Daily Sparks Tribune
Wednesday, Febuary 6.2002
First Challenger Announces Bid for Bond's seat

Two-term incumbent Washoe County Commissioner Joanne Bond will face at least one challenger - community activist and Stead Resident Bonnie Weber, 48 - in a re-election bid this November.

In announcing her candidacy Saturday, Weber said she was particularly dismayed that Bond postponed a public hearing last month on the Oil-Dri Corp. appeal of a planning commission denial of a special use permit that would allow it to move forward with a proposed kitty litter clay mine and processing plant in Hungry Valley, 10 miles north of Reno. According to Weber, the postponement of that hearing is yet another example of Bond snubbing her constituents. She said it denied North Valley area residents the chance to speak at the hearing on the controversial project.

"From community concerns regarding the Alturas power line, to the Verdi annexation and now with Oil-Dri, Commissioner Bond has not been an effective voice in the community for many years," Weber said.

Bond's District 5 seat encompasses a vast area including parts of Sparks and Reno and all of Mogul, Verdi, Horizon Hills, Anderson Acres, Stead, Sun Valley, Lemmon Valley, Red Rock, Cold Springs, Antelope Valley and Gerlach. The district stretches north all the way to the Oregon Border.

Many residents of the North Valleys are opposed to the proposed kitty litter mine. "People took off work and made child care arrangements to attend the meeting," Weber said of the Jan. 26 Oil-Dri hearing. "Speakers were brought in from across the nation. It's a real shame that they were not allowed to speak. "When Mrs. Bond made the motion to postpone the hearing for another month, she basically denied all those people their right to speak," Weber said, adding that she has no personal position for or against the kitty litter mine.

Weber said she wants to be the voice of the people of District 5.

"I want to listen to the constituents," she said. "I will listen when tough decisions need to be made."

Weber said she will strive to persuade the city councils of Reno and Sparks and the Washoe County commission to work together as a team, particularly when addressing regional concerns such as the economy, tourism, infrastructure, water and air quality, land use and related issues.

"The incumbent has had 8 years to accomplish her goals and what have we seen? The Washoe County Commission has become a lead in causing deep division in our community," Weber said. "There are wars over annexation, our streets continue to deteriorate, tourism has dropped off and there is no agreement on fiscal equity."

Weber said she has been a longtime community political activist. She has served as Secretary of the Washoe County Republican Party, has been a member of the Stead Neighborhood Advisory Board since 1994 and was a Volunteer Chairman of the 1998 U.S. Conference of Mayors in Reno, in addition to numerous offices.

BY WILLIE ALBRIGHT
Sparks Tribune Staff
March 2002