Mayor Neal McIntyre delivered his 2026 State of the City address on Feb. 25 at the Community Response and Resource Center. This was McIntyre’s third State of the City address during his term as mayor.
The video can be found on You Tube and below is the full text of the speech as presented by McIntyre:
Good evening Fernley residents, Council members, invited guests, staff and my family. Tonight, we also have the Rural Outreach Policy Advisor, Gracie Garrett with Governor Lombardo’s office here. Thank you for being here on behalf of the Governor. It’s great to see you all here tonight as I present the State of the City, where we’ve been and where we’re going.
I’d also like to thank our City Council for all their hard work and contributions, helping move our City forward.
Can I get the Council to please stand up?
Before I begin, I’d like to thank the staff for providing their department updates for the presentation. I would also like to thank Acting City Manager Lydia Altick and Mrs. April Homme for putting it all together. I also want to thank Jessica Murdock and Randy Gahr for their help.
Let me tell you about one of the greatest things the City accomplished last year—and where we’re headed next.
Last year the Community Response and Resource Building was completed and is now the new home for the Boys and Girls Club. They received funding from a private donor and raised money for the Early Learning Center at NO cost to taxpayers. They have already hit the ground running! And anticipate being open in the Fall of 2026. What a great service this will provide for our families!
This past year, the City also continued to lay the groundwork for growth in our valley and improved community services for our residents.
In June, the Bureau of Land Management conveyed eight parcels to the City of Fernley totaling 2,167 acres, referred to as Phase 1 of the Fernley Lands Conveyance. These parcels are in town and present opportunities for recreation, public facilities, and economic development.
Phase 2 will secure 15 parcels totaling approximately 7,581 acres, located in the North, Southwest, and South Area Plan areas. We hope to finalize Phase 2 by 2027. Just like the Phase 1 parcels, they will present development opportunities for recreation, public facilities, and economic growth.
Are you wondering how you can make a difference in your city? Well, it's simple get involved with local nonprofits such as Argonn, Fernley 4th of July, Boys and Girls Club, Food Pantry, American Legion, Nevada Veterans Coalition, Rotary Club, and the Fernley Chamber of Commerce. This is just to name a few.
You can also join us for the community Planting days, the Mayor’s Clean Sweep, volunteer for the annual September 2026 Recycle Day, and attend council and planning meetings to bring viable solutions to the table.
Together, we can make our city a better place for everyone!
Let’s start with the City Clerk’s Office.
In 2025, the Clerk’s Office processed 304 new business licenses, almost 30 more than last year, which goes to show that Fernley’s business climate is robust! They also processed 790 passport applications. The Clerk’s office is still the only place in Fernley to apply. The Clerk’s office brought in over $3 million in General Fund revenue for the City.
The 2025 Legislative Session brought forward many bills that affect the City Clerk’s office, focusing on elections, open meeting law, and allowing alcohol delivery from a qualified liquor establishment.
Looking ahead…. Midterm elections will be held in 2026. Candidate filing begins March 2nd and ends March 13th. Open seats include Mayor, Ward 1, and Ward 3. If you have questions about candidacy or registering to vote, contact the Clerk’s Office.
Now, to the Building and Code Enforcement Departments…. These departments had an incredibly productive and demanding year.
We onboarded two new Code Enforcement Officers and advanced a new code enforcement initiative.
In 2025, the department logged and investigated 560 complaints. The city successfully adopted the 2024 International Building Codes.
The building department is extremely busy, and here’s what that looks like:
- 693 building permits issued, including 132 single-family dwellings
- 8,574 building inspections completed
- Approximately $1,026,262 in building permit fees collected
I also want to recognize Building Official Charity Birkel, who earned multiple ICC certifications: Accessibility Inspector, Plans Examiner, Fire Inspector I and II, and Residential Plans Examiner.
Internally, the team improved operations by implementing a permit prescreening process and digitizing over 3,000 files, making files more accessible to the public.
Let’s talk about one of our smallest but mighty departments, Animal Control.
Let me share the total year statistics for Animal Control, along with the introduction of the new pet food pantry and microchip programs. These programs have shown great success. Monthly microchip clinics began in August, and 73 animals were microchipped in just four months. The goal is to microchip at least 100 animals in the coming year and to further promote responsible pet ownership. Microchip clinics are held on the last Saturday of the month from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and they are receiving positive feedback from the public.
