At their regularly scheduled meeting today, Washoe County Commissioners awarded more than $2.6 million worth of public works construction contracts to Nevada contractors:

$1,727,000 awarded to Savage and Son, located in Washoe County, to upgrade the 46 year old Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system located at the historic Washoe County Courthouse located in downtown Reno. The project is expected to create or retain 16 jobs in the local market. Funding is provided through the County’s Capital Improvement Fund.

$574,500 awarded to A & K Earth Movers, located in Washoe County, to construct enhancements to the Sun Valley Boulevard Pedestrian Path/Bike Lane. Funding is from the Nevada Department of Transportation’s Transportation Equity Act (TEA) with a 5% in-kind match from the County.

$327,235 awarded to Hydro Resources West, Inc., a Nevada firm headquartered in Winnemucca, to construct a new well to replace the irrepairable existing Well #5 in Lemmon Valley. The County’s Water Resources Department provides service to this part of the unincorporated area, and a well in this area is an integral component of the east Lemmon Valley water supply. The new well will be brought on line prior to the start of the summer pumping season. Funding is provided from customer water rates and charges.

Last year, 73% of the $73 million-plus worth of purchases made by Washoe County for goods and services were made to Nevada vendors. In the past four years, though, Washoe County has reduced budgets by $123 million in response to dwindling property and sales tax revenues due to the economic downturn. Washoe County is opposed to Governor Sandoval’s proposal to retain 9 cents of local property tax rate temporarily redirected by the 2009 Legislature to the State. If passed, this would have a $25 million additional impact upon the County’s $33.5 million budget deficit forecasted for 2011-12 and further restrict the County’s ability to purchase local goods and services which have a positive impact upon our State’s economy.