Washoe County Commissioner for District 2, Bob Lucey, has been in the news recently for his efforts toward passing the Washoe County Lands Bill (Washoe Federal Land Bill on Shaky Ground, RGJ September 13) and has spent time in Washington DC promoting this bill. According to Lucey’s Washoe County webpage, he is involved with several Washoe and State governing groups and lists “public safety, water and regional parks & open space additional key issues”. Arguably the most important group representing the populace that Lucey represents, the South Truckee Meadows/Washoe Valley Citizen Advisory Board (STMWV CAB), should be a priority for him, but it is not. After he took office in January 2015, he attended the first 4 monthly meetings, then attended only 3 more meetings through January 2017. He has not attended a STMWV CAB meeting since.
During the February 15, 2105 STMWV CAB meeting Lucey made the following statement, as excerpted from the meeting minutes: “The County Commissioners and the department heads met in a special meeting. County has a new direction with new commission. Our mentality is to be true stewards and rebrand the county as positive place to be part of. We will make more of an effort to be in attendance at meetings and public appearance with constituents and be true stewards for the constituents. We are making it a priority to do that and take your comments to heart.”
Interestingly, Lucey “missed” several contentious CAB agenda items including those considering Ascente development on Steamboat Hills, cannabis dispensary locations, Truckee Meadows Fire Department and fire safely, school overcrowding, traffic and flooding. The last STMWV CAB meeting Lucey attended was in January 2017, with 14 meetings held since, and Lucey’s attendance record since taking office at 24%.
Bob Lucey’s membership and attendance records for the following County and State governing groups are:
- Nevada Association of Counties Board of Directors – 50% attendance
- Truckee Meadows Water Authority – 67%
- Truckee River Flood Management Authority – 37%
- Washoe County Debt Management Commission – 73%
- Washoe County School District Capital Funding Protection Committee – 40%
- Washoe County School District Oversight Panel – 40%
- Western Regional Water Commission – 65%
Lucey missed 29 meetings in 2017. So far this year he has missed 18 out of 70 meetings for which attendance records are available.
What does this say about Lucey’s priorities?
We know Lucey has spent time out of Washoe County to promote the Washoe County Economic Development and Conservation Act, the “Lands Bill”, thereby neglecting to address his in-county responsibilities. Now that this Bill is on shaky ground, the question for residents of District 2 is, where will Lucey devote his time for the remainder of his term? Campaigning? Listening to District 2 residents? Attending community meetings and events to get feedback on salient issues facing District 2 residents?
Let’s look at Lucey’s community meeting and events attendance record for 2018. County Commissioner Lucey seems to be disengaged from his constituents. He has missed community events that are important to residents in his district. He did not attend the “ACTIONN Last Resort Tour” (August 29) put on for community leaders. This tour highlighted the plight of those who struggle with housing. Nor, did he show support for the local volunteer firefighters by attending their pancake breakfast at the station in West Washoe (August 26). He was not seen at the Townhall Meeting to discuss the design of the new Arrowcreek School (August 9). He did not attend the neighborhood meeting regarding safety on Mount Rose Highway after a fatal collision (May 16). He expressed concern that the Planning Commission and South Truckee Meadows/Washoe Valley Citizen Advisory Board (STMWV CAB) were not aligned with the Board of County Commissioners (July 24 Board of County Commissioners meeting) yet did not attend the CAB meetings on July 5 and August 2, respectively. In fact, Lucey has not attended a single STMWV CAB meeting since January 25, 2017, nor has he attended any Washoe County Planning Commission meetings in 2017/18. He can’t effectively represent District 2 if he does not attend local meetings and events where he can interact with the people who voted him into office. His lack of meeting attendance points to only one thing – a distinct prioritization of his own agenda over that of District 2 residents.
