Top headlines from the Board of County Commissioners Meeting

by | May 18, 2021

The following are highlights from today’s Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting:   

1. Commissioners approved FY22 budget: The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners held a public hearing to approve the FY22 county budget. The total final Fiscal Year 2022 budget appropriations are $838 million, and of that, the General Fund appropriations total $436 million, or 52 percent. 

The Fiscal Year 2022 final budget reflects strategic priorities for the county, including: 

  • Continuum of care for unsheltered and vulnerable populations 
  • Funding for property tax settlement payments 
  • Funding for expansion of Regional Homelessness Services 
  • Funding for expansion of library hours 
  • Restoration of General Fund support for capital projects 
  • Replenishment of Stabilization and Risk Management Reserves 

“Thank you for getting us through another challenging year, and being conservative but also progressive in the understanding on how we can do business here in the county,” Chair Bob Lucey said.  

Commissioner Alexis Hill made a motion to approve the budget, saying: “I’m so proud of the leadership of this board to continue to provide these community services and to really help our most vulnerable populations. The community is going to see Washoe County really stepping up next year, so it’s an honor to make this motion.” 

2. Board approved Capital Improvement Plan: County Manager Eric Brown submitted his five-year plan for capital improvements (CIP). Capital improvements are large-scale investments for assets that have a life-span of more than one year in infrastructure, parks, utilities, and roads. Submitted projects are scored based on: assessment of need, Commissioners strategic planning goals, project life cycle, implications of project deferral, fiscal impact, economic impact, and environmental impact. Projects that were deferred in FY20 and FY21 due to COVID-19 were reevaluated and are included in the new five-year plan, which totals $340 million in capital expenditures. The first year of the plan that is incorporated into the FY22 Budget totals $111 million. Examples of proposed FY22 CIP projects include: 

  • $415,000 Children’s Advocacy Center roof 
  • $500,000 Incline Village above-ground fuel tank 
  • $850,000 Reno Downtown Library elevator replacement 
  • $300,000 North Valleys Regional Dog Park 
  • $275,000 Bowers Pool replaster 
  • $1.9 million effluent water projects 
  • $5.9 million roads capital   
  • $33.4 million for continuation of the South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (STMWRD) Expansion project 

Nevada Revised Statute requires an approved five-year CIP to be submitted to the State Department of Taxation and County Debt Management Commission by August 1. 

3. Human Services Agency director provided overview of programs that support vulnerable populations: The Washoe County Human Services Agency (HSA) is dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of children, adults and seniors who are vulnerable to abuse, neglect or exploitation. They accomplish this through synergistic programming at Crossroads, Our Place, Alternative Placement and Sober 24. HSA Director Amber Howell and Chief Justin Roper presented an overview of these programs.  

Crossroads is an alcohol- and drug-free supportive community that provides services and teaches residents the skills and tools to move into independent living.  

Our Place is safe and stable environment for women and families who are experiencing homelessness. It connects them on-site with the services and programs they need to settle into a permanent home, including case management, health and psychiatric services, childcare, and peer support. The campus currently services 136 women and 38 families. Since its opened in 2020, Our Place has seen 100 women transition out of homelessness into permanent housing in less than nine months. 

The Department of Alternative Sentencing works to increase community safety by reducing recidivism, using suspended sentences for those who will work through a rehabilitative system that  includes accountability and opportunities to gain and use life skills, and sanctions for regressive behaviors. Cases may include job training, drug and alcohol testing, and random in-home visits. The goal is to make positive changes in the lives of those in the program and reduce the “revolving door” of recidivism. A part of this program is Sober 24, a 24/7 sobriety program in collaboration with sober living organizations.  

“We’ve been fortunate with our regional partners to help us along the way. It takes that first step, that initial dream, but it’s because of our regional partners and community leaders like Grace Church to complete this,” Chair Bob Lucey said. “This is not just a homeless shelter, it’s not just programming, it’s so much more. It impacts so much of what we do. Instead of just cycling people through the system and sending them to jail. I’m glad we’ve invested time and money in this, and we’ll see returns down the road.”  

4. Board approved the receipt of donations and grants: 

  • Washoe County Regional Animal Services received $14,808   
  • USDA Forest Service grant of just over $17,000, half of which is for the Washoe County School District and half of which is for roads  

5. Board proclamations:

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