The following are highlights from today’s Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting:
1. RISE founder presents overview of services for unhoused and vulnerable: Ben Castro, founder of the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality (RISE), presented an overview of what his organization does for the unhoused and vulnerable in our community. RISE was founded in 2011 and in 2020 was contracted by Washoe County to run the day-to-day operations and staffing at Our Place women’s and family shelter. RISE was also contracted by Washoe County in 2022 to run the Women’s Crossroads and in 2024 the Men’s Crossroads. It also founded the River Stewards program to clean up garbage in the Truckee River.
RISE was designated by the Nevada Governor’s Office as a recovery-friendly workplace, and it has grown to more than 100 staff, 72 of which have lived experience, and more than half the leadership positions are held by women.
“We contract with folks living on the river to help clean up the trash, some of which they produced directly. It’s a source-point control,” Castro said. “Picking up the trash is the by-product. Really the strategy is to activate people’s sense of purpose and belonging… The team we have is peer support specialists who have successfully gone through recovery themselves so we’re recruiting them, activating their sense of purpose, dignity, self-esteem, and that does take time.”
Following Castro’s presentation was a presentation by members of the Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB). Echo Gill and Lawrence Doddson represent the LEAB, which was formed in July 2023 to provide guidance on homeless services from those who have used them.
“Our vision is to make a safer, healthier, happier environment for everyone in our community,” Doddson said. “We want housing to be a human right, and wrap-around services available to everyone who wants and needs it.”
LEAB has helped with the annual point-in-time count and conducted a coordinated entry focus group project to assess the entry system to determine ease of use for participants and staff. The group then provided recommendations to service providers and agencies.
“The people closest to the problem are the people closest to the solution,” Gill said.
2. General Election Vote Centers finalized: Interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess presented the Early Vote and Election Day Vote Center locations for Board review. There will be 55 locations throughout Washoe County on Election Day, November 5, and 24 locations for the two weeks of Early Voting. Washoe County does not vote by precinct, and instead voters can vote at any Vote Center that is convenient to them. Voting can be done either by mail, by drop-box at Vote Centers, or in-person during Early Voting or Election Day.
3. Board approves 12 ARPA/SLFRF-funded projects: Washoe County was awarded nearly $92 million in federal COVID recovery funds to be used for internal and external projects in accordance with Washoe County strategic goals and objectives, Board ARPA-SLFRF Guiding Principles and ARPA-SLFRF eligibility.
These 12 projects total approximately $3.2 million for community-based initiatives in public health, children, housing security, and economic development. While these projects represent the majority of remaining funds, additional allocations will be submitted to the Board of County Commissioner for approval on September 10. Washoe County has reserved a modest contingency of the remaining SLFRF funds for potentially necessary amendments until the Treasury’s obligation deadline of December 31, 2024.
- Tenancy Support Program ($790,000) to provide case management for tenancy support and a shallow rental assistance subsidy to move people into independent housing and keep them stably house.
- Sheriff Office Staffing Study ($89,900) to determine the recommended commissioned and civilian staffing levels needed to create a safe facility for both the staff manning the proposed new 240 bed medical facility and the inmate population.
- Community Art and Washoe Artrail ($200,000) in support of a Washoe ArTrail digital application to include an interactive augmented experience and the Gerlach trailhead art. The funds will be used to commission and install art pieces in the Washoe County region including but not limited to, the Washoe Artrail, murals, and arts at Washoe County parks
- Seven Magic Mountains ($500,000) relocation and installation from its current location south of the Las Vegas Strip along Interstate 15, to a location in Washoe County by the end of 2026.
- Communities in Schools ($238,000) in support of the expansion of the CIS program into four middle schools. CIS operates in 13 schools across Washoe County to provide an evidence-based, success-proven methodology for providing students with the services and resources they need to remove both academic and nonacademic barriers to their success.
- Notables Accessibility ($305,000) to improve accessibility by supporting window coverings, solar panels, ADA compliant doors and furniture to enhance therapeutic experience for all participants. Notables bridges the gaps between disability services, education, mental health, and the arts by providing innovative music therapy and inclusive music opportunities to the community.
- Courage House ($250,000) to bring a Courage House to northern Nevada supporting victims of sex trafficking and offering the most vulnerable children a refuge with trauma and survivor informed residential therapy.
- Truckee River Rangers ($200,000) to expand the consistency of patrols, programming, and citizen engagement along the Truckee River Corridor.
