CITY OF RENO NEWS RELEASE
Today, the Reno City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting. Below are some highlights from the meeting.
• Reno Fire Division Chief Tamara Lopes Retiring
The City Council and the Reno Fire Department honored Reno Fire Division Chief Tamara Lopes. Chief Lopes began her career with the Reno Fire Department in 1986. She has been a member of the department’s Water Entry Team (WET), the Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), and has served twice as the lead training captain for the Reno Fire Department Recruit Academy. Additionally, she developed wellness and fitness programs and helped develop the medical programs for the Reno Fire Department Recruit Academy and Reno Fire Department. Chief Lopes is a member of the National Fire Protection Association Health and Safety Committee which is responsible for national standards for fire department occupational safety and health programs.
• Agenda Item E.9
The City Council approved the acceptance of a $13,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration, Center of Substance Abuse Prevention via Join Together Northern Nevada (JTNN). The grant supports the Reno Police Department’s efforts of enforcing underage drinking laws.
With the popularity in pub crawls, JTNN is providing these grant monies in an effort to assist in providing compliance checks during these types of events. The purpose of this funding is to conduct alcohol sale compliance checks, saturation patrols and other law enforcement operations to reduce underage drinking during pub crawls and other events, which may include, but are not limited to: fake identification checks, third party purchaser intervention, and juvenile DUI prevention/apprehension. There is also a provision for Reno Police personnel to attend meetings with bars and clubs in the crawl areas.
• Agenda Item E. 10
The City Council approved the acceptance of a $2,484 grant from the State of Nevada, Division of Child and Family Services for the State Victim Assistance Academy.
Lori Fralick of the Reno Police Department’s Victim Services Unit coordinates efforts to pull victim service professionals together collectively to plan, develop, and then implement consistent statewide training. The grant will help in enhancing the quality and ensure equal access to victims of violent crime throughout the state. Collaborating will ensure a maximizing of resources and staff in all victim service agencies.
• Agenda Item H. 1
The City Council approved a resolution donating $5,380 in Community Pride Grant Funds from Wards One and Two South Neighborhood Advisory Boards (NAB) to Very Special Arts Nevada to offset costs associated with hands-on special education art workshops for students. Very Special Arts Nevada provides opportunities for children and their families to experience the arts through visual performance and hands on art workshops, enriching the quality of life for the community and benefitting the inhabitants of the Reno.
Each NAB’s CPG funds are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects. These funds are allocated to projects that the City may not have budgeted for that the NAB would like to expedite. Funds are generally intended for projects that are short term in nature and quick to implement. While funding is recommended by the boards, its use and expenditure are guided by established city procurement, expenditure procedures, and ground rules.
• Agenda Item J.1
The City Council approved a Parking Agreement with Our Lady of Snows Catholic Parish Corporation (vote 6 to 1, with Council Member Brekhus opposing). The Parking Agreement was one of ten conditions that was requested by the City Council to be completed as part of the abandonment of a portion of Lander Street between Monroe and Walker Avenue (April 25, 2012 City Council Meeting).
The Parking Agreement addresses proposed drop-off areas at the intersections of Lander Street and Walker Avenue and Lander Street and Monroe Street. It also includes recommendations by the Reno Police Department and incorporates of some recommendations provided by a concerned area resident. The Agreement was reviewed by the Recreation and Parks Commission.
• Agenda Item J.2
The City Council approved a Use Agreement with Our Lady of Snows Catholic Parish Corporation (vote 6 to 1, with Council Member Brekhus opposing). The Use Agreement was one of ten conditions that was requested by the City Council to be completed as part of the abandonment of a portion of Lander Street between Monroe and Walker Avenue (April 25, 2012 City Council Meeting).
The Use Agreement outlines the school’s use of Plumas Park between normal school hours, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during regularly scheduled school days, which shall not include weekends or legal holidays and shall not include the period from June 15 to August 10 of any year. The Agreement also outlines that Our Lady of Snows Catholic Parish Corporation will pay the City of Reno an annual license fee of $1,800 for each school year to reimburse the City for maintenance costs which includes the cost for personnel, equipment, materials, and replacement parts necessary to maintain the area. The Agreement was reviewed by the Recreation and Parks Commission.
• Agenda Item J.7
The Reno City Council approved a total of $160,000 in special event sponsorship funding allocation to the following events:
Reno Rodeo Parade: $5,000
Street Vibrations Fall Rally: $25,000
Reno 10 Miler: $8,000
Reno River Festival: $20,000
Tour de Nez Outreach: $10,000
Reno Air Racing Association: $40,000
Hot August Nights: $40,000
Santa Claus under the Reno Arch: $12,000
The Special Events Sponsorship Committee, made up of area residents and business leaders, and the Special Events Subcommittee of the Reno City Council recommended the funding allocation to these events for in-kind sponsorship.
For fiscal year 2012-2013, the Reno City Council outlined Arts, Culture and Special Events as one of their priorities. The city of Reno encourages community events that add quality of life for our residents and visitors. The City of Reno strives to protect and add both regional and local special events which will grow the current tourism base and attract new visitors.
• Agenda Item J.8
The City Council approved the recommendation by the Special Events Subcommittee of the Reno City Council to form a new Special Events Regional Task Force. The formation would help in bringing special event stakeholders and jurisdictional entities in the region together to discuss special events sponsorship policies and other best practices related to special events.
• Agenda Item K. 1
The City Council approved the appointment of Stacie Huggins to the Ward Two South Neighborhood Advisory Board.
The city of Reno continues to look for enthusiastic citizens to gain leadership experience and volunteer for Reno by serving on Boards and Commissions. For more information about the latest opportunities to serve or for a complete list of a complete list of all Boards and Commissions and appointments contact the City Clerk’s Office at 334-2030.
• Agenda Item M.2
Listening to concerns of neighborhood residents along with possible environmental issues and noise concerns, the City Council denied the request for a special use permit that would allow for a non-residential development adjacent to residentially zoned property; a truck terminal; an outdoor processing; and grading with cuts of 20 feet or more and fills of 10 feet or more. The request was for a site located north east of Socrates Drive and Gaslight Lane. The site has an Industrial Master Plan land use designation. There were numerous appeals to this request including the University Ridge Homeowners’ Association.
