Duerr is a “Do-er” For Some
We’re always amused when elected officials think the public is either daft or foolish and won’t remember or follow-up. They do. Our readers are very sleuth-like, and we had a reader send us some links, and a political fundraising invitation. It intrigued us because we didn’t realize a person who spoke at a Washoe County Commission meeting in April 2023 became a City of Reno Planning Commissioner in June 2023. Shame on Picon for not paying attention.
Picon remembered on April 18, 2023, at a Washoe County Board of County Commission Meeting where a group of folks, most of whom work for Ormat asked for a ‘re-do’ of the commissioners vote regarding a Gerlach geothermal exploration project that had been rejected by the commission, in a 3-to-2 vote, at the April 11, 2023, meeting. Just about every resident from Gerlach had come to the meeting and expressed their opposition to the Ormat exploration project.
On April 18th a group was pulled together to try to get Appointed Commissioner Clara Andriola to reconsider her vote and get the project on a future agenda. Commissioner Andriola, who’s reasoning we sometimes question, backed away from the ask by Ormat. During public comment we remembered Dr. Rohrmeier going on the record, with a lengthy statement, we’ve shortened it to give you a snippet. We’ve included the minutes if you want to put yourself into a coma and read them all.
Dr. Kerry Rohrmeier requested reconsideration of the Gerlach administrative permit denial. She declared her request was on behalf of Ormat where she was employed. She claimed her request was based on expertise in land-use planning and policy that she had gained from 20 years working in planning and research, specifically in industrial and infrastructure development in Northern Nevada. She stated the requests from other commenters would vary based on people’s expertise.
From the meeting on April 11th it was easy to learn that Ormat simply didn’t do a good enough job of selling the geothermal exploration project to the residents. In speaking to the Gerlach residents after the meeting, they indicated that Ormat thought they “were just a bunch of small-towners, and they (Ormat) could drive the bus over them.” That didn’t happen.
Fast forward to July 26, 2023, at the Reno City Council Meeting, Item G.1 was the Reno City Planning Commission Appointments. One of the individuals being appointed, by Ward 2 City Councilmember Naomi Duerr, did not live in Ward 2, but it was pointed out that was acceptable per the city’s rules. Reno Planning Commissioners do not need to live in the Ward of the councilmembers they are appointed by. Does that make sense to you? We’ve provided the meeting.
Councilmember “Do-er” Duerr had affirmed Kerry Rohrmeier for the Ward 2 Planning Commissioner, even though Rohrmeier does not live in Ward 2. We understand that Rohrmeier, as a Planning Commissioner, is an advocate of Housing Initiatives and Zoning Code Clean-Up which has become a hot topic online. Just check out NextDoor or read The Barber Brief.
Now we hope we have the right person, because on the application that was submitted by Kerry Rohrmeier for Reno Planning Commissioner, we can’t find a listing of employment at Ormat, but in reviewing the video she didn’t indicated she worked for Ormat on April 18th - however we found a photo of Duerr and Rohrmeier, where Duerr refers to Rohrmeier as the Legislative Affairs Director at Ormat. Would Rehrmeier now have to register as a lobbyist if she was addressing the City of Reno City Council or Washoe County Commissioners?
Why are we writing this? Our reader sent us a political fundraiser invite. Councilmember Duerr is being hosted a fundraiser by Reno Planning Commissioner Kerry Rohrmeier and Chris Rohrmeier. We thought the $250 contributed to Duerr’s campaign by Rohrmeier might have been enough.
Picon thinks someone, anyone needs to determine the relationship between the appointer (Duerr) and the appointee (Rhormeier) in 2023. Are they close friends, and if so, was this disclosed to the Reno City Attorney? Do they have a history of working together? It might appear so from Duerr’s posted phone at a geothermal conference on October 3, 2023.
Could this fundraiser be perceived as a conflict of interest? Will it impact public trust in both individuals? What proactive steps to avoid any appearance of impropriety is Councilmember Duerr taking?
Apparently, none, since she’s running for State Senate, and the fundraiser is tonight.
