SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The City of South Lake Tahoe has opened the application process to fill the City Council seat vacated by former Mayor Pro Tem John Friedrich. Mr. Friedrich submitted his resignation to the City Clerk on September 3, effective immediately. 

Application materials are available on the City Council website and at City Hall during normal business hours. The City Clerk will be accepting applications from registered voters of the City of South Lake Tahoe from September 4 to September 18. At the September 24 meeting, the City Council will hear applicant presentations, interview applicants and may appoint a member to serve the remaining term of office, which is until December 10, 2024. 

For additional information visit the City Council webpage or by contacting the City Clerk at 530-542-6005 or sblankenship@cityofslt.us. 

One lawyer is among the three candidates that met the filing deadline to run for Incline Village Justice of the Peace to replace retiring Judge Alan Tiras.

Melissa Mangiaracina and Hans Keller of Incline Village, and Alexandra Profant of Crystal Bay have varied backgrounds.

According to Mangiaracina’s candidate filing with Washoe County Registrar of Voters, she has a Bachelor’s of Art in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. Mangiaracina is also a trained Mediator, Arbitrator, Administrative Hearing Officer and Settlement Judge. Mangiaracina mediates appellate cases for the Nevada Supreme Court, civil cases for the Second Judicial District Court of Nevada, and child protection cases for the State of Nevada. She also sits as a Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore in Incline Village as needed.

Mangiaracina is the only candidate to fill out the optional profile section.

All three candidates provided information in the Judicial Office Questionnaire. To read their complete filings, go to https://www.washoecounty.gov/voters/2024-election/candidates/index.php

According to Keller’s candidate filing, he graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Sierra Nevada College. He currently works for Washoe County as a court clerk and deputy constable handling law enforcement tasks. Previously, Keller was elected Incline Village Constable where he was the department head and handled law enforcement support for Incline Village Justice Court.

According to Profant’s candidate filing, she has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is co-founder and director of The Tahoe Foundation where she handles annual state filings, educational outreach related to preservation of cultural and architectural history programs specifically in historic American Building Surveys. She also handles architectural conservation and community planning. Profant previously was the treasurer for Nevada’s Chapter of the American Planning Association, where her responsibilities were attending meetings and making budget decisions. She was a representative for the Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association and co-chair of Incline Vision’s external relations and demographic committee. In 2003, Protant was appointed to the Planning Commission in Ferndale, Ca.

Mangiaracina describes why she’s running in her candidate statement.

“I first moved to Incline Village in 1998. Since that time, I have dedicated my career to serving the Incline Village and northern Nevada community. I have worked with students in the Incline public schools, provided legal representation to children, seniors, and low-income residents, and worked as a neutral for our community. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work in Incline Village and would be honored to continue to serve my community as the next Justice of the Peace. To learn more about me and my commitment to the Incline Village Justice Court, please visit my website at www.melissaforjp.com.”

Mangiaracina is the only candidate who provided a website.

Keller’s candidate statement says he’s running “to provide fair, unbiased and just decisions and service to the residents of Incline Village and Crystal Bay.”

Profant’s candidate statement says, “as a person trained in architectural conservation and schooled in preservation planning, and someone in pursuit of justice, I am passionate to pursue answers to questions regarding Nevada’s judiciary which non-attorney Nevadans have an interest in knowing. Running for this office I anticipate will cause me to have access to those honorable persons who know more than I do to help and find answers to said questions for all Nevadans, especially in Incline Village and Crystal Bay, regarding access to justice, and enforcement of court rules.”

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Incline Village Board of Trustees will be meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 at the IVGID Administration Building located at 893 Southwood Blvd. The meeting will also be live-streamed. 

After hearing concerns from multiple residents about the contract entered into with NV Energy in June 2023 that sees helicopter operations and staging of equipment and trucks at Diamond Peak, the board has decided to revisit the decision. 

The agenda item proposes that an amendment could be made to provide an alternative location for helicopter operations not at Diamond Peak, but doesn’t mention anything about the staging of trucks and equipment at the site. 

If the negotiation is successful, it could be a major win for residents who have been impacted by the noise and are worried about the safety of having helicopter operations happening so close to home. 

The board will also be discussing a possible acceptance of a seasonal ice skating rink on Preston Field at zero cost to IVGID on behalf of the Incline Ice Foundation. 

