Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
What Happened
The Reno City Council held a regular meeting with 7 council members present, approving 16+ items including contracts, bonds, zoning changes, and board appointments while leaving key policy questions unresolved.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Refunding Bonds (General Obligation Limited Tax Capital Improvement Series 2024) — vote count not recorded — $26 million in bond refinancing with $500,000 in projected savings. Funds city infrastructure improvements through fiscal restructuring.
APPROVED — Maxor Plus Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract (3-year renewal) — 7-0 — $500,000 estimated annual savings for city employee health plan. Reduces pharmacy costs from $6.9 million to $6.3 million compared to two years prior.
APPROVED — Washoe County Funding for River Ranger Program — vote count not recorded — $200,000 over two years from county ARPA funds adds one dedicated ranger position. Total program expands to five rangers focused on Truckee River patrol through December 2026.
APPROVED — Effluent Treatment Rate Agreement (Tri-GID) — 5-1 — Sets rate at $15 per 1,000 gallons with automatic 3% annual increases starting July 2025. Funds pump station and pipeline maintenance. Council Member Ebert opposed, citing large sewer fund balance and impact on North Valley Golf Course operations.
APPROVED — Bellista Ranch Phase 2 PUD Amendment — vote count not recorded — Allows 690 dwelling units (up from 575) and reduces non-residential space from 178,000 to 117,612 square feet.
APPROVED — Zoning Reclassification (Edison Way) — vote count not recorded — 2.16-acre site rezoned from Industrial Commercial to Mixed Employment.
CONTINUED — Civil Service Commission Appointment — deferred to December meeting.
Debated But Not Resolved
Wild Horse Water Access — City Attorney confirmed NRS 533.503 does not prohibit municipal water troughs for state-owned horses on Virginia Range. Applicant argues conditioning water provision would be illegal; council members want wildlife habitat protections. Next step: Mayor directed staff to schedule special meeting establishing clearer wildlife/water policies before developers submit future applications.
Sewer Rate Review Schedule — Council Member Ebert requested periodic reporting on effluent rate performance (every 3-5 years) similar to water authority practices. Staff indicated rate adjustments remain at discretion of directors with no formal review schedule in current agreement. Next step: Council agreed to implement periodic reporting mechanism; details to be finalized.
Homeless Enforcement vs. Services — Paul White argued Reno should enforce anti-camping laws like Sparks. Council Member Ebert countered that Reno provides services Sparks lacks and treats unhoused people with dignity. Next step: No action taken; identified as ongoing challenge requiring better city-county coordination.
What to Watch
$26,000,000 — General Obligation Limited Tax Capital Improvement Refunding Bonds — Municipal bond refinancing
$500,000 — Pharmacy Benefit Manager savings (3-year contract) — City employee health plan
$200,000 — River Ranger Program (one additional position, two years) — Washoe County ARPA funds
Bellista Ranch Wildlife Policy — Mayor blocked further project reviews until city establishes clear wildlife habitat and wild horse water access policies. Special meeting pending to set standards before next developer applications arrive.
River Ranger Sustainability — $200,000 covers only two years (through December 2026). No long-term funding source identified. Parks Department to propose budget solution during spring budget process.
Sewer Rate Reporting — Council will receive periodic updates on effluent rate impact and effectiveness, giving opportunity to revisit 3% automatic increases if costs to businesses prove problematic.
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