1.[Q] Why do we need the WTP?
[A] To provide clean water for the City of Fernley residents.

Few things are more important to our community than ensuring that our drinking water is clean, safe, and reliable. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Safe Drinking Water Act - the construction and completion of Fernley’s groundwater treatment plant is the most important issue facing our community. Treating our water with care is an important community investment. This investment pays off in dividends to our health, well-being and the quality of life we enjoy here in our high desert home.

On January 22, 2001, the USEPA set a new maximum standard for arsenic in drinking water. This new standard dropped the maximum level from 50ppb to 10 ppb. This regulation required that all public drinking water systems comply with the new standard by January 23, 2006. The City and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection have agreed that the City will deliver compliant water from the WTP by July 23, 2009, and final completion by Dec 23, 2009.

2.[Q] Will there be any arsenic dust that will migrate to adjacent property owners? [A] No.

The City’s primary concern is the health and safety of its residents, and as a result the City has and will continue to have, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to mitigate all potential for arsenic to migrate beyond the WTP.

3.[Q] Will there be any groundwater contamination from the Solids Drying Basins? [A] No.

Due to time limited circumstances associated with obtaining the Groundwater Discharge Permit for the Solids Drying Basins, City Council approved Staff’s recommendation for the redesign of the WTP’s Solid Handling Facilities from Solid Drying Basins to a Closed Loop Tank Storage System. This system will alleviate any possibility for groundwater contamination.

4.[Q] Will there be a production well at the WTP? [A] No.

The City investigated, through the means of a test well, whether or not it was economically feasible to provide a production well at the WTP. The City Engineer determined that a test well was not feasible. The City currently operates and maintains six (6) main production wells located throughout the City.

5.[Q] Will the WTP be used for vehicle and/or equipment storage? [A] No.

Personnel vehicles will be on site during plant operation, but there will not be a large amount of equipment storage as the Public Works Shop houses all major equipment. Any personnel vehicles that are on-site will be screened as much as possible either by a masonry wall or by landscaping.

6.[Q] The surrounding zoning is RR-2; can a WTP be included within this zoning? [A] Yes.

Section 28.040 of the City of Fernley Development Code, states that a “Water Tank, Water Treatment Facility or Sewer Lift Station” is acceptable within a RR-2 zoning district, with a Design Review.

Section 28.070.090 of the City of Fernley Development Code, states that a Water Facility is defined as, “A water facility for purifying, supplying, and holding water, or a sewer lift station facility, each including appurtenant wells, pumps and control buildings.

7.[Q] What is the truck traffic impact to the neighborhood?
[A] Very Limited.

We expect, depending on truck delivery time schedules, that there will be a potential to have two (2) deliveries every month, or four (4) deliveries every two (2) months.

8.[Q] Are the chemicals used in the WTP process highly hazardous?[A] No.

The chemicals used for the WTP are not listed within the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP), Bureau of Air Pollution Control (BAPC) Chemical Accident Prevention Program (CAPP) because they are not highly hazardous. As a result, BAPC does not require the City prepare and execute a CAPP for these chemicals. The four (4) types of chemicals to be used on site are the following: Citric Acid, Ferric Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Hypochlorite.

9.[Q] Is there going to be Chlorine stored on-site? [A] No.

Disinfection shall be provided through Sodium Hypochlorite, not Chlorine.

10.[Q] Will site lighting from the WTP be a problem to the surrounding neighborhood? [A] No.

The City (Public Works & Community Development) has been working together to ensure that all outside lighting conforms to the full cut-off criteria set forth in Section 40.040 of the City of Fernley Development Code. This code states that, “all light fixtures shall be installed or be designed to project light downward and away from adjoining properties”. As a result, no site lighting is allowed to penetrate onto adjacent properties. If additional property light shielding is necessary, the City will install.

11.[Q] Does the WTP conform to the City of Fernley Development Code Section 44.020 for minimum road widths for non-residential uses?
[A] No.

The minimum Right-of-Way (ROW) width for non-residential uses is 60 ft. Mesa Drive consists of both 50ft and 60ft ROW. The City is aware of the requirements set forth by the Development Code, and is currently working to comply with this requirement.

In approving the Civil Improvement Plans, Community Development Director Robert “Terry” Gilbert, set a condition on the City that the ROW has to be in compliance with the Development Code prior to Certification of Occupancy.

12.[Q] Where can we get more information about the WTP?
[A] The City of Fernley website (www.cityoffernley.org);
Environmental Protection Agency website (www.epa.gov);
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection website (www.ndep.nv.gov).
More...

