On behalf of the Reno Fire Department, thank you for your trust and support. Together, we accomplished so much in 2024, and we look forward to an even brighter and safer year ahead. Thank you for standing with us. My name is Robert DS. I'm a field specialist with Rise. And this experience with Bonnie Pace and the Pathway Pilot has been awesome and tremendous. And I'll never forget it. I'm free. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. insane. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. As we move move into the next budget year. We're excited to share some of the key accomplishments this past year in the biggest little city. >> Whether working to ensure a safe and welcoming community, planning for responsible growth or maintaining strong fiscal accountability to our residents, our team is dedicated to building a community that people are proud to call home. >> Running a city is no small feat. It takes seven dedicated council members and over 1,700 committed employees to make this city thrive. While you see some of them every day, many are behind the scenes. But we all have one thing in common. We make Reno more than just livable. >> We make it lovable. >> Ensuring the infrastructure in our community stands the test of time is critical to obtaining a vibrant and resilient city. >> The utility services team oversees storm water, waste water, and recycled water throughout the city, including the sanitary sewer system. I know sewer is one of those things that people don't often talk about, but sewer systems play a crucial role in protecting public health and our environment. One important element in the sanitary sewer system is lift stations, which are needed in low-lying areas to pump sewage up to a gravity sewer line. All of our sewer lines convey sewage and ultimately end up at our wastewater treatment facilities. Over the last 5 years, our team evaluated 27 public lift stations in our community and determined that some needed major rehabilitation. Since the evaluation, the city has successfully rehabilitated five lift stations and completed the design improvements for those seven remaining stations in need of rehabilitation. These remaining lift stations will be constructed in the next 2 years to ensure the sustainability of the systems for years to come. Since 1995, City Reno Council has made street maintenance and rehabilitation a major priority. The public works team maintains a pavement management system to evaluate the condition and serviceable life of over 755 mi of streets. This system allows us to plan for preventative maintenance and major rehabilitation projects based on priority. Maintaining infrastructure such as roads is the job of the maintenance and operations team. This last year, the streets division maintained 755 miles of paved roads. That includes 37,000 m of road being plowed, over 6,000 potholes repaired, and over 12 million square ft of cracks sealed or filled. Our teams work round the clock when needed to ensure that residents can get where they need to go safely, rain, snow, or shine. At City of Reno and our sewer and storm drain division, there's 50 of us that take care of just over 800 miles of sanitary sewer. that includes 35 lift stations. Our sewer and storm drain division in the city of Reno ensures safe maintenance for over 600 miles of storm water lines. It's our aggressive preventive maintenance program that ensures that your system will respond properly to prevent overflows and flooding, keeping our residents and our environment safe and sound. The fleet management team maintains over 850 pieces of equipment, including police cars and other emergency response equipment. This year, the fleet management team was ranked in the top 100 best fleets in the Americas. And doing work in-house saves the city millions of dollars each and every year. And our final areas of responsibility is facility maintenance. We perform a wide variety of repairs and remodels and preventative maintenance on over 200 city-owned buildings. And just this last year, we completed a seismic retrofit of city hall, which ensures the safety of both staff and the public during earthquakes. Parks, recreation, and open space are vital for creating healthy, sustainable, and vibrant communities. Last November, the Reno City Council adopted the parks, recreation, and open space master plan. The plan identifies top priorities and an implementation strategy to improve existing parks, trails, and recreational facilities, identifying and acquiring land for new parks and recreational spaces, activating the Truckucky River Corridor and downtown spaces, and expanding recreational programming. >> But the crowning achievement this year for the parks team is the Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center. Opening in August, this 52,000q foot facility will include a 50meter indoor competition pool, multi-use indoor recreation pool, an outdoor soaking pool, 5,000q ft² fitness facility, and more. This project represents a vital investment in the health and well-being of our community for generations to come. As we approach the completion of two major projects in our community, the public safety center and the Moana Springs Aquatic Center, it's important to highlight the clean energy components of both projects. At Moana Springs, the city received a community project funding award to install solar and was selected by NV Energy to be a community-based solar resource host site at the same location. The Moana Springs parking lot features solar covered parking to support this project. and the public safety center will include rooftop solar as well as battery storage to provide energy savings. By investing in clean energy, we are moving towards a cleaner, more resilient and equitable energy future for our community. Reno is one of the best places to live, work, and play. So, we know that growth in our community is inevitable. At the city, we are focused on responsible growth to achieve balanced and long-term development that benefits all residents. Last year, the city of Reno completed the ward redistricting process that transitioned our community from five to six wards. Redistricting ensures that each elected official represents approximately the same number of residents. Final maps for the new wards were voted on by the Reno City Council following a community engagement process that spanned across four months and included 17 opportunities for residents to participate. The new ward maps will go into effect following the 2024 election cycle. We encourage you to visit our online mapping tool to learn more about the new wards. Responsible growth means long-term planning. In January of 2021, the city adopted a new zoning code. And in June of 2022, the city initiated an amendment to address outstanding cleanup items. This includes everything from grammatical errors to accounting for updates in the state law. Development services has spent the past year working through these changes and seeking public input. Final adoption of an updated zoning code is anticipated early next year. The city of Reno is working with our regional partners to manage water resources sustainably for future generations through the One Water Nevada initiative. This program is working to ensure there is enough water available to meet the needs of all users while protecting and even improving the region's water quality and environmental integrity. A key element of this project is the advanced purified water facility at American Flats. With construction expected to begin in the near future, this facility will apply state-of-the-art water purification processes and provide the region with the potential for over 2 million gallons of highquality drinking water daily. At the City of Reno, we are focused on ensuring that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. The city of Reno helps to improve housing stability by providing rental and deposit assistance for all residents, including seniors and veterans. In the past 6 months, the team has assisted 584 households with rent, supported 175 costburden seniors, and dispersed $1.5 million in rental assistance. The city of Reno is a leader on the affordable housing front. Back in 2019, the state law changed and since then, the city has been allowed to enact an ordinance that has given us the right to wave or reduce fees for sewer connection fees and building permit fees as long as the project is associated with an affordable housing development. And to date, Reno has approved reductions and waiverss totaling almost $8 million. This has contributed to 1,800 new affordable housing units that are moving forward. City Council has also added conditional requirements for certain development projects and those are to help pay for affordable housing. This has been triggered on five development projects. This is estimated to generate over $4 million in funds which will support affordable housing. Last year, the city of Reno supported the development of 492 affordable units through funding programs and city incentives, including federal home funds, volume cap allocation, and sewer fee reductions. Developments that were supported include the Marble Way Apartments, Copper Mesa Apartments, Oravada Street Senior Apartments, and The Ridge at Sun Valley. And while increasing the number of affordable housing units is a priority, the team is also working to invest in low to moderate income neighborhoods. In the past year, the city funded $1 million in park and pedestrian safety renovations and supported key projects, including park improvements at Robin Hood, Dick Taylor, Paradise, and Mayor's Parks. Downtown Reno is evolving as our community transition from a region focused on tourism to a more economically diverse city that supports urban living, transportation, social gathering, and small businesses. Many consider Virginia Street to be the heart of our downtown and the Virginia Street Placemaking study reinforced that. He'll design firm over three phases of community engagement developed a strategy and a long-term plan of what our Virginia street and our downtown could look like. City Council approved the placemaking study last fall and identified $2.5 million in state and local fiscal recovery funds to implement phase one of the study. This year, state and local fiscal recovery funds were also utilized to create the Restore Reno facade and tenant improvement program. The program provided matching funds to property owners and tenants for facade improvements and interior upgrades. 39 businesses were awarded matching grants with the total economic improvement value of the combined projects being $5.7 million. At the same time, the team partnered with the regional transportation commission to develop the downtown micromobility plan, enhancing downtown roadway networks to improve safety for all users and create a more welcoming environment for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other micro modes of transportation. Design is currently underway for this project and construction is anticipated in 2026. And no discussion of the downtown area is complete without addressing the Truckucky River corridor. This year, city council approved the use of state and local fiscal recovery funds to make improvements along the Truckucky River path, including activation efforts, enhanced safety with better lighting, paint refresh, path improvements, and more. >> It looks like if we can go ahead and get this meeting back to order, please. >> All right. We're reconvening the meeting at 2:30. Reno is committed to building a community where all residents feel welcome, safe, and able to fully participate in their government, providing access to city programs and services. >> Just given the fact of who's in the audience and making sure that folks aren't waiting for much longer, we're going to go ahead and start with agenda item F1 and then we can move to the rest of the presentation. So, if you can open up that item. >> Okay, opening item F1 um for the city attorney to read the ordinance. Ordinance adoption ordinance number 6733 for possible action. Case number LDC 25-000061 Lake Ridge Resort Ordinance to amend title 18 chapter 1802 of the Reno Municipal Code entitled zoning reszoning a plus or - 12.5 acre site located within the northern portion of the overall plus or minus 84.61 61 acre parcel located south of South McCarron Boulevard at the terminus of Golf Club Drive, 1200 Golf Club Drive from parks, greenways, and open space PGOS to specific plan district SPD together with matters which pertain to or necessarily connected there with ward 3. >> Uh, wo, no worries. Thank you. Just wanted to correct that for the record. Thank you so much. Um, Madame Clerk, do we have any public comment on this item? >> We do have public comment from Sydney, uh, Cindy Chandler, followed by Megan Schuster, followed by Paul Liperelli. >> Thank you for your patience today while we get through the agenda. >> Good afternoon, Sydney Chandler. For the record, um, I'm requesting that the Lidge Resort SPD handbook under its second review on this agenda be thoroughly examined with respect to deed restriction language. I appreciate Councilman Reese's initiative regarding H1 to place the remaining portion of the golf course under a deed restriction with water rights as outlined in the motion approved at the January 28th city council meeting. We also recognize the complexities of involved in water rights as previously mentioned. However, my colleagues and I must emphasize how crucial it is for the SPD plan, which currently discusses the restricted deed in vague terms, specifically identify the 18-hole golf course and describe the irrigation supporting it with clear guidelines for enforcement. Trust and transparency are essential for both the resort's development and the well-being of every resident living on the golf golf course, including myself. My community of 130 residents established in 1989 was designed as a scenic terrace neighborhood surrounded by a thriving golf course, which is Lakeidge Golf Course. Words have meaning and the lack of details on how to successfully support and enforce the deed restriction reemphasizes the lack of trust that already exists. Therefore, I respectfully ask that you deny the Lorage Resort Project as written in the February 2nd SPD handbook. Thank you. >> Megan Schuster, followed by Paul Liperelli. Good afternoon, council members. My name is Megan Schustster. Megan, give myself the wrong name today. My name is Megan Schustster. I am here regarding the second reading of the ordinance for the Lakeidge Resort Special uh SBD. Um first, I'd like to acknowledge Mr. Duncan's agreement to the deed restriction proposed by Council Person Ree. The residents of Lorage, particularly those who live along the g along the golf course, view the deed restriction as an important commitment that the 18-hole golf golf course will not be developed during the time frame outlined in that restriction. The revised SPD handbook dated February 2nd, 2026 now includes language referencing the deed restriction. However, that language does not fully reflect the findings this council adopted on January 28th. The January 28th motion included a requirement to use sufficient water to maintain the golf course. The February 2nd SPD handbook does not address water without clear language ensuring that sufficient water will be preserved to maintain the 18hole golf course that exists today. The commitment to maintaining the remaining course may lack clarity and long-term certainty. In addition, for the deed restriction to achieve the beneficial impacts discussed during the findings, it would be helpful for the document to clarify enforcement mechanisms as drafted. The SPD handbook does not provide for third-party enforcement which may limit its practical effectiveness. Save Lacage's council raised this issue directly with the council for Duncan Gulf and was informed that Save Lacorage would not be identified as the enforcing entity. While there may be another organization that could serve in that role, the current draft does not identify one. Given the public's interest in the deed restriction, the SBD handbook should clearly state how the restrict sorry how the restriction will be enforced. At a minimum, if Duncan GF is to enforce its own deed restriction, the handbook should outline the terms and standards governing that enforcement so the community has transparency and long-term certainty. My comments are offered in the spirit of ensuring that the ordinance before you accurately reflects the conditions discussed and incorporated into the January 28th motion. I respectfully ask that you consider whether additional clarifications or alignment is appropriate before moving forward. Thank you, >> Paul Liberelli. >> I thought that was you. >> I'm just an older version. >> I'm not seeing as well. So Paul, I'd have to get up close. Nice to see you. >> See you >> in a whole different capacity. >> Yes. Good afternoon. >> That's super cool. >> I was uh Paul Liperelli for the record. I'm an local attorney with uh lots of land use planning and local government experience. Uh I was engaged by uh Save Lakeidge Open Space to explore the implementation of the deed restriction which was a condition of approval in the council's decision um in January. Um so I met with uh representatives of Duncan Goff who I'll pause and say have been great to work with. every single one of them has made themselves available to us. Um, Mr. Gordon answers my calls and he's made Mr. Duncan available to us. I've met with the entire planning team a couple of times and so it it's a it's meant to be a cooperative uh venture. But when I met with them to explore the imp implementation of the deed restriction, I was informed that they had their own plan for doing that, which would to be would be to record a deed from Duncan to Duncan installing the deed restriction. And when I asked how would that be enforced, um, Mr. Gordon and I got into a a fun little legal argument. So, we left that deci that discussion without an agreement on how to proceed. So today I have offered a suggested uh addition to um the condition of approval which as uh Miss Schusters's comments uh said are meant to clarify amplify the effect of the deed restriction. I provided a copy of my wording to the city clerk so it's on the record and I can read it off uh in a minute if I have time. But the essence of it is that the owners of property adjacent to the golf course would be given uh status as a third party beneficiary of the covenant not to develop the property. that would last for the 25 year span that was part of uh the the deed restriction condition which by the way came about uh as being something nec necessary to make the findings for the approval and without the deed restriction component um the findings may not have been or could not have been met. So, um, when we're here to say the deed restriction needs to be clear and enforcable, it points back toward the findings, um, that that the council made for approval. So, the deed restriction is a backup to the assurance that Mr. Duncan stood here and gave that he would not develop the golf course. And I believe TJ Duncan when he says he will not develop the golf course. No question. And we also know in order to do it, you'd have to go all the way through this process again, master plan approvals, zoning changes, and public hearings to amend the handbook to make it even possible. Oops, I'm out of time. So, >> go ahead, finish. >> Okay. >> 30 seconds. >> All right. So, um, the deed restriction condition backs up Mr. Duncan's promise, and it's important to the neighbors because Mr. Duncan and his family may not always be the owner of the golf course. So with the deed restriction in place, which is enforcable by people who have an interest in making sure that it stays so then um then whoever owns the golf course later um will will be bound by that same promise. So I'm available to come back up if you have further questions during your deliberations. And as I said, the language is with the city clerk. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you so much, Paul. Good seeing you, >> Madame Mayor. With that, we have no additional live public comment for the record. We did have um an additional public commenter registered earlier that could not stay. Um they were in opposition. And then we did receive two additional public comments, one in favor and one in opposition. Those have been distributed to the Reno City Council. >> Okay. Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. And I believe Vice Mayor, you took us into making sure everything's on the record. >> Yes, sir. >> Opening up. Thank you so much. >> Okay. Um, then with that being said, I believe, Madam Clerk, I'm going to send it over to our city attorney. >> Oh, no, you read it. >> Oh, you already read it. Good for you, Carl. You're already on it. Um, okay. Any questions from council? Go right ahead. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um I have two questions and it's for our legal council. The first one is one of the um public commenters who's not here earlier had um mentioned something about an open meeting law violation. So I was hoping that you could explain your position on that. If we violated open meeting law, give us some direction going forward. And then the second thing is one thing that I just heard about the deed restriction enforcement. I think there is a misconception that the city of Reno is going to be able to enforce a deed restriction, which is something I might have brought up two weeks ago. So, I would want some clarification on that. And for reason being, I don't want to give the neighbors false hope that the city of RTO is going to be enforcing a private party deed restriction, if that's accurate. And I guess I just would say again for my part, I believe this project can stand on its own without the deed restriction, which I said before, I don't think there's anything that prohibits the private land owner from working with the neighbors to put a deed restriction in place that does not involve the city council. Um, so I will ask my legal team for some advice on that. Thank you. >> Yes. Uh, thank you, Council Member Taylor. Uh, John Shipman for the record, city attorney's office. Uh, yeah, we looked at the, uh, the comment about the open mean an allegation of an open meeting law complaint. Um we don't think that that is um is true. Yeah, it's um it's clearly um the the title the the standard for an open meeting law complaint is whether or not the public had notice of what um the the body was going to be what action was going to be taken and then also what the particular topic was that um was going to be discussed. And here we had an agenda title that was clear and complete that said that and informed the public that the city council intended to adopt an ordinance to reszone a portion of Lakeidge to an SPD. So, we're okay on that. Um, as far as the discussion, the city council discussed and modified the ordinance consistent with that reszoning. Um, then it was referred in this meeting for adoption. Um, and then the discussion and the action did not exceed and in fact it it comported with exactly what the title said. You're here to adopt an ordinance today. Okay. So, we don't believe there's any merit in an open meeting law complaint and we'll put that on the record. Um, and then the second question about the deed restriction in the enforcement. Um, yeah, I mean I think that's that would be a concern that you know if if parties were looking to the city to enforce that. And so I I I'm looking at the language and the language talks about just recording a deed restriction at this point. So um so it's the question would the city be >> can can we can the city enforce the deed restrictions? So >> so normally the city does not get involved in private land use matters. So like deed restrictions, covenants that run with the land. Those are private agreements and contracts between property owners and and the city through its zoning power just we don't do that. We don't get involved. We're not the HOA for the city. Those are the types of things that the property owners have to enforce and regulate against each other. Um I would say that's never been the practice and I don't think that would be the practice going forward. >> All right. >> Council Ree. >> Well, I have a question for Mr. shipment and followup. No one has ever said that the city is going to enforce a deed restriction. That's never happened. We've not asked for that to happen here. Right. What is being asked to be enforced is a handbook, an SPD handbook, which includes the requirement of it. And also, we would not issue a certificate of occupancy for a hotel without it. So, those are the things that the city would be enforcing, not a deed restriction. Is that correct? >> Yeah, that I mean I I think that's that's correct. >> I appreciate the clarity. I I also want to make sure that the public understands um they have standing based on your answer to challenge the issue of the deed restriction just as any agrieved adjacent property owner would. Right? Not that the city would enforce it. No, no city anywhere in America enforces private covenants on deeds, right? They're enforced by people who have an adjacent ownership interest as against the covenant. Yes. Okay. And then let's also be clear about something else which is um this question about how covenants run with the land. Right? So uh let's just hypothesize that 5 years from now um Mr. Duncan has run off to Bora Bora because he wants to uh go to a different beach and he is not in the picture and a new entity comes in. They pick up the company with the restrictions that are in the SPD. Is that correct? >> As a successor in interest, they get the full property in fee and then whatever is incumbrances on the land, both private and public. >> And the point of a deed restriction is that when they buy it, they're buying subject to the things which are in the chain of title. Is that correct? >> Thank you so much. Um, I have, um, with my last remaining question, I want to make sure I understand something about, um, and perhaps this is, uh, I don't know if this is a question for you or a question for, um, Mr. Duncan, your team. It has to do with the water um, that was at issue. So, um, my motion was to ensure that there was water on the property, right? That it couldn't be stripped out. But I understand that perhaps that is something that is beyond our control or capacity because those water rights I guess get dedicated to Tamwa uh and they issue will serves on them. Is that correct? >> Again I would just refer back to the language in the SPD handbook that is being proposed does not have any water right incumbrance that's >> Thank you so much >> Madame Mayor. >> Yes. Go right ahead. >> I have a question for Mr. Duncan if you wouldn't mind. So following up on um this question about water, I I have no knowledge about your water situation. So do you get water from Tamwa to irrigate the golf course? >> Uh we have freshwater rights. >> You have what? >> Freshwater rights. >> So you have water rights. That's how you irrigate the golf course. Yes, ma'am. >> Do you put those into Lake Stanley and then irrigate? Is that what it is? >> We do. >> So you actually you haven't dedicated the water rights to Tamwa. They're not giving you water. You're self-supporting. We bought water rights when we bought the property out of bankruptcy. >> Yeah. But I mean, you're self-suppling. You don't get anything from Tamwa? >> Not at the moment. Yeah. >> Okay. Do you have a plan to sell your water rights? >> We do not. >> Okay. I I would imagine that your water rights, you have to have a proof of beneficial use. You have to be putting them to use. Your use is the golf course. if you wanted to sell those, I mean, um, they would change your whole deed of your water rights and they would say, well, you had 50 and now you sold 10 and you have now 40, >> right? >> And what you're saying is you have no intention. Generally, if I think about that area, I think it's something like 4 acre feet per acre and I think you have a I forget the exact size of your golf course, which is >> uh forgive me for not knowing exactly the size of the golf course, but like like we've stated from the beginning. We are in the golf industry. We intend to be in the golf industry. You cannot have one without the other. You can't have a golf course without water. >> Yeah. >> And vice versa. >> But you may have excess water. I mean, I recall when Rancher came in, they needed water to support the houses, the open space, and they also had a lake, but they sold some of their water rights actually to trick uh and they they kept some that they thought they needed. So, they had to go through that whole process with the state engineer. Um, but that's the same thing you would have to do. >> There is a process. Yes. And um for all those in the golf industry, obviously, weather