Builders Questions

1. How much debt should be put on each citizen of the City?

They say that, if you are in a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging. Fernley is in a hole, and needs to take serious measures to begin to get out of it. According to Standard and Poor’s overall debt per capita at $1,000 is considered low, up to $2500 is moderate, and over $2,500 is high. Per the 2007 financial statements, Fernley’s per capita debt was at $2,977. They decided to dig the hole a little deeper, and issue more debt in 2008. With a population of approximately 19,700 (per city of Fernley website) we are currently at $4500 per capita. In my opinion, the city needs to get down to moderate debt levels below $2500 per person.
As an individual, my family lives on a budget - if I don't have the money, we don't buy it. The city needs to follow the same mentality. I believe the “want” is overriding the “needs” in expense growth, and that needs to change drastically. Clearly this is not the time for new programs, large investments, or capital improvements. Rather, it is a time for belt tightening, planning, and debt reduction.

2. Who should fix existing infrastructure problems?

Our rapid growth has left us with a quandary on how to best fund our future. My opinion is that in order to maintain Fernley as an attractive place to live and do business in requires that we compromise in both increasing property taxes (although it may be hard to swallow for most home owners) and increase sales taxes or taxes on fuel. A moderate increase in both should get us closer to where we need to be. I think we need to work more closely with Lyon County – letting go of old grudges in order to move forward and find solutions.

3. Should developers pay for infrastructure expansion due to growth?

I believe that developers should expect to pay for and install infrastructure that is associated with their private developments, but they should not be expected to pay for existing or new public infrastructure. The fees they are required to pay must be reasonable, and must be imposed in a fair and equitable manner. I do not view impact fees as a “get rich quick” scheme for the local government. We cannot expect businesses to bear the burden of our poor planning. I do not agree with the way the current CIP committee is run. There is no master plan, no consensus in how to access fees, or even where to begin. There is no reason to re-invent the wheel. We should look towards other cities that have managed to provide infrastructure, while not alienating the business community. Public infrastructure costs should be paid for by city government through multiple revenue streams including increased revenues from services, taxes, bonds, and developer fees.



4. Should the City be out front promoting our City for future development?

It is a fundamental responsibility of government to create an environment where all of its citizens can thrive and prosper. We need to become a pro-business city not only through our words, but through our actions in order to attract businesses that create jobs, increase tax base, and provide sales taxes. The permitting and development process takes too long and is too costly. The City Building department is not user friendly and makes developers and retailers spend more time and money compared to other cities with like sized projects. We must aggressively address financial incentives, zoning incentives and planning incentives, especially to help new and existing small businesses thrive.

Representatives from our city, either staff or council should act as ambassadors actively soliciting new businesses to locate in Fernley.

5. Should the City be in the water business or should they just let water to be taken out of the area?

From its beginnings at Lake Tahoe to its terminus in Pyramid Lake, the Truckee River is one of the most litigated, adjudicated, and studied little rivers in America. If we do not keep the water here, users downstream will take it. Water is one of the scarcest resources and most pressing issues facing our area. Without water there would be no development - With no water, we have no city.

6. Which is more important to the City? Pick Three
1. Police force
2. Schools
3. Roads
4. Water
5. Hospitals
6. Movie theaters
7. Jobs
8. A fleet of new cars for the City employees
9. Making sure the City Manager answers to no one.


1. Jobs – With the current state of the economy, and soaring gas prices, we need more local jobs in order to keep residents here. Rising commute costs has made living in Reno and Sparks more economical than staying in Fernley.

2. Police Force – We have been severely understaffed for years now. Crime rates have increased, yet police staff has decreased. I would like to see 1 or 2 “city officers”. If the county jail remains in Yerington, I would also like to see some sort of sub station or holding area that could house inmates temporarily until they could be transported en masse during non-peak hours, reducing officer time away from Fernley.

3. Roads – Roads are cracking in Fernley. Potholes are cropping up on Cottonwood. Pavement is wearing out on Fremont. The longer our roads go without repair, the worse their condition becomes and the more it will cost to fix. The cost of highway and street construction jumped 66 percent since 2000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And it's still on the rise.
We have been able to fund some road projects, including routine maintenance, but that funding is no longer keeping up with the soaring costs and rising demands of roadwork. Our population growth has put increased demands on our infrastructure. Our roads are in need of funding, and there are many solutions, including enacting a future special assessment district, a tax override or other alternative sources to fund road repairs and maintenance.
We can either move forward with a solution, or we can do nothing, which will cost more in the long run. Nothing is free. I will advocate looking towards a combination of solutions that will not put the burden solely on the tax payer nor on the building community.


7. If elected what is the first item you would put on the agenda? To discuss world peace is not an acceptable answer.

Elected officials are public servants, but so are our city staff. The public expects that those who govern it will work for the best interests of the City and not their own individual interests; they expect honesty, fairness, and a commitment to the common good. When a public official fails in one or more of these, the public themselves has a very effective mechanism to hold the officials accountable and that is at the ballot box if no other place.

But the public also expects elected officials who operate on the public’s behalf to hold city staff accountable. That is not currently being done. During my campaign, and even before, I have seen that some public employees are not acting in the city’s best interest. There are lawsuits that could have been avoided, disgruntled employees, past and current, and serious warning signs in our financial statements including increasing debt, and reductions in the general fund for the past two years, and NRS violations, that can no longer be ignored. Greater oversight of city staff needs to be implemented, and staff changes may also need to be made in order to best serve the residents of Fernley.