Highlights from Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting

President and CEO of EDAWN discusses Three Year Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Reno, Nevada. Feb. 10, 2015. The following report highlights several important agenda items from the Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. Videos of County Commission meetings are replayed regularly on WCTV (Charter Ch. 193). You may also watch videos-on-demand online.

Presentation of EDAWN’s Three Year Economic Development Strategic Plan: Item 10. The President and CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) presented the Board with EDAWN’s Three Year Economic Development Strategic Plan. Mike Kazmierski said with the addition of Tesla and nearly 100 other announcements of new businesses coming to Nevada, the state’s economic recovery has accelerated. Kazmierski said thanks to new job growth and a rebounding economy, the unemployment rate has been reduced by 54 percent since 2011. He said job growth will only become more evident in the years ahead as EDAWN is projecting ten new corporate headquarters in Nevada during 2015.

Kazmierski said over the next couple years, EDAWN plans to effectively market the region, attract high-growth companies and develop stronger relationships with business site selectors and real estate executives to help them identify areas they can set up shop, with an emphasis on downtown Reno. He said EDAWN anticipates more than 500 companies will visit the region.

"We are taking off as a region," said Kazmeirski. "The next three years, EDAWN will focus on strengthening the connection between Reno and the Bay Area and continue to attract entrepreneurs to the region."

He said one way of drawing more business leaders to western Nevada is by showing them municipal collaboration for entrepreneurs and existing businesses.

Truckee Meadows Fire Chief Charlie Moore's report: Item 4. Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) Chief Charlie Moore updated the board on three TMFPD firefighters who helped a woman deliver a baby last month. Fire Medic Mark Drury assisted with the delivery, which occurred just as the ambulance left the scene. He cleared the baby's airway and cut and clamped the umbilical cord. Captain Scott Stephenson and Shane Countryman assisted with the emergency childbirth and the baby girl was delivered in the back of the REMSA ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Chief Moore reported that TMFPD responded to a high volume of calls between noon and 8 p.m. during Friday's severe wind including a difficult extrication involving a semi-tractor trailer on I-80 at Stateline which took approximately six hours to free the driver. 

In addition to the extrication, TMFPD assisted Storey County with the extinguishment of a 30-acre grass fire, nine car accidents, two additional vehicular accidents where victims were trapped and had to be rescued by jaws-of-life tools, three brush fires, four electrical fires in structures, 15 emergency medical calls, and five other public assist calls.

Donation for the District Attorney’s Office Child Advocacy Center (CAC): Item 7G.3. The Board accepted $5,400 in donations for the newly constructed Washoe County Child Advocacy Center. The donations were made by the National Coalition Against Sexual Violence and Eaglenest Community. The money will be used to remodel, purchase equipment and operate the Victim Witness Center. The 8,300 square foot facility is a child-friendly complex that expands services for Washoe County's youngest victims at no cost to taxpayers. The CAC was paid for through forfeiture funds and other contributions.

The mission of the CAC is to ensure the health and safety of a child through a neutral, child-centered environment. The new center is designed to minimize trauma and provide advocacy for the child and non-offending caregivers and support effective investigations.

The CAC expands services by bringing them into one location which benefits families. Under the old practice, a child was asked to tell his or her story over and over, often re-victimizing that child. Interviews were held in uncomfortable settings and a child had to tell the story repeatedly to numerous people.

Increase in the Adult Group Care (AGC) rate: Item. 7F.2. The Board approved an increase to the AGC rate from $1,112 to $1,124 a month which is consistent with state of Nevada rates. This program serves medically fragile clients and serves as a diversion to the high cost alternative of nursing home care in a less restrictive environment.

Donation to the Wilbur D. May Center: Item 11. The Board accepted a $142,197 donation from the Wilbur D. May Foundation for facility improvement projects, costs for staff, travel, training and marketing. Specifically, the donation will pay for a museum position, and for Arboretum and Museum staff to attend national conferences. The money will also go toward costs of printing brochures, flyers and other materials needed for marketing.

Legislative update from Government Affairs: Item 14. Earlier this week, Washoe County Chair Marsha Berkbigler and County Manager John Slaughter presented an update before the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. The overview included updating legislators on the budget, recent accomplishments and plans for the future.

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