A long agenda and public comments that shared concern and frustration pushed the first city council meeting of the year to nearly eight hours in length.
Various agenda items were dropped Wednesday after public comment, including item B.2 to authorize filming of television network A&E’s “Live Rescue” in Reno. As reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, film crews would follow on-duty Reno firefighters during emergency calls while the city would be paid $500 a week by A&E for a whole year.
“I haven’t yet spoken with staff about it but it would be my recommendation not to bring it back,” said City Manager Sabra Newby.
Other agenda items that inspired a lot of discussion were the Bella Vista Ranch Phase II development in southern Reno and the administrative actions related to the Prado Ranch development in Lemmon Valley. Both development decisions will be revisited at a later date to include more information.
Kimberly Rhodemyre, who spoke about the Bella Vista Ranch development’s impact on wild horses and has been to city council meetings in the past about the same issue, gave public comment on what is currently planned.
“If this development is approved, they [wild horses] are going to have no water,” said Rhodemyre. She went on to voice her concern over the impact of how wild horses will be impacted if the proposed development continues and, according to Rhodemyre, could include containment and possibly slaughter.
