Washoe, city candidates go green at Reno forumBy SUSAN VOYLES
svoyles@rgj.comWind turbines, digital billboards, a water initiative and
building green were among the issues that drew more than 100 people Thursday
night to hear from local and state candidates at an
environmental forum in Reno.
Sponsored by the Sierra Club, Nevada EcoNet and Scenic Nevada, candidates were
talking green in the California Building at Idlewild Park.
Democrat Gary Schmidt, a candidate for Washoe County Commission
in District 4, called for dumping Waste Management as the garbage company
because of the high cost of taking things to its landfill and collection
stations. He said local officials should find a way to cut those costs or
provide for free dumping, cheaper than enforcing laws against dumping in the
desert and organizing crews to haul away the cars.
He also said recycling should be promoted more, saying
businesses on East Fourth Street pay for old appliances, but "people still
haul old refrigerators out to the desert."
Republican Neal Cobb, a candidate for county commission in
District 3, said he has led clean-up campaigns for 20 years and agreed more
needs to be done.
"They will lock us out of recreational areas if we can't
take care of them," he said.
Asked about legalizing digital billboards, Reno
Councilman Dave Aiazzi said he wants to allow a digital billboard if the
company agrees to tear down three or four other billboards. He's seeking a
fourth term in Ward 5 in the northwest.
His opponent, Wayne Melton, said Reno
should become the "biggest green city
in the world," and people would come here to see what the city has done.
Aiazzi also wants a sculpture garden near the University of
Nevada, Reno's new greenhouses near Wells Avenue, where people could check
out the new alternative energy technology and get answers.
"Some people want to know if a wind turbine makes a lot of
noise," he said.
Reno Councilman Dan Gustin, running for a second term against Tom
Herndon in Ward 1, said the greenest building is already built, applauding the
conversion of the old Sahara building downtown into the Montage condominiums
that opened Thursday night.
David Ward, running at-large against Councilman Pierre Hascheff,
said the city should design buildings that "are green to
begin with." He said the city has had to spend $50,000 to retrofit the new
downtown events center to handle solar panels on the roof.
Hascheff touted work the city is doing, such as testing new
storm drain systems to make sure they don't send polluted water into the river.
"People understand global warming. They get it,"
Hascheff said of the city's emphasis on green
practices.
None of the candidates openly opposed a
county voter initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot that would require land-use plans
be based on sustainable water within Washoe County.
While saying he supports the concept, Republican John
Breternitz, running for the county commission in District 1, said he is
concerned about the initiative's vagueness. He also said builders must have
water rights to build but doesn't want to see sprawl from Carson City to
Pyramid Highway.
Republican Toni Harsh, his opponent, said she carried petitions
for the water initiative.
Julie Ratti, a Sparks council in Ward 1, said she advocated
alternative transportation, including bike routes, in her work on a citizens
committee for updating the city's master plan. Ratti said officials need to do
more to explain to residents that water conservation doesn't result in more
water for growth but enhances the Truckee River.