Reno City Council & Redevelopment Agency Board
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
What Happened
Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board approved the FY2021-22 budget in a single meeting, addressing roughly 40 agenda items over several hours.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — General budget of $264.5 million and fee schedule — 7-0 — Includes minimum wage increase to $11/hour for part-time and temporary employees; fees mostly held flat or adjusted for inflation; city absorbs wage increase costs in general fund rather than raising most public fees.
APPROVED — RDA1 and RDA2 budgets — 7-0 — Councilwoman Brekhus voted yes but stated she does not support extending RDA1's life; decision on RDA1 extension expected to come forward separately.
APPROVED — 21 new city staff positions — 7-0 — Adds $3.4 million to budget for positions across departments.
APPROVED — General fund reserve increase to 13% — 7-0 — Raises unassigned fund balance to $13 million to improve financial stability.
Debated But Not Resolved
Event center debt service ($2 million from general fund) — Council member expressed concern that aging event center, ballroom, and bowling facilities are underperforming yet require $2 million in general fund money annually for debt service, competing with other budget priorities. Long-range planning for these facilities remains unclear — next step: no commitment made; issue appears recurring.
Two-dollar room surcharge allowable uses — Council member questioned whether the surcharge could fund purposes beyond current obligations (like police station debt service) and expressed concern about redirecting general fund money if surcharge was used differently. — Next step: Finance director to provide full analysis of allowable uses when item returns to council.
Ombudsperson position ($120,000) — Disagreement over hiring as full-time employee versus contractor; some council members cited need for internal connectivity and culture fit; others preferred contractor model for independence. — Next step: City manager to provide memorandum on program design and selection process; final hiring method decision deferred to manager discretion.
Sewer collection system spending ($6.4 million) — Council member has requested for eight years that funds be dedicated to expand sewer lines in unsewered Ward 1 areas with failing leech fields. No specific allocation commitment made. — Next step: Capital improvement plan process being revamped next year with more detailed justification and data.
What to Watch
$264.5 million — General fund budget — Property tax, consolidated tax, fees, licenses, permits, intergovernmental revenue
$235.2 million — General fund expenditures — General fund
$6.4 million — Sewer collection system capital projects — Sewer fund
$4.7 million — Fleet replacement program — Sewer fund
$400,000 — Parks capital maintenance — Capital budget
$400,000 — City facilities capital maintenance — Capital budget
Ombudsperson position design — City manager will detail whether this is a full-time role or contract position; council deferred final decision but wants more information on successful models before hiring begins.
Sewer line expansion in Ward 1 — Outstanding request for dedicated funding to replace failing systems; decision pending redesigned capital improvement plan process next year.
Room surcharge flexibility — Analysis of what the two-dollar room surcharge can legally fund could determine whether general fund money continues covering event center debt or shifts to other city priorities.
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