Washoe County Buries Their Head in the Sand: Safety Concerns, Alexis Hill Knew, and Limited Scope of Investigation
ATTENTION: This article and corresponding post contains material of a highly sensitive nature including domestic violence that may be triggering for some individuals.
On May 28, 2024, the Washoe County Commission was the setting for a woman to come forward and disclose possible domestic violence she experienced from the Executive Director of Karma Box Project. This public comment initiated a chain of events that captured the attention of many.
Shock was the reaction from Picon upon hearing the stories of other women who had similar experiences with the same Executive Director. The narratives shared by these women highlight the urgency for Washoe County Government to give attention and conduct a thorough investigation.
Upon receiving an email from Commissioner Mike Clark, it was revealed that Washoe County plans to launch an investigation focused solely on the Safe Camp, which is under contract with Karma Box Project. This limited scope of the investigation is raising doubts as to Washoe County trying to package the result quickly and put this issue behind them.
County Manager Eric Brown is pushing for a timely investigation, believing it could be completed in a week. The rush to conclude the investigation appears to be aimed at quelling the statements made by the women and managing the media attention. And this needs to be done quickly because each day new information comes to light, which means more media attention.
There is a conflicting atmosphere among the stakeholders, like Lisa Lee expressing a mixture of fear and the desire to publicize her comments with written permission. The feeling of being at risk when speaking up or asking for help is a dilemma faced by these individuals.
Picon would like to know WHERE ARE local protective services offering these women help???
Mayor Hillary Schieve, who herself has faced challenges of a tracker on her car back in 2022, has shown little public support for the affected individuals. Schieve shared the deep sense of fear and uncertainty that she felt upon discovering the tracking device.
Where is Mayor Schieve reaching out to help these women? Could she not ask for the assistance of Chief Katherine Nance at the Reno Police Department? Or is Mayor Schieve silently biding her time, regarding the numerous statements she has made over the years concerning the Executive Director? Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said. “Ultimately it was a growth mindset and acts of kindness that brought Grant from being a homeless drug addict engaged in a life of crime, to becoming a flourishing and contributing servant to our Reno community. "We are lucky to have him.”
How about the ‘Top Cop’ in Washoe County, Sheriff Darin Balaam. Where, oh where, is the sheriff?
Northern Nevada Legal Aid where be ye? You want media to help you raise funds but when media reaches out for possible help for these individuals you remain as mute as Mayor Hillary Schieve.
Come on folks, mute isn’t working. We know NO ONE wants to get involved in alleged domestic violence complaints but you are not going to be able to put this genie back in the bottle. These allegations need to be faced and answered. If Washoe County wants to get to the truth, then get to the truth, but we think from Eric Brown’s email he’s working on a quick fix.
What about Alexis Hill, where the heck is the commissioner, who apparently knew about reported alleged concerns as far back as 2020 and 2021. Read Lisa Lee’s email. Why did Hill stay mute on the dais on May 28th? Is she reaching out to help these individuals who want to come forward with alleged allegations. Has she even thought of their safety, their fear, they are residents of Washoe County that Commissioner Hill is trying to disenfranchise. Just a hint Alexis, we bet this will be a topic of the general election. We ponder who else spoke to you and you remained silent.
In summary, the recent public comments regarding domestic violence allegations against the Executive Director of Karma Box Project have stirred widespread concern and demands for a genuine investigation from the Washoe County Government and other relevant local organizations.
One last comment, Picon always says “follow the money” we can find no financials of substance filed for Karma Box Project. We would urge a commissioner to ask Washoe County Government to give you copies of the financial they must receive annually. It seems a contract has been in place since 2021 so you should at the minimum had three years’ worth of data.
