“The mission of the (Nevada League of Cities) is to help cities speak with a unified voice, to provide legislative support and also programs and training,” David Fraser, the league’s executive director, told the Sparks City Council last week.

It was then up to the council members, however, to determine if the league’s mission had been accomplished in Sparks.

On Oct. 26, the council voted to renew the city’s membership with the league of cities for one more year at a price of $17,889. However, Councilwoman Julia Ratti voted no on the renewal, Councilman Ron Schmitt abstained and Councilman Mike Carrigan gave his “reluctant support.”

“The problem I have is that during the last Legislative session, the league didn’t step up,” Carrigan told Fraser. “… I am going to support this reluctantly but if things go the way they did last year, I won’t support it again.”

In 2009, Sparks proposed a bill at the Legislature that would have redirected room tax revenue from the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority to city marketing coffers. The bill died in committee. Fraser sympathized with Carrigan’s frustrations.

“That is the difficulty of the task of representing all of the cities in the state,” Fraser responded to Carrigan. “There are times when, frankly, not all of the cities are on the same page. It is very difficult as we formulate our policies as to what we will advocate.”

Schmitt abstained from the vote, not because he disagreed with the league’s actions, but because he sits on its board of directors.

“Because I was so involved in the league, I thought it was best for them (the rest of the council) to take a look at it,” Schmitt said.

Ratti simply thought that in tough economic times, the money could be better spent elsewhere.

“I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this,” she said prior to her vote. “They are doing a fine job and it is a tough job they are doing … but we are going into tough economic times and we are going to have to make some tough decisions. Most of our staff have had to give up their memberships in their associations. … I just feel like this is one that I can give up. … We can use that money somewhere else a little more effectively.”

Ratti was one of three Sparks representatives who traveled to the league’s annual conference on Oct. 14. Schmitt and Sparks Mayor Geno Martini also attended.

The conference covered topics from government consolidation to home rule to budget challenges.

According to Fraser, it also provided continued education opportunities for local heads of government.

The membership was one of many that Sparks City Manager Shaun Carey suggested that the council spend taxpayer money on at a May 26 council meeting. The annual dues are paid from the general government fund, according to Carey.

The membership fee is normally in the $22,000 range. However, the league’s board of directors approved a 20 percent discount on this year’s fee because of tough economic times for many cities, Carey added.

The city of Sparks has been a member of the Nevada League of Cities since 1990.

Member cities include Boulder City, Caliente, Carlin, Elko, Ely, Fallon, Fernley, Gardnerville, Henderson, Incline Village, Indian Hills, Las Vegas, Lovelock, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Pahrump, Reno, Spring Creek, Wells, West Wendover, Winnemucca, Yerington and Sparks.

Sparks is also a member of the National League of Cities. For that national membership, the city pays about $5,400 in annual fees.

Before giving his approval to the membership, Carrigan also asked Fraser what the drawback would be if the city did not renew its membership with the league.

“To be frank, I would think that if I introduced myself as David Fraser, representing all of the cities in Nevada except for the city of Sparks … it might look bad,” Fraser said.

His frank response was met with a lighthearted chuckle before the 2-1 vote of approval was taken.