WASHOE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
The Washoe County Commission held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 10, and took action on items including the recognition of Sheriff’s Office RAVEN crews; the proclamation of April 2 through 8 as National Public Health Week, April 8 through 14 as National Library Week and April as National County Government Month; the acceptance of donations and grants; the award of a design bid for the North Valleys Regional Park; updates on the region’s HOME Consortium and a new rate structure for the Health Care Assistance Program.
Proclamations and Recognition. County commissioners formally recognized the Sheriff’s Office RAVEN program and deputies Doug Russell and Brandon Zirkle for their ongoing efforts to ensure safety in the region. In March 2012, Russell and Zirkle located a 3-year old child lost in the Mound House area, and in May helped locate two separate parties of snowboarders in the Sierra, as well as assisting in fire suppression efforts in both the Caughlin and Washoe fires.
Additionally, commissioners proclaimed April as National County Government Month and extended their thanks to the county’s employees for all their hard work and dedication in making Washoe County a great place to live, work and recreate. The theme for 2012 is “Healthy Counties, Healthy Families.”
The commission also recognized April 2 through 8 as National Public Health Week and April 8 through 14 as National Library Week. The theme of National Public Health Week for 2012 is “A Healthier America Begins Today. Join the Movement,” and encourages citizens to better understand the importance of public health to the community. National Library Week urges the community to take advantage of the excellent resources provided to it through Washoe County’s regional libraries.
Grants and Donations. At its meeting, the County Commission accepted $225,877 in Federal Adoption Incentive Funds from the State Division of Child and Family Services for adoption services in Washoe County and $639,401 from the Federal Administration for Children and Families to provide long-term foster care for children in Washoe County. The federal funds require a $83,069 match from Washoe County ($42,038 in cash and $41,371 in-kind).
In addition, commissioners accepted $4,001 in donations to support services in the Sheriff’s Office. Wal Mart Corporation donated $500 for the Sheriff’s Citizen Corps program, and Henry Schein donated $3,501 to the Sheriff’s Office to purchase equipment for its K-9 unit.
North Valleys Regional Park. The commission awarded a $250,000 bid to Stantec Consulting, Inc. for the design and construction administration of water features at North Valleys Regional Park. The project, which will cost approximately $2.0 million, will be partially funded by proceeds from the sale of water rights from the Sierra Sage Golf Course.
The water play/splash park facility was selected as the top priority for improvement by the North Valleys Citizens Advisory Board and approved by the County Commission in October of 2011.
Design is anticipated to be completed by summer 2012, with construction beginning in the winter.
HOME Consortium. The commission heard a presentation from Linda Wildman from the city of Reno on the HOME Consortium, a regional effort by Reno, Sparks and Washoe County to provide affordable housing and housing assistance to Washoe County. Assistance includes homeowner rehabilitation, rental assistance and projects for low income housing.
HOME Consortium programs are funded by several state of Nevada funding sources, other regional funding and the HOME Investment Partnership Program, and total approximately $1.45 million for the 2011/2012 fiscal year.
Over the last six years, the HOME Consortium has assisted in the development of over 300 housing units in over a dozen different projects.
This year, the County Commission returned the portion of HOME Consortium funding it was allowed to specifically allocate back to the general fund pool for use in the region as whole.
Health Care Assistance Program. During their meeting, commissioners authorized Social Services to change the rate of payment to health care providers for services provided to indigent citizens in Washoe County from a “billable plus percentage” rate to a validated, Medicaid-based rate structure.
The change in rate structure comes in response to decreased funding for the program and an increase in demand for those services, and is projected to save the county approximately $6.3 million in fiscal year 2012/2013.