If approved the ice rink would begin operation on a pilot program of five months, beginning on approximately Saturday, Dec. 9, and would end on approximately Sunday, April 14, 2024. 

Other items on the agenda include revisiting the remaining questions that were submitted at the town hall meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11. 

The questions still remaining address many of the concerns of community members that have been echoed throughout the recall petition process, with topics ranging from the loss of the potential grant from the David and Cheryl Duffield Foundation, claims of micromanagement among IVGID staff by Trustees, and questions of why so many senior level management staff have resigned since the new board began serving. 

The board will also discuss potentially increasing the estimated project cost for the Mountain Golf Course Path Restoration Phase 2, discussion on a purchase of a 14-passenger shuttle van for Diamond Peak, and talk about policy regarding private information given to trustees. 

To view the entire agenda and watch the meeting live, visit www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid/board-of-trustees/meetings-and-agendas. 

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.— South Lake Tahoe city council member Scott Robbins is facing some heat following his op-ed article in the SF Gate that detailed the different ways Lake Tahoe communities are struggling, and possible solutions that not all agree with. 

The op-ed detailed the many ways Robbins and his constituents feel South Lake locals are being priced out, claiming that “Tahoe’s relationship with tourism is abusive, and it must be meaningfully reformed in ways that support, rather than exploit, the local environment and workforce.”

The piece also speaks on the different environmental impacts that come with tourism, ranging from trash covered beaches, especially during summer holidays, lack of adequate public transportation leading to more vehicle miles traveled, and raised issues with The Destination Stewardship Plan, claiming it is a “greenwashing effort” designed in order to not impact the tourism industry.

After speaking with Robbins, it became clear that these claims and issues he raised are nothing new, and something he ran on, and ultimately got him elected.

“There’s five people on knuckle draggers that don’t like what I have to say, but there’s hundreds and hundreds more that do,” said Robbins. “I’m more concerned with the Vox Populi.”

(Vox Populi is latin for “voice of the people.”)

Additionally, Robbins has only received positive reviews of his piece since it was published, racking up likes on social media that indicated to Robbins that there are people who believe in his message.

“That’s a pretty positive indicator of a positive response to the content of the article,” said Robbins. “I got many dozens of positive direct messages as well. The people that seem to be outraged were the same handful of people that had been determined to continue on this trend of regional exploitation of our environment and our workforce.”

“So I’m not surprised by those voices either, but I think the public response to this has been overwhelmingly supportive.”

Robbins has indeed received backlash from the article, with the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce Director and CEO Duane Wallace reporting to the Tribune that there have been multiple calls to him for a recall petition to be called against Robbins.

“People and other organizations are calling me in good numbers saying they want to do just that,” said Wallace. “They are offering to get signatures and put up financial support.”
Wallace explained that he is not at liberty to share which individuals or organizations are in support of a recall, and is trying to listen to the needs of his community members rather than advocate for anything.

“The problem is that tourism is down. In fact, the most recent second-quarter sales tax count is down 5% per the city and we were down 15,000 room nights this year, per the lodging reports,” said Wallace. “Those real numbers speak for themselves. There is no reason to kick businesses while they are already down. Enough is enough.”

Wallace explained that it is the mission of the chamber to support local businesses and the community, and as CEO of the chamber, he will be opposing yet another tax suggested by the council, as he was directed to by his chamber board.

“The small businesses are very worried by Council members who want to go back to the tax well for the fourth time in the past five years. Three taxes were passed,” said Wallace. “The taxes proposed will cause ever higher prices of local goods, the price of homes, and will hurt the very workers and renters they claim to help.”

Wallace believes it is not possible to raise taxes on tourism without causing lost work hours or lost jobs, and that local prices would raise higher than neighboring communities, leading tourists and locals to shop elsewhere.

“Now is not the time. We have already been through the pandemic, choking smoke from nearby fires, then a full community evacuation from the Caldor Fire,” said Wallace. “Now we have runaway inflation, climbing interest rates, record gas prices, high food prices, and large increases in property insurance if it can even be obtained.”

This is not to say that the Chamber and Wallace are not supportive of affordable housing and transportation solutions. If anything, they support the very idea, having helped with the almost 500 affordable units in the works at Sugar Pine Village.

