Storey County commissioners approve FY2025–26 budgets, Porter Group renewal, Titan Electric bid and hazard mitigation plan

Storey County commissioners met in Virginia City on May 20 and unanimously approved the county'wide final budget for fiscal year 2025'26, a two-year contract addendum with the Porter Group, the Story County Fire District and Water & Sewer final budgets, acceptance of a construction bid for a new traffic signal at Electric Avenue and Milan Drive, and adoption of the county'wide 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The board voted on a series of largely uncontested items during a 10:01 a.m. session at the Storey County courthouse. Most motions passed unanimously with three commissioners voting aye.

Why it matters: the budget approvals finalize the county's spending plan and fund transfers for the coming fiscal year; the Porter Group contract will continue outside assistance used to pursue federal project funds; the traffic signal is a capital infrastructure project in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC); and adopting the hazard mitigation plan is a statutory requirement tied to federal funding eligibility for disaster mitigation.

Key decisions and numbers

- County final budget: The board approved the Storey County FY2025'26 final budget and directed the comptroller to submit it to the Nevada Department of Taxation. Comptroller Jennifer Tienes told the board the revised apportionments produced an estimated general-fund ending balance of about $14,000,000 (approximately 36% of projected expenses). Tienes said transfers to the county's water and sewer funds were increased from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 per fund.

- Porter Group contract addendum: The board approved a two-year addendum (start 07/01/2025) with the Porter Group at $144,000 annually. Laura Mather said the Porter Group helped Story County secure $9,815,000 in federal community project funding in recent federal fiscal years and assisted with applications in the range of $12 million to $16 million for the current cycle. Motion to approve the county manager to sign the addendum was made by Commissioner Mitchell and seconded; the motion passed unanimously.

- Story County Fire District and Water & Sewer budgets: The board approved the Story County Fire District FY2025'26 final budget and the Story County Water and Sewer FY2025'26 final budgets and instructed the relevant comptrollers to file them with the Department of Taxation. Fire District Comptroller Jennifer McCain described apportionment changes and capital plans; Jennifer Tienes described the effect of the larger transfers on the water and sewer funds' planned projects.

- Titan Electric bid for TRIC traffic signal: The board accepted a low, responsive base bid of $529,000 from Titan Electrical for a new traffic signal at Electric Avenue and Milan Drive in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center and approved a not-to-exceed total of $634,800 including a 20% contingency for programming, start-up and unforeseen issues. Mike North, operations/projects, noted the project is partially funded by Tesla. The motion to accept the bid passed unanimously.

- Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025: Adam Olsen, director of emergency management, presented the five-year update. "This is the hazard mitigation plan we are required by federal statute to update every 5 years," he said. The board adopted the plan unanimously; the plan was prepared with public input, regional partners and the local emergency planning committee and will be used to maintain eligibility for federal mitigation funding.

- Legislative positions and direction: County staff and lobbyists were directed to continue representing the county's prior positions on active bills and to change the county's position on AB 66 (adding a district judge in the First Judicial District) from neutral to supporting. Austin Osborne, county manager, and lobbyists from Silver State Government Relations gave an update on bills the county has tracked, including SB 69 and SB 78; the board voted unanimously to instruct staff to proceed as described.

Other actions

- The board approved a letter supporting continuation of the Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) as one of the county's official regional development authorities.

- A request to abandon portions of G, H and Sutton Street rights-of-way in Virginia City (road abandonment file 2025-015) was continued to the June 17 meeting, which will be held at Virginia City High School to accommodate the court schedule.

- Business-license second readings (items listed A through R on the agenda) were approved by unanimous vote.

Quotes from the meeting

"This addendum renews the contract between Story County and the Porter Group for an additional 2 years," Laura Mather said in explaining the renewal and the group's recent work securing federal community project funding.

"This leaves the general fund with a very comfortable ending fund balance of approximately $14,000,000," Comptroller Jennifer Tienes said of the revised apportionments.

"This is the hazard mitigation plan we are required by federal statute to update every 5 years," Adam Olsen said when presenting the plan.

