At the November 18, 2020 concurrent meeting of the Reno City Council, Sparks City Council, and Washoe County Board of County Commissioners, elected officials expressed interest in examining the structure and processes of Washoe County Health District (WCHD) and its governing body, the District Board of Health (Board). Specifically, elected officials were interested in increasing their influence on the Board. To aid in the governing bodies’ discussion of potential changes to WCHD and the Board in the next agenda item, this presentation describes the establishment, structure, and membership of WCHD and the Board.

WCHD is governed by NRS 439.369 through NRS 439.410. As permitted by NRS 439.370(3), WCHD was created in 1972 by an interlocal agreement between the City of Sparks, City of Reno, and Washoe County. The interlocal agreement has been amended several times. Relevant here, in 1986, all three entities approved a wholesale amendment to the agreement. Most recently, in 1993, the entities amended Sections 2(D) and (E) regarding membership on the Board.

Pursuant to NRS 439.390(1), the Board “must consist of two members from each county, city or town . . . to be appointed by the governing body of the county, city or town in which they reside, together with one additional member to be chosen by the members so appointed.” This additional member “must be a physician licensed to practice medicine in” Nevada. NRS 439.390(2). Under State law, whether Board members are elected or not is left to the discretion of each governing body; Board members need only “reside” in the jurisdictions that appoint them. However, the current version of the agreement provides that “[t]wo members of the Board shall be appointed by [each governing body,] only one of whom shall be an elected member of the governing body.” Section 2(B)-(D). As a result, under the current interlocal agreement, only three of the members of the Board may be elected officials.

Although a defined term of office on the Board is not required by Nevada law, the interlocal agreement also provides that “members of the Board shall serve four year [sic] terms.” Section 2(F). The current nonelected members of the Board are as follows. Tom Young is Washoe County’s nonelected Board member. Mr. Young’s term of office expired on December 31, 2020. In addition to providing four-year terms, Section 2(F) of the interlocal agreement states, “Upon the expiration of this term of office, a member shall continue to serve until his successor is appointed and qualifies.” In other words, Mr. Young may continue to serve on the Board until either he is reappointed, or a successor is appointed.

Michael Brown is Reno’s nonelected Board member, and John Novak, DMD, is Sparks’s nonelected Board member. Their current terms both expire on December 31, 2022. Dr. Reka Danko is the physician Board member appointed by the other members of the Board. Her current term of office also expires on December 31, 2022.