“It makes sense to see how those coming online will change the supply and demand pricing,” said Wallace. “Blindly raising taxes without specific projects even being identified is simply reckless and irresponsible.”

Robbins is not worried about a recall petition beginning to circulate, and is eager for the challenge if it is to come his way.

“I await the notice to circulate a petition for recall,” said Robbins. “The person who said that should put his pen where his mouth is. It’s up to them to follow up and to make the things they say are real.”

While waiting to see if an official recall petition is filed, Robbins looks forward to continuing doing work for his constituents, and helping people understand the issues that continue to face local communities.

“It’s important for the public to understand that these individual issues all overlap, and they all concentrate into a system in our region that is just not supportive.”

Robbins noted that some items he’d like to address have been put on the agenda for city council, whereas others are still underway.

Recently, the council voted unanimously to develop a Workforce Housing Bill of Rights, which would be the first in the region.

“That’s a low hanging fruit that we can do right away,” said Robbins.

Other items up for discussion are raising the minimum wage, and raising funding of affordable housing development that was voted in favor in the last council meeting.

There is currently no recall petition circulating, but Robbins invites one to begin, believing that all voters should have a right to decide who represents them.

“So I look forward to seeing him file a petition,” said Robbins. “That’s up to him though. In the meantime, I’m going to keep working on things that are important to the people in the workforce here.”

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Incline Village Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9 at the IVGID Administration Building located at 893 Southwood Blvd. 

The meeting will continue work being done on board advisory committees, with general business to cover the appointment of members to the golf and capital investment committees. 

In addition, the board will also possibly approve the rules of engagement and charter of the committees, marking serious progress in the creation of board advisory committees for the current serving board. 

Other discussion to be had include a possible increase in funds for the lodge walk-in cooler and food prep kitchen at Diamond Peak Ski Resort, as well as potential entry into a contract with Baker Tilly for accounting and audit support services. 

There will also be a public hearing for the proposed one year extension of the Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3, which will allow those who wish to speak three minutes. 

The board will also come back to the Frequently Asked Questions to be shared with the community and on the district website, which will see some updates. 

The meeting will be live-streamed, and can be found with the full agenda here: www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid/board-of-trustees/meetings-and-agendas. 

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— Petitions for recall against Incline Village Board of Trustees Matthew Dent and Sara Schmitz have been circulating the community, with many once again questioning the true fault of the fall out of the potential $25 million grant from the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation. 

The loss of the grant is one of the main reasons behind the petition for recall against Trustee Schmitz. The grant was still in negotiations, meaning it was not promised to the district, and was still in the conceptual design stage when the agreement was terminated by the Duffield Foundation following a 4-1 vote on the approval of the design, to which Trustee Schmitz voted no. 

“When I voted ‘no’ on the approval of the design, I did not know I would scuttle the entire project,” said Trustee Schmitz. “I voted ‘no’ on the design to allow the District time to allocate funding that could deliver a multi-use gym.” 

Former Chairman of the Trustees Tim Callicrate, who is also spearheading the petition for recall against the two Trustees, was able to speak with David Duffield at Crosby’s Tavern & Gaming, where Duffield told Callicrate he could be quoted on the following: “The main reason we gave the money to the district was because of Indra. The main reason we took it away was because of Sarah.” 

The statement above was confirmed by Executive Director of the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation Jim Dugdale to be sustainably true. 

While the Recreation Expansion project grant was terminated from the Duffield Foundation, Dugdale confirmed that the foundation is still happy to continue working with IVGID on other projects already in the works, and that there was no hidden agenda with the grant, as has been accused by members of the community. 

Trustee Dent explained that the district can still expand the recreation center, as the funds are still available, along with the ability to bond, and believes the board should take the time to do the project correctly with the focus on what the community needs. 

Both Dent and Schmitz agree that there are multiple lessons that were learned through the process of losing the $25 million grant, including the need for a Trustee and legal counsel to be involved in proceedings similar going forward. 

“Everything should be in writing,” said Dent. “We did not have anything in writing that assured if the project was stated, that it would be completed. All contracts were being done one at a time, with the ability for the termination at any point.” 

Callicrate also believes that Trustee Schmitz is the reason that multiple people have left the district, including former General Manager Indra Winquest, Director of Finance Paul Navazio, and Director of Public Works Brad Underwood. 

