Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
What Happened
Reno City Council met for a regular session on June 7, 2023, and voted on roughly 20 items spanning finance, parks planning, downtown development, and personnel matters.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — General Obligation Refunding Bonds Series 2023 — 7-0 — $28 million in bonds to refinance city debt obligations.
APPROVED — Jacobs Engineering consulting contract for mobile organic biofilm pilot project — $197,246 from unspecified source.
APPROVED — Bowling Stadium contract amendment (sixth amendment) — vote count not recorded — extends United States Bowling Congress tournament agreement; council cited $455 million historical economic impact and 493,000 room nights generated since 2012.
APPROVED — Parks and Recreation Master Plan amendment — unanimous — authorizes consultant engagement for community meetings and plan refinement.
APPROVED — Private security contract amendment for downtown — vote count not recorded — expands Allied Security deployment on city-owned properties. Councilwoman Breck objected to lack of geographic boundaries and service definitions.
APPROVED — Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Board reappointments — 7-0 — Councilwoman Breakfast, Councilwoman Dewer, and Vice Mayor Reese reappointed.
CONTINUED — Parks Master Plan consultant contract amendment — requires public workshop before final vote. Council wants community input before approving one-on-one consultant meetings with council members.
CONTINUED — Riverfront property development agreement with Built developer — staff directed to negotiate sale price around $950,000 (appraised value $937,500) with affordability requirements, parking solutions, and milestone timelines. Final approval pending negotiation completion.
CONTINUED — City Clerk compensation adjustment — Council requested updated pay band analysis before voting on 25% raise proposal.
Debated But Not Resolved
Parks Master Plan process — Council member Breakfast opposed one-on-one consultant meetings as inefficient and non-transparent; others supported Parks Commission approach. Council demanded public workshop component before final vote.
Bowling Stadium economics — Councilwoman Brekhus questioned whether six consecutive amendments indicate weak original deal terms and called for comprehensive agreement review rather than continued amendments.
Riverfront development parking — Councilman Dork stated 110 proposed parking spaces insufficient for 123 units and wanted reduction. Other members supported project intentionality over parking details.
Affordable housing terms — Multiple council members debated land price, affordability duration, parking variances, and clawback mechanisms. No final terms agreed.
South Reno park access — Council noted difficulty engaging South Reno residents in parks planning process despite outreach efforts; requested accessible communication and 30-minute public comment period.
City Clerk independence — Council deferred decision on whether clerk should operate city elections; awaiting communication with Henderson city clerk and further evaluation.
What to Watch
$28,000,000 — Refunding bonds for capital improvements — bond issuance.
$197,246 — Jacobs Engineering biofilm pilot project — funding source unspecified.
$54,397 — Parks Master Plan consultant contract increase — funding source unspecified.
Parks Master Plan — Must return to council with scheduled public workshop before final approval vote on consultant contract amendment.
Riverfront development agreement — Built developer's affordable housing project terms still under negotiation; final sale agreement and Specific Plan District zoning change must return for council approval.
City Clerk pay adjustment — Council requested updated resolution with pay band comparison analysis and potential ripple effects on other department director salaries.
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