Washoe Residents for Appropriate Planning 
What I find to be amazing is that Wolgast is going to such efforts to tarnish the reputation of Lucey by trying to deamonize him and accuse him of being in bed with the developers. The amazing part is that Wolgast is a liberal democrat from Berkeley California whose entire campaign is against developers, yet Steve Sisolak, the democrat candidate for governor is the biggest recipient of developer money the state has ever seen, yet he is who Wolgast supports for governor, many of those developers are rom Reno. I call this extremely HIPPOCRATICAL, typical of liberal democrats. Here is one report of dozens showing who is contributing to Sisolaks campaign. I think Wolgast has tried to find an issue that is important to many residents of Reno, basing his campaign on being anti developer, yet supports the biggest recipient of developer money the state has ever seen. I call it Bs and will be voting for Lucey, at least his efforts are not misleading. What else is Wolgast for? I’d he for gender neutral bathrooms in schools? Criminals rights? Open borders? Would,he like Reno to be a sanctuary city? I think he is a California liberal trying to gain a foothold in Reno to fight for liberal causes. I know by exposing this will enrage supporters who do not respect any opposing view or any differing opinion, but it is. Y opinion and please respect that. If enough liberal democrats get into office in Reno, they will make Reno a suburb of California. If your going to oppose candiadates because of their co tributio s from developers, oppose them all. Here is one link of many showing who is contributing to the democrat candidate and democrat causes, a good percentage of them are developers.
https://www.nvsos.gov/SOSCandidateServices/AnonymousAccess/ViewCCEReport.aspx?syn=AgGXs6FsMQzF%252bVVHyULAzQ%253d%253d
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It is my opinion that all elected positions in Washoe County be non-partisan and that the candidate prove his/her experience and professional expertise during the campaign. I’m also for campaign finance reform. That would take care of this campaign donor issue, would it not? Do you think we have enough resources to grow our county population to major city levels? Hardly! And that is exactly the issue at hand… controlling development to sustainable levels. Thanks, David. You’ve given me another idea for a blog post. How do you wish Washoe Valley to look in 30 years? What population do you understand to be sustainable for this region? Do your homework there! We are!
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“At least his (Lucey’s) efforts are not misleading”. That’s true. Everyone knows and everyone can see that Lucey’s efforts are to try and get as much developer (or any big) money as he can. He wants the prestige of being on these important committees but does not want to do the work, and that includes the Washoe County Commission. Factually, he does not want, and almost never engages with his constituents because they do not reflect the positions he is taking for the money he is getting from big donors. He is using his position on the Commission as a stepping stone to something else. He is belligerent to constituents who confront his lack of interest in: his taxpayer funded job, his constant support of developers over the vast majority of his constituents, his support of unchecked development, his support of a lands bill that would decimate Washoe County’s ability to access nearby public lands, his lack of interest in RTC and its almost unchecked authority, his lack of interest in people’s concerns of flooding, traffic, infrastructure, fire, police, public lands, etc etc etc. People should look up his campaign donations and see where his priorities lie.
“At least his efforts are not misleading…..” yep.
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If Steve gets a chance to debate him, he needs to be held accountable also for the RTC. He is allowed MV transit to run the transit system Into the ground we are still missing daily trips. MV won the bid by underbidding the next bid by $8 million over eight years, go back to 2011 RTC salaries and you will see where the money went into their pensions and by the way ask him if they found the 1.3 million yet
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Thank you for this information. I am very frustrated by the board of commissioners pushing agendas that do not reflect the interests of the respective constituents. Take two different development projects, one in district 2, the other in Lemmon Valley. Both Citizens Advisory Boards and Washoe County Planning Commission UNANIMOUSLY voted AGAINST the Zolezzi Ln. development and the Lemmon Valley project. Yet, when developers took their case to the Board of Commissioners, voilà, both projects APPROVED!
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Why are these details not being sent to the local newspaper, news channels, and radio stations? Name and face recognition for challenging candidates need to be made widely publicized if there is going to be any chance of change in November. The WRAP information is critical for those who are receiving but I can only guess that the distribution of this information is severely limited to a select few who are aware of this website and subscribe to it for posts.
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I cant agree more.!!!!
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I totally agree, Pete. I have submitted op-ed versions of this blog to RGJ and RNR. I have yet to hear back from RGJ and RNR says they are simply swamped with letters to the editor and op-eds due to upcoming elections. If possible please share the information you find on WRAP with friends, neighbors and colleagues.
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