SOURCE: City of Reno
In our ongoing commitment to keep citizens and media informed, we’ve summarized the outcomes of a few key Agenda items from today’s Reno City Council Meeting. For in-depth review of all of today’s Agenda items, visit the City of Reno meetings portal.
C.1 – Proclamation
Declaring October 2014 as Disability Awareness Month. Julee Conway, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, accepted the proclamation from Councilmember Oscar Delgado.
C.2 – Proclamation
Declaring October 2014 as Community Planning Month. Fred Turnier, Director of Community Development, accepted the proclamation from Councilmember Jenny Brekhus.
E.4 – Services Agreement with High Sierra Industries
Council unanimously approved an agreement with High Sierra Industries, Inc. to provide job training and skill development programs to the disabled community that will work to improve and beautify the downtown Reno area for residents and visitors. The pilot project will run through June 30, 2015 and cost no more than $75,000 (General Fund).
E.8 – Park Improvements
Council unanimously approved a contract with Spanish Springs Construction to reconstruct the asphalt pathways at Mira Loma Park, located in southeast Reno, for a cost of no more than $327,295 (Park Capital Maintenance Funds).
F.3 – Wright Street Abandonment
In a 5-to-1 vote, Council approved an abandonment of a portion of Wright Street from Monroe Street to Walker Avenue. The transfer of the property to Our Lady of the Snows allows the church/school to move forward with its master plan to construct a new parish center on the abandonment. The construction of a parish center would have the added safety benefit of reducing pedestrian crossings of Monroe Street for church and school uses. Abandonment also allows Our Lady of the Snows to move forward with its plan to expand the existing parking lot, a project that will have to be approved at a future special use permit public meeting.
As a condition of approval, Council asked that Our Lady of the Snows modify the existing parking agreement to demonstrate no loss of public parking options. For more information, view the Our Lady of the Snows Campus Plan.
F.4 – Collective Bargaining Agreement
Council unanimously approved a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the City of Reno and Reno Administrative/Professional Group – Professional Unit (RAPG-Pro) through June 30, 2016. The total three-year contract cost is $19,095,980.
The most significant change to the RAPG-Pro CBA is that retiree medical benefits are now two-tiered. Also, new employees hired by the City on or after October 1, 2014 will not receive City-paid retiree medical benefits, known as Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB). Elimination of OPEB is expected to provide significant savings to the City in future years. These CBA amendments will not affect any current City of Reno employee who is eligible for retiree medical benefits. View the presentation for more information, including a history of negotiations and an outline of the CBA changes.
G.1.1-G.1.4 – Free Speech Areas & Regulations
Council unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to adopt three ordinances to amend the Reno Municipal Code to create free speech areas for First Amendment protected activities inside or next to special event venues and change regulations for display stands and merchandise sales on sidewalks. The ordinances can be viewed here.
H.1 & H.2 – Reno Access Advisory Committee Funds
Council unanimously approved two donations of Reno Access Advisory Committee funds. The first ($1,500; General Fund) is to the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living. The money will support Reno’s October 2014 Disability Awareness Month Program hosted by the Disability Awareness Coalition. The second ($5,000; General Fund) is to the Sierra Challenge Athletic Association. The money will go toward expenses associated with SCAA’s wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball programs.
J.2 – Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility
No action was taken. There was a presentation and discussion regarding Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility effluent disposal options. In the long term, staff recommends the implementation of an advanced oxidation process to reduce total nitrogen concentration and a plan for winter effluent storage when nitrogen concentration is highest. View the presentation for more information, including the short-term and long-term strategies.
J.3 – Special Events Sponsorships
Council unanimously approved 10 in-kind special events sponsorship allocations based upon recommendations of the Special Events Subcommittee:
Nonprofit Events
- Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society’s (NNBCAS) Juneteenth Celebration Event on June 6, 2015: $883
- Washoe County Domestic Violence Task Force’s Safe and Healthy Homes and Race to End Domestic Violence on April 18, 2015: $1,206.71
- National MS Society’s MS WALK 2015 on May 2, 2015: $800
- David M. White, DDS’s “Making the Grade” Scholastic and Amateur Skate Contest on June 20, 2015: $1,500
- Reno Aquatic Club’s Summer Splash on June 26-28, 2015: $3,300
- Junior League’s Out of Darkness and Into the Light a Sex Trafficking Awareness Event on January 11, 2015: $2,500
Community Events
- Reno River Festival Foundation’s Reno River Festival on May 9-10, 2015: $20,000
- Hot August Nights, Inc.’s Spring Fever Revival on May 29-30, 2015: $9,750
New Events
- Riverwalk Merchants Association’s Biggest Little 5K on May 9, 2015: $6,000
Contingency Event
- Rose Ann Capriotti’s Vesta-ful on September 14, 2015: $1,000
The total of the sponsorships will not exceed $46,939.71 (General Fund).
J.6 – Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Automatic Aid
Council unanimously approved to decline an offer for assistance from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) for automatic aid within the City of Reno. Staff believes that the existing mutual aid agreement with TMFPD is working well, particularly since it was recently modified to ensure it can be utilized effectively when collaboration is necessary. Read the Staff Report for detailed information.
