Reno Citizen
Reno Citizen
A list of Resolutions that have been, or will be,
presented to the Reno City Council
First a suggestion how to improve the Citizen Initiative process [AFTER and BEFORE]:
SECTION XVI - CITIZEN INITIATIVES AND PUBLIC COMMENTS:
[AFTER]
Any citizen of the City may appear before the Council at any regular meeting and present a written petition or resolution; provided, however, that such appearance must first be scheduled on the published agenda. The petition or resolution shall be acted on by the Council at that time or referred to staff for action.
The citizen petition or resolution shall be placed on the Council agenda within 3 (three) weeks after submission and final action shall be completed within 45 days, unless clear reason precludes such timely action by Council and/or Staff.
The citizen petition or resolution shall be assigned a "time certain" (to be adhered to in a reasonably timely manner) on the agenda. The citizen petition or resolution shall be presented to the Council prior to any related Staff presentation and prior to any related Council decision on its issues.
[BEFORE]
Any citizen of the City may appear before the Council at any regular meeting and present a written petition or resolution; provided, however, that such appearance must first be scheduled on the published agenda. The petition or resolution shall be acted on by the Council, in the regular course of business, within 45 days.
[NOTE: This humble proposal was rejected out of hand on 23 Sept, 1997.]
Whereas, the USA is starting a billion dollar anti-drug campaign.
Whereas, Reno government receives huge amounts of grants from the USA government and thus is under its rules and guidance.
Whereas, many Reno citizens are required to undergo drug tests as a condition of employment.
Whereas, almost all Reno city workers are required to submit to drug tests.
Whereas, governing bodies should follow the guidelines of their OWN rules.
Therefore be it resolved, that Reno city council and top Reno city hall staff and bureaucrats will submit to a drug test before the first city council meeting of each month.
Be it also resolved, that all appointees to the Reno Airport Board and other important Boards and Commissions will submit to random drug testing.
Anecdote: As a show of good faith, citizen Sam Dehne, who attends virtually all meetings, agrees to follow these guidelines.
Whereas Mayor Griffin has been found guilty of conflict of interest by
the Nevada State Ethics Commission, and
Whereas Mayor Griffin also has been attacked in the press for inviting
the perception that he can't be trusted, and
Whereas Mayor Griffin should accept responsibility for seriously
injuring the public's trust in Reno government, and
Whereas the people of Reno deserve honest government and nothing less,
Be it therefore resolved that Mayor Griffin shall, to restore his public
standing and his self-respect, undergo a lie detector examination to
clarify and confirm the legality of his political and business dealings,
and
Be it further resolved that the Reno City Council shall demand Mayor
Griffin's resignation should he refuse to undergo such lie detector
examination prior to November 1, 1997.
Be it also resolved that to restore public trust in Reno government, all
members of the Reno City Council shall volunteer to undergo lie detector
examinations four times yearly (November, February, May, and August) to
affirm they are not involved in any illegal activities or conflicts of
interest and do not participate in communications of any kind which
predetermine outcomes of discussions and votes during formal and public
meetings of the council.
RESOLUTION 11-01-97
Whereas a majority of Reno citizens hold little respect for the Reno
City Council believing it to be dominated by the backroom politics of
powerful special interests, and
Whereas the Reno City Council makes many decisions which are not
supported by a majority of Reno citizens, and
Whereas some members of the Reno City Council would like to pretend that
the foregoing statements are not true, and
Whereas the citizens of Reno deserve a municipal government which is
committed to sounding and honoring the will of the people, and
Whereas the citizens of Reno deserve a government which they can trust
and respect,
Be it therefore resolved that the Reno City Council shall hold a series
of town meetings at city hall ... open to all persons ... to simply ask
for public questions and input regarding improving Reno government,
such meetings to not be orchestrated by city officials or district councils
in any way to achieve predetermined outcomes, and
Be it further resolved that the Reno City Council shall hold a workshop
to review the Constitution of the United States of America and its
guarantees of citizen rights which are, in practice, abused by city
policies and by certain members of the council, and
Be it also resolved that the Reno City Council shall encourage each and
every citizen to submit written proposed resolutions having to do with
overhauling Reno municipal government to make it more citizen friendly
and more responsive to the will of the people, such resolutions to be
publicly aired and considered by the council.
Whereas certain members of the Reno City Council deserve higher city compensation than they are currently receiving ... and others deserve less, and
Whereas certain members of the Reno City Council are more responsive to the will of the people when considering and deciding public issues, and
Whereas certain members of the Reno City Council can be fairly perceived as lackeys of powerful special interests ... inviting the suspicion that they are compensated by such special interests, and
Whereas the voters of Reno denied a general pay raise for members of the council within recent memory,
Be it therefore resolved that a question be placed on the next ballot permitting citizens to grant pay raises to trusted council members and to deny pay raises to other council members.
