Candidates for the City of Sparks council weighed in Tuesday night on some of the big issues facing the region. Incumbents Donald Abbott and Paul Anderson were joined by Wendy Stolyarov with This Is Reno personnel moderating.
The videos below start where candidates begin responding to the corresponding questions.
Please take 2 minutes to introduce yourself.
Why are you running for Sparks City Council?
Outside of the pandemic, what are the largest existing challenges for Sparks, and how will you work to address them?
Homelessness has been growing in both Reno and Sparks. What is your plan to deal with it?
Law enforcement has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly nationally, but also for the City of Sparks. What do you think could be improved upon for the Sparks Police Department?
Rent prices in the Truckee Meadows—including in Sparks—have gone up markedly as companies like Tesla have relocated to our region. How would you address our affordable housing crisis in your role as a council member?
How do you plan to address a growing community that combines both the older generation of Sparks with younger and more diverse people?
If elected, what would be your short and long-term plans to address growth and urban sprawl concerns in the greater Sparks area?
What do you feel needs to be done in order for Sparks, Reno and Washoe County to move forward on the lands bill—the Truckee Meadows Public Land Management Act?
Bob Conrad is publisher, editor and co-founder of This Is Reno. He has served in communications positions for various state agencies and earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2011. He is also a part time instructor at UNR and sits on the boards of the Nevada Press Association and Nevada Open Government Coalition.
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower federal court's denial of qualified immunity to Sparks police officers in a case involving the use of force during a high-speed chase.