The pantry is also gaining traction. Since May, Animal Services has assisted in feeding over 50 pets and distributed more than 650 pounds of dry food, excluding any canned goods or litter that were also provided when available. Several individuals are facing the difficult choice between feeding themselves or their pets. Reached out and Animal Control provided the assistance needed. I am very pleased we offer this service and help keep beloved pets in the homes where they are most loved.
Here’s a breakdown of case counts and impound numbers, along with recent initiatives. This year, animal control responded to 561 calls for service, setting a department record. These calls ranged from zoning complaints and dogs at large to cruelty investigations. These cases often include veterinary visits and court appearances. Throughout these calls, a total of 318 animals were impounded. They housed 54 cats from various cases, including cruelty, abandonment, orphaned kittens, and injured animals. Accomplishing this is significant given our nonexistent space for cats and the shelter’s refusal to house them. This reinforces the clear need for an animal shelter in Fernley capable of housing both dogs and cats. We appreciate the assistance from our local non-profits such as Argonn.
I believe we have some folks here from Argonn, please stand up. I want to thank you for your dedication to our community and pets.
Next, our Utilities Department made major strides in 2025.
Utilities continued providing safe, reliable water and wastewater services while advancing critical infrastructure and improving internal operations to keep up with Fernley’s growth.
On drinking water quality: we had zero positive coliform results out of 423 samples collected. Staff produced about 3.9 million gallons of potable water per day. Treatment performance remained strong turbidity averaged 0.02 NTU, pH averaged 7.37, and arsenic averaged 3.25 ppb, all within regulatory limits.
They also completed key improvements, including Treated Water Reservoir #2, a 1.5MG tank at the water treatment facility, strengthening storage capacity and system resilience, new gate valves along Fremont Street, and the Shadow Lane reconstruction project.
And I’m happy to say there were no major mechanical failures at pump houses, and we achieved zero employee injuries. That is operational excellence, and it’s a safety culture we should be proud of.
Now let’s talk about one of the largest Departments in the City the Public Works Department.
Public Works continues to deliver essential municipal services through General Services, Streets & Storm Drains, Fleet, Facilities, Vector Control, Parks, and Cemetery operations. They do the work you see every day—and a lot of the work you don’t see—keeping our City safe, clean, and functional.
Parks and Facilities manage multiple municipal facilities, ten public parks, and roughly 500 acres of City-owned property. They manage daily inspections, playground maintenance, repairs, and technical support for community events. In August, they supported a community planting event at the Main Street Art Park and Polaris Plaza. They also acquired and assembled the City’s 26-foot Christmas tree for our annual lighting ceremony.
The Fernley Desert Memorial Gardens Cemetery is maintained by the General Services Department, with Parks and Facilities staff stepping in when needed to support maintenance and burial services with professionalism and respect.
We hope to see you on April 18th at the community cemetery planting, hosted by the Fernley Senior Citizen Advisory Committee.
The city is also planning renovations that will include new roadways to improve access and infrastructure.
In 2025 Vector Control treated 798 drainage inlets with larvicide and fogged approximately 132 square miles of municipal property to reduce flying pests and they’ve now acquired the City’s first aerial application drone for mosquito abatement, which will improve efficiency during the spring and summer seasons. They also help mitigate ground-burrowing pests that damage our sports fields.
Fleet continues its strong partnership with North Lyon County Fire, providing on-call repair services and maintaining City vehicles and equipment so our teams can respond safely and effectively.
Last but certainly not least, Streets & Storm Drains Department has upheld its ongoing commitment to reducing flood risks in the Sage Ranch community, repairing drainage ditches, and building a 600-foot rock wall to help prevent recurring flooding.
Additionally, road reconstruction was completed for a City‑maintained alley near 1st Street, improving residential access. The department also collaborated with multiple City departments on key initiatives, including graffiti removal at Green Valley Park in partnership with the Parks Department, support for the Lead and Copper Inventory Project led by the Water Distribution Department, and installation of speed feedback signs on Cedar Street in coordination with the Engineering Department.
Our Planning Department has met many milestones in 2025.
