Reno rail trench causing sharp divisions on city council

Scott Sonner

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 12:06 p.m.

RENO, Nev. - Reno City Councilman David Rigdon says the city has lost confidence in Mayor Jeff Griffin and other members of the council as a result of their push to build a $218 million railroad trench through downtown.

"I simply do not trust what is going on right now," said Rigdon, who believes the council is rushing forward with a project most county taxpayers oppose.

"This damn-the-torpedoes attitude is not going to work and not going to fly out there," he said.

The council took its biggest step to date to build the 2-mile trench Tuesday night, voting 5-2 to prepare a formal request for proposals to be mailed to potential contractors.

Griffin said the vote marks "a great moment in history for the city of Reno.

"It's not damn-the-torpedoes ... It's not about the railroad. It's not about the trench. It's about the future," the mayor said.

Councilman Dave Aiazzi agreed.

"We've been at this for 4 1/2 years," Aiazzi said. "We are at a critical path where we have to decide which way we are going to go."

The project is designed to improve safety and emergency vehicle response time by eliminating 11 rail crossings that city officials say will become busier and busier in the years ahead.

Executives of several downtown casinos are among the backers, as well as area labor unions anticipating a surge in construction jobs.

Critics fear cost overruns in the hundreds of millions of dollars, partly as a result of leaking fuel pipes and other chemical contaminants they expect will be found once ground is broken.

The opposing votes Tuesday night came from the two newest members of the council, elected in November, Toni Harsh and Jessica Sferrazza-Hogan.

"We don't have a good handle on the finances," Harsh said. "You should never indebt yourself to a project you are not sure you are going to do."

Rigdon voted with the majority on the first question of whether to proceed. But he voted against several following motions to move ahead with contracting after the council rejected his idea of assigning a council subcommittee to check off on the formal request for proposals.

The council will decide next week to what extent the council or a subcommittee will be involved in reviewing or making changes in the request for proposals.

"I believe the project should be built and will be good for the city," Rigdon said.

"But I cannot ensure the integrity of this project. I do not trust the way we've gone about this," he said, adding that the council is relying too much on administrative staff to make important decisions.

Griffin responded, "It's news to me that your faith in the staff is so shaken."

But Rigdon said it was more than just the city staff.

"I've been talking to people out there and I think there's a huge problem in the community with some of the people at this table," he said at the council meeting.

"I cannot blame them for that lack of trust, and quite frankly, you are one of those people," he told Griffin.

"The way you are going about this is completely wrong," he said.

Griffin shot back, "That's why we vote."