conditions dictate how much water we use. So, it is a little bit of a moving target. Drought years, we use more water. Um, last summer wasn't as hot as summers. Previously, we used less. >> So, um, to say that there's one >> number that you need every single year is just would be an inaccurate statement. >> Well, I think it's really important to get on the record that you are not being provided water by Tamwa. >> Okay. >> Right. You are self-supporting using your own water rights. >> Yes. So, it is a I can understand a concern from the public if you're deed restricting the golf course, but you're not necessarily saying, well, we promised to have enough water to support it because I have seen the, you know, there's this thing called demolition by neglect and it could have be applied here. You could sell more water than you thought it was plenty and then it turns out it's super dry. We have a series of eight drought years and you're like, gosh darn, I wish I didn't sell it cuz I don't have enough water to keep this thing green in drought conditions. and then part of it starts turning yellow. I mean these all these things can happen. >> There are a lot of whatifs that we could investigate. But >> yeah, >> in three minutes I don't know that we have enough time. >> Yeah, I have a second question. So when other people have a chance, I have >> All right. I don't see any other green lights on. If you do have a question, I'm going to head down to >> I do >> to you, Councilwoman Anderson. Take it away. >> Me? >> No, you can sit back down. >> Um Okay. So what I'm hearing here is that we have a deed restriction that we can't enforce necessarily. So one question because just following everybody's questions and answers especially to our legal team the way it was phrased earlier is that in the handbook it's written that upon certificate of occupancy that is when the deed restriction has to be in place. Isn't that an enforcement? Are we as the city of Reno saying we are not going to issue a certificate of occupancy on a hotel unless they have finished this this deed restriction? So I think the confusion is and just and I think council member Taylor hit it and then and if everybody's on the same page that yes that's the requirement in the handbook but if once that's done and that dediction is in operation that would not be the type of thing that the city would in fact enforce. So, if there is demolition by neglect or a problem and people start coming to the city to say they're in violation of the SPD, the issue is going to be, well, at the time that they pulled a certificate of occupancy, did they have this? Yes. Check. We're done. So, I just want to make sure that everybody's on the same page. And I think that's what council member Reese was indicating as well. >> Okay. Thank you. I I might have another question. I'm just going to let my colleagues >> uh council door. >> Yeah. U Mr. Duncan again. Yeah. Um my question this time is about is about Golf Club Drive. So I've been out to Golf Club Drive. I've driven it. It has become a very narrow road. Right. It once was wider, but now parking has been installed at apparently in order to get the Hilltop town homes approved by the city staff. They required x amount of parking. So these parking spots were needed. >> I wasn't involved in the hilltop, >> but I'm explaining the practice. >> The road is much wider than it used to be. I will tell you that much. >> It's wider now. >> It's It's considerably wider now. >> Okay. So that's good because I brought this up last time that I think it's less than 20 feet at this point. It might be wider. Maybe at one time it was only 10 feet, but now it's about 20 feet if you take out the I'm talking about the narrowest point. And when I had an opportunity to talk to you, you explained to me that it was the hilltop residents that are responsible for maintaining the road. And I asked you, well, that's so weird to me. I mean, the road is part of the golf course. You need the road to get to your hotel. Um, and you said to me, well, in 20 years when it needs replacing, we'd pitch in at that point. That's what I heard you say. But it sounds like today you just have an easement to use the road but not a responsibility to maintain the road. Is that correct? >> Before I misspe, I'm going bring up. Yeah, >> I didn't know I was asking a legal issue. Sorry. >> It sounds like >> Yeah, recorded easement is a legal issue. Um, so the easement document that's recorded on the land both on the golf course land and also on Hilltop gives a 30-ft easement to Duncan as well as they jointly share cost for maintenance for that road. And that's a recorded document on the land. >> Okay. Cuz that was not what I heard when I met with you guys. You said it was the Hilltop residents that that was their HOA that had to take maintain the road. I don't recall our conversation, but I know I the document the easement itself I reviewed before last hearing and this hearing and it does say they share maintenance obligations. >> So it doesn't lay out a percentage. It just says share. Is that >> the way I read it? It's shared between the two of them. >> They maybe have to negotiate. >> No, I don't think there's in my opinion there's not negotiating. It appears to read that it's 50/50 as I as I read it. >> Okay. All right. Uh so >> that would be between not the city, right? That's between Duncan and concern is as it was last time is I drove it. It we have testimony from the public that there have been some near misses. Hilltop has only been there what a year. Um I have very steep concerns uh distinct concerns about um the safety on that road. I just wanted to go on record as saying it's still a concern since we met last time. I'm still concerned um despite the offer where things stand with ENDOT and RTC and the federal government about McCarron. I still have concern. Um so I just wanted to say th those haven't been alleviated since we last met, but I appreciate the clarification. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And one more question for someone and this is if the hotel does not go forward, it sounds like there's a reversion to PGOS built in. Could you just >> uh for the record Garrett Gordon on behalf of Duncan? That's absolutely correct. So in the handbook it specifically states that if the hotel is not substantially completed within seven years that the underlying zoning would revert back to open space. >> Okay? And if it was sold before then obviously no there wouldn't have been a hotel, there wouldn't have been a CEO, there wouldn't have been a deed restriction. So you could sell it unfettered right between now and seven years they there would be no deed restriction at that point right >> because no hotel would have been built >> correct if we sold the property in three years and there's no hotel >> it run the handbook runs with the land so the new owner would be subject to >> that same requirement either perform within that seven-year period or the property for the new owner would revert back to open space >> or they could apply for amendment which I've seen over and over and over again of PUDS which says instead of a hotel I want to build a this whatever it is and I guess it'd be back in front of council for renegotiation I guess. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right, Councilwoman Anderson or no, sorry, Councilwoman Taylor then Anderson. >> I'm I'm sorry, Madam Mayor. I'll be I'll be really quick here. I'm I'm just I have some uncomfortability with the deed restriction in this. Is there a place where we can have the ordinance make the motion and move the remove the deed restriction and ask the applicant to work with the residents um minus the city without the city's involvement in the deed restriction at all and that's I guess for legal where we move forward without having the deed restriction attached to this as a conditioner whatever it is. So I I for the record, John Shipman, so I think um if you're talking about stripping that out, I mean, I think at this point that would just you can do that. It would just have to come back for another, you know, >> first reading. Yeah. To to do that. And so you'd come back with a um a SPD handbook that would not have that in there. there would be some discussion or some >> and the followup to that question is again with two weeks ago when I asked my question this deed restriction is a but for this or however you put it it's not a condition of approval right it can't be a condition of approval am I understanding that right well this is a condition of approval I mean you've you've made it or it's it's part of the handbook at this point so okay for the project to go forward um in its current form, then you'd have to have a deed restriction recorded prior to certificate of occupancy, if that makes sense. >> Okay. I guess I'm just having a lot of angst with the deed restriction language moving forward. Thank you. Thank you, Madame Mayor. >> You're welcome. Okay. All you, Brandy. >> Okay. Sorry. I know our legal team, you guys are going to be like, you know, stabbing a voodoo doll with me later. Um, with the comments and the questions and the feedback from the council that you have heard today, do you feel that it is on record clear enough that we as a council understand that there is nothing related to water, irrigation or anything outside of the land and acreage and the usage of the golf course in this motion that we are preparing to potentially make? >> Yeah. I mean I and and I think that's a good point. It's that this is not the city enforcing a private covenant. This is a condition to receive a certificate of occupancy. And I think that the discussion today has gone a long way to hopefully educate the public and the residents and everybody about what the scope of this is. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay, madam. Yes. Go ahead. >> I I don't have it right in front of me, but I guess a followup. One of our findings has to do with open space. Okay. And I don't have it right in front of me. I could pull it in one minute if I took a pause. But I mean, if it was me, in order to be able to make that finding, you have to be providing something. And that's why I believe, you know, it's probably connected in some way is that it's not and and I would like confirmation from council member Reese, but I think that's why you're going down this path. Is that correct? >> Yeah. And and I apologize. I think I have been sort of the cause of some of my colleagues consternation in part because as lawyers go we tend to get wordy unnecessarily. So for that I apologize. But yes there it's not the goal of this body to engage in any kind of exactions. What we do is we look at the findings related to um SPDs and PUDs and the like and we try to align those goals with the balancing that we must do in those things. And for my part, that's the requirement is the requirement of having a zone change and SPD relates to the availability of open space. This ensures from my perspective that the golf course would be in a lock box to ensure its uh availability um as open space. I think it's subsection six, but I could also be wrong. >> Mr. Shipman can confirm if it's subsection six, but I'm looking on it's on page four of the SPD handbook. >> Right. But the >> finding is uh finding number six of the SPD. >> Just don't have Here we go. >> Find it. Here we go. While Miss Der is looking for that and to buy her some time, can I see the wording of the uh handbook in displayed in front of me? Miss Boo, thank you so much. And Miss Fouse, which of the findings is open space? >> It isn't. I don't see that it's included with this version of our staff finding on open space. >> Yes, it's it's either in the SPD or the zone change and we just don't have our cheat sheet in front of us because we didn't have it. >> Yeah. So if you're referring >> Yeah. So the zoning map amendment >> one of these >> or was it related to the master plan? >> It's it's B which is to promote the conservation of open space and the protection of other natural and scenic resources from unreasonable impairment. I think that is what you know I I don't want to speak for you Mr. Reese but that's what it is. I I think that in order to make that finding for the zoning map amendment, that's why you proposed this and and the developer offered it freely in response to your inability to make the findings last time. That's what I heard. >> Um I have another point of clarification if you don't mind. Um, sorry, Mr. Liperelli. Hello. Never met you. I don't have a question for you, but hello. Um, the talk of the each property owner and the deed and the conservatorship, that's off the table, right? That we that is gone, Zo. That's not something that we're talking about today. That's anything that we would vote on today. or do we need to make it clear that that conservatorship or whatever it was that they were proposing is not on the table? I want to make that clear on the record. >> I'm not aware of a conservatorship or so I'm not I'm >> the individual property owners in the deed >> talking about a conservation easement. >> Sorry. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. >> That is not on the table today. Correct. >> Okay. Great. I just wanted to make that clear. I'm gonna um send it over, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just one second while I pull up um the staff report. Okay, pretty simple. So for my perspective, um I'd just like to move to adopt the ordinance. >> Second. >> Okay. I have a motion. I have a second. Any discussion? This go maintains the original. Yeah. Okay. Um >> motion last. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. Anything else? >> No. >> No. Okay. So, a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed. >> Nay. >> Motion carries. Okay. Um, I'm gonna send it back to you, Madam Clerk, uh, to get us back on track. Actually, sorry. I'm going to skip to item. Hold on. Where is it? >> Oh, yeah. We're here. Item C4. >> All right, Madame Mayor, we're opening item C4. >> Okay, hold on. Let me catch up over here on this side. Okay. Um, >> bye, Mr. Liperelli. >> Nice seeing you. >> Okay. Um, item C4. This is going to be a staff report on the final community wildfire protection plan. Um, this is really good. I'm so glad that we have this on the agenda. Hello. You guys just all of a sudden magically appeared. We are. >> And you brought Boston. >> He's so cute. Boston. Boston. >> He's looking. >> Boston. What's going on? >> We need bones here. I got one for you. Anyway, okay. The floor is yours. We're excited to hear what um you've been working on. This is super important today. You saw Tomwa was here. So, it's good to know that you guys are working in conjunction. So, yeah, go ahead. >> Oh, hi. Good to >> fire inspector, city of Reno Fire. >> Women, female badass. Okay, so here we are today to present to you the finalized community wildfire protection plan. And this aligns with our strategic plan in public safety in that um the goals are to um Sorry, I'm a little nervous. What? Oh, don't do not be I First of all, take your time. Don't worry about it. Um, everyone's excited that you're here and just and I know you're gonna be great. So, I'm rooting you on over here. You got this. You got this. This is a great presentation, by the way. I've seen it. So, so now you have nothing to be worried about. >> So, goals of the plan are to protect people, property, uh, natural and cultural resources. So, as you may know, we have been here uh, giving several updates throughout the year. Um the last uh wildfire like risk hazard assessment that we c that we used as our community wildfire protection plan took place in 2005 and that was countywide. So obviously it's been a while since we've had an updated assessment and community wildfire protection plan. So it's really exciting that we had the opportunity through grant funding with the fire prevention and safety grant through FEMA to be able to update this plan and make this happen. So collaboration was huge. This wasn't just an effort on my behalf or uh Reno Fire. This took a lot of people. Um first of all, the environmental consultants that we hired um SWCA, we have Aaron with us today. >> Hi. >> Um but also from our core team. So members of our core team included uh NDF, Tamwa and Energy. >> Uh UNR extension living with fire. um they've been a huge part in this and unfortunately they're not here today. But we have Brett with Truckucky Meadows Fire. Uh he's a WOOI coordinator and we have Sabrina with Washi Wo County um emergency management. >> Okay. >> So um really happy that they're here to help support us. I think Sabrina was one of the few who read the entire document start to finish and gave her feedback. So >> how long did that take you? Okay, >> we appreciate that. >> I love it. Good. You're going to be our encyclopedia then for for this initiative. Okay, good. >> So, um as I mentioned, um goals to protect uh life's property and critical infrastructure. That is the main goal and benefit of a community wildfire protection plan. And within that, we're um prioritizing actions that reduce wildfire risk to homes, neighbors, and essential services. Um, another huge benefit of this is strengthening uh community safety and preparedness. So, this is not only a tool for us within the fire department with our planning, >> but it's a really important tool for the community. They can access this plan to um determine uh where their property >> is, what hazards are there, and what they could do to help mitigate some of those hazards. So, it's also a planning tool for the community. >> Great. And a huge part of it as well is having this updated plan um aligns uh agencies like I was talking about before. >> Yeah. >> Um for example, I just want to mention really quick uh Colin Ranch HOA. >> Okay. Half of that is City of Reno Fire and half is >> Meadows County. Yeah. >> So Brett and I can now collaborate together and try to figure out what we can do to help serve that community >> with our wildfire prevention and preparedness. Um so um unlocks funding uh with this updated plan we can now apply for more grants and have more targeted approaches and plans to how we're going to imple implement um fuel mitigation. >> Oh, we're not there yet. I'm not done. >> Okay, keep going. >> Can we go to our website? >> Okay, cool. So, I want to show you this because I can sit here and talk about the document and I'm sure Sabrina could help me. >> She I think she can, >> but I really want to show it to you. So, good. This hub site lives on um our Reno Fire web page, but this is the website for the CWP. So, here is the document that can be downloaded which um is really useful for us. maybe not for the public and for everyone else, but here we have a variety of maps which um which are great. I'm going to show you the story map, but here is where we can uh track fuel mitigation work that we've done. So, here we have a project tracker. And then here's where um community member members can look to see what uh risk areas they're in by searching their address. And then just a really nice map gallery. But I'm going to show you a little bit from the story map. This is the condensed userfriendly uh page for really getting all of the information that's pertinent from the CWPP. So, for example, if I am a homeowner and I want to know homeowner um resident, if I want to know um what fire jurisdiction I'm in, I can come to this map and then I can determine, okay, I'm um county uh Sparks, Reno Fire, and then from there I can look at what my risk risks are okay based on my address. Am I in low, moderate, high, very high? And then also along with that, I could also put in my address here and it'll just go straight straight to um the results of the risk assessments that were done through SWCA. So, we can come back to this if you want if you guys have more questions, but >> that's cool. >> Yeah, I love it. I think it's awesome. I'm very excited about it. >> What else can it do? Yeah. So, okay. So, >> Yep. >> And then it can Okay, let's let me just show you an example. Kai, will you are you able to put in like um one East First Street, for example? Okay, there we are. So, this is showing us um downtown Reno, what our overall rating is based on the risk assessments that were implemented. And that rating is low. And here are the factors that were taken into consideration with the risk rating. >> I'm so blind, right? And also, what about Yeah. >> Also, we get better on the iOS because of that rating. Yeah. So, some of the things that that were looked at during these risk assessments is access um what defensible space was like in these areas. What the slope is um roofing, siding material, decking. So, um those are some of the things that can were taken into consideration. And if you want, um, Erin is here and she could provide a little bit more information on how the risks were determined within, um, >> Sure. >> within their Do you want >> Okay. Yeah. Come on up for a minute. >> Okay. >> I assume that there's a lot of like technical things that go here and there and >> I have like a brief overview. >> Okay. I want to hear. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. >> Um, so do I need to state my name? Yes. Aaron Seamer and my address is 640 Acard Circle. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um so for this project the risk assessment we used the fire modeling data to identify areas that would have higher risk and a couple things were a lot of things were taken into consideration but two of the things were hazards and vulnerability. So hazards, we looked at things like um flame intensity. Obviously the higher that is, the more intense the flame is going to be or the more intense the fire is going to be and things like burn probability. And then for hazards, we looked at how close a structure was to different vegetation and also susceptibility. So like what Tina was saying with building materials um also fencing um decks things of that nature. Sure. >> And then the hazard and the vulnerability get multiplied together and that's where we come up with our risk level. So if you were to look at Reno, you can kind of see where downtown area is probably going to have a lower risk level and then areas on the side or uh west Reno, northwest Reno would have a higher risk value. >> Okay. And tell everyone why that's important. What what does that help the community do? >> Uh well then we're able to look for mitigation measures to help with those high-risk areas. >> Okay. So, if I'm a resident and I pull up my risk assess assessment and I'm what do I do? Call you guys. >> Tina >> recommendation. >> Yes, that is awesome. >> Call Chief Cochran. >> Uh, >> tell us. >> You can absolutely call us. So, um, you can call us or you could go online and request the defensible space inspection and we'll come out and assess your property and give you educational resources to be able to enhance your defensible space and home hardening. >> Um, >> we also have on this page homeowner and renter resources so you can do a little bit of homework on your own while you're waiting for us to come and and um do a defensible space inspection. So, here is our homeowner and rent renter resources page. And like right here, this cool little interactive map goes over all of our zones and provides um tools that homeowners can use. Okay. >> And then all of our resources here are from you and our living with fire. And I really appreciate this because um Sparks, Truckucky Meadows, and um Reno Fire, we all use the same resources. So, we're all speaking the same language. >> Language. So, sorry. >> So, I'm really grateful for uh you and our extension living with fire. Um so, yeah, here's our homeowner resource page and yeah, we could definitely come out and implement defensible space inspections. >> Okay, I love this. Thank you so much. >> It's impressive. I'm going to actually and then I'll come right back to you. I'm going to hand it over to Councilwoman Anderson. She's done a lot of work um in this space in her neighborhoods educating. It's been um really impressive. So, uh I would also like to see that we set up meetings with the council with living with fire so that they can implement and I'm sure Brandy can help them duplicate in their wards because I think as we get into summer people start to ask and um it becomes, you know, top of mind. And then I'm going to ask you about Colin Ranch in a minute. So, go ahead. How long did it take you to from start to finish on this project? >> Um, since the time SWCA was contracted, it's been about a year. >> Yeah, >> that's great. >> A little bit of time before then before or when the funding was accepted just to go through um the process of finding environmental consultants. Yeah. >> So, for a for a homeowner, for a business, for somebody that's projecting, you know, work that needs to be done on a site, this is just great information to inform them on really um what is it? The >> the WOOI >> environment. >> Yeah. >> Okay, great. Um what is being done to other than coming in front of the council and giving us this amazing update to let the community know that this information exists? Are we working collaboratively regionally or with the university to get kind of communication out to the community that this exists and why it's useful? >> Yeah, that's something I think we continuously try to do with our comm's team is just keep our information current and out there. And I think the collaboration that we have right now with our core team, we're all kind of working together to get the message out to the community. And the community has been pretty involved throughout this entire process. We had two community meetings. One was in person, the other was virtual. We had surveys that they could fill out to provide their input. So now we're just in a place with it being done that we want to push it out to the community and make them aware like it's done. and this is your tool. Let's all use it. >> Okay. Is there anything that we can be doing to help you with that? >> Um I'll let you know. I mean, I do appreciate all the support that we've had from several of you over the year, whether it's been um you know, funding for go bags, coming to our HOA meetings or the summits, um also um funding to have goats and do some fuel mitigation. So, we appreciate all the support that we already have. >> Okay. Well, keep in touch with us on anything that we can do to help you and um when the comm you know the comm's team decides to put something together on this. It would be there's a lot of fun things we can do with goats and seasonality and things in each of our wards. So, please lean on us for for any support. >> Thank you. We will. >> Okay. I want to know whose idea it was to have the goats. Do you know when people literally my neighbors knock on my door, which is, you know, they probably only do that when they're angry and upset, but my point is is they knock on my door and they're like, "This is the best thing I've ever seen." They are smiling. They are happy when they see these goats. So, I also think they're a big mental health initiative. But I mean, tell whose idea was that? I want to know who you. >> She's like, "Was that you?" So, I had before I came to Reno Fire, I had never really heard of using goats for fuel mitigation. Um, and with our former fire marshal, Trey Palmer, um, within I think it was the first couple months I was working, he was like, "Hey, do you want to help me herd some goats?" And I thought he was joking, but he was not. So, I went out with him and I helped the goats. I'm serious. Does it happen? >> So cool. >> But no, we love goats. I feel like they're um they go over really well with the community. Everyone loves to see them and when we have them out there on city property, everyone really appreciates um the work that they do. Um we also like to use hand crews where relevant, but sometimes the goats are nice for some of those areas where it might be harder for a hand crew to reach. And they're also really good for maintenance. Um, so yeah, that >> and environment the environmental impact rate so that we don't have to spray pesticides and things like that. I I just think it I just think it is a wonderful initiative. It makes me happy whenever I really >> um whenever I look outside. I know Eddie sees them too probably in your backyard. Am I right? >> Yeah, it was great. Actually, my stepson donated one >> a >> and said here, have mine. Have mine. No, that's awesome. I love it. Love it. Love it. Um I just can't thank you enough what you're doing and you're bringing such a different perspective. So let's continue to be innovative and I'm super proud of you. Good job. Um Councilwoman Der, go ahead. >> Yeah. Well, ironically, this is exactly the topic I was going to talk about too was the goats. Um and a little more elaboration. So it was my understanding that the Evans in this particular this summer the Evans Creek Association which is in W 2 up Plumis off Ridge View that area um came to me and they said my gosh Naomi we have all these weeds we're really worried about the fire danger and I put them right in touch with the fire department and um they loved the idea they supported it. I went out and was there with you on the the kickoff day. Um we I got quite a conversation in with uh the goat hero herder from Smith Valley. Uh he's amazing. Um >> and I I just think it's these kind of collaborative efforts and the innovation. Um the no pesticide started a long time ago when the mayor and I first came on and our current positions. >> Remember that? >> Oh yeah. And we asked the city to take a hard look at where they were using pesticides. It was on parks, but it was much more on weed control, especially along roads. And um we implemented a lot of changes at that time, handbook changes. They got equipment so that they could mow instead of spray weeds. They got backpack sprayers to if they were going to spray pesticides, spray them more directly. They began posting on websites when they were going to spray so that neighbors didn't get inadvertently hit with spray. There were a lot of changes happening at the city and I've got to commend what was public works but then ultimately became maintenance and operation you know for making all these changes and uh then for you guys to formalize it to put it in your plan and to also put data at people's fingertips where they can just go and search on a map and find what they need. The bigger the bigger issue now is going to be making sure people know this map exists, right? Because a lot of times these kind of resources get buried in databases and people don't, you know, it's hard to put out all these PR statements that this now new resource exists. >> And I I think that's your new challenge. >> Yeah. >> It's going to take years to infiltrate the common consciousness that this is something that exists and that you guys are available to help >> just as you did with the Evans Creek folks. Yeah. So, >> no. And I appreciate that feedback from you and um and Brandy about just really trying to get the word right >> out there, get the information out there. