Woodley’s Sudden Retirement at City of Reno. We’ve Got Questions.
Annual Jack T. Reviglio Cioppino Feed & Auction Saturday, February 24, 2024
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 9th.
It was odd to watch the Reno City Council meeting on Wednesday, there was an announced noon "attorney client" meeting with council, Interim City Manager Jackie Bryant was on the dais prior to the "attorney client" meeting and when the meeting restarted Assistant City Manager Ashley Turney had taken over, no Bryant, and Mayor Hillary Schieve was missing. Later Bryant and Schieve were back on the dais arriving, more or less, together.
This Is Reno reported yesterday that Woodley resigned due to “confidential personnel matters” – say what? What’s confidential about a retirement?
This Is Reno wrote, “Sources told This Is Reno that Woodley used his work cell phone for non-work-related matters, but they would not provide additional information. This Is Reno placed orders to the city for copies of Woodley’s correspondence under the Nevada Public Records Act.”
We have heard that Mr. Woodley’s “work cell for use for non-work-related matters” is the catalyst for his departure from City of Reno. But is it really?
Picon has a difficult time getting public records from the City of Reno, so we sent someone in yesterday to complete a records request on the Reno City Hall’s 2nd Floor. He was “informed” the ONLY city employee who could have helped him was on vacation and that she would be back Monday, October 14th – so he could come back then. Really, only one individual who can help, the City of Reno, has not heard of cross training.
From Nevada Newsmakers Facebook post.
We hear the Code Enforcement Director’s departure is murky as heck. A city employee sent us a clip of an interview on Nevada Newsmakers from October 2, 2024. Developer Par Tolles was expounding on code enforcement in downtown Reno. Tolles explained he “wants to see Reno’s code enforcement amp up what they demand on South Virginia Street.” This city employee urged us to reach out to Woodley about Tolles comment, and before we could do so he retired on Wednesday. Coincidence?
We wonder if this was a power squeeze, could Woodley have been pushing back on what well placed developers are demanding downtown? Was the city aware of questionable messaging on Woodley’s city device and used that knowledge to their benefit to encourage his sudden retirement.
Woodley was beloved by Mayor Schieve and Councilmember Devon Reese. Picon remembers their words and compliments during the Lakemill Lodge and Wrightway Market's privilege liquor license removals, and according to Schieve and Reese, Woodley walked on water. No errors, no mistakes, he was wonderful, he was their guy.
Or could this have something to do with Frank Perez? Schieve and Reese want Appointed Councilmember Kathleen Taylor returned to her council seat, and they could offer Perez the “big job” of being the Reno Code Enforcement Director – might that type of job offer cause Perez to pull out of the race.
The next few weeks as we, the press, attempt to get access to Woodley’s city phone records, should prove most interesting. Stay tuned since there must be so much more to Woodley’s sudden resignation.