Reno council accepts charter committee report, weighing residency rule and gender-neutral language

The Reno City Council on July 16 accepted the final report from the Reno City Charter Committee, which offered six proposed changes to the city charter and asked the council to decide whether to pursue one or more as city bill draft requests (BDRs) this legislative cycle.

The committee’s recommendations, presented by Chair Tess Opperman, include three policy items — a residency requirement for the city manager limited to a 60‑mile radius from City Hall, easing the joint‑meeting quorum requirement so the committee can present to council without a charter‑committee quorum, and updating the charter to use gender‑neutral pronouns and titles — plus three administrative fixes: syncing terms for legislatively appointed charter members with appointing officials’ terms, adding an explicit reference for the assistant fire chief position in the charter, and moving the vice‑mayor appointment to the first regular meeting in December after election canvassing.

“Every two years the charter committee is required to convene and take a look at our charter,” staff liaison Callie Willsey said in opening remarks explaining the committee’s role and the process. Chair Tess Opperman described the committee’s work as “sourcing ideas from staff, appointing members and public outreach,” and said members met repeatedly since February to refine their list of issues.

The city manager residency proposal drew particular attention from council members. Opperman said the committee did not limit residency to the city limits or Washoe County but instead proposed a 60‑mile radius from City Hall so managers could live in nearby Northern Nevada communities such as Gardnerville or Carson City while remaining close to the city.

Several council members praised the committee’s work but raised concerns about opening the charter. Council member Reese said charter openings can invite other legislators to add unrelated items when a BDR is filed, increasing the political stakes and uncertainty of any changes. Mayor Sheehy said she valued the committee’s independence and urged care if council members appear before the committee so as not to unduly influence its recommendations.

The committee also recommended adopting gender‑neutral language to make the charter more inclusive. “Replacing gendered pronouns with neutral language or official titles is a straightforward drafting practice that helps ensure laws and policies are inclusive,” Stacy Spain, executive director of the LGBTQ Center for Northern Nevada, told the joint meeting during public comment.

After discussion and questions, Council member Reese moved to accept the committee’s report; Council member Dewar seconded the motion and the council approved it by unanimous voice vote.

The council did not decide whether any of the recommended changes will be submitted as BDRs; Willsey told the bodies that the decision to pursue a BDR rests with the city council and that the council will need additional information in the coming weeks before making that choice. The charter committee said it plans to reconvene in September to review council direction and finalize any materials if council asks the committee to proceed.

Public comment at the meeting also included an unrelated appeal about public access to a portion of the Truckee Riverwalk. Resident Damien Cole asked the city to restore access at 180 East First Street, saying the pathway had been used for decades and arguing, based on longstanding use, that it is a public easement.

The joint meeting closed after the clerk confirmed seven written comments had been submitted after the public‑comment deadline; both the council and the charter committee adjourned by unanimous voice vote.