In a display equal to the City of Reno’s political theater, Washoe County has conveniently buried an agenda item until 2025 – just in time for County Manager Eric Brown's annual review. How convenient that pesky resident complaints won't mar today's coronation ceremony.

The timing is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Item 20, which promised to be ripe for public criticism, mysteriously vanished from the agenda following Brown's eleventh-hour email. Commissioner Mike Clark confirmed the postponement, citing the ever-reliable "staff suggestions" – a transparent excuse that fools precisely no one.

We watched Commission Chair Alexis Hill master the art of agenda gymnastics! At Tuesday's - December 10, 2024 - meeting, she pirouetted through items faster than a politician dodging questions, strategically punting decisions until her reliable voting buddy Commissioner Garcia returns from absence. Talk about choreography – with what would be a 2-2 split, Hill and her mini-me Andriola against Clark and Herman, Hill wasn't about to risk the agenda tie votes to have to have repeat performances.

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.”

Oh, the political theatre …

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the City of Reno's latest performance, where our starring trio – Mayor Schieve, Councilmember Reese, and Interim Manager Bryant – delivered an Emmy-worthy display of municipal make-believe. With a whopping 1,024 YouTube views, this December 4th spectacle proved that bad theater isn't just for community playhouses anymore, you can see it at this City of Reno Council meeting with no ticket needed.

These signs are posted throughout our Washoe County libraries, thus it must have the approval of Library Director Jeff Scott. Has Scott gotten permission from the Washoe County Library Trustees to post this signage to instill confusion and stress for Washoe County residents of less library hours, less days open, less library employees, etc.

Remember when libraries were sanctuaries of learning and hope? Places where children discovered magical worlds and seniors found quiet comfort? Today, in Washoe County, something has changed.

While Herb Kaplan from the District Attorney's office keeps a less-than-watchful eye over Library Director Jeff Scott's decisions, our community's cherished spaces are being transformed into billboards of anxiety. The question echoing through our reading rooms: Why?

A peculiar drama unfolded at the November 15th Canvass of the Vote, leading to the abrupt resignation of Joni Hammond, then-1st VP of Republican Women of Reno and frequent election volunteer, and commentor at commission meeting. But try getting details from Washoe County, and suddenly it's slower than molasses in January.

The November 19, 2024, City of Reno Neighborhood Advisory Board Meeting regarding Lyon Living's conditional use permit application proved to be an exercise in frustration for community members. The presentation by Wood Rodgers' representative Andy Durling was hampered by significant audio issues, making it nearly impossible for YouTube attendees to follow the crucial details of the proposed development. We could all see Durling’s presentation but not necessarily hear him or the questions being asked by the attendees.

Just as the City of Sparks must have been getting ready to celebrate ending 2024 with no more bad headlines here comes KRNV’s Joe Hart with an investigative report about an incorrectly connected sewer line to a city storm drain that pumped a couple million gallons of sewage into the Truckee River.

This “mistake” happened at the Atrium Apartments in October 2023 as reported by Hart.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024, during the Washoe County Board of County Commission meeting we were struck by the number of public commentators regarding the loss of the Washoe County Library WC-1 Ballot Measure.

It is interesting to note the group behind the library petition is not even taking a break to draw breath to learn what cuts in staffing or services will be necessary if the library loses the $4.5 million funding afforded them prior to the ballot measure failure. The library just needs the money, but this is based on what Library Director Jeff Scott is saying.

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.”  

"Oh, the drama at yesterday's County Commission meeting. Commissioner Hill, who likened Mike Clark's election to letting an 'arsonist in the building,' seems to have forgotten a crucial detail: those pesky voters put him there, just like her.

When Clark excused himself after consulting with Assistant District Attorney Nathan Edwards regarding the vote canvass (and stopped for a friendly chat with constituents on his way out), Hill couldn't resist adding her own theatrical spin to the minutes. She insisted on recording that Clark had 'inappropriately tried to recuse himself and then stormed off' - a curious characterization for someone who left after proper consultation and cordial goodbyes.

The great and powerful Commissioner Alexis Hill has been reelected to the Washoe County Commission District 1 giving her another four years to continue to remove residents’ voices.

Right, Hill wanted you to vote for her but now the peon’s voices must be silent. Basically, Hill doesn’t want to hear from you, your thoughts, or ideas. And who’s helping her with her public comment lockdown the Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks.

You’re kidding, right? Voters didn’t understand the ballot measure, oh come on. Now you’re insulting voters intelligence.

Voters understood exactly what they were voting for, and vote they did to defeat the WC1.

The library smackdown continues as Director Jeff Scott's doomsday predictions - shuttered buildings, mass staff exodus, and a limited-day workweek - fall flat after WC1's surprise defeat. His confident choir of supporters, who practically had the victory party planned, are now oddly quiet. One burning question remains: In all that time spent working on passing WC1, was there no worst-case scenarios, did anyone bother drafting a Plan B?

Per NRS 244A, which governs County Fair and Recreation Boards in the State of Nevada, the RSCVA Board elects new officers each July, during even-numbered years. Back in July 2024 the RSCVA voted in their new chair, vice-chair, and secretary/treasurer and they will not revisit new officers until July 2026. If you watch the July 25, 2024, meeting you will see then RSCVA Chair Charlene Bybee floundering with no support, with Alexis Hill moving Hillary Schieve into the role of chair, clearly well-rehearsed by Hill and Schieve. Bybee desperately wanted to hang onto the chair, but the board members wouldn’t even throw Bybee a lifeline just so the organization didn’t look quite so much at odds, and they let her go down with the ship. Picon is referring to one of Bybee’s more cringe-worthy statements made to the Reno Gazette-Journal steering the ship at the RSCVA, “Bringing the right person is more important than ever. I’m on a mission. I’ve got to move this Titanic and get it away from the iceberg.”

We were going to pen an article about the need for Alex Woodley to step aside (AKA resign) from his Washoe County Library Trustee District E, but This Is Reno did such a great job we thought we’d just share their newsletter for subscribers. (You should become a subscriber so you too could have the This Is Reno newsletter delivered to your inbox).

Picon only added a few thoughts because we are far snarkier than This Is Reno. Kids are glued to their cell phones, and it is an unfair task for teachers to separate them during classes. We’re surprised more parents aren’t in an uproar over Mr. Woodley’s sexting – have we all become so immune or has TikTok taken over our brains. A Reno city employee using a city cell phone to sex-message during a school board meeting? Really, that just has such a bad image.

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.

Our Town Reno asked a question last week and that was can Frank Perez win the City of Reno Ward 1 City Council race. Picon thinks there is a more important question to be asked, and that is “does Frank Perez really want to win” or was he the “buffer” candidate that stopped Lily Baran from getting elected.

Baran would owe her allegiance to no one, and we think some powers that be on the Reno City Council didn’t want that. Just look at Perez’s social media he is besties with many movers and shakers, mostly Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, Councilmember Miguel Martinez and School Board Trustee Alex Woodley.

Picon is digging through the Nevada Secretary of State’s Candidate Contribution and Expense reports filed on October 15, 2025.

We ponder as the Democratic Party attempts to keep the Assembly seat why fellow Democrats are not supporting Heather Goulding, could it be sour grapes.

Picon has been following a number of rumors about the City of Reno Government Code Enforcement Director Alex Woodley, who just happens to also be a Washoe County School District Trustee, resigning from his job at the City of Reno on Wednesday, October 9^th.

If a proposed ordinance change in Caughlin Ranch is approved residents will be only able to decorate for Christmas, but NO Hanukkah or Kwanza per the proposed HOA change.