The following are highlights from today’s Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting:
1. Board approves Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: Washoe County Comptroller Cathy Hill presented the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), auditor’s report, and report on internal controls for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022 (FY22). Nevada law requires the county to issue an annual report, which must be audited to include findings on compliance with statutes and regulations, and an expression of opinion on the financial statements. The audit must be conducted by a certified public accountant.
“I want to thank you for taking care of our tax dollars,” Commissioner Kitty Jung said. “We have the highest bond rating in the whole state, and I’m proud of that. Thank you for maintaining that bond rating. Thank you for the audit and for keeping us with integrity with so much money.”
2. Board approves three actions related to grants to and funding of the Nevada Cares Campus: In three separate agenda items today, the Board of County Commissioners accepted a grant, approved an invitation to apply for a grant, and approved the appropriation of ARPA funding in preparation to seek approval for the Phase III bid to come before the Board of County Commissioners in January. The Nevada Cares Campus comprises the emergency shelter for those experiencing homelessness, Safe Camp, and wraparound services.
The Nevada Cares Campus Charitable Fund, managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, granted just over $1.6 million to the Nevada Cares Campus Charitable Fund, which was created to support the Nevada Cares Campus centralization of shelter and wrap-around services. The grant included a $1 million donation from the Montreux Cares Committee and $500,000 from the Evanstad Foundation, among others.
The Nevada Cares Campus currently includes more than 15-acres of property with a 46,000 square foot emergency shelter, 50 temporary shelter modular units, various modular administrative buildings, on-site laundry, restrooms, and a temporary area for participants to eat meals.
“I want to make a shout-out to Assistant County Manager Kate Thomas, who sits on our capital campaign,” Commissioner Alexis Hill said. “I’ve been participating and I’m proud that I was able to bring in some donations to this. The family doesn’t want to be named, but we have so many generous people in our community. I also want to thank EDAWN’s Mike Kazmierski. He hired this fundraising team with EDAWN money. It’s a really robust committee with a lot of people coming together because they believe in this. Reno and Sparks are also involved, and we have more money to raise, and we’re going out there and hitting the pavement, and I hope to have more donations for this Board to accept next year.”
The Board also approved a $12 million grant from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 from the U.S. Congress and directed staff to manage the grant and plan its expenditure at the Cares Campus. Washoe County pursued funding through the Community Project Funding (CPF) process, formerly known as federal appropriations cycle, to provide funding to expand upon the initial phase of the newly constructed shelter and including a day use area, safe camping location, and internet and broadband infrastructure.
In a third action related to funding for the Cares Campus, the Board approved a $3.1 million amendment to previously approved funding from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation. Additionally, the Board approved $4.8 million to purchase property at 1240 E. 9th Street in Reno – the previous West Hills facility – to provide behavioral health services.
“I am highly supportive of this and I want to thank our team and county manager for negotiating this.” Chair Hartung said. “In many cases we can’t stabilize folks without treating them for substance abuse and that’s the beginning.”
3. Commissioners vote to approve the last CMAR agreement for the South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility Expansion Project: In support of the South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility Expansion Project, the Washoe County Community Services Department (CSD) requested an increase to its budget authority for the Utilities Fund by $43.8 million. This additional amount is already contained within the fund, but changes to the budget must be approved by the Board. In a subsequent action, the Board awarded the final construction contracts to complete the STMWF expansion project to MWH Constructors and KG Walters Construction, a joint venture, (MWH&KGW) who were competitively selected in 2020 to deliver the project. The contracts will total around $43.7 million, just under the amount augmented in the budget authority.
The South Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (STMWF) is a regional facility, serving residents of Washoe County as well as City of Reno residents who live in parts of the South Truckee Meadows. The facility was built in 1991 and has undergone previous expansions and improvements as the region has grown. The current expansion began in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2025. The total project is estimated to cost $122 million and is funded entirely by rate payers, not by the county’s General Fund.
The Board unanimously voted to approve the contracts, giving accolades to Dwayne Smith and the CSD team for seeking ways to conserve groundwater while treating effluent to the highest quality.
“It’s a really amazing, state-of-the-art plant in our region,” Chair Vaughn Hartung said. “We are constrained with resources as a state, but this facility is so important because we are the most arid state in the nation to support alternative uses of reclaimed water. We are regional and we also support a group like the UNR Water Innovation Institute because of the work that’s happening every day over there. I look forward to being part of that innovation and having a research facility attached to it one shape or form.”
4. Board collectively contributes $10,000 to Washoe Leadership Academy from District Special Funds: Each commissioner allocated part of their District Special Fund to support the Washoe Leadership Academy class project. The class project is intended for participants of the WCLA to “give back” or support their county/community by identifying a need within unincorporated Washoe County or issues that affect Washoe County residents or relate to Washoe County local government. The Washoe County Leadership Academy (WCLA) participants choose a project based on guidance from Commissioner Support staff and are required to give a presentation outlining the goals/objectives, timeline, outcomes, and sustainability of the project.
Commissioners Hill, Jung, Herman, and Hartung each allocated $1,000 and Commissioner Bob Lucey allocated $6,000 for a total of $10,000 to support the project.
