This story has been updated with comments from Washoe County Media and  Communications Manager Bethany Drysdale and Commissioner Mike Clark. 

In a “block vote” last week during the Washoe County Commissioner’s board meeting, Democratic Chairperson Alexis Hill (she/her) bundled nearly $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for twelve projects to the challenge of Republican commissioner’s Jeanne Herman and Mike Clark. Although Commissioner Clark objected to the block vote in principle, he voted in support because due to the funding requested by the Washoe County Sheriff’s department. The block vote passed in a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Herman voting “no.”

Bundled into the block vote was a $500,000 allocation to the Nevada Museum of Art for their need to relocate “Seven Magic Mountains,” a colorful rock sculpture that currently sits off the I-15 in the Las Vegas Desert. The sculpture is located on BLM land and the lease, which reportedly cannot be renewed due to the southward expansion of Reid International Airport, is up in 2026. However, according to a spokesperson for the airport, the expansion will not move southward. According to the museum, the anticipated cost to relocate the sculpture may exceed one million dollars.

Due to the backlash from the Washoe County community, Commissioner Clark has asked for the agenda item to come back to the commission and believes the board was “hoodwinked.”

In a statement released to the press, Clark stated, “I’ve asked for the agenda item to come back to the commission, which I believe I can do since I voted in the affirmative. I sent the email requesting the return of this agenda item – ARPA funds block vote to Commissioner Hill about thirty minutes ago and called DA Mary Kandaras to verbally convey my request. I believe we got hoodwinked, and all information was not provided to those of us on the dais. I’ve heard from over 100 residents who are riled up about this use of funds. Let me go on the record. I’m a big supporter of the Nevada Museum of Art – I attend most every even they invite me to, so people know of my support. I attend First Thursdays, but not sure this is the right use for this money.”

Update: on the morning of August 29th, Bethany Drysdale emailed The Globe with concerns that our headline wasn’t accurate. Below is the text of our email exchange:

“This story and headline isn’t accurate. The ARPA projects were actually proposed by staff, no individual commissioner had anything to do with how they were presented to the Board. The staff report was prepared by our Community Reinvestment Manager, and what was proposed in the staff report is what the board voted on. Chair Hill did not allocate any particular amount, nor is she responsible for bundling the grant projects together.”

When Drysdale was asked who approves the agenda, she replied:

“The agenda is reviewed by the chair, vice-chair, department heads and staff. Grants must be brought before the Board for a vote, and that’s exactly what happened. The ARPA grants were presented to the Board and approved.”

When asked again who approves the agenda, she replied:

“There are items that must be brought before the Board and voted on, and those are submitted by staff, not the Chair. Among those items are grants and donations.”

Commissioner Clark provided comment to The Globe due to the absence of an answer to our question. Clark stated, “It’s my understanding through our attorneys, my attorney and the Human Resources department that the only person who has the say on the final agenda is the chair and that would be Alexis. End of story. Anyone else who wants to try and say it is not so, is uniformed or trying to spread disinformation.”

This is a developing story…