On September 3, 2008, the City Public Works Director and the City Finance Director presented information on the history and costs of the water treatment plant and associated piping projects. The powepoint presentation is available online at the link at the end of this answer. The presentation included a comprehensive comparison of rates with neighboring communities. You can view and/or download a copy of the History and Costs of the Water Treatment Plant on the front page of our website. Water Treatment Plant Presentation

Treating our water with care is an important community investment. This investment pays off in dividends to our health, well-being and the quality of life we enjoy here in our high desert home.

On January 22, 2001, the USEPA set a new maximum standard for arsenic in drinking water. This new standard dropped the maximum level from 50ppb to 10 ppb. This regulation required that all public drinking water systems comply with the new standard by January 23, 2006. The City and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection have agreed that the City will deliver compliant water from the WTP by July 23, 2009, and final completion by Dec 23, 2009.

The City’s primary concern is the health and safety of its residents, and as a result the City has and will continue to have, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to mitigate all potential for arsenic to migrate beyond the WTP.

The chemicals used for the WTP are not listed within the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP), Bureau of Air Pollution Control (BAPC) Chemical Accident Prevention Program (CAPP) because they are not highly hazardous. As a result, BAPC does not require the City prepare and execute a CAPP for these chemicals. The four (4) types of chemicals to be used on site are the following: Citric Acid, Ferric Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Hypochlorite.

Again, the EPA, State, and City’s primary concern is the health and safety of Fernley residents.

These are just a few examples of the coffee purchases made by the city for community meetings. The rumor that the city is purchasing lattes for city employees is highly exaggerated and misrepresented, thus the City's recent adoption of the Civic Hospitality and Community Engagement policy.

Periodically, we receive rumors that a big company is "looking" in our area. However, our experience is that, generally, these companies work through independent agents who typically try not to broadcast their clients intentions. The City typically is one of the last entities to know what company might be coming and that is only when they come to the City to discuss pulling a building permit. Once a company decides to come to Fernley, the City is bound by confidentiality requirements to not disclose any details until the building permit is issued and it becomes a matter of public record. One recent example of this was when Wal-Mart decided to open a store here in Fernley. In that instance, the City was being told by local merchants and residents that Wal-Mart was coming to town long before the company itself ever contacted the City.

Note: We would welcome a Hersheys plant and the economic benefits the corporation could bring to Fernley, i.e., tourism, job opportunities and chocolate!

In such places, the council provides direction to the manager, who then relays that direction to staff. The general role of the manager is to promote partnerships among council, staff, and the public in developing public policy and building a sense of community.

This protocol by no means implies or restricts employees from talking to and with council members and responding to general inquiries.

The main reason for this protocol is that, by law, this is the way the council-manager form of government has been set up. Because the manager recruits, hires, and supervises the city's staff and carries out the council's policies, it is appropriate for the manager to direct staff. In fact, this protocol is designed to protect both the staff and elected officials. When electeds communicate directly with the city manager, this enables the manager to hold staff accountable on the council's behalf for implementing the council's policies and directives. Additionally, the city manager is able adequately inform and provide the information to the entire council(the legislative body of the city).

This "chain of command" feature of the council-manager form of government is typically embodied in the city's ordinances and in NRS 266 (General Law cities). Elected officials who have disregarded this feature have found themselves in legal hot water. For example, a mayor in the San Francisco Bay Area was convicted in 2002 of violating this aspect of a city ordinance and by asking that city employees do favors for him that advanced his personal investment objectives.

The issue also came up in litigation involving a southern California city and a land use matter. Homeowners argued that the city's actions with respect to a nonconforming use were legally flawed because a councilmember had passed along a constituent's concerns about the structure to the city's planning director. Ultimately, the city prevailed, on the argument that the councilmember's communication was an inquiry and not a directive. But it was an arduous process. The court also implied that the result might have been different had the councilmember's communication been a directive to staff.

This is not to say that lawsuits or criminal prosecutions will follow all communications with staff. These two cases, however, do underscore that the particular division of labor envisioned by the council-manager form of government is one that has the force of law and needs to be respected for the city to operate smoothly.

Employees are free to talk with council members and respond to inquiries; they are asked to inform their department director of the inquiry so that the Director can inform the City Manager, who in turns provides the information to the council as a whole.

The national annual average turnover rate is 12%. The City's rate fits well below this range averaging 6.75% per year for the last three years.

Attrition (turnover) is a fact of life for any organization or business due to the fact that employees move, make career changes, retire and/or make lifestyle changes. Natural and limited turnover is healthy in an organization and provides the City with the opportunity to bring new skills, expertise and innovation to our workforce; resulting in better services to our residents.

Note:This particular rumor has been around since Scolair's opened in Fernley. Please note that Super Wal-mart opened in March 2008.