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Agenda Item
3. Public Comment. Comment heard under this item will be limited to three (3) minutes per person and may pertain to matters both on and off the Commission agenda. Unused time may not be allocated to other speakers. The Commission will also hear public comment during individual action items with comment limited to three minutes per person. Comments are to be made to the Commission as a whole. Virtual Public Comment may be taken when facilities are available.
A speaker's viewpoint will not be restricted; however, reasonable restrictions may be imposed upon the time, place, and manner of speech. Irrelevant statements, unduly repetitious statements, and personal attacks that would objectively antagonize or incite others are examples of speech that may be reasonably limited.
The Board of County Commissioners carries out the business of Washoe County and its residents during its meetings. The presiding officer may order a person be removed if the person's conduct or statements disrupt the order or safety of the meeting. Warnings about disruptive conduct or comments may or may not be given prior to removal.
Furthermore, certain disruptions of a public meeting are criminal acts as defined under NRS 203.090 and/or NRS 203.119 which may result in prosecution in appropriate cases.
My household supports funding the Washoe County Library System.
Supporting public libraries is supporting an American Institution. The first library in this country, the Library Company of Philadelphia, was started by Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in 1731 and predated our nation by 44 years.
Republican Industrialist Andrew Carnegie funded 1,689 libraries across this country. A captain of industry and one of the wealthiest men of his time, he believed it was a worthy pursuit to donate more than $40 million to build these libraries. Why?
As a 12 year old immigrant working boy, he had access to a private library. Carnegie is quoted as saying "I shall never forget the enjoyment and the instruction I gained from them when I was too poor to buy books myself."
Carnegie's was a true rags-to-riches story, the basis of the American Dream, that you can better yourself and become more than the position you are born into. It's no coincidence that "Education opens doors" is a saying. Our public libraries allow children to learn to read, to develop the thirst for knowledge, to read outside of school for enjoyment, to study, to learn about their passions. It's all free. Why? It's an investment in society.
A library is all things to all people. It is a learning center, an extra resource outside of school, a community center. It is a safe place to go afterschool and on the weekends. It is a happy place to bring your children who will remember the kind librarians and picking out their first book or maybe renting a movie for family night. It is a gathering place for friends. It is an invaluable place to those who lack internet or printer, or even internet literacy.
Every person's life has been touched by a library, we've all been to one. Some loved libraries so much they became a librarian. Support your local librarians who support us. They are teachers giving out information at the information desk, helping with book selection, and instruction on how to do a search. They sometimes play IT support. Our noble librarians are game for any questions we need help with. Free to us. This may just seem like a ballot measure, but to librarians it is very real to them, this could be the difference in funding their jobs.
Please continue to fully fund the Washoe County Library System. They provide essential services to our community, particularly to children. A cut to our libraries would negatively impact children and families.
I appreciate the Budget Manager and CFO's work on the upcoming budget's Staff Report, especially library funding. However, I'm concerned about the directive for the Library Board of Trustees (LBOT) and BCC to jointly update the service delivery model and financial needs by October 1, 2025, for the FY2027 budget. This task falls outside the LBOT's purview per their bylaws.
My concern stems from the current LBOT's ability to collaborate effectively with County employees. Public instances reveal flagrant disrespect and disdain from the dais towards County employees, including Assistant County Manager Solaro, HR Manager Jordan, Library Director Scott, Assistant Director, and other library staff.
Furthermore, the LBOT has demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding the budget process, which is evident in questions from long-term members. Public requests for LBOT training, including government budget comprehension, have gone unheeded. This training is crucial for understanding public meeting law, the lack of adherence to which has caused issues, requiring DA Kaplan's intervention. This raises concerns about potential off-dais violations.
At the 12/18/2024 meeting, the Assistant County Manager and DA Kaplan attempted to explain review guidelines, was poorly received. Board members insisted on their review methods. At the 1/15/2025 meeting, HRM Jordan presented the standard performance review tool. The treatment of Ms. Jordan by some LBOT members was abhorrent.
