CITY OF RENO NEWS RELEASE
Today the Reno City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting. Below are some highlights from the meeting.
• Agenda Item E.5
The City Council approved an agreement with Van Woert Bigotti Architects for consulting services to remodel one of the two buildings at the former RTC CitiCenter Transfer Station into a Reno Police sub-station in an amount not to exceed $30,970. The funding will come from federal forfeiture funds. The entire project of repurposing the former bus station also includes opening the location to the public with a plaza, artwork and tree lighting. The local event Food Truck Fridays will be held at the site beginning on April 6, and the location will be accessible to the public in time for that event and the arrival of the 2012 United Stations Bowling Congress Women’s Championships on April 14.
• Agenda Item E.6
The City Council approved a contract with Tholl Fence for a fencing project at Miguel Ribera and Robinhood Parks in an amount not to exceed $38,446.86. The amount will come from Community Development Block Grant funds. The fencing at both parks will improve public safety and help reduce crime. The new fence at Miguel Rivera Park is a sturdier chain link fence and will replace an aging chain link fence that has been substantially vandalized over the years. The fence at Robinhood Park is an addition to existing wrought iron fencing that will enclose the park’s perimeter to secure it at night.
The CDBG Program provides annual direct grants to communities that can be used to expand affordable housing and economic opportunities, to revitalize neighborhoods and/or to improve community facilities and services, principally for the benefit of low to moderate income individuals.
• Agenda Item J.4
This agenda item was continued from the Feb. 22 Reno City Council meeting after a split vote. Today the council affirmed the decisions of the administrator and two hearing examiners regarding the approval of a sign permit located at the Wild Orchid, 515 South Virginia St. Scenic Nevada submitted appeals regarding the administrator’s decision (to approve the alteration of the sign), a hearing examiner’s decision (to dismiss the appeal) and a second hearing examiner’s decision (which determined the administrator did not abuse her discretion in approving the sign permit application and affirmed the administrator’s decision).
• Agenda Item M.2 (staff report attached)
With regards to mutual aid agreements, the city council directed staff to finalize mutual aid agreements with the city of Reno’s federal, state and regional agencies for council approval. The agreements should be drafted consistent with standard mutual aid agreements similar to those that have been previously approved by council. The agreement allows the city of Reno to provide like resources upon request if sufficient resources are available. The first mutual aid resource for fire-based services shall be provided at no cost for the first 12 hours. As such, any assistance received from the city of Reno will generate a bill for service if the time on scene exceeds 12 hours, excluding wildland incidents with federal agencies where the 24-hour rule should remain in effect.
The council voted to not enter into any automatic aid agreement with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) until TMFPD provides a response plan, performance plan, command structure and a plan for primary service to the TMFPD “Island Areas.”
Council directed that the notice of termination clause be specified within the 1991 Emergency Aid Agreement for the city of Reno and TMFPD be exercised. Doing this would avoid any confusion since an official termination letter had not been located. The 1991 agreement between the city of Reno and TMFPD is not an enforceable agreement due to the consolidation of resources through the Interlocal Agreement for Fire Consolidation in 2000. All other agreements existing at the date of consolidation were attached to the Interlocal Agreement for Fire Consolidation, and the 1991 agreement was not included.
