Top headlines from today’s Board of County Commissioners meeting

Commissioners approve a new park in Spanish Springs, a mental health provider and senior meals

Reno, Nev. September 10, 2019. The following report highlights several important agenda items from the Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting:

1. New Blackstone Estates Park coming to Spanish Springs. In May 2019 the Washoe County Planning Commission approved a Tentative Subdivision Map for the Blackstone Estates subdivision, which included the construction of a neighborhood park.

Commissioners approved the Blackstone Estates Park agreement which will consist of the build out of a neighborhood park to include several benches and picnic tables, a bike rack, pet station, shade structure, walking paths, turf area and a playground, as well as irrigation and landscaping.

The Blackstone Estates Park will be funded by the developer as well as through the Residential Construction Tax. To see the Blackstone Park Conceptual Design, click here.

2. Commissioners approve operator of the Women and Families Supportive Community. Commissioners approved a nine-month contract with Alta Vista Mental Health, which allows an operator of the Women and Families Supportive Community, on and off of the campus of the Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services (NNAMHS) campus.

The needed contract is in response to Human Services Agency’s (HSA) Crossroads Program expansion to serve additional women and families in a supportive living community, providing peer support services and linkage to mental health and substance abuse services in an alcohol and drug free supportive community.  While staying at the Women and Families Supportive Community, participants will receive wrap-treatment from case managers, employment specialists, therapists, psychiatrists and medical staff to help them in their recovery and family reunification.

The contract with Alta Vista is for $391,000 the first nine months and just under $522,000 annually. 

3. New agreement provides hundreds of thousands of meals to Washoe County seniors. Commissioners approved a more than $1.3 million one year agreement between Valley Services Inc., and Washoe County to prepare and provide meals to seniors as part of the HSA Senior Nutrition Program. The program serves 410,000 meals a year to seniors 60 and older at the county’s 11 congregate meal sites and Meals on Wheels services.

“This new agreement goes a long way in helping HSA serve healthy meals to Washoe County’s growing elderly population,” said HSA Director Amber Howell. “Our seniors have given so much to us all over the years and it’s only right that HSA help them have a great quality of life during their golden years.”

See a complete list of senior meals sites throughout Washoe County.