Giddyup, Commissioner Clara Andriola
We have been watching and listening to statements made by ‘Appointed’ Washoe County Commissioner Clara Andriola and are a bit perplexed, does she support hobby livestock businesses, because what does ‘the potential exploration of change’ mean. To us, Andriola is yet again trying to make it appear she is doing something for someone in Washoe County when all but doing nothing.
During the Washoe County Commission meeting on November 28, 2023 Andriola put on the record during commissioner announcements, reports and updates “I wanted to update everyone and more importantly thank the County Manager for the allocation of staff to explore the horse property codes and it was clear from the beginning that there would be additional, um, items that needed to be looked at from a regulatory standpoint outside of Washoe County, so I just really wanted to, number one thank again the County Manager for allocating staff to not only look at the existing codes but to kind of map out what some of the barriers may be along with, um, you know, soliciting feedback and working on that because there are going to be jurisdictional, um, items that are bound by statute and administrative code. I’ve reached out to the Nevada Department of Agriculture, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor’s Office to continue moving forward. I’m really looking at, um, the potential exploration of change, I just wanted everyone know and acknowledge everyone’s hard work.”
Andriola might want to ‘read up’ on what the five statutory duties of the Nevada Lt. Governor, chairing the state tourism commission, serving on boards related to transportation, economic development, and audits; and ensuring continuity of government in catastrophic emergency. Why Commissioner Andriola would be calling the Lt. Governor baffles us unless she’s thinking horses are related to transportation or maybe she just wanted to book lunch with Stavros.
Andriola attended a meeting on October 26, 2023, where she attempted to put a ‘saddle on it’ to give the illusion she is a champion of everything equestrian in Washoe County. Andriola had brought Washoe County Manager Eric Brown to this meeting, where concerns were voiced regarding code enforcement notifications that carried fines that had been sent to many of the ‘horse set.’ In talking to some equestrian business owners it is nearly impossible to get a Washoe County business license to board horses, train horses, give riding lessons, even if you bought property that is zoned for horses. We have tried to track down much of this information, but it would seem each application has turned into its own nightmare, with people selling Washoe Valley horse property moving to North Valleys where they might have a more favorable chance of gaining a business license. Odd right, doesn’t it seem citizens rights have been removed.
Now remember, Clara Andriola, while being a commissioner, also has kept her job with the Reno Rodeo Association, a very pro-horse group. We have learned a number of people in the ‘horse community’ approached Andriola about the business license difficulties, code enforcement letters, and just a general frustration of why Washoe County Government is making life so difficult for hobby livestock businesses and has been for a number of years. Andriola did what she always does and that is to ‘pass the buck’ and say nothing, by bringing county employees, to this October meeting County Manager Eric Brown, Assistant County Manager David Solaro and from Planning Julie Olander, Andriola was then able to sit at the table and agree with what everyone else said including Commissioner Mike Clark – District 2, who actually owns horse property in Washoe Valley and has been working on this issue since 2022 during his race against then Commissioner Bob Lucey. Andriola seems to be an expert at piggybacking on what others say, and she is a champion head nodder.
This new group at the October meeting, who have hopes Andriola will help them, should pay attention to another horse property that Andriola is galloping away from. Picon questions what happened to Andriola’s support of Landes Witmer and Silver Circle Ranch. We spoke with Commissioner Jeanne Herman – District 5, who has supported Silver Circle Ranch since Mrs. Witmer started her application process with Washoe County to build an indoor area on property located on Holcomb Ranch Lane. Commissioner Herman told us that Andriola, “was at many of the meetings with groups supporting Silver Circle Ranch and Andriola was a champion of the project.” The moment Andriola was appointed by Governor Joe Lombardo to the commission in April 2022, she all but disappeared, poof her support was gone. Commissioner Andriola is now attempting to gain ‘opinions’ as to whether she can vote on Silver Circle Ranch when it comes before the commission as an appeal of the November 2, 2023, Board of Adjustment vote. We have heard Andriola is reaching out to the Nevada Ethics Commission for clarification. We would think Assistant District Attorney Nathan Edwards could provide a legal finding, but perhaps Andriola has gotten an answer she didn’t like, so she’s trying to find one she does. We can’t gain access to public records because those records are protected as ‘attorney/client’ privilege.
At the Silver Circle Ranch meetings throughout 2022 we have learned most of the information gained by Andriola went directly to then-Commissioner Bob Lucey. Some individuals all but said Andriola was a ‘double-agent’ for the other side, the developers, who in addition to a few residents want to stop Silver Circle Ranch. There is a developer with a piece of property in the area and they want to build ‘McMansion’ homes and hope to absorb Silver Circle Ranch and a few other properties in order to do so.
Commissioner Alexis Hill is now dipping her toe into the horse trough regarding the Silver Circle Ranch appeal, which is rumored to be on the Washoe County Board of County Commissioner agenda on January 9, 2023. Commissioner Hill is supposed to now be ‘in favor’ of the indoor area at Silver Circle Ranch. This is news to us, we’d been told due to her close ties to former Commissioner Bob Lucey she was not in favor of the project, but that was then, and this is now, and Hill is facing a battle in her re-election in 2024. We hear there is a PAC that has $100,000 committed to beating Hill and, no, Commissioner HIll it is not Robert Beadles, so that’s a whole lot of opposition to a candidate.
If you watch the November 2, 2023, Board of Adjustment meeting YouTube video, the District 1 and District 4 Board of Adjustment members were the two “No” votes. District 2 and District 5 appointees both voted in favor of the project. Odd how that happened, right? Commissioner Clark and Herman who support Silver Circle their Board of Adjustment members supported the project, and Hill and Andriola’s members voted against the project. Kathie Julian, representing District 1, all but spat on the project. It was visually uncomfortable watching how she had made up her mind prior to anyone stepping up to the podium. Ms. Julian representing Commissioner Alexis Hill’s District 1, should attempt to remain neutral and listen to residents prior to the vote, you know the people who vote and elect the commissioners who appoint her.
Perhaps Clara Andriola and Alexis Hill, could be called the Trojan Horses of hobby livestock businesses.
