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TMRPA to act as fiscal agent for regional trails coordination; board directs staff to solicit partner contributions
Summary
The governing board directed staff to maintain GIS trails data, solicit partner contributions and pursue a contract regional trails coordinator estimated at $40,000–$50,000 annually.
The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency on Aug. 14 directed staff to continue maintenance of the regional trails GIS dataset and to solicit funds from partner agencies to support a contracted regional trails coordinator.
Jeremy Smith, TMRPA director, told the governing board the Truckee Meadows Trails effort began in 2017 and culminated in a 2024 Truckee Meadows Regional Trails Action Plan. The recently dissolved Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation had previously hosted the regional trails coordinator; after the foundation dissolved, TMRPA hired an intern to maintain data but seeks a dedicated contractor to coordinate working‑group participants and keep the dataset current.
"We don't want to lose the progress we've made," Smith said, explaining the agency’s intent to act as a fiscal agent and to request modest annual contributions from working‑group members. Smith estimated the coordinator role would cost about $40,000–$50,000 per year and suggested that contributions on the order of $1,000–$3,000 from each partner could fund the position if supplemented by grants.
The Trails Working Group includes local and regional stakeholders such as the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance, Great Basin Institute, City of Reno, City of Sparks, Washoe County, the U.S. Forest Service and several non‑profit trail stewards. The agency plans to publish the trails dataset on Washoe County’s open data portal when staff consider it accurate and complete.
Board action: Commissioner Dorr moved to direct staff to continue GIS data maintenance, solicit funds from partner agencies and pursue grants to support an independent contractor to function as the regional trails coordinator; Commissioner Rodriguez seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: the regional trails project is intended to coordinate trail planning across jurisdictions, preserve connectivity opportunities during new development review and support economic development tied to outdoor recreation. The action preserves the dataset and a governance path for a coordinator to help connect local planning, trail providers and private landowners.
Implementation: staff will pursue working‑group contributions, release a request for qualifications for a contractor and seek grant funding. Smith said the group's first funding target would cover a part‑time coordinator and that Washoe County’s open data site will host the datasets once verified.
Ending: Commissioners welcomed the proposal, noted the economic and quality‑of‑life benefits of connected trails and encouraged outreach to missing regional partners (comments requested adding Pyramid Lake and Nevada State Parks to the working group).