“She is the reason why our district is going down the toilet,” said Callicrate. “Because of her incessant micromanaging and her narcissism where she denies any culpability for anything.” 

Trustee Dent believes that people leave the district for their own various reasons, but it should not be blamed on poor leadership accusations from the community. 

“We are thankful for our employees and the amount of time and energy they spend at the district,” said Trustee Dent. 

Trustee Schmitz understand the community still blames her for the loss of the grant money, but hopes she can help the community better understand her decision. 

“Admittedly it was the vote that ended the collaboration, but the reason I said ‘no’ was based on errors and misunderstandings,” said Trustee Schmitz. 

Through misunderstandings and lack of communication, Schmitz explained that she was unclear that the foundation was looking for a unanimous decision on the design, and hopes in the future, better communication can be had. 

Recall petitions are still circulating in Incline Village, with booths set up at Raleys and the Incline Village beaches. 

The board will be addressing the vacant leadership positions at their upcoming meeting on Wednesday, July 26. To learn more visit www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid/board-of-trustees/meetings-and-agendas. 

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Incline Village Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 26 at the Administration Building located at 893 Southwood Blvd. 

The meeting will also be live-streamed. 

The meeting will potentially begin with a closed session for the board to consider a negotiating strategy pertaining the Operating Engineers Union, before receiving multiple reports to the board. 

Of the reports, there will be two from Director of Human Resources Erin Feore in regards to staff development efforts, as well as general guidelines relating to harassment, discrimination, and hostile work environment claims in the district. 

The board will also hear a report from the Dog Park Committee, which will include general design concepts for a park on the upper Village Green. 

Discussion on the scope work for the Incline Beach House will be had as well, ranging from discussion on scope of services to whether or not changes will be made to the entrances and exits of the beaches. 

Currently, the General Manager, Director of Finance, and Director of Public Works positions are vacant in the district, and the board will potentially direct staff to begin the recruitment process for each of the positions, following the approval of changes to the General Manager’s job description. 

The board could also potentially appoint acting General Manager Mike Bandelin as Interim General Manager, temporarily adjusting his salary effective July 5, 2023. 

Other items on the agenda include the return of the board’s FAQ page to be shared with the community and on the district website, review incomplete goals identified by past boards, and possibly approve training with Government Sciences Group, Inc.

To learn more and stream the meeting virtually visit www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid/board-of-trustees/meetings-and-agendas. 

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Incline Village Board of Trustees worked on communication with the public through creating a new Frequently Asked Questions page and the implementation of board appointed committees at their meeting on Wednesday, July 12. 

The meeting centered mainly around a list of frequently asked questions brought to the board by Chairman Matthew Dent, to which he requested board feedback on dispelling rumors that have been circulating around the district. There were many rumors brought up by the board that are frequently mentioned during public comment, ranging from the explanation on the elimination of the recreation fee, to the rumored privatization of all IVGID facilities. Over ten questions were discussed by the board, each involving its own discussion on the best way to respond to public interest. 

Trustee Dave Noble was hesitant to get too deep into answering questions that addressed rumors among the district, especially as the questions of definitions began to arise. The board questioned what the true model for the district really is and if it has been changed, and questions of what the word ‘privatize’ truly means. 

“We’re starting to get down that rabbit hole,” said Noble. “We’re chasing after something that isn’t concrete and anybody can point to, and I don’t know if that’s actually appropriate to be trying to address with FAQ’s.” 

Trustee Ray Tulloch disagreed, seeing that this was the first step and a good way to communicate with the community about accusations that are made during public that the board cannot respond to, and he feels are false. 

The trustees agreed that as more questions and comments arose from the public there would be more opportunity to look back at the FAQ page and update. 

“I think this is all really great discussion, and I think that we’ve identified something that should perhaps be in a monthly report to the board so that we are aware of where we are with the challenges,” said Trustee Sara Schmitz. 

While the board attempted to touch on the subject of the lost recreation center expansion funding from the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation, Trustee Noble pointed out that it might not be in the best interest of Trustee Schmitz, who currently has a petition for recall against her, to discuss a topic that is being used against her for the recall. 

While the board decided to direct the public to the special meeting that dissects the timeline of the lost grant, Trustee Schmitz decided to reflect on the lessons learned from the situation. 