- Northern Nevada Literacy Council ($100,000) to provide literacy programs and career pathways for 40 adult learners ages 16-24 leading to career pathways with sustainable living wages.
- Rebuilding Together Northen Nevada ($75,000) to support 20 households to be pre-qualified with home repairs and a site feasibility project in Gerlach.
- Family Respite Care of Nevada ($50,000) supporting children residing in Washoe County who are in foster or post-adoption care.
- Tahoe Area Regional Transportation ($400,000) to continue improving alternative transportation options compared to personal vehicles and reducing congestion and improve traffic flow by reducing vehicles on the road.
4. Board approves funding agreement for Sheriff’s Office staffing at Burning Man: While Burning Man takes place in Pershing County, it is only 8 miles from the town of Gerlach and the main roads are in Washoe County’s jurisdiction with more than 70,000 people traveling through Gerlach to get to the event. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is tasked with provided additional law enforcement in those communities, and since 2008 has entered into a funding agreement with the Burning Man Project to cover the cost of additional law enforcement. The agreement this year is approximately $130,000.
5. Board appoints members to pro/con committees for WC-1 ballot question: The Registrar of Voters must form Arguments Committees for county ballot questions. WC-1, which will be on the General Election ballot, is about renewing a 30-year tax override to fund certain aspects of the Washoe County Library System. The current tax override will expire if not renewed. The two committees write the pro and con arguments that will appear in the election’s Sample Ballot. The members advocating passage of WC-1 are Sharon Honig-Bear, Gail Townsend and Megan Downs. The members advocating against passage of WC-1 are Bruce Parks, Ron Aryel and Penny Brock.
6. Board appoints Marie Rodriguez to the Library Board of Trustees: County Commissioners voted to appoint Marie Rodriguez to the Library Board of Trustees from a pool of 91 The Library Board is responsible for governing the operations of the Washoe County Library System, appoints the library director, and helps set library goals and objectives, approves policies, monitors the Washoe County Library System’s finances, evaluates the system’s overall effectiveness, and advocates for the Washoe County libraries.
Rodriguez is a 23-year resident of Washoe County and has volunteered on the Reno Ward 3 Neighborhood Advisory Board, Reno Arts & Culture Commission, and Sierra Arts Literary Community. Rodriguez works for the Reno Police Department as a Community Service Officer II.
“Over 25 percent of our county is Hispanic or Latino and we do need that on our Library Board,” Rodriguez said in English after first stating it in Spanish and adding that she is bilingual and assists coworkers at the Reno Police Department with Spanish translation.
7. County agencies receive donations: The Board of County Commissioners must approve donations to county agencies and programs. They approved the following donations to Child Protective Services:
- Valerie Cook $300
- Holt Family Trust $500
- Washoe Masonic Lodge #35 $200
- Natural Paws, Inc. $800
- N.N.A.H.U. $862.50
- Juror Donations $6,658.44
- Quilts, blankets and scarves from the Children’s Cabinet Stitchers
- Various clothing, food and toys from individual donors
The Board approved the following donations to the Human Services Agency Homeless Fund:
- Narcan, fentanyl and zylazine test strips valued at $4,500 from Darcy P.
- Travel size toothpastes valued at $5,625 donated by Safe Embrace
- 600 adult dental kits valued over $1,200 donated by Liberty Dental
- 10 boxes of new books valued at $1,000 donated by Sundance Books and Music
- Various items of clothing, shoes, books, furniture, toiletries, water bottles and more by individual donors
The Board also approved the donation of cooling fans to be distributed to local seniors through the KOLO8 and Senior Services Fan Drive, as well as individual donations, all totaling approximately $15,500.
8. Board allocates District Special Funds: The Board approved allocations of District Special Funds to the following nonprofit organizations:
- $10,000 from District 5 (Commissioner Jeanne Herman) to the Reno Toy Run
- $5,000 from District 5 (Commissioner Jeanne Herman) to Senior ResQ
- $10,000 from District 2 (Commissioner Mike Clark) to Jewish Nevada
- $10,000 from District 2 (Commissioner Mike Clark) to Lifestyle Homes Foundation for the Cold Springs Family Center
- $10,000 from District 2 (Commissioner Mike Clark) to the Reno Toy Run
- $5,000 from District 2 (Commissioner Mike Clark) to the Sanford Center for Aging
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