Reno City Council
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
What Happened
The Reno City Council met to approve the city manager's report, evaluate the city manager's performance, and authorize staff pay increases for the next fiscal year.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — 3% pay increase for senior non-negotiated staff effective July 1, 2017 — Unanimous — Increases will be funded from the fiscal 2017 budget. The amount was not specified in the meeting record.
APPROVED — City manager's report and staff member contract renewal — Unanimous — Formal acceptance of the manager's performance report.
Debated But Not Resolved
City manager performance and priorities — Council members agreed the manager has strong financial stewardship and safety accomplishments, but disagreed on execution. Councilwoman Breuss flagged concerns about operational issues not being addressed and lack of awareness on growth and development. Council members cited communication gaps between departments and gaps in following through on priorities like Title 18 code changes and infrastructure improvements. The council set goals for the manager to improve communication, prioritize infrastructure, and keep council priorities in focus for fiscal 2017. No vote was taken; this is an ongoing evaluation process.
Staff pay fairness — One council member raised concern that a staff member with 5 years of tenure received only a 1% increase over that period and questioned whether the 3% raise is adequate. A suggestion was made for a mid-year review using a two-step approach. The 3% pay increase was approved anyway. This issue was flagged for future consideration but no decision was made.
Council conduct toward staff — Council members acknowledged that staff reported feeling fear and criticism during presentations. The council reached consensus to treat staff with more respect and support going forward, noting council and staff are on the same team.
What to Watch
No items over $50,000 with specified amounts.
Title 18 code changes — City staff cited lack of staffing resources as the reason this work has stalled. This code change is essential to align development with the city's master plan. Watch for staffing decisions or timeline updates.
Infrastructure tied to development — The council flagged that traffic and community infrastructure needs are not being included in development plans. Expect to see how the city manager addresses this priority gap.
Budget process overhaul — A council member expressed frustration with the 2015 and 2016 budget processes and proposed moving strategic planning to January-February with department input in March-April. Watch for changes to how fiscal 2017 budget planning proceeds.
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