Interlocal Agreement with City of Reno and City of Sparks for Fire Chief (Reno City Council Meeti...

The City of Reno held a meeting on August 3, 2026, to discuss an interlocal agreement with the City of Sparks regarding fire department leadership. Under this agreement, Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran will serve as the Fire Chief for both Reno and Sparks, while the two departments remain separate entities. Sparks will contribute 25% of the Fire Chief's fully burdened salary to Reno. The goal of this shared leadership model is to improve service coordination and resource efficiency rather than to reduce costs. The discussion also touched on potential resource reallocations, such as reopening Sparks Fire Station 6 and optimizing ambulance deployment. Additionally, the meeting previewed upcoming agenda items including a resolution to sell city-owned property to support affordable housing and the presentation of Reno's FY27-29 strategic plan.