“I think the lesson learned is that if the board ever has an opportunity like this, that upfront, there should be more clear stipulation as to what the deliverable is and what the commitments are, because this was very much one step at a time and that potentially put the district at risk,” said Trustee Schmitz. 

Besides taking general comments that have come from community members and public comment, there was no other public comment period for what questions should be included in the FAQ. 

Board appointed committees were also discussed as a way to further increase communication with the community. 

The two committees that the board felt were important to start out with was the capital investment/improvement committee and the golf committee. Staff will begin to advertise for the two committees. 

Trustee Tulloch also pointed out that through committees working on capital improvement projects in the district, it could help save time for projects that usually get caught up in discussion by the trustees. With the help of the committees, the board may be able to save time prior to construction season by using the committees advice and discussions to make more informed decision and will hopefully reduce time to breaking ground.

The duties of the general manager were discussed, as well as the recreational privileges offered to district employees based on their status of working with the district. 

A five year extension of the residential green waste program was not agreed upon by the Trustees, who feel the item needed to be brought back for further discussion and clarification before being approved. 

The extension would have also supported the finalization and implementation of a $5 million capital improvement project investment in Waste Management’s Incline Village transfer station, where there would be major site improvements. 

Trustee Michaela Tonking, who was not present for the meeting, pointed out in the a note to the board that before any decision is made to extend, IVGID’s waste management disposal rate should be in line with the rest of northern Nevada. 

“I think we do have some time on this,” said Chairman Dent. 

To see the entire meeting and agenda visit www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid/board-of-trustees/meetings-and-agendas. 

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners approved another allocation of funds to multiple entities on the North Shore, including to the Incline Village Crystal Bay Community & Business Association and the Tahoe Prosperity Center. 

The monies allocated are available from the American Rescue Plan Act funds through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which saw the county receive $91.5 million two years ago. The county has been allocating funds ever since. 

The money granted during the meeting on Tuesday, July 18, totaled $6,231,494, with funds going to multiple entities in Washoe County, including multiple related to Lake Tahoe. 

Recipients include $400,000 to the Tahoe Micro Transit Pilot Project in support of increasing public transit option in North Lake Tahoe, $350,000 to the Tahoe lending Locals Project to incentivize Lake Tahoe homeowners to provide long-term rentals to residents rather than short-term vacation rentals, $75,000 to IVCBA in support of the Incline Mainstreet initiatives, $47,500 to Tahoe Prosperity Center in support of the Envision Tahoe Program to diversify and strengthen the economy in Lake Tahoe, and $37,500 to the Tahoe Transportation District for Washoe County’s FY24 annual contribution. 

In addition to the Coronavirus SLFRF funds allocated, the board also approved a $10,000 grant to the Clean Tahoe Program to aid the organization in improving the visual environment for Washoe County portions of Incline Village and Crystal bay through proper litter and trash management and public education. 

Towards the end of the meeting, the board reconsidered the BCC’s grant of appeal of the Washoe County Director of Planning and Building’s partial approval of a STR at Tirol Drive. 

Previously, the Planning and Building department approved the property in Tyrolian Village as a Tier-2 STR with a maximum occupancy of 14 persons to homeowner Sanjay Gupta. On May 9, the board granted an appeal to the decision based on factual findings that the subject property only has two parking spaces, which limits the occupancy to eight people in accordance with Washoe County code. 

On May 16, Chairwoman Alexis Hill requested that the item come back for reconsideration by the board due to Commissioner Hill’s worry that the board got too entangled with HOA CC&R’s rather than applying the permit to WCC. 

“I think last time I reviewed this I got very caught up in those deeds and covenants, and got very confused. I want to stick to the county code,” said Hill. 

Staff received a letter from the HOA of Tryolian Village legal counsel that confirmed, “There are two spaces within the garage and then one in the driveway,” and was sent on Jan. 4, 2023. While the appellants claimed they had a new letter from the HOA claiming each parcel only had one parking space allotted each, staff did not find any new information that made the letter sent in Jan. ineffective. 

“And the county code essentially says that the HOA has to supply a letter, the HOA supplied a letter that there was two spots in the garage and one spot on the driveway,” said Hill. “So I’m prepared to move forward with the staff recommended motion.” 