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It's going to be slow seepage, but you know, as people keep calling, whether they call her or me or any council member, we can always redirect them to the right places here. >> Thank you. >> Good. >> All right. Anything else? No. Okay. I have something really quick. >> Yes, please. We love it. Love it. Love it. >> So, uh, the Fire Adaptive Nevada Summit is this February 26th through 27th, and I just wanted to let all of you know and invite you and the community as well. Um, it's open to residents and um, and just everyone who kind of collaborates on this thing and wildfire prevention and preparedness. So, >> okay. Give me days and give me times and give me place. Okay. So, February 26th and 27th, fire adapted Nevada Summit. >> I think I'm >> okay. February 26th, 27th. >> I'm sorry. >> It's the 23rd and the 24th. >> Okay. Monday, Tuesday. >> Okay. It's February 23rd. 24th and it's what time? Thank you. >> Yeah. >> 8 to 5. >> 8 to 5. >> Okay. 8 to 5 >> and then 8 to the next day. >> And then 8 to noon on Tuesday. >> Okay. Where is it at? >> UNR. >> Okay. Good. Does it say where up there? >> Joe Crowley. Joe. >> Was it at Joe Crowley? Perfect. Okay. So Joe Crowley the 23rd 24th it's going to be from 8 to 5 um on the UNR campus and then the other thing I'd like to know anyone can attend correct it's free >> and what are they going to learn there or what tell us what what exactly the benefit is. So, you'll want to get ready for a dynamic summit featuring expert speakers, >> engaging discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. >> Okay. So, >> I I I've enjoyed going over the years. It's really nice to network with professionals, but also um HOA board. >> Yeah, I was going to say tell us who who's there. >> Yeah. Like, who can we expect? >> Ha representatives. And then we also have uh contractors like defensible space contractors who are trying to network and collaborate to put their names out there who are certified to do defensible space work. Okay. >> So, it's just nice to be in a room with people that that have the same um >> perfect >> the same goals and >> I just want to push it out there. It's really important. There's a lot of people. This is top of mind. And will you just make sure you send me an invite? I probably already have it, but I want to >> put this elevate this on my calendar. Anyway, any other questions? No. Um, fantastic. You made it. How do you feel? >> Great. >> You did a great job and you look great and you did a great job and um I'm just I'm really proud of you. >> Thank you. >> You're doing a really really good job. >> Oh, I did want to ask one thing. Can we talk about Colin Ranch? In the past sometimes, you know, obviously different jurisdictions that becomes a little interesting. I do think, you know, Colin Ranch has been um probably one of the most active areas. Um and knowing that, what what does that look like working with both of them and any protocol? Are things have you done things that might be a little bit different that we could expect as residents that live up there or kind of give us an idea? >> Sure. So, Colin Ranch HOA is working on developing a community wildfire protection plan that's specific to them. >> Okay. So, it's made for them. Um, it provides >> Are you going to help them? >> Uh, we reviewed it. We helped in that aspect. >> Okay, that's good. >> And then Brett and I along with living and fire living with fire attended uh one of their HOA meetings. So, they're really um they're really making step for making steps forward and they want our education and support. I've gone out and done a few defensible space inspections for residents since that meeting. Have you Brett? Brett as well. So Brett and I are just going to continue to work together, provide resources, and maybe um we've even talked about collaborating on a grant submitt. Um so that's that's pretty much going to be our role knowing that with previous fire behaviors, uh it is a high-risk area. So just seeing how we can >> Yeah. >> how we can help and provide resources. >> Okay, that's good. Okay, I'm going to touch on another topic here. Was there any conversation uh Chief Cochran um because you probably wouldn't know this but Chief Cochran should know this. Uh, one of the biggest things that we haven't talked about this and this very much, well maybe you have, maybe you totally have, so I shouldn't assume, but one of the biggest things that I think that can get pretty sideways in a fire is the the communication efforts of PIOS, different jurisdictions. Was that something that has been addressed? I think that is one of the most critical components and pieces of what we do. And therefore, you know, everyone has to be team WO County in the city of Reno together as one. One messaging. A lot of times when fire is in the county, people are calling me, "Mayor Shivy, what are you doing about it?" Well, and it's not my jurisdiction, but I feel compelled to go out there and give out information. Um, and also I'm probably have a lot more, you know, PTSD in this area. I live, you know, by Eddie and it's just it's more prevalent and personal things that have I have witnessed. So with that, was that a part of the conversation? And honestly, like how Yeah. And if it isn't, then I think we should have wildfire and communication. What do you think? >> I think that's a great idea. I was just confirming um the communications piece is not a part of the CWPP that we're presenting today. >> Okay. >> But that is a vital part of what we do and and you hit on it and that's why I think and Rebecca's here too. Um we upgraded we the region upgraded our platforms, our social media platforms, our um internet platforms so that people had could go to one site like we have one at Reno. They can go to one site and all the resources they need are there. Do you need help large animals? Do you need someplace to evacuate to? All that can be there in one spot and then our PIO's work together uh collaborate together in the event of a large >> incident, I'll call it, um to get the that word out because you're right, the communication to the community is so vital and that's why we also are very collaborative with our media partners. Yeah, >> that's the one of the quickest way to get those messages out there. >> Well, and here's what I'd say. I I I get to know you guys very well during these incidences. I we I I will tell you I think our side has been incredible. Our communication Rebecca's over here. I mean, she knows. We're on the phone 247 and JW and I mean it's non-stop. But I just want to make sure that you know, you bring this up to the fire chief um and to the fire chief and sparks that I think that tone has to come from you guys that it doesn't matter whose fire it is, whose incident it is. It all becomes a regional incident because whether that fire is over there, we're going to still have them. And I'm preaching to the choir, but I'm saying this so our residents understand in the city of Reno, we could be handling the evacuations. That means it's also our fire, too. We're putting roofs over people's heads. We're sheltering animals. We're sheltering people. There's a lot that's going on. And I just would love for you to have that conversation with those fire chiefs on how that communication and maybe it's getting better. Not that it was bad, it's just that I don't want to be reactionary. I want I want a handbook on, you know, what that protocol is because we tend to get our hands slapped um when we jump out in front of it. And that's just not going to be helpful in the event that we need all hands on deck. and they're mad that I came out and spoke on a a county fire. So, I'm I'm just saying like that's frustrating to me. And so, if you could help us um be on the same page with communication, it would be so greatly appreciated. >> I'm 100% on on >> Well, I know you are. I know you are distinguish that. I do know. I do know. So, >> it wasn't a part of the CWP, but that doesn't mean, you know, we're doing the regional fire study. I meet with the other fire chiefs. multiple times every month and so we are keeping those communication lines open and collaborating. So >> yeah, thank you. I appreciate it. I just think it goes hands in h hand inand I think Brandy touched on it. It's messaging, it's communication, it's getting the word out there because people don't think about until it happens there and they're calling us going where do I get this? Where do I get this? And we have all of that and we want to get it out to them. So I think the communications piece is always the most important. >> Yeah. And I I mean it goes so far in community building. Everybody wants to talk about this. Everybody's willing to talk to their neighbors about this. This is a neutral and, you know, universally important conversation. It's a big opportunity for everyone sitting up here to lead our communities through um connecting through just fire prevention. And so you have just been such a breath of fresh air to be able to be in public with and to be in front of constituents with because they are so grateful for the information and they're so grateful to see that our region is collaborating together. Um it just it builds confidence in a time when there's a lot there's low confidence in general. Um so you're really helping us stitch something special together in this community. Yeah. Um, so I would really encourage everybody up here um to learn more about really the unique fire dangers in your in your um communities and utilize the services that um prevention has to connect you with your constituents. >> Okay. One of the last not least getting back onto that, we really should do be doing um PSAs. So, I'll reach out to I don't know if we have grant money or something left over where we can tell them where to go and how to contact you and that you know because I think people are always going what are we doing and they're not hearing enough. But through um probably the 5:00 news, 6:00 news, that's probably when people are watching the most and locally. But I um I'll get with uh Rebecca on a on a PSA and ask our other partners um in the in the media on the journalism side to you know help us spread the word because we haven't done any of those. I haven't seen any out there on fire and PSAs. Have you done any Chief Cochran? >> We've say shout out to Rebecca and her team because we've been very proactive with getting different PSAs, not necessarily all wildfire, but different PSAs out there to promote what we're doing. We meet every month. We have comm media outreach every month. There's a podcast that we're going to record tomorrow with manager Bryant. >> Good. um promoting this exactly what we're talking about today. >> So, >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, I just wanted to make sure you're you're doing them. >> Yep. Absolutely. >> Okay. Well, then we're going to push we're going to push them out. I appreciate it. >> Good job. >> I was just going to tag on or something. >> Yeah. Go ahead. One more thing. >> Um back to communication. So, just in prevention alone, we now have um three inspectors that have open um PIO public information officer task books. And I think that was really supportive because we wanted to see if when there is an emergency or another wildfire >> that the faces that are on the TV are familiar. They're from they're from Reno Fire. >> Yeah. >> Um and Brett actually just finished his task book as well, which is awesome because then when we get those fires now there are, you know, four of us in prevention that are all qualified to go and help. >> Okay. Well, I think that that's fantastic. I should wait. I should walk that back so Rebecca doesn't think she's not doing a good job because she's doing a great job because I have seen you on social media and I'm not on social media a lot and it's very very little. But I have seen you on there and I think those are fantastic. Um I I I was just thinking back on the news. I just haven't seen many PSAs, but those are expensive spots, too. So they and they only have so many of them. >> I get a lot of people in the community say, "I saw you on TV." So I I think we're >> Okay, good. >> We're getting out there. >> Okay. I love it. I love it. All right. Okay. Counciloman Doer, I see a green light over there. >> Okay. I don't think >> we need to >> I move uh to accept the 2026 City of Reno Community Wildfire Protection Plan. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. >> All those opposed? Motion carries. Fantastic. Congratulations. And you made it. I feel like you got more and more comfortable >> because she kept saying, "Wait, one more thing." >> Yeah. Wait. >> Thank you. >> All right. Bye you guys. Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Um I just want to make sure that we are we have um five, six, and seven. >> Five, six, and seven. >> Yes. Okay, perfect. >> All right, madame mayor, if you're okay with it, we'll move on to item C5. >> Okay, >> which is a presentation from Vicky Van Beern. >> Okay, let's do that. Before we um go into that item, Madam Clerk, do you have any public comment? >> We do have public comment on this item from Eddie Lorton. >> All right, come on up, Eddie. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate your earlier sending the girls over. That was nice. Thank you. So, for the record, George Eddie Lorton running for no mayor. And I ended up I wanted to make a statement on this. I know that this council isn't trash experts, okay? And I know you have to be experts about everything whenever you're sitting in those seats, which is impossible. So, I've seen money slip through our fingers on so many of these agreements. I've been, you know, I'm a forensics auditor, business analyst, done a lot in a lot of big businesses throughout the nation. And I ended up also what I see we're losing a lot of money here. Instead of raising this to hurt the citizens and small haulers, I would hope we'd have more oversight on some of these agreements because that's the key. Agreement is an agreement without oversight. So we're not overseeing these agreements and that's where we're losing money at this city. So when it comes to it, if it comes to like these franchise agreements, stuff like that, I would hope you would maybe hire a specialist that might come in to do an audit once a year because man, it'd be nice down at Waste Management if you would accurately see, especially since they have Monopoly on it, that all the trash comes into our transfer station, and that's how you get your franchise fees in the amount of trash coming to the transfer station. How do we know that they're not loading up another bin of stuff and just going directly to the landfill? You don't know that because then they get double charged on franchise fees when they end up going to the substation. They pay a franchise fee to the city of Reno and when they transport it to Story County, they pay one out there, too. So then they have to pay too, but we don't have any oversight to see exactly the trash coming in that we get our franchise fees from. So, there's a lot of money there for you guys to make extra money on through these franchise fees if we did oversight on these agreements. And like we mentioned before, I've mentioned deed restriction before, like Devon had mentioned on that other deal too for years on our properties. We haven't followed through with that on a deed restriction for like land you give away. There's lost money there to where we gave land to an automobile museum years ago that was right next door and we didn't they were supposed to do a Porsche museum and we didn't do a deed restriction on it. So, we don't know what happened to that land and our city didn't take that back. So, deed restrictions are important for us to make money, but I would hope you're not going to raise the fees of everybody in this city through approving this 8% increase on waste management. I would just hope for more oversight so we can get the money instead of it just going elsewhere and then we we'll charge them more but if there's no oversight they'll still do the same thing but the customers are going to pay and the small haulers are going to pay. So, I really hope you can implement that on like from the agreements to the ballpark, waste management, every single agreement we have. If we don't have oversight, there's money slipping through our fingers every day without punishing the citizens or the people working here and living here. So, that's what I had to say today. So, I hope you don't approve that. I thank you for your time. Thank you. >> All right. >> All right, Madame Mayor. With that, we have no additional public comment. All right, Miss Vicky Van Burnern, good to see you. >> Thank you. >> And I'm sorry, for the record, we did receive two comments on this item. Um, one neutral in opposition and one or one in opposition and one neutral. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, good afternoon, Vicky Vanurren, director of finance for the record. Um, madame mayor and council members, um, I'm here before you today to present um, presentation and discussion and potential approval for the increase to the waste management solid waste and recyclable materials franchise fee. Um, for ease of this presentation, I will be referring to this as sanitation franchise fees throughout this presentation just for an ease of what we're talking about here. This is the official wording though. Miss Beern, my apologize for interrupting. Are we reopening the franchise agreement? >> The franchise agreement is uh is through waste management. It's attached to it and I madam >> no sir, we are not. This is not an opening of the franchise agreement. >> I just was trying to make sure that agreement is in place and has several more years on it. Correct. >> That's correct. >> Thank you so much. So this this item is an agreement with uh the strategic plan in alignment with the strategic plan through fiscal sustainability. Um with the fisc year 27 budget, the challenge is structural. It's not a one-time imbalance and there's limited alternatives for meaningful fiscal impact. There's an estimated $24 million budget gap with the general fund and that's driven by inflationary expenses outpacing revenue growth. Long-term projections that you've seen and you will see again have a 10-year model showing that the issue will continue longer um without long-term solutions. So, it's not a short-term thing. Slow revenue growth was identified back in fiscal year 23 with flattening or even declining revenues in some cases. And that not only impacted fiscal year 23, but the future growth potential on those revenue sources. And that's the compounding effect of revenue loss over time. And we're still experiencing that. And we're going to continue to experience that because once that's gone, you don't gain it back. That's the compounding loss of it. The decision framework really here is it's very clear. We either reduce expenses, increase revenues, or a combination of both. And we're not unique in the structural budget challenges that you're facing. Um many agencies are facing the same challenges and for the same reasons. So what's already been done? Um what's been done in the past and what are we looking at to do for fiscal year 27 to balance the budget? Well, with the current fiscal year, as you remember, we faced a similar deficit, $25 million to balance the fiscal year 26 budget. We ended up balancing that through a combination of revenues and onetime revenues and then $16 million in reductions. The reductions are shown here. These were the reductions that were d done to balance the current year budget. Um these were already implemented with this budget year and similar similarly they're being recommended for fiscal year 27 as well. A lot of these are one-time in nature and so that does compound the impact as you look out in the future to the impact as we move forward long term. Um in addition to well included within these $16 million of reductions, there were 20 frozen positions that were frozen for this current budget cycle. And then once this budget was adopted after that an additional eight positions were um frozen through the reduction in force. So 28 positions have been frozen in the current year budget and those are anticipated to remain frozen with the projections that you'll see as we look at fiscal year 27 and the ones that you've seen previously. So in fiscal year 27 the doing similar things that we did last year some one time some ongoing. Um the new thing really this year focusing on budgeting for vacancy savings. Um so budgeting for salary savings it's also called vacancy savings means intentionally budgeting less than the full cost of authorized positions. It assumes some positions will be vacant during the year due to turnover, hiring delay or retirements. It's a common practice. Other agencies do it. Um but it comes with both strategic benefits and also real risk involved. The benefits are a small percentage adjustment can create a meaningful uh savings. So you capture that savings during the year for the general fund. a 2% vacancy rate budgeting for that equates to about $5 million that we capture during the year as it occurs. Um, when it's realistically done, it does improve the budget accuracy, but we have to be right on the number that's chosen and we have to be um accurate in watching the budget during the year as it occurs. um because in practice 100% of the positions are rarely filled 100% of the time. Turnover, recruitment delays and retirements create these predictable gaps and that's why we do um propose doing that. There is however a real increase to risk. Um there's less flexibility for uncertain times like unanticipated revenue declines like we saw in CAX um because it is very volatile or unanticipated expenses if you have emergencies again there's less flexibility once we do that vacancy assumptions um would have if they exceed historical averages what we have actually predicted we have to watch that during the year because that's another risk that comes up we have to extremely uh we do extremely close monitoring of the budget and strategic management of the staffing levels throughout the year once this rolls out. What this looks like when you roll it up into the budget for fiscal year 27, doing similar things that we did last year through that $16 million in reductions. Similarly doing that and then also combining um the salary savings piece of this, we still end up with a projected difference of about 4.4 4 million for fiscal year 27. Um, not included. Do want to highlight any CBAs that are currently open. We have those open with IIAFF for the current year and next year and for local 39 starting next year, not included here. So, let's talk about what it means um long-term and what does the modeling do here. This 10-year modeling that you see on the here, you can see that it's a shortterm in the short term, it's not a big challenge, but we have because we have solutions for it, but long-term solutions are need for fiscal year 28 and beyond. Um, so really, how do you read this chart and what is it really showing you? It's showing you fund balance and fund balance is the cash flow for operations in between quarterly revenue receipts. So we don't get receipts of revenues at the exact time when bills come through the door or payroll is due. Some of them we only receive quarterly like property tax which is a large one. And so in between those payments we still have to make payroll and pay bills as they come due. So if you look at this chart fund balance on here that operating that cash flow that we need for operations really we need about two months of operating expenses and that equates to about 16.7%. That's the first dashed line that you see at the top on this chart. Um, when we get below 10% in fund balance that at that point, we start to have some cash flow issues. So, we may not have enough cash at a particular time when a bill comes due and we may have to hold it hold it 30 days, 45 days, whatever the the situation is there. And there are even times uh at that 10% mark or even a little below that that we will have to ask for um advances from the county on property tax. So we get it quarterly. There may be points in there which has happened in the past. It's been many years but it's when I first got to the city we had to ask for advances because the cash flow was not there to pay the bills as they were coming due. And that's really what we get into once we hit that 10% mark and below. Now, you'll see the 4% mark, the the lowest one on here. That's the NRS minimum. The NRS minimum, that's the point where the city would effectively be insolvent. We could not pay the bills and the state would step in at that point. Um, we would not have the ability to meet the financial obligations. We wouldn't have the cash on hand. And that's really why fund balance is so critical. Um, and we talk about it so much here. The blue bars on here tell you the dollar amounts. The real focus for you here is really to look at the percentages because we need it to stay around 15 to 16% to really provide that cash flow as we go in the future. This is just built out on what we know. Um we build this model and we anticipate certain things like um changes in we don't this does not include any changes in staffing levels current staffing levels the whole 10 years. Um, we do make adjustments for PERS, workers comp, medical benefits, debt payments that we currently are making, um, annual capital maintenance funding for the future, fleet, and then some minimal cost of living adjustments so that this is as accurate as we can get at predicting for the future. Um, it doesn't predict recessions or things like that, but it predicts what we on average think is the normal go forward based on what we know. And so really looking at this, you know, it's not this model is not feasible once you get from fiscal year 29 onward. It's 7% fund balance in fiscal year 29. It's not feasible. We don't even have cash flow for um fund balance. And so without drastic cuts to make that fund balance go back up or increase in revenues, it's a problem and it's a long-term problem. And that's really what this model is is is showing you. And I want to circle back to kind of what I talked about about for risk. So risk with the higher risk of budgeting for vacancy savings, it's even more critical that we maintain 15 to 16% fund balance because this fund balance in here is what would keep us, you know, solvent if something went down. um revenues go down a little bit, we have an unexpected expense. This is it now because now we've closed that gap on the budget and there really is no cushion in the budget anymore. This is the backup and so it really needs to stay between that 15 and 16%. So today we're going