The LBOT has disregarded provided guidelines, conducting a review outside suggested parameters and timelines (1/2025-3/2025), incorporating prior events, and offering no growth guidance. One member demonstrably showed bias against Director Scott with consistently low scores.
Therefore, I request that the BCC halt the current performance review process until the LBOT receives necessary training. I am concerned their actions could lead to unnecessary expenditures to the County as a result of the review.
Re: Consideration of Acquiring 10705 Canyon Way to Expand the Lockwood Trailhead
Dear Members of the Washoe County Commission,
I respectfully urge the Commission to consider acquiring the property located at 10705 Canyon Way in Lockwood for the purpose of expanding the Lockwood Trailhead and improving public access to the Truckee River corridor.
Originally developed with voter-approved funding from SQ-1 and WC-1, the Lockwood Trailhead has become a valued recreational amenity within the Truckee Canyon Area Plan. The adjacent parcel—approximately 5.65 acres, with an estimated 3.3 acres of buildable area—represents a timely and strategic opportunity to connect and preserve open space, expand trail systems, and enhance public enjoyment of the riverfront. The parcel has been on the market for an extended period and directly abuts the Truckee River. Its acquisition would help preserve wildlife habitat, maintain the natural character of the area, and reduce visual and environmental blight from nearby industrial and railroad properties.
I believe the proposed extension would:
• Strengthen recreational infrastructure in East Washoe County;
• Preserve the floodplain and sensitive habitat in alignment with the County’s environmental goals;
• Benefit the Lockwood and Rainbow Bend communities by increasing access to public space while buffering against industrial encroachment.
Notably, this parcel was recently the subject of a proposed rezoning for industrial development. That application was denied by the Washoe County Planning Commission, citing incompatibility with existing land use, inadequate infrastructure, and the potential for negative community impact. Acquiring this property for public open space would not only align with those findings but also transform a potential point of conflict into a lasting community asset.
In a time of growing public demand for accessible, natural recreation areas, I respectfully encourage the Commission to explore this opportunity to protect and enhance Lockwood’s unique position along the Truckee River for generations to come.
Brian Erbis
Brian Erbis Consulting LLC
brian.erbis@brianerbis.nyc
646-801-2115
I want to voice support for the Washoe County Library System. Libraries are an essential part of our community, and the return is much greater than the investment. I urge you to continue funding support at the same level as in previous years. I feel that the library ballot issue was a victim of bad publicity and outright disinformation (lies) by one of the local parties. Many voters did support the issue, and strongly support the library. We live in Spanish Springs and my family and I use our local library, as well as most of the others in the county system. The staff and services are top notch!
Thank you for this consideration. (please disregard if this is a duplicate comment, I had trouble with this format.)
Please fully fund the Washoe County Library System budget. A reduction in library hours, book budget, services, and staff will be detrimental to our community, especially our children. My two young children and I visit the Northwest Library weekly and check out at least 20 books per week. We are a homeschooling family, and we depend upon the public libraries to supplement our children's learning. Many of the curriculums we use are picture book-based due to their young age, and currently our incredible library system carries most of the books we need for their studies. If we had to purchase all of those books, it would be much more expensive to homeschool in Washoe County. Losing weekend and evening hours will negatively impact children who attend school and people who work weekday and daytime hours. Thank you for supporting our Washoe County Library System with the funding they need to continue providing vital services and resources for our community.
Thank you for voting to support the Washoe County libraries with the funding they need. The Free, Public Library system is a pillar of democracy. With the current political climate, libraries are needed more than ever.
The Library Board of Trustees is not elected but appointed by you. It seems that you then have oversight to their functionality. Have you seen, attended or reviewed the video of a library board meeting recently. They apparently have no training in their function as trustees, they have no concept of how to run a meeting with respect for all, including the Library Director, and they certainly have no concept for running an evaluation of the Director according to your guidelines and the best practices of Human Resource Management. They are attempting to do an annual review with the 'results' of a first quarter assessment. They apparently accepted last year's annual review with no setting of performance expectations for this year. And they are apparently using this fraudulently managed 'process' to railroad the Library Director.
