The Senior Law Project continues to hold free home preservation seminars on basic foreclosure prevention and Nevada foreclosure mediation preparation. These seminars are open to everyone. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 328-2656.

Our District Attorney`s Office, through the Family Support Division, continues to collect on average in excess of $2 million per month in financial support for families and continues to exceed all federal and state standards in child support enforcement. The successful collection of these funds reduce dependence upon public funds by families needing financial support.

The Health District has recently reported the first lab-confirmed human case of West Nile Virus infection in an adult resident of Washoe County. According to health officials, this particular case is non-neuroinvasive, a milder form of the disease, and the subject is now recovering. Because the virus is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, health officials recommend that residents take precautions such as clearing areas around your home of any free-standing water that may become a mosquito breeding ground, wear long sleeves and long plants in mosquito prone areas, use mosquito repellent and follow label precautions, repair any window screens that provide entry for mosquitoes, and vaccinate horses for the virus.

Washoe County Commissioners recognize September 11, 2011 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance of September 11, 2001 in proclaiming September as National Preparedness Month, and encourages all citizens and businesses to make a plan, assemble a kit, and stay informed. Visit www.readywashoe.com to learn more.

Citizens are encouraged to attend a community meeting to give their input on potential redistricting maps that will determine County Commissioners` geographic areas that they represent. Commission districts are being adjusted based on the 2010 Census to provide each district with a similar population size. The community meeting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at the Washoe County Complex from 5 to 8 pm. Presentations on redistricting will be made at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The Center for Digital Government`s Digital Counties Survey recently awarded Washoe County first place in its population category for ongoing efforts to use technology to improve transparency and interaction with Washoe County citizens.

County Commissioners recently accepted a grant from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act Program, not to exceed nearly $1.2 million, for construction of a trailhead and trail project in the Ballardini Ranch area. The grant, which requires no match, will be supplemented as necessary by the Washoe County 2000 Regional Parks and Open Space and Trails bond (WC-1).

September is Library Card Sign-up Month and the Library System invites your family to obtain a free library card if they don`t already have one. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning. For more information, visit www.washoecountylibrary.us

Speak briefly with a volunteer attorney for free at the Lawyer in the Library program sponsored by the Washoe County Law Library. On Tuesday evenings, the top is Family Law and Wednesday evenings it is General Law. The program is held at 75 Court Street in Reno. Sign-up is at 4:30 pm with a limit of 10 participants.

Don`t forget to vote in the upcoming Special Election! Early voting began on August 27th and goes through September 9th; check out www.washoecounty.us/voters for locations and times. If you miss an early voting opportunity, you can vote on election day on September 13th; be sure to check your sample ballot for your assigned polling place.

The Sheriff`s Office is donating $20,000 from state forfeiture funds to support efforts by the local non-profit, Join Together Northern Neavada (JTNN) to increase parent awareness and education about local drug use trends, the signs and symptoms of drug abuse, and effective intervention skills. For more information about the services JTNN provides, please visit www.jtnn.org or call 240-7340.

Significant changes in the homeless service policy by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) prompted the Board to reject all bids for operation of the Community Assistance Center (CAC) and to create a Transitional Governing Board to more effectively handle the new proposed creation and selection of an operator for the facility. Failure to comply with the new HUD regulations which are still being finalized could result in the loss of up to $5 million annually in current funding. The facility`s current operator, Volunteers of America, will continue to operate the facility until a new bid is developed, issued and ultimately awarded.

County Commissioners unanimously directed staff to finance the $43.3 million of property tax refunds to taxpayers in the Incline Village/Crystal Bay area, as ordered by the Nevada Supreme Court, from a variety of sources: up to $7 million from the County`s Risk Management Fund, $8.4 million from the Health Benefits Fund, defer $3 million in capital projects, and reduce other taxing entities` future tax distributions proportionate to the proceeds they received from this source. While the total refund amount is $43.3 million, the County`s share is approximately $18.4 million. Other affected agencies include the Washoe County School District, the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, the Incline Village General Improvement District and the State of Nevada. Staff indicated that using these reserve funds presents some risk for the County, and recommended the authorization of new revenues to replenish these funds. The Board will consider the new revenue options at its regular meeting on September 27.

Employees from the county`s largest association along with District Attorney Investigators, Nurses, the Wadsworth Justice Court and elected officials have agreed to continue their 2010/11 wage and benefit concessions pending completion of fiscal year 2011/12 labor negotiations with employee bargaining units. These concessions exceed $2.8 million in savings. County management enacted concessions averaging 7% reductions earlier this fiscal year.

Building and Safety report that permit revenues for fiscal year 2011 were up 14.5% over the previous fiscal year. This increase is due to an increase in permit activity since the county has not raised permit fees for three and one-half years. For the first two months of fiscal year 2012 (July and August 2011), permit revenues are up 20.5%. August was the third highest month in revenues since September 2008. Quarterly revenues are on track to be the second quarter in a row with revenues exceeding expenditures. This will be the first time since December 2004 of having two consecutive quarters ending with positive revenues gains. The County's Building and Safety Department is an `enterprise fund` and is entirely funded from fees they receive from services provided in the unincorporated area of Washoe County.

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