to talk, you know, a lot about revenues and what are the opportunities. Um well, you know, the opportunities are just very limited. The two major revenue sources, C tax and property tax, they're governed by the legislature. Um, and it really constrains local options for meaningful fiscal impact, meaning it will make a big impact to the budget. It takes a lot of dollars to make an impact to a $231 million budget. $200,000 does not make an impact. We need millions of dollars to make a real fiscal impact. Franchise fees are one of the top three largest sources of revenues in the general fund. Franchise fees provide um a significant source of the revenues and that's used for essential government operations, public safety, police, fire, emergency response, code enforcement, munic um parks and wreck, other government services. These are essential functions that the city provides. So what are really franchise fees? If we focus in on these, franchise fees are payments made by private utility or service companies like waste haulers and cable providers. And these fees are generally based on a percentage of the provers's gross revenues generated within the city. The franchise fee revenue is relatively stable because it's tied to ongoing utility and service charge usage. Although it's relatively stable, it does flatten and it does decline sometimes depending on usage. Um, but it is relatively stable. When you look at broader the broader category of franchise fees for the city, there are six different franchise fees that the city has. They have electric, natural gas, sanitation, telephone, cable TV, and sewer. Um, sanitation is just one component of this overall structure and it is the only component in here that US council have the ability to change and that's why we're really talking about it today because we're looking at long-term impacts and long-term solutions. The sanitation fee originated in the 1990s and the franchise agreements had some contractual updates in 2012 and there really haven't been any changes since that time. So, it's been pretty stagnant this this whole time. No changes. Um because waste collection is a universal and consistent service, the revenue base is relatively steady compared to more volatile sources like sea tax or even in this case electric and natural gas you can see are much more volatile than sanitation. Sanitation growing year-over-year. So it is a very good item to look at as a revenue opportunity for the city and to bridge some of the gap not only now but in the future. So if you look at uh sanitation franchise fees currently it's at 8% for the city of Reno. Wash county is at 8% and Sparks is at 14%. Sparks increase from 8 to 14% six 6% they increased last year with their budget cycle. And because they're facing the same the same challenges that we are here, this was one of the spaces that they looked at and they looked at it for the exactly the same reasons that we're looking at it because it would make a significant impact to the budget for the future. approximately uh 1% increase equates to about $900,000 a year of ongoing revenue for the city. Um if you were to go with the 6% increase and match um sparks meeting other local jurisdictions, it would be about $5.5 million of annual income. So what would the impact really be to a typical customer? So if you're looking at a residential customers, these are pretty easy to look at because they have certain trash bin sizes and and then a corresponding amount that associates with that. You can see from this chart that most of the customers within the city have the 96gallon trash bin and the 96 recycle bin. It's about 65% of the customers have that. That's clearly the majority of the customers have that. So I just want to kind of focus on what a bill would look like for that customer. So if you have that 96gallon bin, both recycle and garbage, you're paying per quarter right now $7560 with the 8% franchise fee that's included in that. If you look at going up 1% to 9 9% from 8% to 9%, that's a monthly increase of about 23 cents for that customer. If you go all the way to 14 on this chart, that's a monthly increase of about $1.40 40 a month for that customer. These rates are based on the rates as of January and it doesn't include any future rate increases implemented by the service provider. So that's completely separate from what you're looking at here as a franchise fee. So really um the real reason this is in front of you today is because the financial impact um is spread broadly for this type of an increase meaning it's distributed among all sanitation customers. And it means that the per household impact is pretty small. Especially when you look at um the monthly impact on this given that it's a small monthly impact for customers, it does generate a significant amount of revenue for the city by doing it. And so that's the real reason that this is before you today. So if we look at the 10-year forecast, so now I'm going to give you some kind of scenarios. Can you so you can see what happens. So focusing again on fund balance because this is where we need this to stay between 15 and 16% to keep us steady gives us that little bit of cushion also allows us to pay our bills on time and gives us cushion into the future as you start to figure some things out. So increasing franchise fees um from on this model from 8 to 14%. This is the only change from the previous model that I showed you where we kind of dipped off um increases them here. It does not solve the entire problem because you can see in the middle we dip down to around 10 n you know back up to 10. We dip down in that area but we don't really go below that 10%. We're right there at that 10%. This is really going to give that runway for longer term solutions like regionalization of services, property tax reform, um sea taxes, changes to the distribution model. We know that longer term solutions are needed and this is not the only solution. This is part of a much bigger puzzle to solve this in the future. And this really is intended to show you that increasing to that um 8 to 14% would give runway in this space to do some of those longer term changes in the future. Um, if you were to, just to give you an idea, if you were to um, try to create this model without increasing franchise fees and you want to do it through just straight cuts, you want to do that, um, it would be 30 positions to the general fund. So 30 positions would have to be removed to continue to see this same effect. So, if you look at a 4% increase, um, so we're going to go from 8% to 12%. What does that model look like? Well, it doesn't create the runway needed for longer term solutions. And here you can clearly see that the dip below um the 10% mark. It would be very challenging to operate in this space. It only provides for very shortterm relief in those first couple years and then significant cash flow issues start occurring around fiscal year 29 and going down to fund balance of 6% by fiscal year 32. So it really doesn't create that runway space that's needed. If you wanted to do this and something else like um do positions as well, it would take this and 10 positions in fiscal year 27 and then going forward again not adding any positions after this. So that's why this is such a critical topic and why we're discussing it so much right now um because long-term solutions are needed. So the last option that I have here just to kind of show you how it works. So, a 2% increase. So, if you do a 2% increase, again, this only provides very short-term relief with significant cash flow issues starting even earlier and the fund balance declining to 4% by fiscal year 31 and then below 4% which really isn't even an option. Um, we can't go below 4%, we really can't go much below 10% because it is a significant challenge. Um, if you were to choose this model and you want to look out to keep it, you know, on a runway that we could manage, it would be this and 20 positions out of the budget for fiscal year 27. So now I've just kind of summarized all of these in one slide to show you the the cash flow um and how that that looks as far as fund balance. Same color schemes on here. The red one on the bottom is current current without making any changes at the 8% uh franchise fee. Um the yellow is the 4%, the blue um is the 12 I'm sorry, the yellow is the 10%, the blue is the 12% and the green is the 14%. that 14% um going from the 8 to the 14% increase. You can see that green bar stays above that right above that 10% mark and that's really creating that runway. Um the item today it's you know it's a policy choice about long-term fiscal sustainability. This is part of a long-term strategy and it would prioritize durable fixes over short-term patches which is what we've done for a couple years. So that concludes my presentation. Um raising the sanitation franchise fees can be part of a longerterm solution because it provides stable reoccurring revenue although and re stable reoccurring revenue through an existing mechanism. So this mechanism already exists and you have the ability to impact it unlike a lot of the other large revenue sources that are legislatively set. This does help maintain essential core services to the city. So with that, I would uh recommend going from the eight to the 14% and I'm available for questions. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Um a several questions. When was the last time that we did this? When's the last time um a franchise fee was raised? The franchise fees were set in the mid 90s um about 94 95 and then they made some contractual contract changes around 2012 and then that brought them all to 8% at that point. Um and then nothing since then. So it's been a long time. >> Okay. And then I want you to talk a little bit about why is the state of Nevada different um for Miss Mullen over there so she can understand why it's more complex. um the way that our taxes are structured and many people get to benefit from that especially if they own multiple um properties and homes and things like that. So talk a little bit about Thank you. I see you back there. Okay. Anyway, um I'm I'm know she's here to to engage. So, I want to make sure that you put this on the record because this is what is so great about Nevada and why people want to live here, why they invest here, and why they actually, and matter of fact, those are the same people that don't pay any taxes on the businesses that they're running. So, that's really heartening. So, you don't get it both ways. So, I want you to talk about um for anyone that doesn't understand, we're the only state in Nevada that does it with depreciation, keeps our taxes down, which is why Nevada is such a wonderful state. Am I not right, Eddie? You're a businessman. So, we we love that. But we also have to be careful about balancing other things. And that's why I do think go going into more research of an audit. I'm sure there are people that do this all over the place because it is a balance. You don't want higher areas, but you don't get it both ways either. You don't. Let's be honest, okay? So, it can't be like, you know, the the rich over here and we're going to keep taxing the poor and the poor and the poor. That's not fair. I would you disagree? >> Yes. She's over there saying yes. So, um I I just want to un I want people to understand why is it more complex in Nevada, the only state that does this. So, talk about this. This needs to be more of an education. It's problematic. Um but there are reasons why that is. And certain people benefit. Matter of fact, we all benefit, but some benefit more than others. So, I want you to talk a little bit um because that needs to be on the record. >> Thank you for that question. Um yes, we all do benefit and that you know we are a low tax state. We all benefit. We all enjoy that. But there are challenges when you work for local government and there are challenges providing the services to the community that they expect because as you'll know that that model that I just showed the 10-year model this doesn't account for growth in population and it doesn't account for growth in people that you need to provide those services for that population. Um, it also is just very challenging with uh property tax and cax being the two largest sources in the general fund because between those two it's 60 to 61% of the revenues in the budget but you as a local agency don't have the ability to make changes to that. That's at the legislative level. So you're very limited in spaces where you can make changes and make significant changes that help the community and impact the community. Um, property tax specifically has several challenges as you mentioned depreciation which is the only state that has depreciation. It also has tax caps. So residential is capped at 3% growth per year and commercial is capped at 8% growth per year. Um, it does not resettle. >> Can you say that again? Say that again for me, Vicki. Go over those numbers again. >> Absolutely. Residential is capped at 3% growth per year. So your wow your bill cannot grow more than 3% each year >> even if you own more properties. >> Um >> how's that work? >> The commercial is 8%. >> So if you're you have a rental house that would be under commercial and that would be 8% but again can't grow more than that. It can go less than that depending on some other calculations that are in there but that's the cap. And so um they don't reset on sale. So, you buy an older home, you inherit all the depreciation that's already on that house, and you pay much less in taxes than someone who buys a new home. So, there's a lot of nuances of yes, it's a great place to live, and yes, we're all benefiting from it, but it does make balancing a budget very challenging, >> but if you own lots of properties, there's lots of benefits. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that that that's on the record. Um because it is it's really hard. The other thing I'd say the most important thing, you know, is the safety. So, you have to have fire and police, right? And so, we have to look at those things as essential services and how are we going to pay for them. But I also think you just have to be so careful robbing Peter to pay Paul when these things happen. But you know looking at other things where you know there are certain areas like let's say the airport they don't pay taxes. Those are things where we need to have conversations with them on service taxes right well not service taxes but service fees I would say because they're getting they're they're getting services um and they're they're really not paying for them. They're getting fire service, police services, those kinds of things and they're not paying for them. and looking at those places where they should be right sided up as well and not just you know over here and it has to be balanced and I would say you know what are most what's the comparative this is why I think an audit is good I think um you mentioned weight of trash so what what are other cities doing what is coming through those uh plants and just there's so many different variables so I I don't think this is just easy where you're like yes we're going to do it but we kind of need to feel a little bit more I think educated on why you do it. But you look at everything I think other things that we can do um I guess together with other entities that may need services as well. Does that make sense? I guess maybe fairness. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. All right. Ready? Randy, do you want to go? I don't see any green lights on. Um, oh, you just turned yours on. Go ahead, Councilwoman Taylor. And then I'll start with you, Brandy, and we'll go down. >> Thank Thank you, Madame Mayor. Thank you for the presentation. Um, I don't know if I necessarily have a question, but I just wanted to re reiterate a couple things that I heard. This is obviously, we keep saying this, this is not a unique position that we're in. We're seeing it with all local governments. It's always a very challenging decision to raise rates, especially in the times right now where people are, you know, struggling to live. But um the solution as I've brought up is we've got to increase revenue, we've got to cut or a combination of both. So, I am okay with this proposal because I know that you and with the city manager team are also cutting um extensively inside the organization. And I just wanted to make sure I understood in all things is um we've been able to cut about $16 million this year moving forward. So, we are doing a combination of both. Is that and that was about that included about 20 positions. um it's frozen 20 yeah we froze 20 positions so I think um you know as as hard as it is to make this decision we are working towards this solution and this is one way that we can actually this is the only way that we can actually generate revenue if I'm understanding you correctly >> in a yes in a significant way yes >> okay thank you thank you madam mayor >> go ahead Brandy Councilwoman Anderson take it away >> yes thank you I just wanted to thank you for giving us kind of a holistic look at not only the history on the franchise fees, um how that how the rate was created, how often it has or has not been um increased. I don't think that anybody here wants to increase the fee. Um but what you want to do and what is necessary to protect the public and make sure that we have the the ability to fund the city and all the services are so critical to our community. sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. And so I appreciate you breaking it down for us, you know, percentage by percentage, how much 1% at a time would raise. I think that um I don't think that there's really a taste to come back here and piece meal this together. I think we need to make the real impact to the city and our solveny moving forward all at once. That's just my position or my my opinion. Um, but this wasn't an easy decision to come to and I know that this dis had a lot of questions in our briefings about it and I think you've done a really good job at showing us and the community why this is a viable option to keep the community safe. So, thank you. >> All right, Vice Mayor Martinez. >> Thanks, Madame Mayor. Thank you, Director Ramir, for the presentation. Um, I just want to extend my gratitude for you in doing the different sets of forecasting and looking at what the increases would do depending on which one did we decide to move forward. I think when the conversations first started, the analysis that you were providing for us was only at a 14 uh% so that would have been a 6% increase from 8 to 14. And so now that you have sort of given us an overview of what the fiscal impacts would be to each one of those increases, which is slide 16, I think sort of encapsulates all of the forecasts that you've put together. Um, and I think you've heard me say this before, but multiple people have talked about the cost of living, um, and how all of these increases are affecting. And I know when we're looking at items, it's only one at a time. So, we may be only discussing one, but every household is feeling these pinches overall. It isn't like they're just feeling this increase or another increase to another utility. And so, I want to make sure that we put that on the record and that we're mindful that um we're still considering all of that. we do want to continue to maintain a certain level of service uh to ensure public safety um and other services are provided to our constituents. And so I think in that case I understand where this recommendation from staff is coming from um and can be supportive of moving you know from from where you're at currently to the 14% especially given as madame mayor had pointed out the fact that this fee also hasn't increased since 2012. Correct. >> Yes. Um, so those those findings or I guess learning about that information causes me to be a little bit more supportive. The other thing that I um am concerned about um is that there are a a lot of mobile home parks throughout the city of Reno that are zoned general commercial. And despite the fact that those are residential parcels, they're charged different rates based on the way that they're zoned through the city. So, outside of this item that we're talking about that now, I just wanted to see if I could ask maybe the city manager um if we could look at how to rectify that inequity that's happening with different utilities um in the way that they are charging those residential customers that live in residential housing units that are zoned general commercial. But because of the way that they're zoned through the city and that's how these public utilities, you know, base their re their fees and charge those customers, they're charged at a higher rate. And so what if anything can we do to research ameliating this inequity that are being experienced by some of our residents in the Reno area? >> Uh let let me research that and then we'll report back on what that is. So, you're thinking mobile homes versus apartment complexes versus single family homes. >> Correct. Because there are some that are zoned multifamily 14 or something like that depending on which mobile home park we're looking at. But some of them are zoned general commercial. And because these public utilities base their rates on how we zone it within the city, they're charged a different rate than an apartment complex or a single family home. And so I find that to be inequitable, an inequity that's happening within the funding structure and the way that those rate structures are are set in place. So if we could do some research to figure out how to justify that or help those folks out, that would help me. >> Absolutely. We'll do we'll do the research, figure out what the impact is, and come with an understanding and then a proposal for council's consideration if they would like to change it. >> Thank you so much. >> Good point. Okay. Um, >> thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, I Miss Van Beern, thank you for the presentation. I wanted to sort of phrase this in a slightly different way. I see this as a policy choice about how to raise the or close the gap between what our fiscal year budget is and where it is. I I think that we have already done the belt tightening part of it, right? We've already gone through the audits. We've gone through the uh freezing of positions. we've gone through the decisions about where to keep those permanent and and where not to. And so I think that's part of our upcoming discussion as we approach the next budget cycle um which we'll be doing. I think our next budget workshop is coming up in two weeks. Um so I think that's the first thing about it that is a little unique maybe from my colleagues perspective. Uh second is I agree with my colleagues that um it is a difficult thing to have to do. No one wants to increase fees on anyone. Um the city of Reno of course has no taxing authority. We don't raise or lower your taxes. And so I wanted to ask a question about the franchise fee discussion that you positive about, you know, natural gas and electric and those things. So one of the ones that's declining most rapidly of course was um self uh telephones and and that's because it's only attached to landlines. Is that correct? >> It has a landline component. It does have a cell phone component to it, but it's a little less. So, as people switch from landlines and they have more cell phones, the revenue from it is less. >> Well, and and I'm I'm revealing something. I haven't had a landline in a long time, right? Uh and so it's just a cell phone era. So, I suppose I I'm sort of curious as to why it doesn't kind of keep pace like when kids get a cell phone, doesn't that increase the fee kind of a moment? >> It's it's a different um rate as far as how it's applied. So as a percentage and then per cell phone on each set that's different >> who who sets it >> set by the legislature at that level. >> Okay. Um and so I wanted to also you know um ask you a question about the franchise itself? Uh when is the franchise between us and Waste Management up for negotiation or renegotiation? >> That contract goes through 2029. >> Okay. So, we have a few years still before we can have a real analysis of the entirety of the franchise. Who audits the uh franchise fee? Meaning, who assures ourselves that we are getting paid what we're owed? Because I noticed that NV Energy has been in the news quite a lot lately about having overcharged customers for like 20 years. Then that fee was identified and now they're having to pay it back on some prata basis. How would we know we're getting what we're owed? I believe our contract says that we can um audit them every five years. >> And when did we last do that? >> Um it has been a few years since we've done it because we have to wait for that time. But it is on our plan. We do have an audit schedule set up. We're currently audit finishing up the audit on telephone. We are cycling to do uh Envy Energy to do the gas and the electric. We're working on that concurrently at the same time. And then this would be following. and we kind of have to put them on a schedule because it's based on when we can do that. >> Well, it's timing of that. It's the cost to do it. It's the ability of staff time to dedicate it. But I guess the takeaway though for me is you're not unfamiliar with the concept of an audit. >> Is that a yes? >> Yes. >> Yes, we do. We monitor them. We do um make sure that we're getting what we're supposed to be receiving. But the only way we can really ensure that, like you said, is through an audit. um because we have to have access to their books and you know have to verify the information. >> Again you you are familiar with audits. We utilize them as appropriately. Is that correct? >> Yes, we do. >> Okay. Thank you so much. I want to I have another question but I can wait till my next time around. >> Okay. >> Thanks. Um I just want to recap because um there's some confusion out there that somehow increasing a franchise fee would somehow help the person providing the service in this case waste management. But would you clarify that none of this goes to them? This all any all income the 8% goes to the city of Reno. >> This 8% does currently go to city of Reno. 14% would come to the city of Reno. So, I just want to clarify that because some people out there think somehow this helps waste management's bottom line. I think they would just assume we not increase anything because the general public probably thinks it is their responsibility. They don't understand the delicate balancing and when fees are set by waste management which goes to them um they they think that this fee goes to waste management too. But I just wanted to make sure we clarify this is about income to the city of Reno. >> That is correct. >> Okay. So, one of my challenges is that I don't understand why the city of Reno as a sort of practice waits so long to increase fees. So, give you an example on sewer. We also didn't raise sewer connection fees as I recall for since also like 2012. And I don't understand what the thinking is like. Why would we not want to keep a pace given we you had the conversation about property taxes and um you know it can go down it can't go up very much and all those challenges why we aren't keeping an exquisite eye on these things and to that length one of the things we did with sewer I believe was we set a CPI increase right >> yes >> so once we set a rate we also set a CPI so that it at least would keep track with the market once we went through the the torture or the challenge of setting increasing rates. So if we do something, I would want to see that we pair it with that that we don't just do a oneshot thing and then wait eight more years till we address it again. I would rather it be on some consistent rel relevant basis. I'm also a little concerned because I've heard that Sparks and now that they're at um 14% is also again looking at another increase. That that's my >> understanding is they are not looking at it. >> No, they aren't. >> I just talked to them. Yes. >> Okay. Well, prior to you saying that it was kind of in the news that they were and you know I I my other question is about the audit. So most contracts I've ever done allow a government agency to audit whenever and wherever they think they need to go into the files, open the files, see what's going on. Is that not the way this is set up? >> No, it's determined by the contracts. Well, what does that mean? >> So, waste management contract says we can audit every five years. Um, Envy Energy, those contracts that we have those say every three years. So, we put them on cycles depending on the contracts. >> Yeah. Well, a note to future council. It seems like that is way too long, five years to conduct a regular audit. It seems like it should almost be annual to me. Um, the second thing I just want to say before second round myself, I'm not that comfortable with maxing this out. I think that we