Two of the future area plans were completed. The North Area Plan and the Southwest Area Plan. An Area Plan allows for careful planning and implementation, in coordination with the community and stakeholders, which is particularly important when considering the intense growth that is anticipated in Fernley. These Area Plans work in conjunction with the Fernley Comprehensive Master Plan and current development plans and establish the specific vision and objectives to transform these areas into large master planned communities with vast employment opportunities, supporting commercial services and a diverse range of housing types.
Next I want to talk about a department that affects people more often than we like to admit, our Court Services.
Not because anyone plans to need the court, but because life happens. A traffic ticket. A small claims issue. A protective order. A landlord-tenant dispute. A mistake someone’s trying to make right. When those moments happen, people don’t just need a courtroom—they need a system that is clear, accessible, and fair.
In 2025, the Fernley City Council and the Lyon County Board of Commissioners approved the partial consolidation of the Fernley Municipal Court and the Canal Township Justice Court. This decision reflects a practical commitment to modern court services and a system designed to keep pace with community growth.
Here’s what that looks like in real terms.
Once construction is complete, the Fernley Municipal Court will relocate into the County Justice Court facility. The remodel is expected to be completed by April 2026, and it will deliver a modern, accessible space—built to better serve the public. That means a courthouse that works for people as they are today: parents with kids in tow, seniors, people with disabilities, residents who can’t afford to take extra time off work, and anyone who simply needs a process that makes sense.
But the most important point is this: the benefits of consolidation aren’t waiting for the ribbon cutting. They’re already here.
Because Fernley is growing, and with that growth, more residents rely on court services each year. Modernization isn’t about changing the system for the sake of change. It’s about making sure our courts can continue to respond fairly, efficiently, and effectively—no matter how much our community expands.
And when the remodeled courthouse opens, access will expand even further.
There will be public kiosks for filing documents, making payments, and conducting records searches—simple tools that remove real barriers. And the courts are moving toward electronic filing, so residents can submit documents remotely. That means fewer missed work hours, fewer transportation hurdles, fewer delays, and a court system that meets people where they are.
At the end of the day, this consolidation and modernization effort is about something very simple: Fernley building a court system that works. A system focused on the community it serves.
I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this progress possible, our elected leaders, court staff, county and city teams, and public safety partners who are doing the daily work to make these improvements real. And I’m grateful to the residents of Fernley for continuing to expect and deserve public services that keep up with the community you’re building.
Here’s a summary of the significant activity managed by the City of Fernley Legal Department.
The department managed a demanding caseload, successfully prosecuting 508 criminal cases throughout the year. This volume represents an increase of 6.5% compared to the cases prosecuted in 2024. These prosecutions covered a broad spectrum of crimes and infractions, notably including 95 driving under the influence cases. The effective management of these cases, supported by our partnership with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, contributes directly to making the City of Fernley a safer community for all residents and drivers.
Now, there is a quick but important spotlight on the City Treasurer’s Office—because good work is only sustainable when the finances are strong.
Fernley’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report earned the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 14th consecutive year. The Fiscal Year 2025 audit received an unmodified opinion: a clean audit with no findings or deficiencies.
Our General Fund ended Fiscal Year 2025 with a fund balance of $17.6 million—up $2.7 million from the prior year. Council committed $2.7 million for capital projects beginning in FY2026 and assigned $2.8 million for capital asset replacements. Revenues rose by $4.5 million, primarily from property taxes and RTC revenues, and expenditures increased due to capital outlays.
The Council approved the FY2026 budget with one-time investments to address deferred maintenance, replace aging equipment, and accelerate planning for growth, along with new positions needed to maintain service levels.
Moving to HR
With all these new positions, our HR Department has been busy working to fill the new positions.
The City of Fernley currently employs 92 full-time employees, not including City Council and me.
From FY25-26 (July 1, 2025) to current, the City has hired 21 new employees. They are recruiting a new City Engineer and a Senior Maintenance Worker for Facilities and Parks.
In 2025 the City created seven (7) new job classifications, including Code Enforcement Officer, Utilities Engineer I and II, Utility Engineering Manager, Associate Planner and Assistant Planner.
We are currently recruiting for the new classification of Grant Administrator a much-needed position here at the City to move forward with our growth and financial stability for upcoming projects under the City Treasurer’s Department.
