Reno City Council Special Meeting
Thursday, August 25, 2022
What Happened
Reno City Council held a special meeting on August 25, 2022, to select finalists for the Ward 5 council vacancy and advance a Ward 1 selection process. The council considered applications from 36 candidates and took votes on finalist rankings.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Advance three finalists (Kathleen Taylor, Elliott Mallon, Alexander Goff) to public community engagement forums for Ward 5 council seat — 5-0 — These candidates will participate in meet-and-greet sessions on August 30-31 before council makes final selection.
APPROVED — Proceed with five finalists from Ward 1 applications narrowed to three through scoring calculation — Unanimous — Council will complete selection cards and vote on finalists after a recess.
APPROVED — Do not advance tied fourth-place candidates for Ward 5 — Unanimous — Only the top three vote-getters advance to public forums.
Debated But Not Resolved
Ward 5 selection criteria — Council members disagreed on which candidate qualities mattered most: community service experience, colleague compatibility, willingness to run for office, and balance of perspectives. Vice Mayor Rhys and another councilwoman worried that too many finalists would limit one-on-one public engagement time — Council clerk will compile final rankings submitted by members; finalists announced after August 30-31 public forums.
What to Watch
No items exceeding $50,000 in direct city spending were approved.
*Note: One public comment mentioned $100,000 in Somerset HOA savings from a candidate's work as vice president and board member, but this was not a city spending decision.*
Ward 5 final selection — After August 30-31 community forums, council will choose one person to fill the vacant seat. Public input during the forums may influence the final vote.
Ward 1 finalist announcement — Council will reconvene after the recess to tally votes and confirm which three candidates advance from Ward 1 applications.
Rejected candidates on boards — Public comment urged council to invite the 33 candidates not selected as finalists to serve on city boards and commissions.
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