The following are highlights from Monday’s Sparks City Council Meeting:
Commendations, Proclamations, and Presentations
• The Sparks City Council recognized the City of Sparks Band, White Water, on many years of contributions to the Sparks community in both their musical abilities and volunteer work.
• September 11, 2001, brought national attention to the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices faced by fire and emergency services personnel on a daily basis. The Sparks City Council proclaimed October 8 a day to recognize the patriotic service and dedicated efforts of our fire and emergency services personnel by lowering American flags on all buildings to half-staff. “I encourage appropriate services and ceremonies in which all of our citizens may participate to honor fire and emergency services personnel, past and present, who by their faithful and loyal devotion to duties, has rendered invaluable service to our community and its citizens,” said Sparks Mayor Geno Martini.
• The council proclaimed the month of September as “STEPtember,” challenging the City of Sparks to participate with millions of people nationwide in taking 10,000 steps each day to raise awareness and money for United Cerebral Palsy of Nevada.
• Children’s Cabinet Communications Manager Amy Riley did a presentation to the Sparks City Council about the Children’s Cabinet including information about the 2017 Opening of the Center for Aspiring Youth and Cottage of Change Located at 480 Galletti Way in Sparks.
• Community Health Alliance CEO Chuck Duarte updated the council on quality healthcare in the Reno/Sparks community.
General Business
• The Sparks City Council approved a consulting contract with Lloyd Civil and Sports Engineering for the design of Golden Eagle Regional Park Multi-Use Field synthetic turf replacement for $68,120. The current fields were completed in April 2008 and have reached their useful life and require replacement.
• The council approved a resolution amending and updating fees charged by the City of Sparks Fire Department for fire inspections, reinspections, fire suppression and fire prevention services. The annual revenue increase is expected to be approximately $71,000.
• A contract for the Silverton Shores Park and Wingfield Trail Project was approved in the amount of $572,583 to Garden Shop Nursery Landscaping Division, Inc. Additionally, council approved a $74,327.32 purchase of play equipment for Silverton Shores Park. Silverton Shores Park is the last park identified for construction as part of the Wingfield Springs Planned Unit Development. Additionally, to provide connectivity, the Wingfield Trail portion of the project will tie into the existing trail that stops adjacent to the Park Parcel. This will provide better access to the park and trail system for residents.
• An agreement for treated effluent between the city of Sparks, the City of Reno and the Tahoe Reno Industrial General Improvement District (TRIGID) was approved. This is the first step in a two-step process that will allow TRIGD to purchase 4,000 acre-feet of reused water from Reno and Sparks for the purposes of providing manufacturing processed water. The second step will be to ensure all water uses related to the agreement are defined.
• The council authorized the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility to purchase methanol from alternative vendors if necessary. TMWRF’s current supplier of methanol is located in Houston, Texas and was impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Methanol is used at TMWRF to remove nitrogen from the wastewater.
• Council adopted to amend two Sparks Municipal Codes, allowing the council flexibility in dedicating revenue generated by the electrical and natural gas system franchise agreements between street and park maintenance.
• Council approved a bargaining agreement between the city of Sparks and the Operating Engineers Local No. 3 supervisory and non-supervisory units from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. The one-year deal includes a two percent cost of living pay increase.