We are also recruiting for a Deputy City Attorney as a replacement for our current Deputy City Attorney who will be retiring next year.
The City believes in promoting within and giving our employees the opportunity for growth. Here’s what that looks like:
- Our Senior Project Manager was promoted to Utility Engineering Manager within the new Utilities Department.
- A Seasonal Court Clerk was promoted to Full-time Status in the Municipal Courts.
- We promoted a Utility Operator to a Shift Operator in Water Distribution after receiving a D-1 NV Drinking Water Distribution Operator Certification.
- One of our Administrative Specialist II moved from the City Clerk’s office to the Engineering Department.
- Another Administrative Specialist II was reclassified to a Project Coordinator due to the growth of the duties involved.
- We promoted a Sewer Utility Operator to a Shift Operator following the employee’s receipt of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Grade 1 Certification.
- Our Deputy City Clerk was promoted to one of the new classifications of Utilities Engineer I.
- Our Clerk Administrative Specialist was promoted to Deputy City Clerk in the City Clerk’s office.
Many of you may be curious about the vacant City Manager position.
Council, Staff, and I are working on a new Org Chart that may or may not include a City Manager .
The goal is to organize our City in the best way possible to provide our community with crucial services and needs while maintaining the current workload with our growing community.
Moving Forward to 2026 here are some City Goals:
I’d like to discuss a project I’m very passionate about: The new Pond and Park Project:
A 23-acre Parcel with construction planned tentatively in late 2026.
Project Site will include:
Fishing Pond, 1 to 2 acres, stocked yearly by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. It will have Ball Fields, a Playground, Beach Volleyball, Pickleball, Tennis Courts , Archery and much more!
Phase 1 will include the pond, parking, and pathways.
We are pursuing funding from the Nevada Department of Wildlife Heritage Program for the construction of the Fernley Community Fishing Pond, and Brownfield Grants to fund the design and development of vacant parcels, which also include parks around town.
I wanted to share some exciting news…a hospital! This is a topic I have frequently been asked about since I took office as Mayor.
Thanks to Taylor Adams from EDAWN, he recently arranged a meeting with Acting City Manager Lydia Altick, myself, and the CEO and President of Renown along with his team. I am pleased to report that they are excited about coming to Fernley to build a hospital. Although the initial facility will be small, it is designed to expand in alignment with our community's growing needs.
Next week, we have a follow-up meeting with Renown CEO and President, and his staff to discuss potential parcels on I-80 and I-50 that the City of Fernley has acquired for this project. I will keep everyone updated on our progress following this meeting.
Let’s talk about more goals .
Our partnership with Main Street Fernley continues to grow, driven by its mission’ ‘to provide education of and access to an inclusive and resilient Downtown Corridor - a place that has a thriving local economy, is distinctive and rich in character, and features welcoming spaces and diverse businesses for residents and visitors alike.'' Events like the Poker Walk have grown with the mission of getting more folks downtown. Right now, Main Street Fernley is offering a great opportunity, a $5,000 Facade grant for Main Street businesses. They are always looking for more involvement from the community for ideas on new events and programs.
We will continue seeking grants and Community Project Funding.
For our large water and wastewater projects, transportation improvements , and parks and recreation projects.
In 2025, the city submitted a $3M Community Project Funding request for the design of improvements to the water treatment facility to integrate surface water from the canal. In 2026, we learned that we will receive $2M in Community Project Funding for that project.
Diversifying the city's water supply will give the city much-needed flexibility as water demand increases with new industrial and residential growth and will prove a beneficial use of the city's water rights.
The city is currently pursuing funding from the Economic Development Administration for design of improvements for the East Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Future Street Projects:
The Cedar Street Reconstruction Project is getting ready to go out to bid. The road currently has extensive areas with missing curb, gutter, and sidewalk infrastructure, creating accessibility challenges and aesthetic concerns. Additionally, there are significant drainage issues throughout the corridor that must be addressed to prevent future deterioration of the roadway and protect the investment in reconstruction. And with most road construction projects within the city, this allows us the opportunity for utility replacements, allowing the City to take advantage of the construction window, minimizing future disruptions and duplication of costs.
