Reno City Council & Redevelopment Agency Board
Friday, March 23, 2018
What Happened
Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency met March 23, 2018, for budget presentations that ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., covering fire department needs, street funding, sewer infrastructure, stormwater management, and parks maintenance. Additional presentations continue April 5.
Key Decisions
[CONTINUED] — Fire department staffing request for 15 new positions split over two years — [no vote yet] — Council expressed concern about firefighter burnout from high call volumes but did not approve positions or funding mechanism.
[APPROVED] — Street capital projects for fiscal year 2019: $13 million total, including $8 million for neighborhood streets renewal and $3.5 million for preventative street maintenance — [$13,000,000 from Street override property tax and CIP] — Represents ongoing annual street funding commitment.
[CONTINUED] — Proposed November 2018 flood control ballot measure — [$400,000,000 property tax increase above constitutional cap] — No vote taken; council debated whether funding mechanism should come from property taxes or other sources; decision tied to ballot outcome.
[APPROVED] — Sewer fund capital improvement plan details requested by council — [staff confirmed specific project locations will be provided] — Council member requested granular information on projects like Yuri/Linden area expansion and Golden Valley pump lift station replacement.
Debated But Not Resolved
Fire apparatus replacement funding — One council member opposed taking on medium-term debt without first exploring CDBG bonding option (used for shelter). Staff to provide analysis before debt decision.
Street funding sufficiency — Council member questioned whether $12 million annual street budget is adequate and advocated reallocating Regional Transportation Commission money to Reno instead of relying on state revenue.
Stormwater management — Council debated creating dedicated stormwater utility fee (Sparks charges $5.41) versus current sewer fund approach. $500,000 study allocated but fee structure and timeline unresolved.
Park maintenance staffing — Council noted current staffing is roughly half the 3.75 FTE per 100 developed acres needed; 300 additional acres coming online will worsen shortfall. Staff relies on volunteers to fill gaps.
What to Watch
$13,000,000 — Street capital projects (neighborhood renewal $8M, preventative maintenance $3.5M) — Street override property tax and CIP
$1,600,000 — Fire Department overtime budget — General fund
$1,100,000 — Fire Department reimbursements from off-district assignments — Off-district revenue
$1,500,000 annually — Street fund projects from TAWA toll revenue — TAWA toll and street fund sources
$500,000 — Stormwater utility study (initial phase) — Environmental Engineering budget
$1,100,000 — Grant funding raised for capital projects — Grant revenue
Fire department staffing and apparatus funding — Council must decide whether to request 15 new positions and choose between special assessment districts, CDBG bonding, or medium-term debt for apparatus replacement. Decision affects firefighter response times in districts 7 and 19.
November 2018 flood control ballot measure — $400 million property tax increase for flood resilience and irrigation ditch projects hinges on voter approval. Detailed plan moving from conceptual to feasibility phase pending ballot results.
Parks department presentation — Council requested parks staff return to discuss Melinda Springs Pool plans, Robin Hood Park rebuild timeline, and potential park districts funding mechanism authorized by recent legislation.
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