In a display of bureaucratic bungling that would be comedic if it weren't affecting vulnerable seniors, Washoe County has managed to turn a planned renovation of the 9th Street Senior Center into a case study in administrative incompetence.

Despite months to prepare for the center's remodeling, the county's solution for its seniors? Cold sandwiches and subpar salads for ten days and counting. When caught serving cold meals, officials attempted to quietly slip these changes into TRIO's monthly meal calendar, hoping no one would notice. But the seniors noticed - and they spoke up.

Turns out Washoe County forgot one teensy detail while shutting down the 9th Street kitchen - actually getting permits for the backup plan. Yes, folks, in a building that LITERALLY HOUSES the Northern Nevada Public Health Department, they couldn't get their permitting ducks in a row. You can't make this stuff up.

So now, our seniors are being served the "Washoe County Special" - cold sandwiches for FOUR STRAIGHT DAYS. Oh, and no soup because they don’t have the permitting to cook it.

Picon noted that media/press are asking questions as to the closure/remodel of the Washoe County Senior Center on 9th Street. You know, the facility that County Manager Eric Brown and his Human Services team are remodeling during the winter months in Northern Nevada.

Grab your parkas - Washoe County's putting on quite the winter performance. Picture this: elderly residents shivering outside a makeshift dining room in January because somebody thought winter was the perfect time to remodel the Senior Center. But hey, at least County Manager Eric Brown got his cozy $34,000 bonus. Who needs outdoor heaters when you've got all that warm bureaucratic air?

Oh, honey. Washoe County is doing that thing again where they think we can't do basic math or read between the lines. Let's break down this bureaucratic theater, shall we?

Picture this: Once upon a time, seniors got daily visits with their hot meals. Now? They're lucky if they get a lukewarm "here's your food, bye" drive-by. But don't worry! Commissioner Mariluz Garcia has written very important "opinions" about Washoe County Seniors in the RGJ. Slow clap

Breaking news from the "Better Late Than Never" department: Washoe County has emerged from its bureaucratic hibernation plan to send notifications to North Valleys residents about Swan Lake. Yes, the same North Valleys they've treated like their distant cousin at family reunions.

After a history of managing North Valleys issues with all the grace of a swan on roller skates, the County is attempting to show they care. Perhaps they found North Valleys on a map? Or maybe someone reminded them that these residents also pay taxes? County Manager Eric Brown even sent an email to the commissioners.

In the thrilling saga of "How to Avoid Accountability While Running a Homeless Shelter," starring Commission Chair Alexis Hill, we bring you the latest episode of "Why Have Meetings When You Can Just Tell The Wall Street Journal Everything's Fine?"

Picture this: Commissioner Mike Clark, apparently under the wild impression that advisory boards should actually ... advise, keeps requesting to schedule a CHAB meeting. The audacity! Doesn't he know the last meeting in May 2024 was practically yesterday? (If by "yesterday" you mean seven months ago, and before that, September 2023 - but who's counting?)

Nothing says "Season's Greetings" quite like Washoe County's culinary insult to seniors on December 20, 2024: a solitary dry biscuit, minuscule country gravy, accompanied by two strips of bacon and some canned fruit – a meal that would make Tiny Tim look spoiled.

The architect of this nutritional nightmare? TRIO Community Meals, now proudly serving disappointment county-wide thanks to a crack procurement team that managed to attract exactly one bid – TRIO’s. How convenient. While Commissioner Mike Clark – the only commissioner who actually eats these meals – voted no, the cheerleading squad of Andriola, Hill, and Garcia, happily rubber-stamped this culinary catastrophe.

Not only did Eric Crump, Washoe County’s Director Community Services go on the record at the South Truckee Meadows/Washoe Valley Citizen Advisory Board meeting last Thursday, December 5, 2024 that there is no stadium being planned in South Reno, but Washoe County Manager Eric Brown chimed in at the Washoe County Board of County Commissioner meeting yesterday, December 10th stating “no stadium.”

Citizen Advisory Boards, we’ve been to about fifty CAB meetings over the years, and often they must be a “pain in the patootie” for county staff, we get it. However, CABs are a more relaxed atmosphere for Washoe County residents to be heard, air their grievances or support of projects and plans being pushed by Washoe County, a forum to meet their neighbors, get to know county staff, and meet their commissioner.  CABs are a good thing for the county to support and ensure they thrive. That should be the marching orders staff is given, “make CABs thrive.”  

AKA: Washoe County Standard Operating Shenanigans

In the midst of what should have been a period of calm and efficiency, Washoe County finds itself embroiled in a whirlwind of controversy and intrigue. The recent episodes involving key personnel such as Interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess and County Manager Eric Brown have sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about transparency, accountability, and the true dynamics at play within the county's administrative circles.

Looks like a few employees at the county have gotten too comfortable in their ivory tower, forgetting their taxpayer-funded throne isn't actually bulletproof. Nothing is quite like watching a public servant who's confused 'serving the public' with 'sovereign rule over the peasants.'

esterday we inquired why panic buttons are being deployed by the Washoe County Registrar of Voters Office, Deputy ROV Andrew McDonald, for the general election.

While we were watching the October 22, 2024 meeting and listening to McDonald’s updates we thought let’s send his presentation to a network security professional whose job it is to find holes in systems. Remember our publisher is retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).

Piron has been digging into the Commissioner Alexis Hill vs Marsha Berkbigler Community Forum sponsored by Senior Spectrum Magazine a few weeks ago.

Berkbigler has an uphill battle due to the contributions Hill has been able to raise. How did Hill get all that loot? That’s the million dollar question.