The water system improvements will include approximately 1,500 linear feet of new C900 PVC water main with new laterals connecting to existing water meters. The sanitary sewer system will be upgraded with a new eight-inch SOR 35 PVC sewer main and approximately nine new manholes, providing improved system capacity and reliability.
Let's talk about an area that the City, Residents and Sports Leagues are very compassionate about. And yes…. these areas need some attention.
Improving and expanding our parks has been a concern and ongoing
topic with the community. It has been difficult to maintain our parks and in particular our fields to accommodate the growth we have seen in our own population with the growing popularity of softball, soccer, baseball, and football tournaments.
We even had some of the schools come out to the City Council meeting and present concerns and solutions. I have to tell you these kids did a great job presenting.
To the community and kids, we want you to know ''we hear you'' and we are working to better our parks by fixing the problems at hand through turf upgrades and field expansion planning.
Now Code Enforcement goals.
This starts with rewriting our enforcement code. Our Building Department contracted with Interwest Consulting Group to rewrite our enforcement code, which will become Fernley's new Nuisance Ordinance once adopted. Building is hosting an open house regarding the Nuisance Ordinance before making final adoptions on March 13th and 14th. You can find the details on the City Website. I encourage you to attend and share your thoughts.
Moving On …………….We continue to work with Mark IV to complete Nevada Pacific Parkway.
The project is currently at 60% design ...... with a goal to reach 90%. Construction is projected to go to bid fall of 2026.
Things to be on the lookout for:
Fernley Fire Station- As part of a development agreement with Mark IV Capital, the Fernley Fire Station design has been completed and building plans have been submitted for approval. Construction will begin this year and will take 12 - 18 months to complete. It is located on Duffey Road between Lowe's and Sherwin -Williams.
The Fernley Industrial Park Reconstruction Project includes pavement and storm drain improvements to Lyon Dr., Industrial Dr., Salvadore Dr., and Resource Dr. The project is designed and is scheduled to be constructed this year as well.
It's finally happening, The City Technology is moving into this century!
The city is undergoing a major IT upgrade with PacStates that will modernize the current network hardware and move to a cloud- integrated system. The city has always had only one IT coordinator. (Big job for one person). PacStates will now provide unlimited comanaged IT services and support including a help desk, monitoring and infrastructure management, cybersecurity and compliance, backup and disaster recovery, and strategic IT roadmap development. In today's world of cyber threats, it's a necessary and long overdue upgrade!
The city has also deployed Madison AI to improve staff efficiency. This built-in assistant provides a Think Partner, Researcher, Policy Drafter, Report Writing Assistant, and Historian Assistant. Saving staff many hours per week.
In the past year, the City continued to lay the groundwork for growth in our valley improving community services for our residents — from the completion of the Community Response and Resource Center to the many improvements made at our local parks, and the workshops with residents on the development of future areas of town.
The private sector has taken notice of this momentum and understands that “Fernley is open for business.” This includes not only the larger developments like the Port of Nevada and the continued expansion of the Victory Logistics Center, but also the small businesses that add to quality of life here such as: The Canal Wine Lounge, Tractor Supply Company, Fire Forno, Whiskey Rose Clothing Store, Squeeze In, All Points Grill, Panda Express and the list go on. There were too many great additions to Fernley to list them all here, and that was just in the last 12 months!
This energy continues to propel the City into new opportunities that it hasn’t had before in the year ahead. And to remain prepared for these opportunities, new strategic initiatives were recently discussed with the City Council last month. And I’m here to tell you tonight that a lot of exciting advancements to your City and your government are on the way.
So let me sum it all up ... Fernley is open for Business!
And I am eager to share the exciting path our city is embarking on.
As we continue to grow, it is essential that we focus on upgrading our infrastructure to ensure a vibrant community for all.
My commitment to you includes:
- Enhancing our parks for recreational enjoyment and family gatherings.
- Improving our roads for safer and more efficient travel.
- Expanding our services to meet the needs of our growing population.
- Maintaining a high quality of life for our families while respecting our roots.
- I look forward to collaborating with each of you on this journey as your Mayor. Together, we can create a thriving city that meets the needs of its residents. I am truly honored to be your Mayor!
Thank you for your continued support.
I also want to thank Mark IV and Biggest Little radio for sponsoring this event. This concludes my State of the City; may we all have a blessed night and drive safe.
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