Highlights from the Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting

County Commission approves Canvass of the Vote for General Election.

Reno, Nevada. Nov. 15, 2016. The following report highlights several important agenda items from the Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016. Videos of County Commission meetings are replayed regularly on WCTV (Charter Ch. 193). You may also watch videos on-demand online.

As required by Nevada law, County Commissioners canvassed the returns from the General Election held in the County on Nov. 8, 2016. Commissioners approved the proposed Declaration of Canvass of Vote and Order for the 2016 General Election which makes the results official.

Washoe County Registrar of Voters Luanne Cutler presented Commissioners with information regarding the General Election. More than 79 percent, or 210,287, of registered voters cast a ballot during the General Election. Of the voters who cast a ballot, 62 percent voted early, 9 percent absentee voted and 29 percent voted on Election Day.

Washoe County Commission Chair Kitty Jung congratulated the Registrar’s Office, along with the Election Certification Accuracy Board, on a successful election.

“Great work by the Registrar’s staff, the volunteers and County staff, along with the Election Board,” said Commission Chair Kitty Jung (Dist. 3). “This is a statement on how democracy works as it was a peaceful and successful process. Thank you to our three (Election Certification Accuracy) Board members; you are true patriots.”

General Election By the Numbers

• 264,801 registered voters
• 210,287 people voted

You can find the final, official voter results for Washoe County on our website.

BAER team gives update on fire restoration efforts following the Little Valley Fire.

During Tuesday’s Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, Washoe County Natural Resource and Park Planner Cheryl Surface gave the board an update about the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team’s efforts to restore the Little Valley Fire area. The BAER team is staffed by specially trained professionals, who rapidly evaluate the burned area and prescribe emergency stabilization treatments.

Over the past 3 weeks, the BAER team has completed the assessments and surveys of all properties that have right-of-entry in and around the burn area of the Little Valley Fire, photographing, mapping and assessing parcels impacted by the fire.

“Wildland fires are devastating to property owners who lose their homes and properties, but once the fire is out, (BAER) teams are concerned with hazards from falling trees, plugged culverts, soil movement and potential flooding that may further impact property owners,” Surface said. “Washoe County is leading the interagency BAER team to assess safety concerns, develop plans and provide for emergency stabilization post-fire.”

The BAER team plans to do the following: 

• Franktown Rd. watershed reseeding and vegetation planting
• Franktown Rd. irrigation ditch, drainages, water diversion, structures and culverts cleaned and opened
• Installation of 10,000 lineal feet of straw erosion logs
• Installation of 12 rock check dams
• Hazard tree, log erosion barrier and salvage assessments
• Hazard tree removal and log erosion barrier placement

Surface reported that the BAER team met with residents on Monday evening and over the coming months will continue right-of-entry with residents to access private property, work on securing funding to implement a plan for residents and continue health assessments of the nearby forest.

Vice-Chair Bob Lucey (Dist. 2) said, “I appreciate all of the hard work that the BAER team has done over the past month in the Little Valley Fire burn area. I know it’s been a daunting task.”

The Little Valley Fire started on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 in Washoe Valley. The fire blackened 2,291 acres, destroying 23 homes, damaging one and destroying 17 outbuildings.

At the BCC meeting, Commissioners made the one proclamation and accepted several donations:

• Proclaimed November 13-19, 2016 is Nevada Flood Awareness Week.    

• Accepted monetary donations to Washoe County Regional Animal Services for $7,280 for the period of July 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2016 to be used for the humane care and treatment of sick and/or injured, stray, abandoned or at risk animals.

• Accepted a $300 donation from Hot August Nights Inc. to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office for the Citizen Corps Program (CCP). Money will be used for the purchase of equipment, supplies, food and beverage to be used in emergency response, training, support events or rehab during disasters.

• Accepted a $500 donation from the Great Reno Balloon Race to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office for the Citizen Corps Program. Money will be used for the purchase of equipment, supplies, food and beverage to be used in emergency response, training, support events or rehab during disasters. 

• Accepted donation of a UH-1H Huey Helicopter with an estimated value of $922,704.

All photos from Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meetings can be seen online.

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