The following are highlights from today’s Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting:
1. Board appoints new county treasurer: The Board of County Commissioners appointed Linda Jacobs to the position of Washoe County Treasurer, effective Feb. 28, the retirement date of current Treasurer Tammi Davis, who has worked in the Treasurer’s Office for 24 years. The Treasurer is an elected position with the current term slated to end this year. Jacobs has served as deputy treasurer since 2015, and will fill the role of treasurer through the remainder of Davis’ term.
“Much has changed during my tenure, but the amazing team that serves in the treasurer’s office remains dedicated and committed to excellent customer service. That has not changed. It’s been an honor to serve alongside each of them, and to serve with each of you, Commissioners, during my time as treasurer,” Davis said. “Our main focus is to ensure continuity for day-to-day ops and special projects, and the best way to do that is to appoint someone who is intimately familiar with our office.”
“You have truly shown your dedication to this position and public service, the support and dedication to your department,” Commissioner Lucey said. “I believe you are leaving your office in great hands with Ms. Jacobs. We wish you all of the best and thank you for your service. Thank you for all of your time and what you’ve done.”
2. Hearing held to abolish office of constable in Incline Village: The Board heard a first reading of an ordinance to amend the Washoe County Code to abolish the office of constable in Incline Village. Other constables’ offices in Washoe County were abolished in 1998 as their roles in civil cases became obsolete with the expansion of local law enforcement.
Per a staffing memo from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, most duties of the constable are routinely conducted by the Sheriff’s Office, including executing warrants, arresting offenders, and issuing citations. The constable also collaborates with the Incline Village Justice Court to monitor and administer substance tests to pre-trial defendants, and conduct civil services such as evictions, temporary protection orders, and red flag legislation. The memo states that these duties can easily be assumed by the Sheriff’s Office.
As a first reading, there was no vote required from Commissioners, and the code amendment will be heard at a second hearing on Feb. 8, and if approved at that point, the constable’s office would be eliminated at the end of the constable’s current term, Jan. 2, 2023.
3. Board provides direction for evolution of short-term-rental codes: Washoe County began permitting short-term rentals (STRs) in May 2021, and is approaching 500 permits issued to date. The Community Services Department approached the first summer season as a pilot to see what issues may arise and how the code might be amended to better serve resident/owners of STRs. Based on public meetings with residents and STR owners, the Community Services Department presented suggested revisions to the STR code. Commissioners discussed the suggested revisions and determined to:
- Include minimum insurance requirements in affidavit rather than a certificate of insurance
- Clarify requirements for parking where parking is unassigned
- Revise method for calculating maximum occupancy
- Replace “wildlife resistant carts” with bear-proof boxes
- Work on technology innovation to improve the overall STR program
- Postpone action on adding fee for additional building inspections
- Postpone action on increasing inspection permit fee for North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District
The Board provided further direction to staff, including further partnership with the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, which collects the lodging tax on STRs. Commissioners also suggested looking again at the fee structure after another summer season to ensure that expenses and revenue are balanced and truly reflect the cost of staff time and resources.
“We had a rough summer this year. The wildfires didn’t help us really evaluate the program to the full extent, would it be fair to say we need another year to fully evaluate the ramifications of this program?” Commissioner Alexis Hill asked.
Ninety-six percent of the STRs in Washoe County are located in the Lake Tahoe Basin, which is in Commissioner Hill’s district, District 1.
“I want to say thank you so much to the team. Everyone has worked so hard to work with the STR owners over the duration of this process,” Hill said. “I hear nothing but positive things from the residents, even from those who have issues with parts of the policy. I want to be sure that the County Manager and staff hear my appreciation for implementing this. We have improved the life safety on this issue, especially since so many of these reside in my district.”
4. NDOT presented update on possible removal of advance signal warning systems: Advance signal warning systems (ASWS) are the lighted signs that say “Prepare to Stop When Flashing” often placed ahead of signalized intersections. Designed to warn drivers that the stoplight will soon turn to red and therefore slow down, the signals often do the opposite and spur drivers to speed up, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). To change drivers’ behavior, NDOT is working to develop a more unified system that takes into account the specific hazards and situations at each intersection. These changes have been made throughout the state, and NDOT is now focusing on corridors in Washoe County, including Mt. Rose Highway and Pyramid Highway.
Rod Schilling, NDOT chief traffic operations engineer, addressed those corridors in his presentation to the Board.
Commissioners noted their concern that changing behavior is not enough to ensure road safety, and questioned what other tools may be used to keep these high-traffic, high-speed intersections safe.
“I get calls about this daily,” Chair Vaughn Hartung, who represents District 4, which includes high-traffic areas of Pyramid Highway, said. “If you want to make Pyramid Highway safer, let’s widen it. I recognize the need to have consistency throughout the state, but if safety is the goal, then Pyramid Highway would have been widened 20 years ago.”
5. Board approves use of contingency fund for Registrar of Voters Office: The Nevada State Legislature in 2021 passed legislation to make mail-in ballots a permanent and automatic option in Nevada elections. Voters can opt out of receiving a mail ballot. To accommodate this permanent move to mail-in ballots, the Registrar of Voters Office is reconfiguring its office space and has requested funding for additional personnel. Washoe County’s General Fund Continency may be used for these purposes but must be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. The Board today approved the transfer of $1.6 million from the contingency fund to other budget funds to cover these election-related expenses.
6. Board awards contract for replastering and remodeling of Bowers Mansion Pool: The pool at Bowers Mansion is a popular summer destination, receiving approximately 24,000 visitors every year, but it has experienced repeated closures due to failing plaster, which typically has about a 10-year lifespan. While the pool is replastered, other updates will be made as well. The wading pool will be replaced with a splash pad, the diving board will be improved, and an ADA-compliant ramp will be installed.
Washoe County received two bids for the project, and the Board today awarded the contract to the lowest bidder, Western Water Features Inc., for just over $1.1 million.
7. Board approves District 5 Special District Fund allocations: Commissioner Jeanne Herman proposed $35,000 from her district’s $100,000 Special District Fund for aseries of projects that will benefit the residents of Washoe County District 5:
- $2,500 for Rebuilding Together Northern Nevada, which helps homeowners with critical home repairs that are outside their means
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army to support its human trafficking survivor program
- $10,000 to Veterans Guest House, which supports U.S. military veterans and their families during times of medical need
- $2,500 to Veterans Upward Bound Program at Truckee Meadows Community College to support educational and career success for veterans
- $5,000 to Adopt a Vet Dental Program to provide critical dental care for impoverished veterans
- $5,000 to the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, Mental Health Program, to support the Veterans Crisis Line, which provides suicide prevention and mental health crisis support to veterans.
Adopt A Vet Assistant Director Heather Borkowski provided public comment to thank the Board for supporting the life-saving organizations that serve veterans: “We want to say thank you to Commissioner Herman for this generous allocation of grant money. We are thankful that you see the value in programs that transform veterans’ lives.”
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