Updated: View a presentation of the budget below.
The City of Reno will hold a Budget Workshop at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at Reno City Hall in the Council Chamber. Staff will present Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) General Fund Budget recommendations to City Council.
“Fiscal stability is a top priority of the Mayor and the new City Council,” Reno City Manager Andrew Clinger says. “We look forward to hearing their feedback on our key focus areas. These include increasing reserves and reducing debt while funding critical public-safety needs, addressing deferred maintenance issues, creating a business-friendly city, and fostering a vibrant downtown for residents and visitors.”
The City of Reno continues to ask for public input on budget priorities via the City’s Facebook page or Twitter page (use hashtag #RenoBudget), via email at [email protected], or by calling Reno Direct at 775-334-4636. The public is asked to provide feedback by Friday, May 8, at 5 p.m.
The FY16 Budget was developed to align with the newly established Council priorities:
Vibrant Downtown
Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods
Planned Growth
Fiscal Stability and Sustainable Services
Predictable and Accessible Business Environment
Highlights of the estimated $168 million FY16 Budget recommendations include:
In alignment with the City of Reno’s strategic priority of safe and healthy neighborhoods:
33 (67%) of the 49.5 recommended full-time equivalent positions will be in the area of public safety. Specifically, 19 are dedicated to the Reno Police Department (including a downtown walking patrol team), 12 positions fall within the Reno Fire Department, and two dispatchers would be added.
Funds to reinstate the Neighborhood Advisory Boards (NABs) to support increased community engagement, which was previously approved by City Council.
In support of the City’s priority of an efficient business environment:
A City Planner and two inspectors to meet the needs of development as the community recovers from the recession and grows.
Allocations for Reno Direct to transition from a Reno call center to a regional call center, which would assist Washoe County citizens with questions and/or complaints.
Expenditures related to the Regional Business License and Permits Program, which will go live in the first quarter of 2016, are also being recommended. The program will provide the community with 24/7 online access to the licensing process and resources.
The fiscal stability and sustainable services priority recommendations include:
Resources for a comprehensive fee study to ensure that the City is fairly charging for its services.
Implementation of an open data and city dashboard/performance platform allowing citizens to see real-time, quantifiable results of the organization’s performance.
An internal auditor would help streamline programs and improve organizational efficiency.
Restoration of three IT positions would support the ever-changing world of technology and continue to innovate the way the City does business.
Various parks and recreation maintenance positions and funding would help improve quality of life offerings in the City, including enhancements to before and after school programs.
Resources will be dedicated to creating a vibrant downtown, aligning the City’s budget priorities with a primary focus area of citizens (as noted in the ETC Citizen Survey slide below). These recommendations were also developed in response to strategic priorities of community partners such as EDAWN and RAD, and in support of the University Town concept that reconnects downtown to the University of Nevada, Reno. Recommendations related to a vibrant downtown include:
Funding to develop a downtown plan, which was unanimously supported by the City Council at its Strategic Planning session held in March.
Initiating a blight study to effectively begin to strategically improve downtown blight.
Hire a Revitalization Manager to manage the blight program and focus on downtown revitalization.
Launch and implement phase II of the City’s “ReImagine Reno” Master Plan, which will set the direction for the future of the City of Reno’s infrastructure plan.
SOURCE: City of Reno.
