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Washoe commissioners approve emergency communication funds after lightning damage

http://kunr-assets.trinityannex.com/audios/1160_Washoe_emergency_funds.MP3

The Washoe County Board of Commissioners has approved an emergency funding request for $280,000 to replace radio communication equipment damaged by lightning last month. Five lightning strikes hit the county's network operations center, damaging many internal components needed for operating the county's regional communication system. Laura Schmidt is Washoe County's Chief Information Management Officer. She says that several regional partners, including NV Energy and NDOT, responded quickly so that public safely communications remained available despite the damage. The funds were retroactively approved by commissioners Tuesday. In other Washoe County Commission news, the board approved an agreement with the state to start an urban storm water reduction program at Lake Tahoe. The Lake Tahoe Maximum Daily Load Program is the first phase of a long-term effort to cut back on pollutants in urban storm water entering the lake.

Michelle Billman is a former news director at KUNR Public Radio.