Around the Arch Blog

The Reno City Council approved a Community Pride Grant in the amount of $550 to assist Join Together Northern Nevada in purchasing teaching materials for the Real Bar Campaign.

The Campaign supports local retailers who have shown a commitment to deter underage and abusive drinking in their establishments. It provides retailers with the opportunity to obtain a server training card and undergo required course work to better identify intoxication. It also provides training to help identify fake identifications and develop strategies to deal with disturbances.

Each Neighborhood Advisory Board has the ability to recommend Community Pride Grant funding to Council. These funds are neighborhood specific and allocated to projects the City may not have budgeted for but are projects the Neighborhood Advisory Board would like to expedite. The funds are generally intended for projects that are short term in nature and quick to implement.

The North Valleys High School Boosters will be able to provide new computers and software to their school to establish a school newspaper thanks to a Community Pride Grant in the amount of $7,040. The money will also be used to purchase two-way radios for better communication throughout the school as well as provide two new picnic tables at the school.

The Ward Four North Valleys Neighborhood Advisory Board (NAB) recommended Council approve the request for funding which Council provided. Each Neighborhood Advisory Board’s Community Pride Grant funds are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects.

The funds are allocated to projects the City may not have budgeted for but are projects the Neighborhood Advisory Board would like to expedite. The funds are generally intended for projects that are short term in nature and quick to implement.

At today’s meeting, the Reno City Council directed staff to work with homeowners and Washoe County staff to study opportunities that are available to assist Washoe County with the former Northgate Golf Course property and improvements. The property could potentially be designated for open space or other park uses.

Staff are to return to Council with a full evaluation of the 228 acre property and future options for its use. Washoe County has negotiated an option to purchase the property from the Robert J. Beaumont Testamentary Trust for the appraised value of $2,850,000 by December 31, 2009.

Three potential sources of funding have been identified by County staff, which are State Question 1 (SQ-1) funding, Washoe County Parks, Trails and Open Space Bonds (WC-1), and a potential Special Assessment District (SAD). A determination of the use of the facilities may be dependent on the source of acquisition funds.

For additional information contact Julee Conway, Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services at (775) 334-2260.

Being a former bartender and seeing the problems plus having lost a friend years ago from irresponsible underage drinking, I was happy to see this news come across my desk.

The Reno City Council approved a request from the Ward Four Northeast Neighborhood Advisory Board (NAB) for $750 in Community Pride Grant (CPG) funds to Join Together Northern Nevada (JTNN).

The CPG funds will help JTNN to purchase teaching materials for the Real Bar Campaign, a program that supports local retailers who have shown a commitment to deter underage and abusive drinking in their establishments.

The Ward Four Northeast NAB supports the goals of JTNN and the Real Bar Campaign to work collaboratively with other local bars and clubs to reduce abusive drinking. The teaching materials provide the opportunity to obtain a server training card and required coursework to better identify intoxication, training to help identify fake identifications, and develop strategies to deal with disturbances, providing a positive resources for students and the community.

NAB CPG funds are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects. These funds are allocated to projects that the City may not have budgeted for that the NAB would like to expedite. Funds are generally intended for projects that are short term in nature and quick to implement. While funding is recommended by the boards, its use and expenditure are guided by established city procurement, expenditure procedures, and ground rules.

Reno Code Enforcement Officer Cindi Gil Blanco discusses her job and why she likes public service.

A number of residents volunteered to plant trees as part of the Roots for Wells program. The organizer, Barrie Schuster, worked with the City’s Urban Forester, the Neighborhood Advisory Board and others to raise funds and organize the effort to plant about 100 trees in the neighborhood near Wells Avenue. The organizers plan to do the program again on more streets in the area next Spring.

The Reno City Council approved a request from the Ward Three Neighborhood Advisory Board (NAB) for $2,000 in Community Pride Grant (CPG) funds to the Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra, a non-profit organization. The CPG funds will assist with expenses associated with the Jobs Creation Program.

The Ward Three NAB has made their Ward residents a top priority and supports the goals of the Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra to provide assistance to at-risk women to help them become employable, find jobs, and create self sustaining, stable lives for themselves and their families.

NAB CPG funds are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects. These funds are allocated to projects that the City may not have budgeted for that the NAB would like to expedite. Funds are generally intended for projects that are short term in nature and quick to implement. While funding is recommended by the boards, its use and expenditure are guided by established city procurement, expenditure procedures, and ground rules.

The City of Reno’s Recreation & Park Commission, a volunteer group, is hosting a community clean up at Whitaker Park in Northwest Reno on Saturday, July 18th. The public is invited to join them from 8 -11 a.m.

Businesses, organizations, university students and groups of friends will find these events build teamwork, company and neighborhood pride, and personal satisfaction through service. Volunteers should bring their own gardening or work gloves to use while weeding or raking planter beds and tree wells, spreading mulch, planting annuals or painting. Materials and tools will be provided.

The financial challenges facing the City and the resulting service reductions make volunteer efforts more valuable and community involvement more necessary than ever.

The Recreation & Park Commission will be holding other cleanup days as follows:
Saturday, August 15 – 8 a.m. – Rainbow Ridge Park & Trail
Thursday, September 3 – 5:30 p.m. – Wheatland Park
Saturday, September 19 – 9 a.m. – Horseman’s Park & Trail

For more information call Jeff Mann, Parks Manager, at (775) 334-2270.

The Ward Four North Valleys NAB granted $14,000 in CPG funds and the City Council added $2,173.94 in discretionary funds to the Lifestyle Homes Foundation to assist with the Accelerated Reader Literacy and recreational soccer programs. The money will also provide new playground equipment at Stead Elementary School. The new, modern playground equipment is safer than the older equipment. Children will have access to the new playground during the school day and will also be able to enjoy the facility on weekends with family and friends.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, the Reno City Council approved the allocation recommendation. These grant are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects. They are for projects the City may not have budgeted for that NAB members would like to expedite. Funds are generally intended for projects that are short term and quick to implement. While funding is recommended by the NABs, its use and expenditure are guided by established city procurement, expenditure procedures and ground rules.

Some City tennis and basketball courts will soon get some needed repairs. The Ward Two Central and South NABs allocated a combined $18,220 for park repair and maintenance within their respective NAB boundaries. The money will primarily be used for surface repairs to various tennis and basketball courts. The work will be done in the next budget year.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, the Reno City Council approved the Community Pride Grant allocation recommendation.  These grants are designed to be used for neighborhood-specific projects. They are allocated to projects the City may not have budgeted for that NAB members would like to expedite. Funds are generally intended for projects that are short term and quick to implement. While funding is recommended by the NABs, its use and expenditure are guided by established city procurement, expenditure procedures and ground rules.