have to look at everything. Although my colleague said we've already made these changes, cut positions and so on. One thing, and I know it's tough to talk about, is that we have not um talked about potentially cutting salaries. you know, um we haven't talked about phased in um uh reductions in terms of, you know, what's the right word I'm looking for? Um >> where >> salaries, >> not salaries, but where um um a furlow I guess is the term. In other words, what what I would like to do is get the presentations on all the things we can do and then com combine them together in a discussion where we can balance like you started to do saying if uh we do this much it equals so many position cuts. I think that's a good kind of way to do it. But I would add more than just a dynamic this or a position cut. Maybe it's uh salary cuts, maybe it's furlows, maybe it's slow rocking uh vehicle replacements. I mean, in other words, there are things within our our grasp that we can do. And I my feeling is just to take as many of them together, get the information, but then make the decisions, not one by one, but together. So, I'll leave it right there for you. >> Can I respond to that, Council Member Dor? I just want to make this course. First of all, I love your idea about CPI. You're not wrong. I I agree with you. >> Um that's one. Number two, why does staff not bring these? Why did it take 13 years? There there's an incredible reluctance internally to raise to increase fees. We know council doesn't want to do it. We don't want to do it. >> It's very unpopular. And when you do, >> you really people come after you. It it really is never a comfortable scenario, but that doesn't mean >> it's the right thing to do because then we go up a $140 per month instead of going up 50 cents per month, right? So, I agree with you that applying a CPI would be less painful, right, >> every time. So, I wanted to to let you know that with respect to reducing salaries salaries, I just need to give you a reminder. I I think roughly 200 employees out of a 1600 >> full-time employee staff >> are not under contract not represented right 70% of the general fund employees are public safety you can't cut your way to that number >> I understand I'm looking at a com combination >> but we have reduced 28 positions in two years we've eliminated $50 million in two years, we are dangerously close, >> right? >> And in some areas already have had a significant reduction in service. So, we are really hanging on by a thread. And I just want to say it is >> it would be nearly impossible to negotiate a reduction in salaries with represented employees. >> Okay. But it is it does set just since we're having a little discussion debate it the number may be low but the perception may be high. In other words >> oh I I agree >> we I think we have to use as as many people have said here today all the tools in the toolbox to to get to our right answer and maybe the right answer is 14% increase point is I believe that with the work Vicki has done we have done so much cutting and in with the reluctance to get here. Sure. >> Um, but I do agree with you. Waiting 13 years is not a responsible approach and we will do better. All right. And I would love it if you wanted to tie it to the CPI. I think that's a great idea. >> But Miss Bryant, to your point, um, you said that one of the reasons why there's some reluctance to increasing it is sort of like a staff reluctance. I I think you've missed part of the mark though. Um, as electeds, of course, we are all concerned um for the being held accountable for our votes. accountability is very important. And so I think when a candidate knows nothing about the budget and then says I'm opposed to this on principle without understanding what the cuts are, that's not leadership, right? Leadership is when you have to make a hard decision and you vote because it's the right decision as you said. >> And so anyone who believes otherwise I think is selling something. It's like a snake oil salesman, you know, a carpet cleaning salesperson. It's just not real, right? So I think you missed part of the explanation for I don't I I don't want to blame staff. I I want to blame the optics of politics and we are all people who want to make the right decision for the right reason. >> Excellent point. Yes. >> Thank you so much. Are there any other comments? Council member Anderson. >> Actually if you want to go to Miss Eert first. >> Yes. Council member Eert. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um, I just want to um support what council member Martinez mentioned about the um mobile home parks. I know that that is um an issue that I've had um not I didn't have the same thought as him, but I have had issues with regard to not considering those areas as residential and then the impact that happens to the people that live there when development comes in. they don't get the same considerations for notification and stuff. So, this is really more comment for um Manager Bryant. If we could just kind of take a look at how we're treating the um zoning or just how we handle mobile home parks and also um you know, as we look at how to bring more housing into the region in different ways um that might be a great way to kind of open up a broader discussion with bringing in more types of housing into the region. So, sorry to kind of derail a little bit. >> No problem. We'll add that to the research. >> Yeah. Um, the other thing is um I had um a question on um franchise fees. What do we get a franchise fee from REMA? I'm sorry if that was in there and I missed it. >> No, we do not. >> We do not get a franchise fee from REMA. Okay. Is there a reason for that? Is it just a different type of um agreement or um >> Well, I can answer that as the chair of the district board of health, council member Eert. It's because REMA does not charge us a fee and they subsidize patient transport to the tune of about $10 million a year. So, it's it's we >> just a different thing. Okay. >> Yeah. Just it's it's a franchise model, but it's not a franchise feebased model. They do the patient transports, but whether you can pay or can't pay, you still get transport. >> Yeah. Okay. And then also, um I had a question about um the bills. How how does commercial uh waste management bills get calculated? Is it on the size of the the um container that they're using or how is it? because we know how residential is with size. It how does it calculate to um commercial >> commercial is going to be much harder to kind of compare because it's going to be dependent on what services they select. Okay. >> So they have a lot bigger range of services that they could select bin size and such and then pickups pickup once a week twice a week. You know it's really going to vary by the business and what their actual needs are. >> Okay. Do would you say that their fees just generally are are higher than residential? >> Yes. Uh just like it would be for electric and gas. The rates for businesses are higher than >> Okay. Okay. Um and also I I do Oh, I have other stuff, but I'll have a second round if that's all right. >> Sounds good. Thank you, Council Member. >> Does anybody else have any other comments or questions? Council member Reese, >> thank you so much. I wanted to go back to the uh franchise fee example page so that I was understanding this um model. Is it correct that at 14% the increase that you're recommending from 8 to 14 the increase per month to the end user is a $1.40 a month? >> Yes. And this would be the top of the range for a residential customer because all of the other this is the the largest bin the 96 size. So all the other customers pay a little bit less. Um, like for example, I think I brought the senior because that comes up sometimes. How much seniors pay? They pay about 75% of this rate. So their rate is only $55.14. So their increase all the way to this would be a dollar2, >> right? So a dollar a month is the increase that you're suggesting is appropriate. And these uh dollars then go to fund essential services like parks and recreation, police and fire. >> Correct. >> Right. Okay. Thanks so much. >> Of course. >> Okay. Are we ready? Oh, Councilwoman. >> Yeah. Um so I just that made me think of something. It's a $140 a month, but that's you know times three, right? Because the bill is >> quarterly. So be $4.20 per quarter. Okay. Well, I know that one of the concerns I have is, you know, raising the fees on anything. I have a lot of um constituents that um have hard time paying their bills currently. So, I'm always really hesitant to raise any kind of fees. But, I don't I don't think a $1.40 um a month is is really uh egregious. And I think the services that the city provides is um you know really necessary with police and fire. Um I did want to say though I'm just talking about concern for raising fees. I know that we've um since I've been on council we've raised the fee for filing an appeal from $55 to $100 to um now it's $1,200 since 2022. So, um there's some areas where I feel like we shouldn't have touched the fees at all. Um I think that the increase has been completely out of line. Um and I think that this one is is reasonable for the services being provided um with that $1.40 a month. Um so, uh yeah, I um I think that uh it's it's a reasonable uh fee increase. Thank you. >> Okay, count on. >> Is there anyone else? >> No. >> Okay. I just today you want us to actually vote on the number today in even though we're not in a budget discussion like where we could be balancing positions. Um >> yes I am asking that today because this is not a short-term problem and this this slide really you know emphasizes even doing this from the 8 to the 14% it's just going to give you the runway to do some of the other things like regionalization looking at um fire regionalization looking at water infrastructure regalization you talked about that earlier you know with another group some of these things that are going to take longer term to do this is a way to be able to do some of those longer term things and create that runway. >> Well, one thing I am concerned about even with the green model is that we're we're just coming to >> 10% in a few years of a cash flow. Like it's not really and and I also worry about what's embedded in here. I don't think I mean what have you made as basic assumptions with this blue >> uh well for the model itself I look at every single line so we model in cola increases for employees of 3% you know just general CPI increases PERS increases every other year we use 4% and 2% for public safety versus regular um workers comp increasing anywhere from 5 to 15% so we look at every single line to what is the historical value, what has happened in the past, and we model that in the future so that this is a realistic model. >> Okay. Well, I just want to say I am going to support what the motion is wherever it lands. I would be more comfortable with the lower number. It's not about a reluctance to raise a fee so much as I think that everything should be taken in consideration during the budget process, both the revenues and the cuts. And I don't really like doing it this way. And I also don't think well you saying it's sustainable and it's structural. I understand that but I also don't think it really gets us there. We have a payroll system we have to address that's multi-millions. I understand I've voted for every increase for almost 12 years whether it's at Tamwa where we're raising the rates every three years. >> We're raising the rates every three years and I've voted here on sewer etc etc. But there there comes a point where I I would just like a little more comprehensive. I I'm gonna support us because I know we need the money and it is as council member Eert said, not a huge financial impact as big as some. And I agree with her on that. Like we we raised this appeal fee and we have zero appeals in 9 months. I mean we raised it what 2,000% or something. It's or more. It's probably 3,000%. But um anyway, I'm I'm not happy, but not because I don't like Okay, can I can I just I here >> um Okay, wait. Hold on. First of all, Jack or um Vicki, we have not had to recollection a conversation about raising this fee yet. Correct. This is the first time, >> right? >> We talked about it that the last uh financial update. Yes. >> Okay. The last but that it was a probability, >> right? >> Okay. I know, Jackie. Listen, hold on one second. This is important. There's a lot of anxiety up here because we are feeling our we are backed up um to a wall. I do think it's important that we're having a conversation broadly, not just for one, but for all other franchise fees, other people in the city that need that they're also paying for services, those kinds of things. It's really hard to, you know, go after one and then go out there and try to explain it to people that we're raising these rates without any audits, without any um I I think other other things to look at. It is really hard when you don't raise fees for so long and then people don't understand that. They get used to um sort of having these, you know, very low services. I get that. That it makes sense, right? And and to Jackie's point, she said, you know, basically what happens, we do a lot of abatements because we feel like as the city, we should take the shorts, right? We kind of feel like that because we feel as that we should take care of our residents. So, we feel super hyper compelled to do that. And then it's really tough when you do because everyone's unhappy with you. So, you can't win even when you're doing it right. Um, but I just would really like to see a little more information on the waste management side because I don't remember. And if if Jackie showed it to me, I I apologize cuz Jackie gives me a lot of great information and sometimes I just miss it miss it. Um, but I would love to see what those weights are at the transfer stations, what, you know, what that looks like. What are other cities comparing? Um, I just think you have to be so careful to say we're going to do this to pay for this. And I think there just needs to be more information on an audit of what that looks like. Um so that we feel really good about raising these fees. I I do I just think that um and I would also say this, if we're going to raise them, I would like to see them get attached to something. How do we make sure they go exactly for what they're intended to, right? So we can preserve the trust of the taxpayer that knows, oh, this is why they raised the fee. this is why it's going to go to essential services. It's going to go to this, you know, certain things that people feel good about those services that they're going to get. So, that's just where where I'm at. I'm having a little heartburn to be like, "Okay, yeah, we're just doing it today." I would love to see more of an audit. Um, I think that that would be helpful. And um I I just and I want people to know exactly why in full transparency. I don't want it to be like, oh, they want that to bail them out because of their, you know, budget issues. And then, you know, it's just the structure was sort of laid on our lap with our taxes and those kinds of things. So, we have to be in this position. And that's what's hard about it is when you you don't want to be, but you have to be, right? Well, Madam Mayor, if I could go ahead, when we do audits, whether it's us or the state, they almost always find that we were shorted. >> I mean, I don't think we've been overpaid typically. Maybe you have more information but >> I haven't seen it either. No. >> No. So, my point I think I'm supporting the mayor's point, which is I was trying to get to earlier when I asked why do we have to wait five years to audit somebody? >> I I don't get that at all. that if they're so confident, they should voluntarily be saying fine or audit us now. I mean, when was the last time we audited them? >> I couldn't tell you. We have them on the schedule based on that contract. So, >> and it's a third party that does the audit. >> Yes. >> The biggest issue I'm worried about is what is happening at the g at the garbage delivery point, not whether they, you know, whether it matched up with whatever they said. like we received 100 yards of trash and we charged x amount. Did they really receive 120 yards of trash, 150 yards of trash? In other words, I'm not challenging the audit as far as the percent they paid us on the number they claimed, but more what is happening at trash delivery and is that being properly recorded? And this is in many fields, many many fields. One I'm involved in in uh mining, you know, it's the same exact thing. We have to have auditors on the scene making sure that all the things are counted. So that's where my challenge is too. >> Madame Mayor, if you don't mind. >> Yes, please. >> I'm sorry. I'm frustrated with this conversation. I'm going be really direct with you all. We have had multiple briefings about this topic. >> Oh, we have we've had multiple publicities the level that we should. >> That's where my frustration is. >> So my I would like to ask you Vicki. I remember asking you about the timing on this. We have a real budget issue happening right now that we are really planning for right now. We have real budget issues that we need to help Vicki move forward and make decisions coming for the 2027 time frame. We have a budget workshop in two weeks. I remember asking you why are we discussing this now before the budget workshop and there is a real reason and it's because of the billing cycle correct with waste management. Yes. So can you walk us through this? >> Sure. We have to give notice if we want to change the rate if you as the body wants to change the rate and it goes into effect at the same time that they do their rate changes. So it has to be on April 1st of each year when they do their rate changes. Um that's why we had briefings back in October. This conversation started way back in October with briefings and we've been talking about it ever since. Maybe not at this this level, but we've been talking about it. >> Briefings. Yes. >> Yes. >> It's very different than out in the public because then they don't understand the reason why we're doing certain things. So, I'm going to be really honest there. And maybe you're getting more than I am, and that's great for you. But I also think it's important to have it out in the public because we do we live this every day. So, for us, it's very normal. So I don't like to be, you know, making it look like this is the first time that we have heard this even though we heard it in one other time in a budget meeting and that was it. So okay, go ahead. >> I mean obviously this body can choose to do what you would like to do. This is ultimately the trajectory and that's why I'm here today is because if you don't make a decision to increase the fees today at some level, this is where we're headed. We could Yes. could we limp through fiscal year 27? Yes, we could. Fiscal year 28. This is a long-term solution and that's why I'm bringing it forward to you. If I had other options, if we had other things that we could do, but you see, we're very limited at the local level on what we can do. Done a lot of cutting, $16 million of cutting, done a lot of one-time cutting. We're budgeting for salary savings. Um, we're just very limited. And this is the trajectory. If you know, nothing's decided here today. Could you decide it next year? Sure. But then it's just moving it farther down the road. And so my job here is just to inform you that this is not a short-term problem. We could solve it today and say adopt a budget and there's where you are and it looks okay for today, but this is how it looks in the future. And that's really what my goal is here is to try to inform this body and the public. You know, we need long-term solutions. And this is a solution that isn't going to even solve the problem, but it will give you some runway to do other things like reutilization and other things that are just going to take a lot longer. >> It's one of the elements of all of the things that we are doing. >> Piece of many, many moving parts that we're working on. Yes. >> That we are constantly briefed on. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Madam, I heard something about an audit and I heard you and Councilwoman Der talking about. Is there an opportunity to do that audit maybe when we look at the franchise agreement? Is that >> something? >> Can we do that? >> I understand the timing of this and the concerns of my colleagues and wanting to be accurate, but um is an audit something that we could possibly look at as we get closer to that franchise agreement? >> Um so Suzanne Gronman, environmental services manager for the record, I did want to clarify the period that we're in right now is called a review. That's a two-year period. It happens every 5 years. We can prompt an audit at our own discretion at any time. >> That's what I thought. >> Yeah, that's so I did want to clarify that. Good to know. >> Yes. Um, we also do a quarterly report. It goes out as a council memo that does list the weights and things that come through the transfer station, but one thing to clarify is we don't get a a franchise fee on weight. So, we get a host fee on weight >> and that's a much smaller number. >> We get a what on rate? >> Host fee. Yes. We can address what these what our council members are doing in an in an audit as we get closer to 29. Is that possible? >> Yeah, we can prompt that audit at any time. >> Oh, we can do it now. >> We can do it any time. Okay. Thank you. >> So, that's pretty big difference. >> And just to make sure it's an independent and that is also in the contract. It's an independent third party. >> Thank you, Suzanne. >> Well, I'm going to add one more thing. The point of having a conversation like this open in in the public is that in the staff recommendation, you didn't include CPI. So, we have another proposal to have a more regularized increase. Out of this conversation has come information that we could request an audit at any time, which I just got done saying in every government contract I saw, you were allowed to go in open up the books when you felt you needed to, not restricted to 3 years or 5 years. So, all of this is good to get out on the table, >> right? There was just a miscommunication because we have a specific review and then we have a specific audit. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Okay. All right. You want to try for a motion? >> Sure. I'll try a motion. Can you please put the motion up there? >> Okay. Okay. I move to approve increasing the solid waste and recyclable materials franchise fee from 8 to 14% for both commercial and residential services. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. >> Discussion. I I was hoping in that motion we could include CPI. >> Do you want me to include CPI? >> I think it would be good. >> I would love to and >> I will add CPI. Can I add CPI to the motion? >> Okay. with CPI >> increases with CPI. >> I thought there was limits on for franchise fees. >> John Mman, will you please weigh in? >> So for for certain franchise fees for gas and electric, those are capped by state law under NRS 354. For sanitation, there is no cap. It is I would make the point that the franchise fee is is indexed to the rates. So if the rates go up, the fee goes up. I just just for your awareness. So >> what did that mean? The what rate? >> There's a rate that people pay for whatever service they have and as that cost increases the franchise component increases >> percentage relative to that rate proportional. >> Right. Right. So if you increase that in addition to that I just want to make sure you understand what you're doing in the sense of the franchise fee. If you do a CPI on top of that, you're getting the bump with the >> I think what it is is it would go from 14% to 14.3% then 14.6% etc. >> So we're not waiting 20 12 years between doing it and bringing it back. I think that's an excellent point and I will include that with my motion. >> I I have I think that's a bigger discussion. and I'm okay with doing it right now, but part of the the struggles I'm having with people in my community is um paying sewer bills. I have people that are really struggling with that and it's tied to CPI, so it just keeps going up. Um I just I have a hard time with agreeing to that without giving that further um kind of discussion and thought the long-term impacts. I absolutely appreciate what you're saying. Do you mind for purposes of moving the f the mo the the meeting forward? We have a motion and a second. We can vote and see what happens and if we need to revise >> that on the second or um on the motion. Did you add it? >> I revised the motion to include it. And did you second? >> Second. Okay. >> So, we have a motion and a second. We'll see what happens if we need to revise it. >> Um Okay. You guys have your lights on? >> I'm ready to vote. >> Okay. All right. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. >> All those opposed. I'm opposed. And I >> Okay, seeing over here and >> I can try again with removing the CPI and see if we get there. >> Can I Sorry. Can I do a roll call though just because I don't know what that count was? >> Yes. Start with Miss Anderson. Start down there. >> I Well, I'm going to go in word order. So, Council Member Taylor, >> I. >> Der >> I. >> Martinez. >> Opposed. >> Eert. >> Opposed. >> Reese. >> I. >> Anderson. I she >> opposed. >> Motion passes. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Can I ask >> 43? >> Madam, go ahead. Madam >> Miguel, I'm stepping out. >> Got it. Yeah. >> What council do? >> Oh, I was going to ask you if if there's something we could do to make this more palatable. Um, or do you think we should just have been waiting for the full budget, which was what I advocated, >> or what? >> I here's what I just say. I think what really should have happened is more of a presentation looking at what the audit numbers were. So, I think that the council was really comfortable. We don't deny that those those um rates should be looked at for sure. Look at how long it took for us to raise them. And you know, that's a hard place for Jackie to have to be to to do this and say, "You guys, I need to get you there." She did it because there weren't other city managers that were willing to do it. That takes a lot of guts. Right. And so I think it's really helpful the more information that we can give the public to say why she has to go and make these hard decisions and then come to the council and say here you guys this is what I need. >> So a little more time to process. >> Yeah. >> And for the public too to understand >> why we do what we do. We've been having these conversations for a long time. We knew they were coming up. We know they're uncomfortable. We know they're really hard. but give the information from the audits and things like that so the public knows why we have to make these tough decisions. And I felt like this was just I know. Yes. And I know that you we have council members that feel very differently and that's on their time frame. But I would just say I think that something like this is essential to have the information, have the background. This is the first time we have had this issue as um or this I guess topic as a full-blown um presentation and you know because people are asking me this seems confusing I don't know a lot about it all these things and it just that's how it works um that we just continue to provide information that I feel like they they're not getting you know it's the same thing like I talked about fire today like how do we go out there and message that. How do we communicate better? Why do we tell them we need this right? And so I'm just saying maybe there is a better way. Listen, I I don't know. Like I said, when you're getting it right, you're getting it wrong. None of us are perfect, but it just feels like, you know, we're we're sort of shoving it through because we have we have to. I don't ever want that to be the case. I want everyone to get up here and vote and know the reasons why they're voting for something and truly believe in in why they need to or explain to the public why they're doing it. So, it makes sense. >> So, maybe at the end of the meeting, I I would like to request that we put on the agenda to initiate an audit. I think it's critical. >> Well, I'm surprised that wasn't in the motion to be honest. >> I thought you put it in the motion, Councilwoman. >> I did not put it in the motion. I was >> Yeah. Will you please report back? >> Yes. Okay. All right. And Vicki, you're one of the best there is. So, please do not take this as as to you. She Vicki is the one that just delivers the message. She doesn't make, you know, it's like you you don't make the the food or the hamburger. You're just delivering you're just delivering the message. So, just know that. And um you know, I it's very very hard. We all have a different style of learning and processing. And so one might be better than the others and and it's you know just how I feel. >> It's definitely a hard topic and it is challenging. >> Yeah, there's feelings whenever you know that it impacts people's lives. So thanks so much. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Go ahead Miguela. I'm going to hand it over to you, Vice Mayor. >> Yeah, Madam Clerk. >> All right, Mr. Vice Mayor, we're moving on to item C6. >> Thanks so much. Is there any uh public comment on this item? >> We do have public comment on this item. Our first public commenter is Eddie Lorton, followed by Tom Dunn, followed by Ron P. Dreer. >> Vice Mayor Martinez, I have a disclosure to read before we do public comment. >> Go ahead, council members. Thank you so much, madame mayor, fellow city council members and city staff. I am a partner at the law firm of Reseto PLLC, which represents a member of local 731 in another jurisdiction on a matter unrelated to the city of Reno. C6 and C7 involve agreements for labor negotiations legal services with Simons Hall Johnston Professional Corporation. On this matter, I've sought guidance from the city attorney's office pursuant to NRS 281A.065 4 and5. I have a commitment and private capacity to my employer and my colleague handling that legal matter. Because of this, I also have a pecuniary interest in that legal matter. Consequently, in the appendence of judgment of a reasonable person in my situation could be materially affected in acting and voting on these items in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety and comply with the ethics law, I will recuse myself and leave the room. Madame clerk, please accept this disclosure and lodge it on the record for this meeting pertaining to these two agenda items. >> Thank you, Council Member Reese. Mr. Lauren, >> tell me when you're ready. >> We're ready whenever you are, sir. >> Right. My name's George Eddie Lorton. And Devin, I'm proud of you for that cuz I was going to mention that. So, I'm glad he recused himself because they do represent the union. So, that was good. So, now I ended up I'm for police and fire. Okay. We need them all the time. That's part of our city job here. Police, fire, public works. They should come funded first. like I don't understand giving the million dollars to the ballpark to say it's a different fund but it's all our money and then when it comes to you know like the art and stuff like that all you have to do is a resolution to change that money to be spent in our general fund that's how they put it towards art off the room tax 1.8 million a year could be used for our police and fire. So like I said before there's so many ways and so many opportunities that we're missing out on to make money at this city. They're just everything doesn't work quite right. I mean, and that's just it. You're here serving, trying to do a good job for our people. I understand that. But there's just so many things you have to learn here. You know, when you're in those seats, and I understand there's a lot of missed opportunity. Me being from the business world, I see lots of opportunities. Maybe you don't. And I'm sure you see things that I don't see. But we're missing out on a lot of money from audits, things like that. And like I mentioned before, it'd be an audit, a hands-on audit. I'm not just going to trust their figures. You should post someone down there and see the weights coming in and make sure all the Reno trash goes there at the substation and they you get your fees out of that instead of half of it going out to Story County. And by the way, they only charge a 4% franchise fee. So when you're keeping track everything, let's mention that. But I know all these things that through the years I've learned and I've invested in these kind of businesses for a long time. So I could help you here. But I'm not for hiring special counsel. Carl Hall's a good lawyer and his team's good lawyers, okay? And I think they can handle it to where I hope police and fire, everybody can't have everything. I think they know we're in a budget constraint and I think maybe they know they can't get everything, but it's a no-win scenario for whoever handles it cuz everybody wants everything they can get. And I understand that. But our police and fire shouldn't be shorted and they should get what they have coming. They put their lives on the line every day for us, me and you, and I'm there for them and you as well. So, I'm hoping maybe Carl can deal with this. And then that way, you know, we don't have extra money blowing out the door and all these things. I think they're going to be more reasonable. And I hope they know the situation here. We love our city. we're all going to contribute, you know, and and two, I don't ever want to really get negative, but you know, I've reviewed some of these staff pays and man, they're pretty high. I mean, if you go around and look and don't compare it to other places and stuff, I mean, from here, a lot of this staff is way the pay is super high on certain positions. So, that should be reviewed, too. I mean, I'm just trying to save us money, save us grace here to where I think Carl and his team could do a good job. I'm not out for special counsel to spend all this extra money. Again, if we can't be selective on our budgets, either we're going to save money and try to make it through or we're going to blow it on certain things and certain things we're not. Let's be uniform across the line so we can bring this under control. And Jack, you are doing a good job trying to shuffle everything. and we appreciate that. You know, it's been a while since we had a a a uh city manager with an opinion that's trying to do good things. So, but please >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Lauren. >> Tom Dunn followed by Ron Dreer. >> Good afternoon, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of council. For the record, Tom Dunn, vice president, Reno Firefighters Association. I feel like this is groundhog day again that we have been at this podium in 2014 and 2020 talking about the same exact issue. Complex labor negotiations as identified in the staff report is a paradox. You put you get into you get out of it what you put into it. Labor issues do not need to be complex. Negotiations are a process that should be based on history and trust and leads to consensus. Think of the message this agenda item sends to your employees today. Billable hours from a contractor is not a benchmark for success. In 2014, the city of Reno hired an outside firm that fleeced the taxpayers of over $750,000 and accomplished nothing, but came to council every 90 days for an increase. In 2020, the city of Reno hired an outside firm for over $250,000. The negotiator just happened to be the spouse of a former HR director of this city and accomplished nothing. He also came to council at least once for an increase. In 2026, as of the of the city's online checkbook, the city has paid Simons Hall Johnson $129,690 and local 731 is 226 days without a signed contract with the city. Your contractor has no skin in this game, does not understand the history or the documentation that your employees and bargaining units do. We respectfully request that you reconsider this agenda item today. Thank you. >> Ron P. Dreer. >> Uh, good afternoon, Vice Vice Mayor and, uh, council members. My name is Ron Dreer. Ron Pedrer because my son's back here. He sees Ron J. Um I'm here today in opposition of C6 and C7. So I'll cut up and C7 and say ditto when I finish. Like um Mr. Dunn said a second ago. Um I incorporate all of the what he put on the record in my public comments. For 43 years, I have been part of the city of Reno as a retired police officer, homicide detective. I retired in 99 and took over as a labor and have been negotiating for RPPA and other members of this city. Since that time, for 43 years, I've done that and I still do that. I'm an RPA active retired member. And I have to tell you, like Tom Dud said, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, the city took on an individual Fisher Phillips firm out of Carson City, I mean out of Las Vegas, much like they're doing with the Hall Simmons firm, and caused nothing but labor problems for the period of years. That means a lot of years adversarial major adversarial relations trips to the employee management relations board constantly bad faith negotiations constantly told Mr. Rashardi who was their chief negotiator then why don't you take your money go home and we'll have a contract. What Tom Ton didn't tell you is after we finished that year and after the city had paid over 750,000 on their way to a million we stopped that and within three weeks and I have to tell you that within three weeks we got a contract not just the RBPA but everybody in the city we had labor peace the city council members here the mayor she I think um councilwoman Der was there as well Devin Ree on the other hand councilman Ree was representing the RPBA that time. And so I think you know that he sat on labor side and I'm glad that he recused himself because some of the things I was going to ask that you all did was do that. There's so much more um that has to be said regarding this. 300,000 or 100,000 now and 200,000 later is a lot of money for an individual that I have had experience with over in other parts of this city and it they weren't pleasant. We have gone back and forth for over three years. In my opinion, you're not getting your money's worth. I think the world of Carl Hall, I have a pretty good background with him. But I tell you what, I think you're making a mistake here. Paying this gentleman $300,000 over a period of the next couple years is a lot of money. It's going to cost the city. He does nothing but stall. He doesn't answer emails. He doesn't reply what he's supposed to do under interest 2881 180. I can't say really anything good about him in my opinion. I'll reserve the rest of my comments until C7. Thank you. >> Thanks so much, >> Mr. Vice Mayor. We have no additional public comment. Thank you, Madame Clerk, and thank you, public commenters. We'll move on to a presentation from staff. Good evening, uh, vice mayor and council members. Uh, Jesse Po, your labor relations manager here to present on item ZX, the an agreement for a labor negotiator. This aligns with our strategic priority for governance and organizational effectiveness. And what we're seeking is approval to execute a contract for a labor negotiator with a maximum limit of $100,000 at an hourly rate and not on retainer. Uh this is a one-year agreement with Simon Holl and Johnson to act in in that capacity. There's been a lot of chatter about this item. Um and it's a complex issue. So I wanted to cover some things that it is in things that it is not. Um it's not it it is we'll start with that side first. It is an agreement for general labor contract guidance. Things like um language for proposals when we're sitting at the table. It's an agreement for specific specific labor contract guidance, things like um if there's a regulatory change or a change of the law related to procedures, assistance in implementing those procedures. Um and it's an an agreement for a labor negotiator. We don't intend to use uh these services at every table, but as things become more complex and as things um escalate, we may bring them in to to offer assistance to us. This isn't an effort to bankrupt any employee association. This isn't an effort to proactively fight. Um it's not an effort to handle grievances or to handle disciplinary appeals. Those will still be handled through the CBAs and through through the city through those processes that are defined in the CBAs. Um, it's also not an attorney for council, which is why it does not require a 67th vote. Outside expertise in this space is is necessary. Um, labor issues, laws, and regulations are growing more and more complex. Um, scrutiny of public agencies is is high in this area. Compliance requirements um continue to to increase in this area. There are Specialized expertise. This this field is very specialized. Specialized expertise in this area allows the city to be wellprepared in the case of high stakes or high-risk labor negotiations areas. This also offers risk mitigation um earlier when I spoke about uh contract language. This allows us to get to a place where contract language isn't ambiguous which then leads to disputes based on the ambiguous language. It offers consistency and quality um in that we have somebody who is available to us to act in our best interest in resolving um those low-level issues or in offering their assistance in getting to a place in these contracts that we can move forward in. This is a best practice across the industry. Um, public agencies across the nation use this model where they have an outside uh an outside individual acting as either a labor negotiator or as as a expert in this space. I do want to acknowledge that there is an upfront cost um but it it's offset by a reduction in risk to long-term liability. Um there is the up to $100,000 build at an hourly rate and having an a labor expert on board allows us to potentially avoid costly disputes um penalties and operational disruptions. I did want to highlight that currently we have three open agreements this year. Next year we have at least four open agreements. I say at least because we don't know what the cards hold quite yet for this year. Those contracts may only be one year, they may be longer, but at a minimum, we will have four open agreements next year. Then up on the screen, I do have a recommended motion. This would begin in April of 2026. And I am here for any questions? >> Thank you, Mr. Pew. Other comments, questions? Yeah, Council Member Der. >> Yeah. Um, I just as soon open these together, but I am going to talk about both agreements and I'm going to draw a distinction between them. I totally support what we heard in public testimony. I lived through it. We we had uh very aggressive attorneys that did not that that were that seemed out against our labor unions instead of working with them to find peace and agreement over and over. And what I did observe is when those attorneys went away, we used an inside person who's not expert labor negotiation. It was our CFO. It was Robert Chisel. And the difference was that he had the trust of the people and they believed him and they were willing to negotiate with him. It didn't take exquisite negotiation skills. He wasn't a lawyer. So my issue is that we have proposed hiring the same I mean this is one of my issues. We have proposed hiring the same person to be a litigator against the unions potentially representing the city. and we're saying that same person is well situated to negotiate and and I don't happen to agree with that. I I don't think um it I think it could help to be a lawyer, but maybe we should be hiring a firm that does negotiation if we're even going to hire outside for this role because I think that the internal staff, somebody within our 1600 employees that you mentioned, must have the trust of our labor unions. And if we don't have that, we should pretty darn well hire that person inside because this is a constant issue, right? Labor negotiations. This isn't something that just happens very informally. I mean, infrequently, periodically. So, I'm concerned I I'm concerned with both. I think that if Carl I I would support that if they don't have someone on staff, if we get into a litigation that they would be hiring that on their own as they often have hired expert counsel to help them with a lawsuit. I'm fine with that and I don't think that has to come to counsel. Well, you've put a number over 200,000. Maybe it doesn't have to come to council until it is over 100,000 which the manager has ability to sign off on. Okay. So, I I'm totally fine with Carl hiring who he needs if we're in a lawsuit up to the amount and then bringing it to council if you need to go over that amount. What I'm not comfortable with is hiring a person to negotiate for us because they're starting from zero. They don't know these people. They don't know the history. Um, we have to spend time bringing them up to speed about the history going back 20 and 30 years, which I understand almost anybody would have to. Nobody's been here 20 years except some of our firefighters. I was going to say some of our firefighters have. But I'm just I'm not comfortable hiring a person unless they have extensive demonstrated negotiation skills and are willing to be a fair mediator. And we do have some in our down, you know. So that's where I'm standing. >> Thank you, Council Member Dur. Council Member Taylor. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Um I I fully understand what you're saying. I have some uh I agree with some of the statements, but what I'm understanding is from my time on here, this isn't something new. We've always had outside counsel in this space. Um last time we went through negotiations, we also had outside counsel and from my understanding, we're bringing this person on as a supplement to the legal team because it is not something that they specialize in. So, is there are we doing something different that we haven't done in the past with outside counsel? And that's the first part. The second part is we we just heard our budget presentation and we're freezing 20 people. I'm absolutely not in favor of bringing on another person that might be subject to budget cuts later on. Um, I think there's an expended or an exponential amount of of financial burden that comes with hiring somebody. So I think it may look like a big number but I I would imagine that in the long run it's actually saving money than hiring somebody because we don't use them all the time. So it's for this particular instance if you could just clarify for me. >> Sure. So first question we have used outside we've used council we've used labor negotiators that aren't council both have been hit or miss depending on the the space and the timing and and how everything worked out. for your uh second question. I'm going to ask you to repeat it. >> I I was just wondering about >> it's maybe cheaper to bring in a >> It's not that it's cheaper. It's just that I don't think our legal team has the expertise needed to do this. That's why we rely on outside counsel. It's very specialized for a specific amount of time. It's not something that we use 365. >> I'm sorry. Can I make a recommendation that we go ahead and open up item C7? >> Oh, sorry. so that we get both comments on the record at the same time. >> Yeah. Do we have to take both >> since it seems to be that there's some conflating of the two issues and I don't want to get into a pickle. >> Well, they're for the same person. >> They are for the same person but two different functions. So, >> I just want to make sure we're not violating any laws. >> Yeah, Mr. Vice Mayor and Madam Manager, we do have public comment on item C7 C7 as well. I guess we'll stop deliberation and go to public comment first and then we can continue on with and then we'll so we'll go to public comment first and then we'll continue with deliberation on both item C6 and C7. >> Okay, our first public commenter is Eddie Lorton. >> George Eddie Lorton and you know what I'm running for. How you doing? So, I ended up now, you heard what I had to say earlier, to where Carl can handle it. I just know that the communication and cooperation I know are unions. We need them. I don't want to shortcut them, but yet too, they understand the financial situation. So, I think they can work together more with Carl. He's done them before. He's talked to them. I remember when Chisel also ended up our finance manager ended up doing it before and he's not an expert in that field. So sometimes you need a a firm but a giving hand to where we're in it together. You know, our firemen and our police live in our city. They want the best for us, too. But they have a family to feed also. So I hope we reject all this. And I think Carl can handle it. And so thank you for your time. >> Tom Dunn followed by Ron P. Trier. Good afternoon, Mr. Vice Mayor, member of this council. For the again, for the record again, Tom Dunn, vice president of Reno Firefighters Association, you still have firefighters. They're working out of tents and modulars that were designed to be temporary for 5 years, and we're going on 20 years now that we've been living out of those facilities. $200,000 a year could replace the windows in at least two of our fire stations, mine included, that has the original windows and blinds from when it was constructed in 1985. $300,000 can hire two entry- level firefighters or three fire prevention officers, especially as you have more firefighters and other members of our department leaving as we become retirement eligible. You still have two fire companies that have not been reopened since the great recession in 2008. And ultimately, over this 2-year period of 2005 and 2006, $429,000 can improve several of your fire stations to include signage, paint, and street level marking for safety. Thank you. Ron P. Dreer. >> Thank you again. And uh Mr. Vice Chair and members of the council, Ron Pedrer for the record. Um and first I'd like to ditto all the comments I put in C6 and move on from there. $300,000 is a lot of money to pay for outside counsel and having my experience and I can tell you that in my own opinion the individual and the firm that you're hiring is not conducive to our negotiation styles. He will spend every penny of the $300,000 100,000 from C6 and the 200,000 from C7. That is my opinion. I saw him do that and the other associations that we worked with previously over the past three years. We've been dealing with Mr. Hall and Simons for three years and have a case going to the Supreme Court right now where all he does is file motion after motion after motion. In the Harvard School of Negotiations, there's a good tape and it's called getting to yes. How do you get to yes? You have both parties at a table. You do ground rules. That's how you start. And you go bit by bit through the association. We present proposals. The city presents proposals. Mr. Hall's game. Open up the entire contract. Let me spend eight hours a day at $475 an hour to get through this. And I by God, he will get his $300,000 by doing that. He got over a million dollars from the other um from the county school district. I might as well say it because it's public record. That's what's going on here. You're dealing with an individual who doesn't give one iota about negotiating in good faith. If you want someone, and this is out of NRS 288270, it's called prohibited practices by an employer. If you want somebody that refuses to bargain in good faith, if you want somebody that in runs a bargain, and that means going to you all and saying, "Geez, this is what you ought to do to get a contract." Go tell those union people how bad they are. He's done that. He's done that. We have EMRB, Employee Management Relation Board complaints against him. We sat through that. I've dealt specifically with that man. I've been negotiate. I told him to his face, you have no idea what you're doing. What you should do is learn how to negotiate in good faith. I'm very very proud of the Reno Police Protective Association and other bargaining groups in this community that we have worked hard along with city council to good decent collective bargaining agreements. We have one of the best police association contracts in the state of Nevada. You have to know that we have the best professional peace officers here. It doesn't have to be going backwards to where we were a couple years ago. We don't have to do that. I implore you as the city council to oppose this. It's not worth it. Thank you. Brian Christensen, followed by Roner. >> Good evening, Mr. Vice Mayor and the council. Um, I appreciate you uh taking the time to listen to me. I'm Brian Christensen, the Reno Police Protective Association president, newly selected as of two weeks ago. So, this is fun. Um, I am up here uh opposing both of these measures. Um, and I want to bring this back to to the reason why I'm here. I represent people and this is about the people. We understand the city does not does need some sort of representation uh to these many labor contracts and grievances. We don't feel we agree with our lawyers that Mr. Hall and his team can handle those tasks. Our main concern is the city is already operating on a thin budget. We understand that, me more than most, because I'm also an accountant. All departments have been required to make cuts across the board. Positions have been frozen, 20, and we've actually seen reductions already in our workforce. Actual people have lost their jobs because the budget is so close to being an unreoverable deficit. This contract is being funded by some of those people who are no longer on our team. If Mr. Hall proves to be well worth the price we're willing to pay, it appears to be a success. In the event all the work we need Mr. Hall to do costs much more than we are estimating in this contract, who will get cut next? Which department will be asked to do even more with even less? Oh apologies. Public service is not glamorous. None of us are here for the recognition. We're not even here for the money. This contract proves it pays more to be in the private sector and contracted. So any loss of jobs someone outside our team and that team is Reno so that they can reap the rewards is a loss in our book. We are a team all employees of this fine city. When we are working together with the full support of our leadership, we will be able to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks and make the city a great place to live. Thank you very much for your time, >> Ron Dreer. Good evening, Mr. Vice Mayor, members of the council, city manager Bryant. My name is Ron J. Dreer. I am the attorney for several of the bargaining groups here at the city of Reno. I'm also the chief negotiator for several of those groups. And unfortunately, I have to say, we have had a lot of dealings with Anthony Hall and his firm. And I say unfortunately for a reason, is because we can't get to yes with him. We have gotten to yes with you, the city of Reno for the last three contracts that I've dealt with with no issues dealing with the two men sitting behind me here and with Norma Santoo. There has been no issues of getting to Yes, because we have built trust. Now, why we don't ever get along? Well, sometimes we get along, but but not often. We are able to pick up the phone and call each other and say, "Hey, this is a disagreement we're having now. We can handle it this way and be done and move forward." I have dealt with Mr. Hall for three and a half years, and that cannot happen. There will be no phone calls to get things done. There will be nothing but motions, cases in district court, cases in the Supreme Court, cases at the Employee Management Relations Board. We will be in arbitration and you will start a war. Not you, but by hiring this man, we'll start a war with your labor groups. And there is absolutely no reason to do that. While the fire group, who we support 100% may not have a contract, if you look, they are the only ones that had to go past negotiations. Everyone else was able to work with your team to get to yes. That's something that we can do. We we have negotiations starting again soon that we can handle in several months will be done. We will be able to get to yes because that's how it works when we have a trust between us that can happen has happened and will continue to happen. Just several weeks ago I picked up the phone and called Mr. Shipman and said we have an issue we need to speak about. And it was taken care of within an hour because that's the kind of relationship we have. But with Mr. Hall that won't happen and Mr. Mr. Hall currently is representing Alex Velto, the partner to Mr. Ree in a case in the Supreme Court. He has too much connection to this city and to the city council to be involved here without there being some kind of clarity as to his involvement and why he's here. Mr. Hall, unfortunately, in my experience with him, will cause us nothing but problems. Your labor groups and your employees will be unhappy. This will cause nothing more but but strife between all of us when we don't need that. Things have worked well for many years now between the labor groups and the city. We have gotten to yes. We will continue to get to yes. We have absolutely no reason to take $300,000 out of the general fund and give it to Mr. Hall's firm when we had just had a very long detailed discussion here on the council about how much money there isn't for this city. So, respectfully, I ask that you do not vote for this and you vote no and do not hire Mr. Hall. