Meeting Time: October 24, 2023 at 9:00am PDT
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Agenda Item

8.C. Facilities: Establish direction and determine priority based on provided feedback and summary of needs. FOR POSSIBLE ACTION

  • Default_avatar
    William Mantle about 1 year ago

    Hello, please strongly consider prioritizing the Downtown Judicial Center so that Court Personnel, HSA, the Public Defender, and the Alternate Public Defender can meet their growing needs and safety concerns. For my office, the APD, we were only provided 5,904 sqft for our office originally. We now have 25 FTE, which would be just 203.76 sqft per person. We had to double-bunk our attorneys in our standard 12'x12' offices until we were just able to get 5 more offices. The majority of our support staff are still doubled-up.

    This building would be an icon of the community and become a pillar for downtown Reno. We could unify services and create more efficiency not only for WC employees, but for the populations we serve as they would now only have to go to either the Mills B. Lane Justice Center or the new Downtown Judicial Center. Many of the costs for the building could also be significantly reduced through the selling of the current 350 S. Center st. parcel especially if a permanent easement is granted for the street creating a unified parcel for the parking garage making it one of the most economically sensible options presented.

    Further, Court personnel and your legal professionals are facing a much more difficult and dangerous climate than they used to. Our security matters to you, I know that--I don't want to have to wait for a story about another shot judge, an assaulted clerk, or an accosted lawyer to feel like something will change. Please strongly consider voting to prioritize an investment in our Justice System.