I am asking you to please step in and do the following:
- Stop this sham of a review process
- Attend/observe at least 3 Board meetings
- mandate Trustee Board Training, with pre- and post- tests to ensure that the Trustees understand their roles and responsibilities
as Trustees
- Initiate an evaluation of the Board, following their mandated training, and schedule a follow-up evaluation in 6 months and a year.
There are members of this board who apparently are indifferent at best to the integrity of the library System. They need to be observed, educated and evaluated and. if appropriate, removed and replaced.
Free quality Public Libraries are a pillar of Democracy. It is up to you to assure the development, above and beyond the funding of the same.
Thank you.
My household supports funding the Washoe County Library System.
Supporting public libraries is supporting an American Institution. The first library in this country, the Library Company of Philadelphia, was started by Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in 1731 and predated our nation by 44 years.
Republican Industrialist Andrew Carnegie funded 1,689 libraries across this country. A captain of industry and one of the wealthiest men of his time, he believed it was a worthy pursuit to donate more than $40 million to build these libraries. Why?
As a 12 year old immigrant working boy, he had access to a private library. Carnegie is quoted as saying "I shall never forget the enjoyment and the instruction I gained from them when I was too poor to buy books myself."
Carnegie's was a true rags-to-riches story, the basis of the American Dream, that you can better yourself and become more than the position you are born into. It's no coincidence that "Education opens doors" is a saying. Our public libraries allow children to learn to read, to develop the thirst for knowledge, to read outside of school for enjoyment, to study, to learn about their passions. It's all free. Why? It's an investment in society.
A library is all things to all people. It is a learning center, an extra resource outside of school, a community center. It is a safe place to go afterschool and on the weekends. It is a happy place to bring your children who will remember the kind librarians and picking out their first book or maybe renting a movie for family night. It is a gathering place for friends. It is an invaluable place to those who lack internet or printer, or even internet literacy.
Every person's life has been touched by a library, we've all been to one. Some loved libraries so much they became a librarian. Support your local librarians who support us. They are teachers giving out information at the information desk, helping with book selection, and instruction on how to do a search. They sometimes play IT support. Our noble librarians are game for any questions we need help with. Free to us. This may just seem like a ballot measure, but to librarians it is very real to them, this could be the difference in funding their jobs.
Please continue to fully fund the Washoe County Library System. They provide essential services to our community, particularly to children. A cut to our libraries would negatively impact children and families.
I appreciate the Budget Manager and CFO's work on the upcoming budget's Staff Report, especially library funding. However, I'm concerned about the directive for the Library Board of Trustees (LBOT) and BCC to jointly update the service delivery model and financial needs by October 1, 2025, for the FY2027 budget. This task falls outside the LBOT's purview per their bylaws.
My concern stems from the current LBOT's ability to collaborate effectively with County employees. Public instances reveal flagrant disrespect and disdain from the dais towards County employees, including Assistant County Manager Solaro, HR Manager Jordan, Library Director Scott, Assistant Director, and other library staff.
Furthermore, the LBOT has demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding the budget process, which is evident in questions from long-term members. Public requests for LBOT training, including government budget comprehension, have gone unheeded. This training is crucial for understanding public meeting law, the lack of adherence to which has caused issues, requiring DA Kaplan's intervention. This raises concerns about potential off-dais violations.
At the 12/18/2024 meeting, the Assistant County Manager and DA Kaplan attempted to explain review guidelines, was poorly received. Board members insisted on their review methods. At the 1/15/2025 meeting, HRM Jordan presented the standard performance review tool. The treatment of Ms. Jordan by some LBOT members was abhorrent.
The LBOT has disregarded provided guidelines, conducting a review outside suggested parameters and timelines (1/2025-3/2025), incorporating prior events, and offering no growth guidance. One member demonstrably showed bias against Director Scott with consistently low scores.
Therefore, I request that the BCC halt the current performance review process until the LBOT receives necessary training. I am concerned their actions could lead to unnecessary expenditures to the County as a result of the review.
Re: Consideration of Acquiring 10705 Canyon Way to Expand the Lockwood Trailhead
Dear Members of the Washoe County Commission,
I respectfully urge the Commission to consider acquiring the property located at 10705 Canyon Way in Lockwood for the purpose of expanding the Lockwood Trailhead and improving public access to the Truckee River corridor.
