The Shape of Reno’s Wards to Come
Highlights of this week's Our Town Reno reporting with bonus content.
Above an AI picture prompt for redistricting Reno.
While local media paid attention mostly to medians in Midtown, following this week’s City Council meeting, and how despite distaste from some local business owners the RTC additions aren’t going anywhere for the time being, with councilwoman Naomi Duerr suggesting instead a compromise data driven safety study.
We paid closer attention to the redistricting/adding a ward process, where councilwoman Duerr also got her way, getting modifications for the staff-endorsed Map A. Meanwhile, Meghan Ebert was shushed by Mayor Hillary Schieve, while pleading for more respect for the North Valleys and Map D.
As it now looks set, unless the Ebert comments have an effect, with ordinance approval likely down the pipeline next Council go round, Ward 4 will lose its only community center, and some of its few parks, as well as more progressive type voters in the University Ridge area, which were decisive in her unseating Bonnie Weber last election cycle.
This staggered process went from six maps to A through D with community input to now a favorable Council vote for what staff proposed. While it appeared the process was depoliticized, many members of the community feel staff itself is politicized.
“Public favored #5 of the first original 6 and #1 was 3rd,” Brett Torvinen wrote on our Facebook, expressing dismay. “Both with ward 6 being downtown and the rest of the wards with minimum change. So much for transparency and public input. Only one resembling their choice made the final 4 and was not even considered. I couldn't add it quick enough but it seemed that less than 50 people wrote in their choice, 19 liked A. So either those 19 people chose the new map or....we all know this story.”
The new Ward 6 down south seems to be open for new candidates, while incumbents won’t have to run against each other, with the selected Miguel Martinez still in a modified Ward 3, the also selected Kathleen Taylor in a Wells Ave, university and downtown combo Ward 1, where favorable to Brekhus voters may be looking for a less pro-developer candidate, and the initially selected and then at-large elected Devon Reese getting to spend his already fundraised money in the western Ward 5.
Duerr won her third term in 2022 so there won’t be a Ward 2 matchup, and Ebert just won as well, so she’ll remain seated in Ward 4 until 2026.
Our Reporting Highlights This Week
Darcy Patterson, Making Her Late Daughter Proud with Wake Up Nevada
What's That Construction Project? A New Panera Bread on Keystone
Expanding Guerrilla Gardening and Food Not Lawns in Northern Nevada
