The following are highlights from the Jan. 8, Sparks City Council Meeting.
Announcements/ Presentations
- Interim City Manager Chris Crawforth announced one vacancy on the Sparks Arts and Culture Advisory Committee for a performing arts representative to fill a partial term ending November 30, 2024. Members must be a Washoe County resident, possess a full understanding of being an arts advocate, and have five years or more experience as an arts advocate. Applications will be accepted until January 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. and can be found at cityofsparks.us/getinvolved.
- Mayor Ed Lawson gave commendation to the Sparks High School Boys Varsity Soccer team for their achievements, including winning the 2023-2024 Northern Nevada 5A Regional Championship.
- Mayor Ed Lawson proclaimed the month of January as s Radon Action Month to encourage residents to test their homes for radon, mitigate elevated radon levels, and use radon-reducing materials and features in new construction.
Council approved:
- Professional services agreements not to exceed $90,000.00 each with SB Strategic Consulting, Inc., and Barrett Resources for outreach work benefiting the City of Sparks’s interest in the Truckee Meadows Public Land Management Act.
General Business
Council rejected the offer to settle Lawson v. City of Sparks in the amount of $600,000.00.
Council approved:
- A $726,696.00 contract with Truckee Meadows Construction for the Black Hills Dog Park.
- A $704,242.00 construction contract with F.W. Carson Co. for the 2023 Alley Rehabilitation Project.
- Up to $638,860.00 for contract labor to maintain City of Sparks parks, streets, drains, fleet vehicles, and provide administrative support for the City of Sparks Public Works Maintenance division.
- The not to exceed $40,000 interlocal agreement with Washoe County to provide for the conducting and holding of the 2024 primary and general elections in the City of Sparks.
Council held public hearings and:
- Adopted an ordinance providing for the conducting and holding of a primary election in the City of Sparks on the June 11, 2024, and a general election in the City of Sparks on November 5, 2024; identifying municipal offices seeking candidates, authorizing Washoe County to conduct the election, and setting the filing fees for declarations of candidacy.
- Retained Marquis Aurbach Chtd. to represent the City of Sparks in various labor and employment matters as needed at the rates of $250 per hour for partners, $210 per hour for associates, and $125 per hour for law clerks and paralegals.
- Adopted an ordinance amending and adding new sections to the existing City Attorney ordinance: defines the duties, modernizes the powers, and gives direction to the City Attorney’s Office on managing litigation.
- Adopted an ordinance amending Title 2 of Sparks Municipal Code allowing for the increase in the City Manager’s authority to enter into contracts from $50,000 to $100,000; clarifying which contracts may be signed by City staff; increasing the City Manager’s settlement authority from $25,000 to $100,000 and allowing the City Manager and City Attorney to accept offers of judgment in litigation matters.
Planning and Zoning
- Council held a public hearing and affirmed the Planning Commission’s denial of the Major Deviation to increase the maximum fence height from six feet to seven feet 4 inches on a 6,127-square foot site located at 1186 Glendora Lane.
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