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you. Is there any other public comment, Madam Clerk? >> Mr. Vice Mayor, we have no additional public comment registered and we did not receive any correspondence on this item. >> Thank you. We'll move on from any comments or questions from Lombardi. I think council member Anderson. Oh, let's go ahead and move on to the presentation. My apologies, Mr. Shen. >> Oh, yeah. No, thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Now, I just have a quick I'll be very quick. I think it's late and we'll get there. Um, I would say it's kind of ironic we have two Mr. Halls and I I'd like the record to reflect that Mr. Hall, my boss, is Carl and Mr. Anthony Hall is somebody else. Anyway, okay. Um, so alignment with strategic plan uh governance. Uh, um, so just want to frame this. Um what's what's happening here from a city attorney perspective is that we have budgetary constraints and operational considerations the same things that the entire city has. Um and Carl and our office has decided and determined that it's really impracticable and uneconomical at this point in time to essentially hire a labeler attorney in house. I mean that's an expensive proposition that's um you know as part of that too um you know ideally these will be quick negotiations and we don't want to have to carry that cost over time. So what this offers is a um an engagement with the Simon Hall Johnson firm that's essentially a $200,000 plug number and they will be used on an as needed basis. So it's this and it's hired through the city attorney's office. This is not the city council hiring this attorney directly. Um, in a couple of the other instances that were quoted, I think those were instances where the council hired the the um the outside council. This is actually the city attorney that's hiring it. And again, the city attorney is only going to use these services if and when they are needed. So, uh, assuming that the negotiation piece does get done and does get done quickly, that will free up this budget for other purposes. So, I just wanted to make make that clear. Um, just quickly, under the terms of the agreement, Anthony Hall will be um the uh in charge of the services and supervising them. And it's based on potential need. Um, again, we don't want it to be that we're saying this is going to be spent money. We hope it's not going to be spent money. We're going to do everything in our power to make sure it's not spent money. Um, but, uh, if if it needs to happen, then it's there. And the term agreement is only for one year, so it's not a long-term engagement. It's a time and materials as needed basis. There are the rates, and there's a not to exceed amount of $200,000. Um and so there's the recommendation um to and again if there's any questions we're we're available. So >> thank you Mr. Sherman. We'll move on to Council Member Der. >> Hi. Thank you. Um so here's here's the challenge. When I spoke before I and even now I do not know Miss um uh the attorney we're speaking to Mr. Hall Anthony Hall. I was speaking um generally that it is not good in my opinion to mix your litigator that's your person that's defending you that's involved in litigation with the person that's mediating. That's my first point. My second point is that anticipate we are not in uh litigation now. We don't have legal defense services. But if we were in litigation, I would expect you guys to hire who you need to help defend us as you have in the past. What I don't like is anticipating that we will be in litigation. I think that sends a bad message for the negotiations that are about to come up. So, it's just um a statement of where we are mentally that we're anticipating being in litigation with our employees. I don't like that. But if we if it does come to that, you have all the authority you need to hire a um additional counsel up to a certain amount. I've already stated this. And if you see it going over that amount, you can come to us and get additional budget authority. So I don't think this is needed. And lastly, um I have confidence in our city manager. So if it isn't our former CFO, it is our city manager. I've heard good things, including from the fire. You may think you're at odds. I don't know what you think. They think that you're a good person to talk to. And I I you do you are an attorney and you do come across as genuine. And I think they just as soon talk to you as a person that they've never met, you know, a new person. And I I really have a hard time mixing those roles. I really do. I I don't think I think most lawyers, and again, I didn't know anything about this gentleman, but I am very concerned right now about formally hiring him. I have to tell you, if our folks are coming forward saying that what they've seen is hemp spin up bills and not get to Yes. to use their terms, but in my I would use the same terms that that most attorneys that are hired for that aren't generally focused on solving problems. They are generally focused I I'd hate to be this level of cynical, but on on increasing the payments. They're they're not wired they're wired to fight, not wired to um negotiate and settle. And that's my opinion. I understand it might not be shared, but I do I am very uncomfortable about mixing these people. and I think you already have enough authority to do the second item. So that's my perspective. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Der. We'll move on to Council Member Anderson. >> Thank you. I think it was necessary that we opened both of these items so that we could hear that. Um, first, our legal team has expressed to our city manager that they need more talent in this area at this time. So, we have to respect that. Um, the way that this was brought um on the original agenda, I had a lot of problems with because I agree with you, Mr. door, sorry, that it felt like we were forecasting war for 3 years. And that really bothered me based on me not being part of any negotiation ever in the past, but me being privy to watching how it affected my family and other people that were working in, you know, public safety. Um, it's very sensitive. Um, and there are feelings. I would say that I think it is unfair for any of us to be able to say we can choose the other person's lawyer. I'm not sure if we ever got involved with any of our labor groups choices on the legal team that they brought to the forefront, but I think that that's a little bit of an overreach on our um behalf. I know that we are able to do that. But I just I wanted to say that if our legal team has requested a specific lawyer, I would like to hear from you why you think he's the best and why after hearing what you've heard from the labor groups, why you would continue down that road. But again, I want to say that you whoever you're you're negotiating with, they shouldn't be able to choose who is representing you. So let's just be fair and honest about that. Um, I am very grateful for the clawbacks on this. I'm grateful for the the guard rails that you've put on the two um numbers. Um, it sounds like we've got more, you know, feedback from the council, but I just wanted to get that on the record in terms of opening up that second item and realizing that this is an actual request that came from inside the house, not from outside from the council or from the city manager directly. >> Thank you, Council Men. Council member Taylor. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Um, Jesse, this question is for you and thanks for opening up the the items together. I'm hearing from my colleague that this is like uh a matter of are we mixing lawyer, are we mixing negotiation negotiator, one or the other? In my experience, we are negotiating. We're not asking for one or the other and we're not moving. We still are going to work. I mean, I have every expectation that our city manager and our team is going to be working with our labor groups in the negotiating space. I don't think that this either one of these items takes the place of that. Um, so maybe I'm is that accurate? I mean, we are asking for an additional skill set that is brought by the people, the lawyers in this. It's not saying we're not going to have negotiators. We're not going to negotiate. We are still going to do that. And I we all have very high expectations that that is going to happen. So >> So Jesse Pew, labor relations manager, for the record, that that's accurate. I'll continue to be at the table and negotiating with the the bargaining groups. I'll continue to to resolve issues with the bargaining groups in that that space. Uh this is my item, the the C6 item is really for support in that space. >> So we're not saying we're going to moving forward with C6 or C7. We're getting rid of the negotiations. We're not doing anything. we're just going to hire um Mr. Hall. And I mean, we're we're still in the process. We're still in good faith. We still believe that we we can get there. This is an as needed basis for one year. And I absolutely agree with Councilwoman Anderson when this was first daylighted. It it I got calls all over the place and we had to walk it back a little bit and say, "This is actually what we we need." So, I mean, that was that was bad on us, but I think we've gotten to a place where there are a lot of guard rails guard rails on this contract. >> Yep, that that's accurate. Yeah, we um originally posted the draft agenda, right? It had um sort of that that blanket 300,000 total. We heard uh got a lot of feedback, heard it, and retold it to to reflect what what we needed. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. We'll move on to Council Member Anderson again. Sorry, Mr. Puit. Can you um elaborate a little bit more on what you mean by you'll still be doing the work and then this is just purely for support. Can you talk to us about when support kicks in? >> Yeah. So, one of the examples I used earlier was related to contract language. Um I'm not an attorney, so I can't write foolproof contract language that leaves language that's ambiguous within the contracts. This would shore up that that space, just as an example. So we would get contract language that is unambiguous and direct. Um and that would then lead theoretically lead to less potential issues down the line with that language. >> Okay, >> that's all I've got. >> Can I say something? >> Yeah, city manager. >> Thank you. I just want to clarify some facts and um address uh what council member Anderson referenced, which was the draft agenda just to kind of tell the whole story so everybody hears it from me. So the way our agenda items work is that we have a system called Primegov. We post draft agendas about two weeks in advance of a council meeting so that we can brief council members and still comply with the open meeting law. And in that system, the employees put uh staff reports. Those staff reports have to be reviewed by probably a half dozen to a dozen different people depending on the topic. Someone an employee went in and pulled the draft staff report and shared it. So we were not ready. It had not been vetted. It wasn't the right intent. It was kind of a placeholder. And so that unnecessarily caused a lot of heartburn. So that was it was never an intent to be a fight and never an intent to forecast that we were gearing up for a fight. It was just a draft and if you looked at a lot of drafts um that we make a lot of changes between the draft and the final. So, after talking with a lot of labor leaders, um I reached agreement with most um that we would walk it back to 100 grand for contract support, 200 grand for litigation. I had cobbled those together, but there was some angst around that and I understand that. Um but what I also know is that our city attorney's office doesn't have a labor leader. Um yes, I am an attorney. I'm not a labor lawyer. I know enough to be dangerous about labor law, but not enough to get us out of a pickle. And I think a responsible agency has an attorney that helps them both contract and litigate when necessary. And we have a contract now with Simons and Hall. We do investigations occasionally. We You're right, Council Member Door. I do have a signing limit up to 100,000. We are in litigation today with IAFF731. We have EMRB complaints and we have arbitration complaints. So litigation is occurring and our city attorneys do not have the type of background. Labor law labor law is not a generalist. They are very specialized lawyers and a city of our size can get into trouble real quick if we don't know what we're doing. So, I just want to say on the record, there's no intent to pick a fight. I would love it if we didn't spend a dollar. Um, I I actively do work with all the labor partners and I am very direct and upfront with them and I expect them to be upfront and direct with me and when people aren't I get upset and they tend to know that I'm upset. So, uh, I think we have a very good relationship. But good lawyers keep a good relationship and so that's kind of the genesis of how we got here and and that's the reason we're asking for it. And I I you know I I walked it back the year and I and I understand the reticence. I really do. But I also know that um operating without a good lawyer and operating without someone with that background during contract negotiations could be very detrimental to this organization and frankly we don't have any money to lose. >> So question for you if I may please >> clarifying. Yeah we'll go door. >> So let me understand something. You've already hired Mr. hall >> up to the 100 grand limit. >> Okay. So, have you surpassed the 100 grand? I mean, are you >> We're at 60. >> Okay. >> Last I looked, we're at 60, but we >> but we now have two more open contracts this year, and we will have minimum of four. Okay. Next year. >> Well, it's to my point that the lawyers can hire whoever they want to help them with whatever they need in specialized counsel, and when they're threatening to go over 100,000, they come to us for uh permission to go over that amount. And I I >> actually my understanding they need contract approval at this point. >> Why? >> Because uh John >> Yeah. So um just as a background. So this is this is an instance where if the city attorney can't provide those services, we have to go to outside counsel which you've already done and there's a provision under NRS41 that says these are the circumstances that you can do that to get a attorney to provide a legal defense. And so and then we have to come to the council for a budget for that. We basically make the determination and then you have to fund that. So um the the problem you run into is if you get into a pinch um that can really cause a problem if it's a fastmoving litigation if an arbitration >> we do meet every two weeks but um I guess what I'm understanding you do have a budget for outside counsel in your budget. No. >> No. No. Not at this point. >> No. That's what this would do. That's why we're here. >> Well, I'm unclear. I mean, you you have hired all kind of outside counsel whether it's opioid or this or that. >> So, like the o opioid. No, I mean that's all contingency fee. All right. Right. So, um uh you know, a lot of the internal employment stuff is is more of an investigating function than like a legal counsel function. We generally don't hire a lot of outside legal counsel like and when we do we're basically in front of you generally. >> I'm trying to think of I mean is there an instance where you can think of where we hired >> I I'm not privy to what you hire out for 35,000 or 50,000 or whatever. >> We don't get a lot of those. I mean we that's it's not like we have a lot of that or even I can't I'm trying to think of when we did that. I mean we might hire for like an opinion letter. I think there was one for like an like an energy deal for $10,000. >> We did that. I think it was 5,000, but yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um >> Okay. >> So, >> okay. Um does anybody else have any other questions or comments? >> I I had a couple. I didn't want to jump in there before uh my colleagues did, but I was curious. It sounds like there was a statement that um Simons Hall was already on retainer for services. Is that Can you clarify whether that's true or not? >> Yeah. So, I mean, and Jesse can speak to it, but I >> I guess I'm asking you because I understand in a mediator role that's different, but um are you is are they providing legal services and >> investigation types of services for we have there's there's a handful of investigators in town that belong to these law firms that do factf finding and investigations and uh some >> and we have the arbitration open >> and and there is an arbitration open um yes with the with the firefighters currently that we're not handling. So yes. >> Okay. And then I think I asked the similar question during my briefing, but for item C7, um why can't that money in the hourly rate be paid from the risk management fund instead of the general fund? >> Um I mean ultimately if I mean if the money is not there then it can be moved from the risk management fund. I mean, it's all at the end of the day, it's it's money, right? And where it's located, it can be moved. And that would be part So, if if we didn't have money in another fund, we could probably get it from the risk management fund through an augmentation or through a um redistribution. >> And I I don't know, I could have this wrong, but I could remember we approved $5 million moving from the general fund to the risk management fund maybe a year ago. Just for the record, um, Vice Mayor Martinez, we can use risk fund when there's litigation that we have lost. Uh, typically we don't use the risk fund to cover legal fees in advance of a loss. >> Yeah, that's normally for paying for settlements or if there's a judgment. Uh, risk fund also pays for insurance. Um, ex excess liability insurance. Um, we do have like claims. We have a claims function where people file like claims with the city. Oh, my sewer backed up. Oh, hey, your car hit my car. And there's so we pay to have those settled. Um, but there's a policy on this on the fund about what that money can be used for and it can't be used for labor purposes. It would have to be moved I mean the money could be moved over for that. Yeah. Like but >> I mean it's still coming out of the general fund at the end. >> It's still coming out of the general fund at the end of the day. >> Yeah. No, I get what you're saying. And I was just trying to see if there was another way to avoid pulling more dollars out of the general fund, which is one that we're struggling with, and we just had presentation from director Van Beern um on um I don't have other comments at this point. Mr. Vice Mayor, I just council member Taylor, >> for some dialogue purposes, um I think in our in my briefing, I asked where the money was coming from because there was a a concern obviously and I think Jesse or somebody might have told me that it was a savings from the director that we didn't hire. So, um, is that is that accurate? >> Correct. >> It's the assistant director for human resources that we have un we have funded but unfilled. >> Okay. So, I just wanted to add that to the conversation. Thank you. >> Okay. I hope Yeah, council member Anderson. >> Thank you for reminding me of that because I remember I remember that conversation. So, this is another just for everybody in the audience. I think out of fairness, um, we're holding a position in HR currently, which should help us in the general fund make up for this these dollars in this in this time frame. I want to know why. How did we get to 200,000 on this recommendation? Why why is that the number that's there and it's not we're just working up towards 100,000 or 200,000? Why is that number been chosen? You want to try? >> It was a ballpark. We don't know. It's the same conversation we had around the waste management uh franchise fee is this is painful and it takes a lot. It's a lot of brain damage and we don't want to come back here in 6 months when we know we h excuse me we have three open now three or four open now and we will have at least four open January February of next year. So, and the contract would go April 1 to March 30th, I believe, is what we set it for. So, it gave us enough room, but again, you know, it it's a it's a ballpark. We don't want to spend that money. And historically, I mean, just kind of a broader what you don't want to do is hire a firm and it's on a time and materials basis and then it starts ripping and they're generally like 30 60 days behind in their billing and you don't want to get into a position where, oh, we're overbudget and then you have to come back to the council to get that amount ratified or to get the budget augmented when the work has been done and you really you're not in a position to do anything but approve it even though you might not want to approve it. So that so we want to have a budget that's large enough so if we have something that that goes through there we're not like you know fearful that we're going to run over the budget right away. Ideally this money doesn't get used and if it does get used maybe I mean to the extent that it doesn't get used and it needs to go to negotiation a little bit more that hopefully would be in front of you to say hey let's move some of this back over here or move it to some other item. We just that 200,000 in litigation that can go pretty fast if it really gets heated up. >> Do you have any other comments? Okay, >> Mr. Vice Mayor, um I'm wondering if we might be able to take a 10-minute 15-minute recess before moving on this item. I know we're we're missing a quorum and I have to >> if I could have 10 minutes that would be fantastic. >> Yeah, I know we have some folks in the audience. So maybe 10 minutes or we'll be back at 610, please. >> Yeah, if if I were to leave right now, we'd lose a quorum. So >> yes, of course. Yeah, let's take a short break. >> Thank you. >> We'll reconvene at 610. >> Thank you. >> Critical to building a strong community. From improving ramp access to city hall to the addition of UBO3 and listen everywhere devices, we are working to make government more accessible for everyone. Throughout the year, our team works with community partners to host celebrations that embrace, honor, and recognize the diverse cultures represented in the biggest little city. This includes the Black History Month celebration in City Plaza and the Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration at Wingfield Park. Building a welcoming community requires intentional efforts to embrace diversity, inclusivity, and create opportunities for all residents to thrive. The safety, health, and well-being of all residents is our number one priority as we work to build a community we are proud to call home. >> The Reno Fire Department provides all risk service to the citizens and visitors of the biggest little city. Last year, the team ran almost 50,000 calls, a record high for the department. This includes everything from emergency medical response and water rescue missions to all types of fires, including structure, brush, and vehicle to name a few. The team continues to meet the needs of our growing community by increasing staffing and resources for the department, maintain the strongest training program in the region, upgrading equipment through the fire apparatus replacement program, and investing in proactive fire prevention measures. We are excited to announce that plans are already underway for construction of a new central fire station that will be located in the heart of downtown. The 70,000t facility will house administrative and fire personnel with the ability to respond with up to five separate crews to serve the busiest part of our city. We look forward to its completion in 2027. >> The Reno Police Department boasts 354 sworn staff members. To meet the growing needs of our community, we added 43 new and dedicated officers to the ranks along with the hiring of seven lateral officers from other departments throughout the country. Last year, our patrol teams responded to over 72,000 calls for service. The traffic team responded to 2,971 accidents. Victim services served over 2,300 victims and the investigation section was assigned 3,762 cases. These cases covered offenses from property crimes to crimes against persons. In September, the department launched a new data-driven initiative to improve crime and blight in downtown. The directed engagement, enforcement, and deployment strategy, affectionately known as deeds, has been in operation for just over 6 months. In that time, we have seen a 12% decrease in the citizen initiated calls for service, a 55% decrease in vehicle versus pedestrian crashes, and a 29% decrease in commercial burglaries. We're excited to announce in August of this year, we'll celebrate the opening of our new public safety center in downtown Reno. >> The public safety center will serve as the headquarters for the Reno Police Department. Located in the former Reno Gazette Journal Building, this facility will be able to provide a swift emergency response to our community. This state-of-the-art facility is double the size of the existing station and provides exciting new features such as expanded public parking, private interview areas, community engagement, meeting space, and improved safety and security features to ensure the building will stand the test of time. >> A fast emergency response would be impossible without the crucial work of our Reno dispatchers. Last year, our dispatch team answered over 500,000 calls, serving as the vital link between individuals in need of assistance and emergency service providers. And this last year, the cities of Reno and Sparks along with Wo County and REMA came together to identify a unified computer aided dispatch program that will deploy the nearest and most appropriate resources to an emergency. The technology will be launched in 2025, improving emergency response for the entire region. Our staff is made up of talented and dedicated people who are passionate about the biggest little city. We've built a workplace filled with integrity, positivity collaboration and diversity. an organization that has been nominated as one of the best places to work in Northern Nevada for three years running and was the first organization in Northern Nevada to be recognized as one of the best places for working parents. Our employees have endless opportunities to make a positive impact in our community. The people and stories behind our programs are why we take pride in our jobs and why we love this city. When we proudly look at the community we've built, we know we are just getting started. We've had a lot of great accomplishments this last year, but the work isn't done. As we begin the next fiscal year, be on the lookout for some major projects. >> Soon, we'll be opening the new public safety center and the Moana Springs Community Aquatics and Fitness Center. These landmark projects will serve generations of Renoites for years to come. We hope you'll join us for both celebrations. >> And keep an eye on downtown as we continue to focus on revitalization using the input and feedback we receive from our community. You'll see improvements to the Riverwalk, activation of Virginia Street, and improvements for pedestrians and microobility users alike. >> To keep up to date on everything that's happening at the city, check out our website at reno.gov and follow us on X, Facebook, or Instagram at city of Reno. Until next year. You know how uh speeders got categories? >> Categories. >> Different types, different cars, want to be race car drivers with zero talent, and all the insurance claims. >> Go on. Yeah. So, you got the I didn't realize I was going 95 type. Like the car magically went 45 over just on its own. Oh, officer. I thought I was going 45. No, buddy. You thought about going 45. Well, then you got the uh I'm late for work guys. Like going 25 over is going to make up for the 30 minutes they spent laying in bed watching Tik Toks. Ain't nothing like risking a reckless driving charge to get to a job that you already hate. We can't forget the I was just keeping up with traffic, folks. Oh, the if everybody jumped off the bridge defense. Just because everybody else is breaking the law doesn't mean that you get a free pass. Nah, but it does mean we all get to sit on the side of the road together while we trade life stories. And I write this ticket at lightning speed. There's one. >> Yeah, we got a black Volkswagen uh headed your way, guys. Got him. >> In all seriousness, Reno, we need to slow down when driving on our roads. Speed and impairment are the two biggest factors in fatality crashes. That is why the Reno Police Department will be conducting proactive speeding enforcement on McCarron and around the city. Slow down, Reno. You got it. The I'm not from Nevada and pretty sure the speed limit signs all look the same everywhere. >> Do you want to make a difference in your neighborhood? The city of Reno's six neighborhood advisory boards are your chance to shape the future of your community. From parks and public safety to development projects, your voice matters. Joining an NAB is easy and it's a