Reno City Council approves 36‑month strategic plan priorities, directs staff to draft measures

Reno — The Reno City Council unanimously approved a set of priorities and strategic focus areas at a special strategic‑workshop meeting Wednesday, directing staff to turn the framework into specific measures and a 36‑month implementation plan.

Councilwoman Naomi Taylor moved to approve the priorities; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The action sends staff back to draft performance measures, reporting templates and timelines so council can track progress on a quarterly basis and review a final plan for adoption by July 1, 2026.

The document the council approved organizes city work under a pyramid of priorities with fiscal stewardship and legal obligations at the base, then core services such as public safety and infrastructure, and parks/open space and quality‑of‑life programs at the top. Staff described the approach as a 36‑month “strategic sprint” that will focus limited resources on a short list of transformational projects while continuing routine department operations.

“Efficient, responsive, core services — what are the things that every person expects the city to be able to do?” consultant Jeremy Aguero said in the presentation. “Can you do those well?”

City Manager (name on record) opened the workshop by noting it was the council’s first strategic workshop since 2019 and recapped recent investments, including dispatch consolidation and more than $11,000,000 in sewer fee offsets the city used to support affordable housing projects.

Why it matters: Councilmembers said they want clearer links between the budget and policy choices. Staff told the council that Reno’s revenue mix — particularly a large share of locally collected sales/room tax (referred to in the meeting as “C tax”) — is volatile and that the city has a deferred‑maintenance backlog estimated at roughly $59,000,000 for high‑use facilities. Those fiscal pressures, staff said, make it harder to sustain non‑core programs unless the council prioritizes resources.

What staff will do next: Council directed staff to - draft specific “major opportunities” and measurable indicators for each approved focus area; - return with quarterly progress reports and an annual public report on plan implementation; and - continue one‑on‑one follow‑up with councilmembers to refine measures before the next hearing.

Council discussion: During a more than two‑hour question‑and‑answer period, councilmembers pressed presenters on subjects including energy rate increases proposed by the utility, food insecurity and SNAP benefit concerns, housing and rental market trends, workforce development and whether the city should pursue more public‑private partnerships. Several councilmembers said they want a targeted effort to improve downtown safety and cleanliness and asked for those outcomes to be included in reporting.

Aguero urged the council to prioritize “fundamentals” — balanced budgets, bond ratings, healthy reserves and transparency — while also pursuing economic diversification. He recommended workforce strategies that emphasize health care and skilled trades, and encouraged the city to pursue public‑private partnerships where the community benefit and fiscal return are clear.

Public input: During the public‑comment period, Art Rangel, a resident and retired redevelopment specialist, urged the council to reduce reliance on gaming revenues, use redevelopment project areas to generate tax increment and prioritize attracting higher‑paying jobs.

Formal action: The council passed a single motion — “approve the presented priorities and strategic focus areas” — which the clerk recorded as unanimous. Staff will return with the drafted plan and measures for review and public comment, then seek formal adoption.

What didn’t happen: The meeting did not adopt a final plan or budget changes. Council approval Wednesday was limited to the priorities and focus areas staff will use to draft measures and a final plan for later council action.

Background: Staff framed the short, 36‑month focus as a way to concentrate attention on fiscal stability and on the city’s core obligations while maintaining momentum on projects already underway. Staff also proposed excluding enterprise funds such as sewer and separate agencies (for example the redevelopment agency) from the draft plan so the focus remains on general‑government priorities and resources.

Looking ahead: Staff said they will return with: 1) a draft plan with performance indicators, 2) a recommended reporting schedule for council, and 3) a public engagement period. Councilmembers who spoke at the workshop asked that staff provide additional data on salaries, rental and housing pipelines, and the fiscal and community impacts of potential economic development incentives.

Ending: Council members closed the session by thanking staff and the presenter and scheduled regular follow‑up. The council recessed for lunch during the meeting and reconvened prior to the vote.