Washoe County legal counsel made sure to point out that the county is not to interfere in the workings of a private HOA. 

“The county is not the master HOA throughout the unincorporated territory,” said legal counsel. “It does not step in and overrule or give direction with regard to CC&Rs or the implantation of them. Again, those are left for the property owners.” 

The appellants, represented by Linda Smith, reported that Tier-2 and Tier-3 STRs had been banned by the HOA of Tryolian Village, meaning that even though the board ultimately approved the Tier-2 permit for homeowner Sanjay Gupta, he would be breaking HOA rules by enforcing the permit for his STR from the county. 

“That’s not for you to enforce,” said legal counsel. “The fact that you do or do not approve an STR permit application does not allow the owner to escape application of CC&Rs that do in fact bind that owner.” 

Gupta was thrilled with the permit increase from the county, meaning now he can host his extended family on his property. 

“I don’t want to create issues of the neighbors,” said Gupta. “I want to follow the law, and that’s what I plan to do… I have no ill will for the community even though we’ve gone through a long process. I understand their concerns and we will try our best to make sure that this is not an issue for them.” 

While many in Incline Village worry about the growing number of STRs in the area, Hill responded by noting the board will be discussing a STR cap in Incline Village, as well as increasing STR fees in August after several comments were made by the public. 

“That’s something we definitely need within this community,” said Hill. 

The motion was approved 4-1, with Commissioner Michael Clark voting against the approval of the Tier-2 permit. Clark commented that he was thinking about the community that has to live in the area full time, and felt that the board was being asked to be mediator for a squabble among neighbors. 

“This is a homeowners association issue,” said Clark. “This is tough. On one end, you got private property ownership. On the other side, you got homeowners that are affected by this.” 

If Gupta decides to host his home as a Tier-2 STR, the HOA could chose to bring the situation to civil court. 

To learn more visit www.washoecounty.gov/bcc/board_committees/index.php. 

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners have rejected amendments the Cannabis Code to include consumption lounges as an approved use in unincorporated Washoe County. 

“It’s surprising that we’re back here again,” said Vice Chair Jeanne Herman. 

The board initially initiated the amendments for the lounges in Oct. 2022 before the Washoe County Planning Commission tied in their vote for the item, resulting in a technical denial in Dec. 2022. 

The BCC upheld the decision of the WCPC in Jan. 2023, but the item came back to the board at the request of Commissioner Michael Clark, who wanted to give business owners an adequate chance of performing community outreach in his district prior to a decision. 

“We have a new board, and it’s an opportunity to reconsider per the commissioner’s request and we can have that discussion today,” said Chairwoman Alexis Hill. 

Following a presentation by assistant county manager Dave Solaro about the different types of lounges that could be allowed in the county, the board opened public comment to gauge the public’s general feeling on the allowance of lounges in the area. 

Local resident of Incline Village Rhonda Tycer voiced many of the concerns that were brought up in public comment, ranging from concerns of impaired driving to having no accurate assessment for traffic stops that could potentially involve cannabis. 

“There is no real benefit to Incline Village residents,” said Tycer. 

Incline Village resident Helen Neff, who has dedicated much of her time to traffic and pedestrian safety and raising awareness in the community, worried about impaired drivers on the roads in an already congested area. 

“Cannabis consumption lounges should not be considered in Washoe County until standardized testing is adopted by the NHTSA,” said Neff. “Otherwise you are further jeopardizing everyone’s safety, including innocent drivers, unimpaired, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.” 

The board voted in a 3-2 vote to not direct staff to move forward with the initiation of amendments for cannabis lounges, although some in public comment brought up the beneficial uses of cannabis lounges, ranging from education on consumption and use by medical patients. 

While Commissioner Clark was the one to bring the item forward, he ultimately voted against it. 

“I wanted to make the sentiment of the constituents was still what it was initially,” said Clark. “I think that the citizens of my district-District 2-have not changed their views. I’m not opposed to this kind of thing… I’m not opposed to adults acting responsibly, but in this case, I’m going to do what I like to always to which is stand with the constituents that are going to be affected by this.
 “These folks are going to be living there a lot longer than any of us are going to be on the dais here, and I’m going to respect the opinion of my constituents.” 

To see the entire meeting visit www.washoecounty.gov/bcc/board_committees/index.php.