Sam Dehné, a citizen
WHEREAS, Section 2.020.2 of the Reno City Charter states that: "Members of the city council shall not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any lease, contract, or other agreement entered into with the city.", and
WHEREAS, The Code of Ethics of Reno, Section 2.20.130 (a) (3) states; "A Public Officer, Public Appointee, or City Employee shall not participate as an agent of government in the negotiation or execution of a contract between the city and any persons or business entity in which he or she has an interest.", and
WHEREAS, the Reno city council appoints 4 of the 8 members of the Reno Airport's controlling Board, "who serve at council's pleasure", and thus has both powerful and defacto control and influence over that Board, and
WHEREAS, the spirit of avoiding conflict of interest and maintaining honorable city government, demands ethical action on the part of elected and appointed officials,
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Reno mayor adhere to all rules and laws of the City of Reno relative to contracts and salary agreements, written and unwritten, entered into and paid for with public funds, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the city attorney recognize the negative consequences of attempts to "bend" and "twist" the charter until its "philosophy" is deemed irrelevant, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that due to ethical and legal ramifications, the Reno mayor be ordered to immediately cancel the $27,500 contract entered into between his company, Griffin Transport (AKA known by a "front" company name of Nevada Foreign Trade Services) and the Reno Airport, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that any and all contracts and salary agreements already entered into by the mayor (and companies that he may own) with any governing bodies, even remotely related to interests of the city of Reno, be immediately declared null and void.
Approved this______day of_____, 1997
Reno city council_______________
Attest:
Reno City Clerk____________
WHEREAS, the City of Reno has committed $680,000 of public money to create a large "public relations" staff to mold public opinion, and
WHEREAS, the invited perception is that Reno officials feel the need of spin doctors and damage control managers to indoctrinate citizens with acceptance of the City's special-interest-subservient agenda, and
WHEREAS, not all Reno government activities would be approved by the citizens of Reno if put to public votes,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that a citizens' committee advocating honest and responsible government, shall be funded with $680,000, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that said funding shall be used where appropriate to thwart the City of Reno's anticipated attempts to control public opinion regarding issues which benefit special interests at the
expense of the common good, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that said citizens' committee shall be prohibited in perpetuity from creating a public relations bureaucracy even half the size of the public relations staff created by the City of Reno, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that "Actions should speak louder than words" and simply telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth would be a better course than that of employing spin doctors and damage control managers ... at a cost not exceeding one-tenth of $680,000.
Approved this ______ day of ______________, 1997.
Reno Mayor ____________________
Attest: City Clerk __________________________
WHEREAS, Reno wishes to increase citizen attendance in downtown activities and create a citizen-friendly atmosphere, and
WHEREAS, Reno has many citizens of various types and degrees of talent in many areas of the entertainment field, and
WHEREAS, citizens have historically enjoyed watching and/or performing in Vaudeville style entertainment.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that on Friday and Saturday evenings, time will be set aside between 5 PM and 6:30 PM for amateur entertainers to display their aptitudes, flair, and skills in the Wingfield Park amphitheater (specific days and 90 minute segments to be subject to scheduling prerequisites)
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each performer will be limited to no more than 15 minutes (start to finish, including "set-up" time), and each performer will be guided by the decorum expected in a family/friendly style atmosphere.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the 12 acts will be chosen (6 for Friday and 6 for Saturday) by lot, by citizens, in attendance at the city council meeting preceding the weekend of performance, starting 22 July, 1997, or as soon thereafter as possible.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this "Community Vaudeville Program" process is to be published and advertised in the Reno Gazette and the Reno News & Review once each month.
Approved this_______day of_________, 1997
_______________________
Reno Mayor
Attest:_________________________, Reno City Clerk
WHEREAS, Reno's Parking Meter fee structure is a potentially severe form of taxation, and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Reno should not be improperly punished for visiting THEIR own downtown, and
WHEREAS, the recent changes in parking meter fees potentially increase overall fees by over 400%, and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that all issues relative to Parking Meter fee structure shall be a DIRECT function of, and controlled by, the Reno city council and Reno citizens, and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that the new (July 1, 1997) grossly inflated fee structure is to be immediately reinstated to previous rates and remain there until elected officials (WITH PUBLIC INPUT AND DEBATE) can determine a proper and reasonable rate structure, and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that in the future Parking Meter issues will be monitored and controlled by the Reno city council and the citizens of Reno.
Approved this __ day of _____, 1997.
______________
Mayor of Reno
___________________
Reno City Clerk
First Amendment to the Constitution.
WHEREAS, the Mayor of Reno has charged Sam Dehne with attempting to get
his (the Mayor's) goat, and
WHEREAS, the Constitution does not speak to matters pertaining to goats,
although its First Amendment does speak clearly and forcefully about
free expression, and
WHEREAS, it is not the place of any elected official to dictate to any
citizen what said citizen has clear right to be angered by in the
character and behavior of elected officials, and
WHEREAS, the Reno City Council causes exceeding anger and consternation
in many citizens by way of its arrogant, condescending attitude towards
average citizens and the common good,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that in future no citizen shall be told by any
member of the Reno City Council ... including the Mayor ... what such
citizen may say, or how he may say it, when speaking before the Council,
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Reno City Council shall not use the
concept of decorum as a tool for manipulating the limits of free
expression when any citizen is speaking before the Council, and
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that the Reno City Council shall henceforth
encourage citizens to freely and forcefully express themselves when
angered by the continuing pattern of abuse of power, not to mention
stupidity, demonstrated by the Council.
Mayor ________________________ City Clerk
________________________
Date _________________________
WHEREAS, the Mayor of Reno has demonstrated that he does not like
citizens to express their honest thoughts, emotions and opinions
regarding the character of the Reno City Council, and
WHEREAS, the Reno City Council has demonstrated its non-concern
regarding truth, justice, and integrity when deciding public affairs,
and
WHEREAS, it is proper for citizens to be subservient and humble when
speaking before the Reno City Council,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that in future no citizen shall display any
disrespect toward the Reno City Council during Council meetings nor at
any other time, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in future no citizen shall make
observations nor raise questions concerning the Council's
special-interest biases, incompetence, and stupidity.
Mayor ______________________ City Clerk _______________________
Date ________________________