Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Washoe County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
10 issues in taxes budget
Fire permit and inspection fee increases
The first fee increase since 2018 would raise operational permits from $80 to $109 and replace the flat $80 inspection with a size-based scale of $109 to $1,090. The board cleared the legal hurdle by adopting the business impact statement; a formal public hearing on the actual fees is still to come. Net revenue of $25,000-$35,000 a year stays in the fire prevention division.
Fire district staffing restructure and union MOU
The MOU and position changes guarantee at least three Division Chiefs and add a second Deputy Fire Chief, setting up internal succession when Chief Edwards eventually retires. The union partnered on the plan.
Rising fuel costs for fire district fleet
Fuel spending is blowing past budgets — the board will consider adding $54,000 to the Flyers Energy order and $200,000 to the Interstate Oil bulk fuel order, more than tripling the latter from $90,000 to $290,000.
Investment fund lineup change
Mariner's quarterly performance report could prompt a change to the investment fund lineup offered to participants. Any change would affect the menu of investment options available to county employees.
District 5 seat vacancy on the Senior Advisory Board
Candidates for the open District 5 seat will be introduced. No appointment vote is on this agenda, but the seat's fill will shape who speaks for District 5 seniors.
Deferred Compensation Program fee structure
The committee will revisit a possible cut of the administrative fee from its current level to 0.01%. A fee reduction would mean county employees participating in the deferred comp plan keep more of their investment returns.
Participant access to Committee representatives
The committee wants to make sure participants know who their representatives are and how to reach them with questions and concerns. Better outreach could make the plan more responsive to employee feedback.
Microsoft Office 365 Cloud Enterprise Agreement
The county is considering a three-year software agreement with Microsoft for cloud services to keep county operations running smoothly. The deal involves using General Fund contingency money to cover the first year's costs.
Retirement Benefits Investment Fund (RBIF) Performance and Transfers
Trustees will examine cash flow projections, planned fund transfers, and investment performance updates for the Nevada Retirement Benefits Investment Fund.
OPEB Trust Fund Financial Management and Reimbursements
The board is reviewing over $6.5 million in administrative expenditures and employer reimbursements, alongside interim and unaudited financial statements for retiree benefits.