What happens next

The comptroller was directed to submit the approved budgets to the Nevada Department of Taxation. The Porter Group addendum will be signed by the county manager and take effect on July 1, 2025. The traffic-signal contract award will proceed to contract execution and project startup, and the hazard mitigation plan will be filed with relevant federal and state agencies as required.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in meeting minutes)

- Approve agenda (motion passed unanimously) - Approve consent agenda (motion passed unanimously) - Approve Porter Group contract addendum (motion passed unanimously; mover: Commissioner Mitchell; second: Vice Chairman Sherman; amount: $144,000/year; two-year term beginning 07/01/2025) - Approve letter supporting NNDA as an official county economic development authority (motion passed unanimously) - Continue road abandonment item 2025-015 to 06/17/2025 at Virginia City High School (motion passed unanimously) - Approve Storey County FY2025'26 final budget and direct submission to Nevada Department of Taxation (motion passed unanimously) - Approve Story County Fire District FY2025'26 final budget (motion passed unanimously) - Approve Story County Water & Sewer FY2025'26 final budget (motion passed unanimously) - Accept low bid from Titan Electrical for TRIC traffic signal; total not to exceed $634,800 including 20% contingency (motion passed unanimously) - Approve and adopt the 2025 Storey County Hazard Mitigation Plan (motion passed unanimously) - Direct county staff and lobbyists to continue prior positions and change AB 66 from neutral to supporting (motion passed unanimously) - Approve business-license second readings A through R (motion passed unanimously)

Speakers (quoted speakers and primary presenters)

- Laura Mather, Business Development (county staff) - Jennifer Tienes, Storey County Comptroller (county staff) - Jennifer McCain, Story County Fire District Comptroller (fire district staff) - Mike North, Operations/Projects Coordinator (public works) - Adam Olsen, Director of Emergency Management (emergency management) - Austin Osborne, County Manager (county staff) - Alex Tanczyk, Silver State Government Relations (lobbyist) - Commissioner Mitchell (Board of County Commissioners) - Commissioner Gilman (Board of County Commissioners) - Vice Chairman Sherman (Board of County Commissioners)

Authorities referenced

- Federal statute (hazard mitigation planning requirement) — referenced by: hazard mitigation plan adoption - Nevada Department of Taxation (budget submission requirement) — referenced by: county/fund budget approvals - 2024 Water Resources Development Act — referenced by: remarks about a previously included $10,000,000 allocation for a county project

Clarifying details

- Porter Group addendum: two-year renewal starting 07/01/2025 at $144,000 per year; stated annual increase of $24,000 from prior term. - Federal funding: Porter Group credited with assisting Story County to secure $9,815,000 in federal community project funding in federal fiscal years 2023'24; county staff reported applications in the $12'$16 million range for the current cycle (application does not guarantee receipt). - Titan Electrical bid: low responsive base bid $529,000; staff recommended 20% contingency for third-party programming/startup and unforeseen issues; total not-to-exceed $634,800. The project is partially funded by Tesla. - County general fund: revised ending balance reported at approximately $14,000,000 (about 36% of projected FY26 expenses). The comptroller described apportionment changes that increased transfers to water and sewer funds from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 each. - Hazard Mitigation Plan: five-year update prepared with public input and regional partners; adoption required by federal statute to retain eligibility for federal mitigation funding.

Proper names

[{"name":"Storey County","type":"other"},{"name":"Porter Group","type":"organization"},{"name":"Northern Nevada Development Authority","type":"organization"},{"name":"Tahoe Reno Industrial Center","type":"location"},{"name":"Titan Electrical","type":"business"},{"name":"Tesla","type":"business"},{"name":"Virginia City High School","type":"location"},{"name":"Storey County Fire District","type":"agency"},{"name":"Storey County Water and Sewer","type":"agency"},{"name":"Nevada Department of Taxation","type":"agency"},{"name":"Water Resources Development Act of 2024","type":"statute"}]

Community relevance

- Geographies affected: Virginia City, Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC), Milan Drive/Electric Avenue intersection, Silver City. - Funding sources discussed: federal community project funds, partial private funding (Tesla) for traffic signal, county ad valorem property taxes (apportionments discussed), Department of Taxation filing requirements. - Impact groups: county taxpayers (budget), TRIC employers and employees (traffic signal), residents served by water and sewer systems, emergency management stakeholders (hazard mitigation plan).

Discussion vs. decision

- Discussion items included staff presentations on budgets, the Porter Group's role in federal funding applications, project timing for TRIC signal, and legislative bill tracking. - Decisions taken were formal votes noted above; several items (road abandonment) were continued to a future meeting for planning commission recommendation.

Searchable tags

["Storey County","FY2026 budget","Porter Group","NNDA","Titan Electrical","TRIC","hazard mitigation","public works","county finance","legislation"]

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