Top headlines from the Board of County Commissioners meeting

by | Aug 19, 2025

image of five people with "meeting highlights" and Washoe County logo

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

1. Board appoints two commissioners to newly formed fire Study Board: Senate Bill 319 (SB319) requires Washoe County, the City of Reno, and the City of Sparks to jointly establish a board by interlocal agreement to study regional fire and emergency services options. The Study Board must include two members of the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners, and today commissioners voted 3-2 to appoint Commissioner Mariluz Garcia and Commissioner Clara Andriola. Appointed members should be prepared to represent the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners throughout the study period in ongoing discussions regarding fire service delivery models, fiscal implications, and service level impacts. The Study Board is tasked with completing the required study and issuing a report by December 31, 2026.

2. Board hears update on regional computer-aided dispatch project: A regional effort to replace the computer aided dispatch (CAD) and records management suite (RMS) software is expected to be completed and ready to launch early next year. City of Reno Public Safety Dispatch Director Cody Shadle provided a status update on the project. There has been a slight delay in the rollout, but Shadle noted that it is on budget and fully supported by the regional jurisdictions: Reno, Sparks, Washoe County, and REMSA.

“It’s hard when things don’t go as fast as we’d like them to, but we need to get this right,” Commissioner Clara Andriola said. “In order to get to a place of unrestricted automatic aid and the dropping of the boundaries, this is a critical tool to accomplish that.”  

The current testing phase will continue into October, followed by training of more than 17 agencies and 2,000 personnel, and a go-live date in February.  

3. Commissioners approve contract for remodel of River House on Our Place campus: In May this year, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which includes buildings 14 and 15 – the River House and Serenity House, respectively – on the Our Place campus. Today the Board approved a construction contract with Apex Construction, Inc., which was found to be the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder for the project. The $2.5 million project will consist of remodel work to provide new finishes, upgraded infrastructure, and a new connector structure to create a single, integrated building supporting the Women’s Crossroads program and enhancing transitional housing and supportive services for women in the community.

A comprehensive feasibility study was conducted in 2024 to evaluate the condition of the existing structures, assess programming needs, and identify opportunities for renovation and new construction. The project also aims to preserve the historic character of the buildings while accommodating future program growth.

4. Commissioners approve two contracts for construction work at the new Washoe Behavioral Health Center: In 2024, Washoe County purchased the shuttered West Hills Hospital with the goal of opening a new behavioral health center. Plenium Builders, Inc., was selected construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) for preconstruction services. Today the Board approved a contract with Plenium Builders as the CMAR for the comprehensive renovation of the existing 47,000 square foot building, and approved the Guaranteed Maximum Price of $6.4 million for the project.

In a separate action today, the Board awarded a contract of just over $1 million to H&K Architects for final architectural and engineering design services necessary to complete the project. These services include architecture, civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering design and construction administration support for bidding, project delivery and close-out.  

When complete, the Washoe Behavioral Health Center will provide a range of behavioral health services, with a specialized focus on children and adolescents. Key services include psychiatric residential treatment, crisis stabilization, respite care, and specialized services for Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) victims, alongside outpatient support and dedicated training spaces.  

5. Board approves two-year grant for STAR Program: Washoe County Department of Alternative Sentencing (DAS) received a grant of just over $310,000 for a two-year term from the Fund for a Resilient Nevada Sub-Award from the Department of Health and Human Services. This grant is to fund treatment and recovery support services for participants of the Department of Alternative Sentencing Support in Treatment, Accountability and Recovery (STAR) program.

Since its inception in 2022, the STAR Program has made 97 referrals to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) services, conducted 545 counseling sessions, 291 journaling sessions, 587 home visits, 764 general office/field visits, over 1,000 case management contacts, and over 3,700 peer recovery support specialist contacts. While the STAR team aims to assist its participants in overcoming barriers to successful recovery, public safety remains a core tenet of the programmatic model as an extension of the overall mission of DAS.  

6. Board appoints member to Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife: A previous appointment to the Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife (WCABMW) was brought back for reconsideration. Individuals appointed must be citizens of Nevada and residents of the county from which they are appointed and be hunters, trappers or anglers or engaged in ranching or farming in the county. The current open seat is for a term that began July 1, 2025, and will continue through June 30, 2028. The Board voted unanimously to appoint Kristie Marchese, an elementary school teacher and member of the Nevada Bighorns Unlimited (NBU) Ewes, the philanthropic arm of NBU focused on introducing women and children to wildlife conservation.

“I have proudly volunteered with NBU for nearly 20 years, contributing to raffle leads, guzzler construction, and wildlife trap and transplant efforts,” Marchese stated in her application. “As a dedicated outdoorswoman, I am not afraid to put in the hard work necessary to support and protect our natural resources. I am committed to responsible decision-making and always strive to listen to public input to ensure the best outcomes for wildlife conservation.” 

7. Washoe County Comptroller’s Office receives prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 43rd consecutive year: The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is given to government entities whose annual comprehensive financial reports achieve the highest standards in government accounting and financial reporting, including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate the County’s financial story.  

This is the 43rd consecutive year that the Comptroller’s Office has received this honor. Staff directly involved in the year-end audit and preparation of the ACFR for fiscal year 2023-2024 included: Accounting Manager Robert Andrews; Accounting Manager Russell Morgan; Senior Accountant Susan O’Haro; Senior Accountant Asta Dominguez; Senior Accountant Alex Robarge; Senior Accountant Rebecca Mosher; Senior Accountant Cris Shimkovsky; Accountant II Michelle Glodt-Mikoliczyk; Accountant II Joyce Garrett; Accountant II Na Na Huang; and Administrative Assistant II Vicki Stebbins. 

“Congratulations, thank you for your work, and thank you to you and your team and all you do for the county,” Chair Alexis Hill said. 

8. Board allocates District Special Funds for districts 2 and 3: The Board approved from Special Fund grants – $45,000 from District 2 and $2,000 from District 3 to the following organizations:

  • $10,000 to Jewish Nevada to support their mission to engage the community to invest, enrich, and ensure the vibrancy and continuity of Jewish life in Nevada through the Jewish cultural festival Milk and Honey;  
  • $2,000 to Washoe County Human Services Agency – Child Protective Services to support FAM Fest, an event that brings together individuals, families, and organizations who believe in the power of community, the importance of belonging, and the vital role that all play in supporting those in foster care.

9. Commissioners approve donations to county departments and programs: The Board of County Commissioners must formally approve donations made to Washoe County departments or programs. The following donations were approved today:

  • A Caterpillar Grader 130G, estimated at $7,500, from the City of Sparks to Washoe County Community Services Roads Fund in support of gravel road and stormwater drainage ditch maintenance programs in the Truckee Meadows and Incline Village areas;  
  • $34,442 from the estate of Victor Bucher to the Washoe County Public Defender’s Office to be used primarily for training of attorneys and staff and obtaining research and training material for the Public Defender’s office. 
  • $50,000 from the Fisher Global Foundation for a multi-year subscription to Drone Sense Inc., a universal piloting application that takes the guesswork out of flying and lets the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office get drones into the air quickly and safely. This software program will allow the Sheriff’s Office to gain comprehensive situational awareness with secure access to live videos from drones. 

###