The following are highlights from today’s Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting:
1. Board accepted federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds: Washoe County received more than $6.5 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to assist those struggling to pay rent or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the funds have been approved, staff will bring a subgrant forward to the Board of County Commissioners, asking to direct a large portion of the funds to the Reno Housing Authority, which will work with the Washoe County Human Services Agency and other partners to determine eligibility and manage the payments and reporting.
The federal grant requires no match from the county and will support the community in four areas:
- Rental assistance and missed rental payments
- Energy/utility assistance and missed payments
- Community needs assessment and tracking – use GIS mapping of income, unemployment, and renter-occupied housing data to track and report on the provision of services throughout the county.
- Community outreach – use GIS tracking and analysis to reach underserved and hard-to-reach residents who may benefit from this program.
The pandemic has created an economic hardship for many in the community, and the Emergency Rental Assistance program will allow residents to stay in their homes, keep families together, and reduce the impact of lost revenue felt throughout the county.
2. Commissioners approved creation of new accounting for homelessness: Washoe County supports vulnerable populations in numerous ways, drawing from multiple revenue sources and crossing jurisdictions. Moving expenses for shelter, case management, medical services, nutrition services, maintenance, and personnel, among a variety of other categories, into a single fund will provide greater efficiency and clarity. The Board heard a presentation from the county’s budget office that proposed pooling these expenses and the funding for them in a single account.
The county recently adopted an interlocal agreement with the City of Sparks and City of Reno on a regional plan to address homelessness. The creation of this special fund will help the accounting of Washoe County’s share of the expenses and will allow the county to better represent how it funds programs related to homelessness.
“There is no fiscal impact, this is just a resolution to create a fund for accounting purposes only,” Chair Bob Lucey said. “There are no expenditures; this is for us to identify how we move those funds. They’ve been in our General Fund for some time and it’s difficult to audit how they’re spent, so this will give us better accountability.”
3. Commissioners approved the reimbursement of voting equipment fees: The Board of County Commissioners approved a reimbursement from the Nevada Secretary of State for just over $321,000 to cover expenses related to voting equipment. In 2019, the Nevada State Legislature enacted changes to election laws, including Automatic Voter Registration and Same-Day Registration, that necessitated updated voting equipment and support. The state provided the Secretary of State with $1.52 million to help county election offices offset the licensing and support fees of this equipment.
4. Board accepted a private donation to enhance Incline Village law enforcement presence: Incline Village residents Dave and Cheryl Duffield donated nearly $12 million to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to enhance the community-oriented policing approach Incline Village residents have asked for over the years, as the Village has grown. The team will consist of one captain, one lieutenant, four sergeants, and five deputy sheriffs, allowing the Sheriff’s Office greater visibility and consistency in the community.
This new donation will fund an increased law enforcement presence for five years, beginning July 1, 2021.
“I’d like to thank the Duffields for their generous donation,” Commissioner Alexis Hill, whose district includes Incline Village, said. “This will add the presence of a full-time law enforcement team that will truly be in and of the community.”
