Reno City Council
Thursday, March 31, 2022
What Happened
Reno City Council held a budget workshop reviewing fiscal year 2023 operations. The meeting lasted multiple hours and covered approximately 25 department areas plus parking, housing, utilities, and planning code updates.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Meeting agenda and adjournment — unanimous — allows council to proceed with standard business.
APPROVED — New towing contract with $50 per-vehicle incentive payment (negotiated down from $150) for tows completed within 24 hours — removes scrap metal value gap that caused service delays under previous 14-year-old contract.
CONTINUED — Mill Street Flat Fields development — Councilman Webber placed on budget priority list for current fiscal year after 15 years of delays; staff indicated announcement coming soon.
CONTINUED — Storm water utility program — public outreach ongoing; schedule adjusted to allow large property owners time to budget for potential rate structure based on impervious surface area.
Debated But Not Resolved
City Manager staffing levels — One councilwoman questioned 13 direct reports and 74 full-time employees in the City Manager's office, calling it unusual for a city this size. City Manager defended the structure as intentional and experimental. Council suggested adding Assistant City Manager positions to reduce reporting lines.
Contingency budget use — Councilwoman questioned when contingency funds are tapped versus held. City Manager stated the $1 million contingency addresses emergent service delivery problems. Disagreement remains on growth and usage triggers.
Sustainability and EV ordinance timeline — Council member requested commitment to pass sustainability ordinance this year, specifically an EV ordinance. City Manager indicated work was peeled from Title 18 update but declined to commit to timeline.
Sewer fee distribution — Councilwoman Breckis argued Washoe County receives full sewer fees while Reno receives no revenue for collection system work in certain areas. Staff developing plan where customers pay the entity owning their treatment plant.
Sewer connection fees — Councilwoman noted fees frozen since 2014 (approximately 8 years). Staff did not commit to study timeline.
Parks wage competitiveness — Councilman Door noted In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A pay $18 per hour while city pays $12 for seasonal positions. Referred to City Manager for budget consideration.
What to Watch
$4,500,000 — Rental assistance distributed — federal grants.
$3,700,000 — Shelter operations — federal funding.
$2,500,000 — Local housing providers for housing stability — COC competition.
$14,700,000 — TUMWA facility plan CIP projects (dewatering building evaluation, effluent reuse pump station, fluidized bed reactor expansion) — sewer enterprise fund.
$500,000 — Excela platform project for Development Services system improvements — funding source not specified.
Planning Department staffing requests — May meeting will bring specifics on new planner, inspector, and management positions plus intern roles. Funding source (general fund vs. enterprise fund) still being determined.
Sewer connection fee study — Council member requested this be prioritized. No completion timeline given. Last update was 2014.
Title 18 zoning code cleanup — Over 100 code errors identified. Will return to council with text amendments in near future.
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