Jeanne Herman

No self respecting swan wants to live on Swan Lake anymore, so they have flown away!

The residents of Lemmon Valley are not so fortunate, however, as hundreds of folks who have been affected by flooding do not have that option. Many of them have lived in their homes for their entire lives and everything they possess is on that property. There is no alternative for them, and we as the government are responsible for the state of Lemmon Valley due to a complete lack of and disregard of any trace of planning.

Government has the responsibility of protecting and serving the public. That is its purpose. That is what government employees and public servants are paid more than adequately to do. Recharging the ground with effluent perhaps was not a wise decision. Quite possibly it is not such a great idea to pump millions and millions of gallons of effluent from two sewer plants (which are at maximum capacity) into Swan Lake, a closed basin with no outlet; there is no downstream from a closed basin except the yards and homes of the citizens of Lemmon Valley, which is still flooded almost two years after the storms and ensuing flood.

More:RGJ Investigates: Reno knew Lemmon Valley would flood, but it allowed development anyway

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Yes, government is responsible. Runaway development is responsible. Every government entity had its share in the responsibility of this dismal failure to plan. The warning signs were evident, like flashing neon lights, but the government entities who were responsible (there’s that word again) ignored the signs and pretended and professed the king was not naked and there was no problem. Assembly Bill 39, introducted in the 2017 Nevada Legislature, was a good example, which was a slap in the face to the voters in District 5.

As a commissioner, from the public podium, I called for a moratorium on building until a permanent solution was created for Lemmon Valley, until government did the responsible thing for the people. What has been happening in Washoe County, to the people of Lemmon Valley, is unconstitutional and in my opinion, criminal. We need to be responsible!

Jeanne Herman represents District 5 on the Washoe County Commission.