Manager's eUpdate for 10/20/08

I am pleased to provide you with highlights of some of our recent activities that reflect the County Commission's strategic priorities for our region. As always, I welcome your comments either by email (ksimon@washoecounty.us) or phone (775-328-2000). If you do not wish to receive this update by email, please let Community Relations Director Kathy Carter know at kcarter@washoecounty.us. Thank you.

Katy Simon
Washoe County Manager

The Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) recently completed their audit of Washoe County in accordance with provisions of the federal Clean Water Act regarding the discharge of municipal storm water runoff to the Truckee River and its tributaries. Washoe County, as required by its permit, has implemented the best management practices to reduce pollutants to the `maximum extent practicable.` Overall, NDEP approved of Washoe County`s program and the progress the County has made.

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Washoe County Public Works is improving pedestrian safety with several projects. The 4,400 foot long, six-foot wide pedestrian path from Eagle Canyon Boulevard to Lazy 5 Park is nearing completion and expected to be open for use by the end of October, 2008. Three other grant projects will be completed in the summer of 2009, including the sidewalk on 5th Street from Sun Valley Boulevard to Woods Drive in Sun Valley; Lemmon Drive from Patrician to Bernoulli; and pedestrian paths in Cold Springs.

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The Illegal Dumping Task Force met October 8 to report on accomplishments toward combating illegal dumping problems in our community. The task force is an interagency partnership of over 18 non-profit organizations, federal, state, and local agencies including Washoe County that have combined their resources and staff, in addition to recruiting more than 2,000 volunteers, to remove over 337 tons of trash, nearly 100 cars, and thousands of tires from our public lands, parks, and neighborhoods since 2006.

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At its 10-year anniversary celebration on October 15, the Nevada Land Conservancy awarded its public agency award to the Washoe County Department of Regional Parks and Open Space for dedicated efforts in the preservation of open space in our region.

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The Washoe County Department of Regional Parks and Open Space is looking for volunteers to help with restoration work along the Truckee River in Mayberry and Dorostkar Parks on Saturday, November 8. This is a collaborative effort with the Nevada Land Conservancy, with funding provided by the Truckee River Fund. To volunteer, contact the Nevada Land Conservancy at 775-851-5180. Bring work gloves.

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Washoe County Parks received approximately 45 trees this week from AT&T as a result of the AT&T/Smart Yellow Pages phone book recycling program from this past year. The trees will be planted within the Truckee River District at Anderson Park, Mogul Park, Bartley Ranch, and Hidden Valley.

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On October 11, 2008, the local agencies came together to host a Winter Preparedness public information program at Meadowood Mall. The goal was to reach as many people as possible to help them prepare for the winter months by providing safety tips and information on what they can do to help themselves when driving in winter conditions or preparing their homes for colder temperatures during winter months. Children and parents alike had the opportunity to sit and have their pictures taken in actual snow removal equipment used by our regional agencies.

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An updated Washoe County Street Atlas covering all urban areas of the County has been created by the GIS division and published. The digital version is available on the Washoe County GIS webpage for downloading. The Atlas contains 115 pages of maps and 34 pages of street indexes. In addition to new streets, the new version also contains 8 pages of updated critical facilities information, including care facilities, fire stations, government buildings, law enforcement, libraries, recreational buildings, schools/colleges, major casino hotels and shopping malls. The Atlas has particular importance to first responders, and is also an important resource for the businesses and visitors.

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The Washoe County Registrar of Voters Office started Early Voting Saturday, October 18 at 19 locations, which can be found on the County`s website at www.washoecounty.us or in the Sample Ballot mailed out last week. More than 231,000 Sample Ballots were mailed on October 15. In addition, all military, overseas, and out-of-state absent ballot voters were sent their ballots more than a week ago. More than 25,000 new applications for voter registration were processed since the Primary; all those applications are successfully in the system. The Office is now down to a one day turnaround on absentee ballot requests. Washoe County has not been affected by the voter fraud allegations in Clark County; we always mail a Voter Card when a person registers, and those that bounce back as undeliverable mean the voter is not a legally registered voter. In addition, all first-time voters in Washoe County must present photo ID when they come to vote or ask for an absentee ballot, and any voter whose signature is questioned by the poll worker must also show photo ID. We encourage everyone to get out and vote between now and November 4.

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The Washoe County Department of Building and Safety is pursuing accreditation through the International Accreditation Services in hopes of becoming a Certified Jurisdiction in 2009. This accreditation is awarded only to the top 10% of the building departments in the country, and can result in an improved ISO rating for property insurance for Washoe County residents.

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The new County parking lot on Court street, opened in January 2008, has resulted in almost $11,000 per month in savings from relocating County employees from paid parking locations into the new County-owned lot, and has provided free evening parking for many downtown events.

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Brett Steinhardt of the Facility Management Division has passed the exam to become a LEED Accredited Professional. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a building standard for sustainable design and building maintenance governed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Improve Public Safety, Security and Health

Preserve and Enhance Our Quality of Life

Improve Regional Collaboration

Improve Government Efficiency and Financial Stability

Provide Excellent Public Services

Develop our Workforce