Originally developed with voter-approved funding from SQ-1 and WC-1, the Lockwood Trailhead has become a valued recreational amenity within the Truckee Canyon Area Plan. The adjacent parcel—approximately 5.65 acres, with an estimated 3.3 acres of buildable area—represents a timely and strategic opportunity to connect and preserve open space, expand trail systems, and enhance public enjoyment of the riverfront. The parcel has been on the market for an extended period and directly abuts the Truckee River. Its acquisition would help preserve wildlife habitat, maintain the natural character of the area, and reduce visual and environmental blight from nearby industrial and railroad properties.
I believe the proposed extension would:
• Strengthen recreational infrastructure in East Washoe County;
• Preserve the floodplain and sensitive habitat in alignment with the County’s environmental goals;
• Benefit the Lockwood and Rainbow Bend communities by increasing access to public space while buffering against industrial encroachment.
Notably, this parcel was recently the subject of a proposed rezoning for industrial development. That application was denied by the Washoe County Planning Commission, citing incompatibility with existing land use, inadequate infrastructure, and the potential for negative community impact. Acquiring this property for public open space would not only align with those findings but also transform a potential point of conflict into a lasting community asset.
In a time of growing public demand for accessible, natural recreation areas, I respectfully encourage the Commission to explore this opportunity to protect and enhance Lockwood’s unique position along the Truckee River for generations to come.
Brian Erbis
Brian Erbis Consulting LLC
brian.erbis@brianerbis.nyc
646-801-2115
I want to voice support for the Washoe County Library System. Libraries are an essential part of our community, and the return is much greater than the investment. I urge you to continue funding support at the same level as in previous years. I feel that the library ballot issue was a victim of bad publicity and outright disinformation (lies) by one of the local parties. Many voters did support the issue, and strongly support the library. We live in Spanish Springs and my family and I use our local library, as well as most of the others in the county system. The staff and services are top notch!
Thank you for this consideration. (please disregard if this is a duplicate comment, I had trouble with this format.)
Please fully fund the Washoe County Library System budget. A reduction in library hours, book budget, services, and staff will be detrimental to our community, especially our children. My two young children and I visit the Northwest Library weekly and check out at least 20 books per week. We are a homeschooling family, and we depend upon the public libraries to supplement our children's learning. Many of the curriculums we use are picture book-based due to their young age, and currently our incredible library system carries most of the books we need for their studies. If we had to purchase all of those books, it would be much more expensive to homeschool in Washoe County. Losing weekend and evening hours will negatively impact children who attend school and people who work weekday and daytime hours. Thank you for supporting our Washoe County Library System with the funding they need to continue providing vital services and resources for our community.
Thank you for voting to support the Washoe County libraries with the funding they need. The Free, Public Library system is a pillar of democracy. With the current political climate, libraries are needed more than ever.
The Library Board of Trustees is not elected but appointed by you. It seems that you then have oversight to their functionality. Have you seen, attended or reviewed the video of a library board meeting recently. They apparently have no training in their function as trustees, they have no concept of how to run a meeting with respect for all, including the Library Director, and they certainly have no concept for running an evaluation of the Director according to your guidelines and the best practices of Human Resource Management. They are attempting to do an annual review with the 'results' of a first quarter assessment. They apparently accepted last year's annual review with no setting of performance expectations for this year. And they are apparently using this fraudulently managed 'process' to railroad the Library Director.
I am asking you to please step in and do the following:
- Stop this sham of a review process
- Attend/observe at least 3 Board meetings
- mandate Trustee Board Training, with pre- and post- tests to ensure that the Trustees understand their roles and responsibilities
as Trustees
- Initiate an evaluation of the Board, following their mandated training, and schedule a follow-up evaluation in 6 months and a year.
There are members of this board who apparently are indifferent at best to the integrity of the library System. They need to be observed, educated and evaluated and. if appropriate, removed and replaced.
Free quality Public Libraries are a pillar of Democracy. It is up to you to assure the development, above and beyond the funding of the same.
Thank you.