Sparks City Council meeting highlights

The following are highlights from the February 12, 2024, Sparks City Council Meeting.

Announcements

• Interim City Manager Chris Crawforth announced one vacancy on the Building Code Board of Appeals for an electrical engineer or an electrical contractor with at least 10 years of experience, five years being responsible charge of work. This position is for a two-year term ending March 31, 2026. Applications will be accepted until March 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. and can be found at cityofsparks.us/getinvolved.
• Ron Eichstedt, Director of Bands, gave a presentation highlighting the Reed High School Marching Band’s performance in the 2024 Rome New Year’s Day Parade.
• John Pratt, President of the UNR Veteran Alumni Chapter, presented Council with information about the UNR Veteran Alumni Chapter and the Annual Student Veterans of America Conference.
• Maurice Paige, Executive Director of the Nevada Housing Coalition, gave a presentation about the goal to create high-quality, dignified and attainable housing for all Nevadans.
• Sparks Fire Chief Walt White presented a Citizen Service Medal to Justin Dormody for his heroic actions to help a driver escape a recent tanker vehicle fire.

Council approved:

• A $381,000 settlement agreement related to Lawson v. City of Sparks. “We can confirm that the City of Sparks made a business decision to settle the lawsuit with Mark Lawson for $381,000,” said Mayor Ed Lawson. “Although this is not how we like to spend our tax dollars, we have reached a mutual agreement with Mr. Lawson and can now put this situation behind us and move forward.”
• A $1,047,424.00 purchase of a type 1 pumper from Graham Fire Apparatus/Rosenbauer.
• A settlement agreement and mutual release of all claims between the City of Sparks and the International Association of Firefighters Local 731 regarding retiree health insurance benefits.

Council held public hearings and:

• Approved an agreement between the City of Sparks and the Sparks Police Protective Association for July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025, with an estimated cost of $952,806.00 in FY 24 and $651,277.00 in FY 25.
• Approved and adopted a bill amending Sparks Municipal code regarding parking of oversized vehicles, human habitation of vehicles on public property, and obstructive use of public sidewalks, right of way, and public streets, effective immediately. The adoption of this ordinance will amend Section 10.48.030 (Parking of Oversized Vehicles), Section 10.48.250 (Human Habitation of Vehicles on Public Property), and Section 10.48.260 (Obstructive Uses Of Public Sidewalks, Right Of Way, And Public Streets Are Prohibited) to clarify that a violation of each of these codes constitutes a criminal misdemeanor, as opposed to a civil infraction.