Sparks City Council Highlights August 8, 2022

Media Contact:
Julie Duewel
Community Relations Manager
(775) 353-7894
[email protected]

Sparks, NV - The following are highlights from the August 8, 2022, Sparks City Council Meeting.

Announcements, Presentations, Recognition Items and Items of Special Interest:

• City Manager Neil Krutz announced the following boards, commission and committee vacancies:
  • Two vacancies on the Sparks Building Code Board of Appeals, one structural/civil engineer and one mechanical/plumbing contractor, each for two-year terms. The mechanical/plumbing contractor must have at least 10 years of experience. Applications will be accepted until August 26, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. cityofsparks.us/getinvolved.
• The Sparks Fire Department presented the Citizen Service Medal to William Wright and Howard Lowry for helping suppress a fire at an apartment on Los Altos Parkway.
  • On March 4th, 2022, at 8:46 pm, the Sparks Fire Department was alerted to a structure fire in an apartment on Los Altos Parkway. During the few minutes that the fire department was alerted and responding to the fire, two bystanders took action to keep the fire in check until the fire department arrived on scene. William Wright and Howard Lowry heard cries for help from an apartment occupant. The two men sprang into action by grabbing personal and complex owned fire extinguishers to suppress the fire and searched for occupants and pets. In total, Wright and Lowry used three fire extinguishers to knock down the fire, and then made attempts to pull out the smoldering couch/cushions to the exterior so they could not continue to spread fire. The direct action of Wright and Lowry resulted in a lower loss of both property and content, as well as reduced the likelihood of multiple occupants being displaced. As a result of this incident, their actions were written up for submission by the first on-scene engine with a recommendation for a Citizens Service Medal and Certificate. Sparks Fire Department's internal commendation review committee reviewed the submission and conferred the award.
• Mayor Lawson and the Sparks City Council proclaimed August 15, 2022, as Fire Captain Bill Richards Day.
  • Bill Richards was hired by Sparks Fire Department on August 15, 1962, and served his community for more than thirty years, retiring as a Fire Captain on November 29, 1992. In retirement, he continued to serve his community through the Reno Rodeo Foundation. He passed away in the early morning hours of July 15, 2022. To honor his life of service, August 15, 2022, is Fire Captain Bill Richards Day in the City of Sparks.

General Business:

• Council Approved:
• A $624,525.00 professional services contract with Tate Snyder Kinsey Architects for architectural services so design Fire Station 6.
• A $237,079.00 purchase of four mowers from Turf Star Western. The new equipment will replace mowers that are worn and beyond their scheduled service life, though one or more will stay in the fleet as a backup to be used while others are being serviced or repaired
• A $106,300.00 construction contract with Farr Construction for the Marina Canal Recirculation System Project. The pump recirculation system draws water from the marina and discharges it to the east end of the marina canal, forcing the water in the canal to slowly flush back to the marina. The recirculation helps combat stagnation and algae growth, in addition to diluting low-quality storm water that discharges to the canal from the surrounding area.
• A $75,700.00 professional service contract with Atkins to update the Sparks Sanitary Sewer Master Plan.
• The final plan for Phase 12 of the Kiley Ranch North Planned Development for a site 87.95 acres in size located at the intersection of Pyramid Way and Wingfield Hills Road in the New Urban District (NUD) zoning district.

Public Hearing and Action Items Unrelated to Planning and Zoning:

Council held public meetings and approved:

• A resolution authorizing the transfer of the City's 2022 Private Activity Bond Capacity allocation of $5,884,665.24 to the Nevada Housing Division (NHD) for its affordable housing programs. In addition to supporting the production of affordable apartments, NHD offers homeownership programs to low and moderate-income residents of the City of Sparks, including assistance with down payments and closing costs. NHD's programs include:
  • The Hero homeownership program assists veteran and military communities by offering a below market interest rate to reduce monthly mortgage payments or increase the buyer's purchasing power.
  • A homeownership program to help recruit and retain teachers by offering a below-market interest rate and $7,500 in down payment assistance to help teachers buy a home.
  • The Home is Possible down payment assistance program has assisted over 400 Sparks residents in the past five years.
  • A free online rental housing locator tool - NVhousingsearch.org - which benefits both renters looking for a place to live and landlords wishing to advertise their properties at no cost.
• An agreement between the City of Sparks and the Operating Engineers Local No. 3 Supervisors for the period July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025.
• Council also held a public meeting and adopted new provisions to help address crimes surrounding domestic violence including amending Sparks Municipal Code, prohibiting the dissuasion of witnesses and prohibiting the attempt to suborn perjury.

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