If You Want It Bad Enough, You’ll Find a Way to Get It
Norman Vincent Peale said, “The great secret of getting what you want from life is to know what you want and believe you can have it.”
County Manager Eric Brown proposed the Washoe County Commissioners hire The Elections Group to the tune of an additional $500,000 to provide guidance on revamping the Washoe County Registrar of Voters (ROV). Manager Brown’s pitch to the commissioners sparked controversy and raised questions about the necessity of such a significant expenditure. Taxpayers must wonder at the expertise of County Manager Eric Brown and Registrar of Voters (ROV) Jamie Rodriguez, given that they are handsomely compensated to fulfill their duties. The need for additional advice from The Elections Group has led to scrutiny of the management of county resources and the decision-making process.
In April 2023, in a surprising turn of events, County Manager Brown managed to secure the support of newly appointed Commissioner Clara Andriola, who voted in favor of approving $100,000 for The Elections Group. This decision, which saw Andriola aligning with her Democratic colleagues, Mariluz Garcia, and Alexis Hill on her first day on the dais, has raised eyebrows and intensified the resolve of local Republicans to rid themselves of Governor Joe Lombardo’s appointee Clara Andriola. Ask Andriola why she hasn’t quit her day job at the Reno Rodeo Foundation, she’s not confident she can win her District 4 race.
A report in the Reno Gazette Journal, that surely was a pitch from the communications team at the county, reported on The Election Group’s suggestion to tear the Registrar of Voters (ROV) department down to the studs and start over, this was following the $100,000 payment for their services. This revelation has sparked discomfort and prompted discussions, and just a whole lot of questions, about the state of the department, given the previous assurances about the integrity and efficiency of the election processes in Washoe County.
The juxtaposition of the department’s purported successes in 2022 elections with the recommendation to dismantle it in 2023 has raised valid concerns about the management and oversight of Washoe County services. The discrepancy between the previous positive assessments and the current call for a complete overhaul has left many residents and observers scratching their heads and questioning the decision-making process and the accountability of those in leadership positions.
County Manager Brown still needed advisors for Registrar of Voters Jamie Rodriguez to finish the revamp of the department and he was unable to secure the additional $500,000. Commissioner Clara Andriola might have pondered the prudence of such a significant expenditure, and it would seem with some political maneuvering on the part of the Washoe County Republican Party, to have stopped Manager Brown from bringing the spend of $500,000 back in front of the county commissioners for a vote. Andriola must have realized her blunder with the $100,000 expenditure on April 11, 2023, and decided not to commit political suicide and vote for $500,000 more.
The question, where does that leave County Manager Brown and Registrar of Voters Jamie Rodriguez? They are on the record now needing to tear the department apart and are faced with a looming 2024 election.
At the October 24, 2023, Washoe County Strategic Retreat, at the Sparks Library, County Manager Eric Brown commented on the record he had retained an election consultant. An individual was in the audience at this meeting, a reader of Picon, avid speaker at County Commission meetings, and a savvy political watchdog Penny Brock. Mrs. Brock submitted a public record request asking for the election consultant’s business name, address, and a copy of the signed contract. What did she get? A copy of the signed contract for $100,000 the county paid to The Elections Group. Washoe County didn’t understand Mrs. Brock’s request?
After Mrs. Brock received her response, she escalated her question to Commissioner Mike Clark, District 2. Readers often ask Picon why we talk frequently to Commissioner Clark and often quote him in our stories. It is because Clark, and Commissioner Jeanne Herman, are the only commissioners who are willing to question the county and not just go with the flow as Commissioners Andriola, Hill, and Garcia do. According to the three commissioners there is nothing but perfection at Washoe County, never a mistake made, nor a questionable action. This story is no different, Clark was the only commissioner willing to raise a ruckus regarding this contract and bring it to light when the county was hiding behind public records, providing one contract to buy time when it was clearly not the record Mrs. Brock asked for. Commissioner Clark exposed the ruse and put the Strategy Rose, LLC contract on the record for all to view.
The commission only approved spending $100,000 back in April 2023, and nothing had returned to the body to be voted on. Brock paid attention during the session when County Manger Brown put on the record, via YouTube, that the county had hired an elections consultant. Commissioner Clark’s question led to finding the contract with Strategy Rose, LLC, the vendor. The individual who signed the contract is Amber McReynolds, the darling of mail in ballots, you need only to Google Ms. McReynolds.
Picon’s question is not why McReynolds was hired but how and why the decision was made to bypass the Washoe County Commissioners and make such a significant contract, spending up to $237,000, with only the manager’s authority. Considering the importance of the Registrar of Voters (ROV) office, should this not have been presented to the commissioners for review and approval. However, it appears that Brown circumvented this process due to lack of confidence in securing the necessary votes. This raises the question: Has Brown overestimated his role and authority within the county?
Under Brown’s tenure, the county manager has the authorization to approve contracts/spends of up to $300,000. It is under this umbrella that Brown has signed a deal with Strategy Rose, LLC to provide “consulting” services at a cost up to $237,000. The unilateral nature of this decision has not gone unnoticed. Brown’s decision to engage Strategy Rose, LLC without seeking approval from the Washoe County Commissioners has raised valid concerns. The absence of proper checks and balances in this process raises questions about the manager’s accountability and adherence to proper procedure. If the commissioners voted not to spend $500,000 in April 2023, why would they vote to spend $237,000 in September 2023.
In light of the circumstance, perhaps the commissioners might consider a return to the standard threshold of $100,000 for the manager’s signing authority. This move highlights the need for transparency and oversight, particularly when substantial financial commitments are being made on behalf of the community, and not by an individual elected by constituents. Commissioner Mike Clark commented to us, “I’m going to ask for a reduction in the County Manger’s signing authority to be put on the commission agenda. My track record for getting anything on the agenda is sadly lacking. You know, I’m only one vote up against three but Commissioners Andriola and Hill have elections in 2024 so who knows I might actually stand a chance, and at the very least in the court of public opinion.”
The contract for engaging Strategy Rose, LLC should have been brought to the Washoe County Commissioners to vote upon. The action taken by County Manager Eric Brown oversteps his position, and he needs to explain to the citizens of Washoe County why he feels his decisions trump those of the commissioners’ who voters have duly elected, well four of them.
Picon has one final question, why is the address of Strategy Rose, LLC redacted in the contract?