great way to connect with neighbors and city leaders while making Reno an even better place to live. Applications are open now. Visit reno.gov/nab to learn more and apply. Get involved and help make Reno not just livable, but lovable. I'm Corey. I'm a housing manager with the city of Reno. And we are here at our second Love Your Block project, pop-up nursery for Yori Avenue residents. We had residents of this neighborhood apply. And we've got about 75 plants and trees here to give out to the neighbors to beautify the neighborhood, get a little more green here. It's one day of planting and a lifetime of new shade and and beautiful greenery in the neighborhood. The Yori pop-up nursery is a project that my neighbor and I kind of came up with. People get to beautify their yards. Sometimes landscaping is intimidating due to the cost. This initiative, this project helps kind of eliminate that obstacle for a lot of people and so it'll be nice to see more plants in more people's yards and just make more of a beautiful neighborhood. Uh secondarily, I'm a huge fan of pollinators and native plants and so getting more of those in the ground is just going to help the environment overall. It's super exciting. I love this project. I started the bee friendly campaign which was created to help people talk to their neighbors. So, a lot of times when you start a pollinator garden in your front yard, it doesn't look like a traditional yard. So, I created these signs to kind of help with communication. It's a great neighborhood gathering and I'm super proud to be a part of it. We're just so excited to be here in partnership with Reno Food Systems, Be Friendly Nevada, and the Nevada Division of Forestry alongside all these neighbors to to get in the neighborhood and get planting. My name is Maria Hernandez Bonce. I am a graduate from the community court and I'm here to share my success story. About 5 months ago, you and I sat down for the first time and had a discussion. >> Yes. >> What do you need? What do you want? And now look at you. Tell me. I I got bits of bits and pieces along the way, but share what that was like. What was what was it like right before I met you and what is it like now? >> Well, before you met me, I was going through a very hard time. Um, I ended up, you know, having to give guardianship of my son to my brother. Um, I was trying to recover from drugs and here you came, you know, the community court. Um, and yourself. Um, and I mentioned that to you and you told me about all these nice programs and resources that are available to me. Um, and I'm thinking 5 months back like I would have never thought that I'd be here right now. That's for sure. >> Yeah. But what connection did you make in community court that helped you achieve that? Well, taking accountability for my actions, you know, realizing um that I had a a problem. Um step one, you know, admitting that you're powerless and your life has become unmanageable. That's definitely >> very important. Um and then reaching out for help would be the second most important I would say. >> Nice. >> That's so cool. >> Yes. >> You are the the image of what I want everybody that I meet at Community Corp to to accomplish. It's you, >> right? >> Every box I intend to check and rarely do, you do and you check all of them. >> I originally met Maria on our first day of work. Uh we both had the first same start date. So we got to meet each other there and we immediately bonded. I immediately saw huge potential in Maria. Um she is really great. She's a people person and she she just strives for the stars. If it wasn't for Community Corp, I wouldn't be where I am today. They pushed me to get the help that I needed with my recovery. Um, you know, they helped me get my job. They've helped me through every step of the way. >> Community court is an alternative to traditional court. And I in in essence, that's what is different about it is it's it's the alternative approach. Um, I think in traditional court, it's more cut and dry, black and white. You've committed this crime. This is the standard sentencing. Therefore, here you go. Um, at community court, uh, Judge Hazel Stevens, who I I couldn't say enough good things about him and the way that he is driving this court. It's started with the Nevada Urban Indians, her counselor, Troy, um, knocked it out of the park with the substance use uh, counseling uh, Job Connect. Tim is our contact there and he did a great job of working with her. They did the uh the application process right away. They met later that week. They completed all of the online applications. Uh sent out all the information they needed to who then linked her to the placement agency that got her in here. Um she also worked with Downtown Reno Partnership who helped her get her IDs. She wouldn't have been able to get this job without those IDs. And so it it was several people working together as one to achieve what uh we consider the perfect success with Maria. Hi, I'm Monica Kirch. I am the director of housing and neighborhood development for the city of Reno. The rapid rehousing pilot program is a program that the city of Reno started in coordination with Volunteers of America and the Reno Housing Authority. Programs like the rapid rehousing pilot program are important to volunteers of America because it gives us an opportunity to catch individuals who are otherwise potentially falling between the cracks as far as services go. The Reno Housing Authority assists nearly 15,000 Wo County residents through its traditional housing programs. Yet we know there are many more who need assistance. The Reno Housing Authority supports the rapid rehousing pilot program in two ways. Uh the first way is through a financial contribution to support half the salary of the service coordinator who works directly with clients at uh Village on Sage. The second way that we support the program is by um ensuring that clients are on one of our HA's weight lists prior to being housed at Village on Sage. program is new and we just started housing people within about the last month. Okay, madame clerk folks looks like we have a stage working with the service coordinator >> can get our meeting back in session please madam clerk go ahead and get going Martinez we're reconvening the meeting at 6:13 at this time mayor is absent and a fixed council >> member receion are there any other questions or comments from the body. If not, we will move over to a motion for item C6. >> Uh, Mr. Vice Mayor, I believe the motion for what? Go ahead. >> Just a second. >> Okay, I have it right here, too. Um, I move to approve authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement for labor negotiation services with Simons Hall Johnston PC with the maximum limit of 100,000 for a term of one year beginning April 1, 2026. >> Do a motion. Is there a second? >> Second for discussion. >> Okay. Is there any discussion? >> I mean, I'm not comfortable with it. I think it sends a wrong message. I think our team should be front and center at the table. Um, I may have a different opinion about the next item, but for this item, that's where I'm at. >> Thank you. Council member, you have your light on. You're just ready to vote. Okay, perfect. So, we have a motion in the second. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Those opposed? >> No. >> Looks like motion passes. Four to one. Are you ready for um item C7, Mr. Vice Mayor? >> Yeah, just making sure that that's the vote you recorded, Madame Clerk. Okay, perfect. Yeah, we'll move on to item C7 if we can get that recommendation up. Yeah, that one's perfect. Thank you so much, Mr. Shipman. >> Uh so, if I may, Mr. Vice Mayor. >> Yes, Councilman. >> Um I understand that the city's already spent $60,000 with Mr. Simons Hall, Johnson, PC um thus far and I'm willing to validate that and give them more to work with. I'm not willing to give 200,000. I'd be willing to do a h 100,000 and then if they need more, they can come back, but at least they're authorized to have this council um helping them on their various cases. That's where I'm at. And I' I'd make a motion for that. >> Is that your motion? >> Yeah, I'll second that. Okay. Is there any other discussion? >> Okay, we have a motion, a second. >> Okay. Yeah. No, go ahead. It's fine. >> Have a motion, a second. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Thanks so much, Madame Clerk and staff for the presentations. We'll close that item out and move on to agenda item C8. And I believe this is also the city attorney's office. >> And Mr. Vice Mayor, for the record, we do not have any public comment on this item. Have not received any correspondence. >> Perfect. Does staff >> does council require presentation? >> I will be brief. >> Okay. >> No, I guess. uh Adam Kate, deputy city attorney on behalf of the city attorney's office, uh asking for permission to get paid the same amount to do a little more work. Uh essentially in this case, it's the city attorney's office position that we should file an amicus brief on behalf of the position of the state of Nevada. Uh essentially what the court ordered in this case, the district court uh was that uh we're required to produce the employee files of 21 people who work at the Reno Police Department uh for inc camera review by the court to determine whether they should give any of that information to uh the council for the defendant in this case. It's our position uh that that order is clearly erroneous under the law as it currently exists. um wanted to be clear that it's not our position. It's not the city's position uh that this is information that should never be uh provided under any circumstances. It's not a position where we believe that you know personnel files uh should never have information provided to a defendant in a criminal case. It's just that uh there's a process in place whereby the prosecutor or his agent uh his or her agent uh you know could be a detective from internal or affairs or a person from the Reno City Attorney's Office can review the files and provide an affidavit or a letter saying hey there's nothing in these files that we believe is appropriate as opposed to inc camera review where we're now providing the entire files uh to a different branch of government to judicial branch uh for their review to make their determination. Uh so it's just contrary to the way that discovery happens uh in a criminal process. I think we're on good standing. I think there's a a strong chance that we can convince the Nevada Supreme Court that our position or the state's position is correct and I think it's important to do an amicus brief uh because it's a our issues are a little bit different from the states. the state has interest in their prosecution. Uh whereas we uh while we're not a party to the case, we represent has the you know council for the city the city employees in this case the 21 uh people from the Reno Police Department whose files are being asked to be reviewed by the court. Uh so uh that's essentially uh the city's position, city attorney's office position. Uh our deadline to file the amicus brief is this Friday. Uh so uh that's why we have it before you uh tonight. Uh so with that I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have. >> Council member D. >> Yeah. Um just to explain I want to make sure I have the accurate understanding. So in camera review is by the judge in the courtroom. Is that correct? >> In their chambers I guess in camera. So we would provide them to the judge. the current orders, we would provide them to the judge, but she would have access to the entirety of the personnel files and then she would make a determination about >> what gets released >> what gets released. >> And this is very contrary is what you're saying to past practice. >> Yes. And so generally in when criminal discovery, whether it's personnel files, we know what they're looking for is whether there's something that would indicate this officer has been untruthful, right? Uh, and so under the guidance of the Supreme Court of the United States, Brady versus Maryland is the kind of seminal case about criminal discovery, it's the prosecutor's obligation to review that information and give information they believe is material to the defense to the defendant. And again, we don't have any beef with that process. That's we think it's a good idea. We wanted to continue uh you know uh regularly internal affairs and city attorney's office is reviewing files on behalf of prosecutors local uh other jurisdictions at their request to determine whether there is any, you know, Brady material that should be disclosed. Uh but it's us doing it, not the judge in camera. And I think that is contrary to established law. When I first heard about this, I wasn't really sure what I believed because, you know, what I was reading about was in the media and I could see the position, but um I also believe that they shouldn't have access to everything. I I don't think it's material and being able to pick and choose. I I just think it goes too far. And so, >> thank you. Thank you, Council Mur. Counciloman Maurice. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Is there a claim in the court below that we have not turned over Brady material? >> No, there's not. And that's that's one of the things uh is that, you know, if we refuse to give something up and they have information to believe there's something in there, that might be a position where inc camera review may be appropriate. But what we have here was a blanket request uh and uh no saying there's a material information and the prosecutor in his opposition to this motion said I intend to comply with my requirements under Brady. I'm going to review these files and determine whether there's anything appropriate and I will turn it over. So there hasn't been a refusal to provide the information. So, it's a fishing expedition by the defense council claiming that there is undisclosed Brady material. >> Certainly, and they they they have no reason to believe that there's anything material. If there is material information, you know, I believe it's the district attorney's office position that they would provide that uh through the discovery process to uh Mr. Benson's attorney. >> Yeah. Well, I I was shocked by the court's order. So, I am in favor of moving forward with the RIT. >> Council member Her, do you have comments questions? Uh, Council Member Taylor. >> Oh, I was going to make a motion. I apologize. >> Do you have any comments? Okay, just make sure. Yeah, go ahead. >> Okay. I move to direct the city attorney's office to file an amicus brief in state v. District Court. Benson, case number 91994 in support of the position that Reno Police Department officers personnel files should not be provided to the court for an incam review contrary to established case law. Second motion, a second. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you for your time. >> I think that was the last of our C items. We'll move on to agenda item E1 ordinance introduction. Bill number 7327, ordinance to amend title 5, chapter 5.90, article 2 of the Reno Municipal Code, entitled Collection and Transportation of Solid Waste and Recyclable Materials, repealing section 5.90.070 entitled franchise fees together with matters which pertain to or are necessarily connected therewith. Mr. Vice Mayor, unless you need a report, I'm prepared to move. >> Does anybody need a presentation? >> Is this a question? >> Is this uh aligned with our discussion of the franchise fee or was this something separate? I was unclear when I read it. >> Sure. Um Suzanne Grman, for the record, this is separate. Um the only alignment is we do happen to be in that review period. So that's the only connection. >> But why are you actually asking us to do this? Um, so the presentation would go over that in a little more detail. >> Well, I just Is there a way you could summarize what it is? >> Um, I I'll give two two bits of bits of background here. So, just some background. There's actually three things that have prompted this process. In 2012, we adopted this ordinance. Part of the part of the section is actually specific to only 2012. So, it's it's actually long gone. In 2020, we amended the franchise agreements. That section also changed then. And now we have um started this review process and this was the very first part of that review process. >> But so why do we have to repeal just because 2012 went by and >> 2020 went by? >> So the purpose is it's frankly no longer relevant. Two sections are governed by the contract. It's been amended and the last section was completely amended in 2020. >> Do they have to sign this is the franchise agreement? >> They do not. This um does not eliminate the franchise fee administration or governance. It does not amend the agreements and it does not remove rates, fees, standards or compliance. >> It's in our ordinance, not in the agreement. Is that what you're saying? >> It's opposite. It's in our agreement. The ordinance simply just restated what was in the agreement. >> That's what I'm saying. I mean, the thing we're changing is the ordinance, not the agreement. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Move to refer. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second. All those in favor? I >> I motion passes unanimously. Thanks so much. >> Thank you. >> With that, I believe, Madam Clerk, we're moving on to agenda item F2. >> That is correct, Vice Mayor. And just for the record, we do not have any public comment registered and have not received any correspondence. >> Yeah, that's an ordinance adoption. Does Mr. Carl have to read anything for the record? >> Yes, I do. >> All right, you're on. Oh, sorry. I apologize. We did receive one letter of correspondence in favor of this item. Thank you so much, Mr. Carl. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Ordinance adoption ordinance number 6734, case number LDC26-000025 386 Hulcom zoning map amendment. Ordinance to amend title 18, chapter 18.02 02 of the Reno Municipal Code entitled zoning reszoning a 0.17 acre parcel from professional office to mix downtown river rock district and removing the Wells Avenue neighborhood planning area overlay district designation from the parcel. The site is located on the northeast corner of Hulkcom Avenue and Stewart Street 386 Hulcom Avenue and has master plan designation of downtown mixed use three. >> Move to adopt. >> Motion. Oh, second. >> Thank you so much. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. With that, we'll close F2 and move on to H1. Any council comments? Council member Anderson. >> Um just two things. One, I wanted to thank um you, Miss Door, and the team that put together the community meeting at um Vintage yesterday. Um it was well um attended by the people that live there which um each of the meetings that we have been they they're very engaged but also you were able to gather quite a few representatives from people that really matter especially the attorney general's office and both of our senators >> they were there. Yeah. Um, I think it was really interesting to have the tenants union there and what they were learning because one thing that I think was revealed in that meeting was not only do they need representation between the resident and their lease holder, but they also could use some help representing themselves with their neighbors. Um, there was definitely a divide there. So, I think that that was something that was revealed that hadn't been revealed before. and if we didn't have that meeting, we wouldn't have known. So, thank you for that. >> Um, second thing I just wanted to request, I've um in my meetings in the community um talking about the unhoused public population and also the mental health challenges that we are all um experiencing and responding to in the community. I've been hearing more and more about these mental or the community health workers. And today we learned more about a program that's being offered through the university from the Sorry, it's in my notes. The leer, what is it? Um, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Well, it should have been easy to find, but it isn't. Anyway, there's um there's an organization that is offering those those um certificates. I'd like to learn more at the council about those certificates and also what they qualify everyone that holds those in the community, who's organizing those folks, who who could potentially be a part of the solution and um building a team that is in between law enforcement and mental health response. So, um I don't know how long that might take, but I think it would be an interesting presentation at council to learn more about that. >> Thank you. Uh I will get that scheduled. >> Okay. Thank you. Thanks so much, Council Member Anderson. Anything? Council member Reese, any comments? Okay, Council Member Der. >> Yeah, two things. Um, one is we heard today about um the fact that we can request an audit of waste management any time. It was unclear when our last one was, but I think it's very important to to roll it out in concert with increase in fees. and it's it's a good signal to the public that we're paying attention and we really care. Um, and so I'd love to see that started as soon as possible. Um, but we need a little information. We need to know when was the last one, what were the findings, uh, had they undercharged, overcharged, did we overpay, underpay, whatever the details are. But I'd love to learn more about it and begin the process of that. I'm assume uh the reason I voted yes today was I was pretty sure audit would take probably 6 months anyway and I didn't want to wait that long to to initiate the franchise fee but I did want to get started with the audit. So I think it's a important um companion piece. So if Jackie if you could kind of take that on. So I am confirming right now we will get uh a council memo out explaining the history where we are the difference between the review and the audit process and then we will also initiate um a next step. >> Yeah. If it wasn't that we just audited them six months ago but maybe it was more like three years ago or something. So um uh the second thing is that I would love to and I really don't know how to forward this recommendation. I I would love to explore in concert with um council member Anderson's concept. I would love to have a policy discussion about how we can best um help people that are in crisis. So the just the process and I think it's an important policy directive from us. Miss Anderson's talking about helping us get more resources which fantastic. And then we also need to set some policy parameters and recommendations for our police chief on how to handle those kind of things, you know, from our perspective, not on the ground, but more generally. And so I'd love to see a conversation about that. No, I don't know how to structure that. That's what I'm saying. I don't know if that's policy discussion. I don't know if that's a um we'll we'll learn more. I think >> Let me think about that one. >> Yeah. Tomorrow night we have a a Reno police town hall, the first of five as I understand it or six maybe. And um I hope to attend myself and I expect it may come up that issue. And I think that we are set on a a continuous um improvement process. It's an actual thing and that we learn as we go and that if there's better ways that we can handle certain situations, we need to incorporate those things sooner rather than later. And I was note not noted um several cities were offered as examples of how to do things. I would love to hear more about those options and is that something we could integrate here at Reno or not? Thank you. >> Thank you, Council Member Der. Council member Eert. >> Yeah. Um I would just like to um uh mention again the vote on the waste management uh franchise fee increase. Um, I do um just want to reiterate my concerns with tying that uh fee increase to CPI. I'm not sure if that's something that was, you know, properly agendaized, if that's something that we um can um re re uh assess when it comes back uh for to council. But I just I I think that that's something that we need to discuss further and I I just cannot um support um tying th those uh uh fee increases um to CPI uh without more information and discussion. So >> have a thought on that? >> Thank you for reiterating. Yeah, council >> wouldn't I mean I do think there's an opportunity to reevaluate every year in the budget. I really do whether I I mean we have an ability to roll back the franchise fee costs. I mean we could increase it, we could roll it back, we could stop doing CPI. I think that we have a lot of uh ability to to change uh policy directions as time goes on. Personally, I don't think we're locked in. I think it's something that can be evaluated. I think it's a a good um basis to think about it. But if it's not working for us, like what if we have another year with 7% like we did a couple years ago? I was kind of worried about that. Would we automatically put in a 7% increase in the franchise fee? I was kind of worried about that. So maybe a proper language might be CPI, but not to exceed 3% or not to exceed 2% or something that would mitigate the impact of it. So I think that's an ongoing conversation we could have. Yeah, I mean I think that sounds good in theory, but I've been like requesting that kind of consideration for the sewer bill since I've been on council. Like it doesn't really happen. Um so uh again, I just would like to potentially, you know, reconsider the um tying the CPI to the uh waste management franchise fee increase. >> Okay. might put guard rails around it in some way. I don't know what that looks like, but >> thank you both for your comments. We'll close that and move on to public comment. Madam clerk, do you have any public comment registered? >> Mr. Vice Mayor, would you like to open the RDA? >> Um, I think there was going to be an update from city manager Bryant. So, I think um my thought, madame clerk, was to completely close out city council because we have noticed the RDA. I believe we need to open it, but I would also like to recommend to council if they have an appetite to push items B1 and B2 to the next meeting. But I believe because >> because of technology restraints, I need to leave the city council meeting open and open the RDA. So if we can open the RDA because I cannot close this one out because of the recording. >> Understood. >> If we can just open it, run through it and get it done and then we can close this out, >> please. And thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah, sounds good. Can we go ahead and then madame clerk and open up the redevelopment agency board and take role? >> 35. >> Okay. So we're on item A2 of the redevelopment agency board which is calling roll. Council member Taylor >> here. >> Der >> here. >> Vice Mayor Martinez. Eert >> here. >> Reese >> here. >> Anderson >> here. >> She absent at this time. Mr. Vice Mayor, you do have a quorum of the redevelopment agency board. >> Thanks so much. We'll move on to agenda item 83. Is there any public comment registered? We do not have any public comment registered and have not received any correspondence for the redevelopment agency board. >> Thank you. With that, we'll move on to the approval of the agenda and we heard the updates from city manager Bryant. Is there anything you'd like to add? >> Uh, one other one is that item C1 was scheduled for the RAB update, but Chair Klein is not here. So, I guess for the record, we should continue items B12 and item C1 to the next meeting. Please, I'll >> move to approve with those changes. Second. >> Have a motion, a second. All those in favor? >> I >> I. >> Perfect. So, we'll go ahead and move on to approval of the minutes. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. And with the continuation of the rest of the meetings, I mean to the items, we'll move on to >> I believe it's public comment. >> D1. David one. David one, we have any redevelopment agency board comments? >> Nope. Looks like we're good. We'll move on. Close that and move on to >> We have no closing public comment for item E1. So, I'm just looking for a motion to adjourn the redevelopment agency. >> Second. >> We have a motion, a second. Those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Motion passes. Now we'll close out the redevelopment agency board and move back to public closing public comment on the Reno City Council meeting. Agenda item J. >> Perfect. So for item J on the Reno City Council meeting is closing public comment. We do not have anyone registered. We did receive 10 additional public comments after 4 p.m. that were um distributed to the Reno City Council and are part of the record. And now we're on item K. Motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. >> Do we have a second? Second motion to second. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Motion passes. We are adjourned at 638. Thank you so much everyone. Thank you.