Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
What Happened
Reno City Council met for approximately 8 hours, approving 12+ major items including a $4 million water facility building, $3.3 million in fire equipment, and $848,337 in historic theater improvements, while debating affordability standards for subsidized housing and waste management contract terms.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Lear Theater exterior improvements (concrete repair, landscaping, irrigation, fencing) — unanimous — $848,337 from ARPA funds; trash can replacement ($300,000) deferred to next budget meeting.
APPROVED — Water Reclamation Facility maintenance and administration building — 6-1 vote (one council member opposed due to lack of 10-year rate modeling) — $4 million; addresses One Water project that totals $350 million split 70-30 with Truckee Meadows Water Authority.
APPROVED — Reno Fire Department equipment purchases — vote count not recorded — $3.3 million for ladder truck, squad apparatus, air truck, and ambulance replacement; paramedic program has received $7.3 million in GEMT reimbursements to date against $2.4 million general fund cost.
APPROVED — Stoker at Vintage Apartments affordable housing fee reduction and $1.4 million sewer credits — unanimous — enables development to proceed; marks last available sewer credit allocation for affordable housing.
APPROVED — Contract termination notice for waste collection services — vote count not recorded — authorizes city manager to notify Waste Management, Refuse Inc., and Reno Disposal Company of five-year advance termination, triggering competitive RFP process.
APPROVED — Downtown Mobile Engagement Team (police walking patrol) — unanimous — expanding to full capacity of 1 sergeant and 5 officers starting October 18.
APPROVED — Take-home vehicles audit report followup — 7-0 — directed management to implement three remaining recommendations by January 2025.
APPROVED — Lear Theater allocation and appointment of Carlo Worning House to Recreation and Parks Commission and Pierce Donovan to city position — 7-0.
Debated But Not Resolved
Vintage apartment habitability issues — Council member wants 60-day hold on $1.4 million grant to force property management fixes; tenant has filed 27 complaints with only 5% addressed. Next: Staff will discuss under separate agenda item.
Stoker project property management accountability — Disagreement over whether city can hold property management company (FPI) accountable separately from developer (Vintage) for life safety issues (fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler function). Next: Council requested separate departmental conversation on design standards and compliance guidelines.
Water facility building location — Question whether public engagement center should be on main treatment plant site or separate property. Next: Staff clarified sites are different; no decision needed.
Paramedic program notification — Fire Department didn't provide REMSA written advance notice of ambulance purchase despite franchise agreement requirement. Next: Staff committed to following written agreement protocols going forward.
Waste Management contract terms — Debate over whether to require rate study and third-party audit as part of termination/renegotiation process. Next: City Manager to clarify timeline; review process begins next year within five-year notice window.
What to Watch
$4,000,000 — Water Reclamation Facility building — funding source not specified
$3,300,000 — Fire Department equipment (trucks and ambulance) — funding source not specified
$848,337 — Lear Theater exterior restoration — ARPA funds
$1,400,000 — Vintage grant — funding source not specified (60-day hold requested)
Lear Theater historic structures report — Draft consultant report going to Historic Resources Commission in November; Council expects final report in December to inform future RFP for building partnership/programming. Timeline matters because ARPA deadline approaching.
Waste Management contract renegotiation — Five-year termination notice triggers competitive process; Council wants rate study and service quality audit before renewal decision.
Vintage at The Crossings compliance — Four-year backlog of tenant complaints (habitability, life safety, illegal rent increases). Council monitoring whether property management improvements stick.
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