Reno City Council members on Wednesday focused on the basics of governing, approving a slew of new cabaret and alcohol business licenses, contracting for temporary staffing and making committee appointments.
Council members approved five new cabaret licenses for The Virgil, Brewers Cabinet, Old Southwest Social House, Ceol Irish Pub and Bighorn Tavern.
According to City of Reno municipal codes, cabarets are defined as any establishment “having any singing, dancing, floor show or other live entertainment to be conducted or carried on.” That includes DJ trivia, too.
It is unlawful for any person to permit singing, dancing, or live entertainment within any business that doesn’t have a cabaret license, according to city codes.
Earlier this year city staff determined that some bars and taverns would need to have a cabaret license to continue hosting DJ trivia and similar events. That decision put a hold on many local pub nights and wound up costing businesses and their employees thousands of dollars in lost income.
By October city officials said they’d had “many, many complaints,” and City Manager Doug Thornley said perhaps they’d gone too far. The city’s code was then updated.
Businesses with six or fewer entertainment events per year that are indoors and end by 11 p.m. don’t need the cabaret license. Any more than six events per year require the license.
Bighorn Tavern and Old Southwest Social House hosts regular DJ trivia nights, and Ceol Irish Pub lists “traditional Irish music and entertainment” as coming soon on its website.
Temporary staffing contracts approved
“It’s ripe for a runaround of our procedures.”
Council members approved a joinder contract with Acre Service Corporation, Manpower Temporary Services and Marathon Staffing Group to provide temporary employment for various jobs and projects within the city.
According to Director of Finance Vicki VanBuren, the city isn’t using any temporary staffing right now. However, temporary staffing has been used in the past by the police department for transcription services, and throughout the city to substitute for city staff who are on extended leave due to illnesses or for use in short term special projects.
Temporary staffing is paid for by the individual departments that need staffing through their own savings budget, VanBuren said.
Council member Brekhus said she was not in favor of the contract because temporary staffing could be considered a “shadow workforce.” Their work is not reported back to – and therefore undermines the progress made by – the Civil Service Commission, she said.
“It’s ripe for a runaround of our procedures,” Brekhus said. “I’m seeing a lot of play with our procedures already from where I sit, so I am concerned. You start to see these badged temp workers integrated, sitting at desks, with badges, and so on – you do start to see an erosion of our workforce.”
The contract was approved with Brekhus voting against.
Reno Adaptive Sports Extravaganza awarded $5,000 grant
The council accepted $5,000from Move United to support the City of Reno’s Annual Adaptive Sports Extravaganza (RASE) event at Sky Tavern for summer 2023.
Move United uses sporting and recreational opportunities to help improve the lives of wounded warriors and youth and adults with disabilities.. In 2020, the city was certified as the first municipal parks and recreation program chapter member of Move United, joining more than 150 chapters across 40 states.
The RASE event is a “multi-sport, overnight camping experience” at Sky Tavern.
“City of Reno and adaptive sports partners will work together by providing skills training, adaptive equipment, and a supportive environment for alumni to return to recreation,” the staff report noted. “The powerful impact of this program brings together alumni to create lasting friendships and peer relationships outside the hospital.”
Funds provided by the grant will be used to offer RASE participation at no cost and offset direct costs associated with participation such as lodging, travel, meals, lift tickets, adaptive equipment, sports supplies, equipment rentals and instructor costs and fees.
Committee appointments
With three newer members on the city council and a new calendar year on the horizon, council members decided on dozens of appointments to various committees, boards and authorities.
The appointments are as follows:
- Access Advisory Committee – Taylor
- Animal Services Advisory Board – Duerr
- Building Enterprise Fund Advisory Committee – Taylor
- Capital Projects Surcharge Advisory Subcommittee – Schieve, Reese, Martinez
- Civil Service Commission – Ebert
- Community Development Block Grant Subcommittee (CDBG) – Schieve, Reese Ebert, Martinez (alternate)
- Community Homelessness Advisory Board – Reese, Taylor, Martinez (alternate)
- Downton Reno Business Improvement District – Previous appointments continued
- Economic Development of Western Nevada – Reese, Taylor (alternate)
- Financial Advisory Board – Reese
- Historical Resources Commission – Duerr
- Human Rights Commission – Martinez
- National League of Cities – Ebert, Duerr (alternate)
- North Valleys Water Management Subcommittee – Duerr, Ebert, Taylor
- Oversight Panel for School Facilities – Reese, Martinez
- Recreation and Parks Commission – Martinez
- Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board – Schieve
- Regional Transportation Commission – Schieve, Reese, Duerr (alternate)
- Reno Arts and Culture Commission – Brekhus
- Reno City Planning Commission – Ebert
- Reno Housing Authority – Previous appointments continued
- Reno Sparks Convention and Visitor Authority – Schieve
- Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority – Schieve
- Reno-Tahoe Airport Noise Panel Authority – Martinez
- Senior Citizen Advisory Committee – Ebert
- Special Events Sponsorship Committee – Taylor
- Special Events Subcommittee – Ebert, Martinez, Taylor
- Truckee Meadows Water Authority – Duerr, Reese, Ebert (alternate), Taylor (alternate)
- Truckee Meadows Regional Planning and Governing Board – Taylor
- Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility Joint Committee – Brekhus, Ebert (alternate)
- Truckee River Flood Management – Duerr, Reese, Martinez (alternate), Taylor (alternate)
- Urban Forestry Commission – Duerr
- Washoe County Debt Management – Duerr
- Washoe County Health – Reese
- Washoe County Stadium Authority – Schieve, Martinez, Taylor
- Western Nevada Development District – Duerr
- Western Regional Water Commission – Duerr
- Youth City Council – Martinez
