Here are Sparks City Council Ward 1 primary candidates
Despite being relatively unknown, Chris Garvey got 49% of the vote in 2022 for Sparks mayor and nearly toppled incumbent Ed Lawson.
This time, she – along with Nicolas Lee – is aiming to unseat two-term councilmember Donald Abbott in Ward 1.
The primary is Tuesday, June 11. Early voting runs May 25-June 7.
• Who moves ahead to general election? If one of this ward’s council candidates gets more than 50% of the vote, they automatically are declared elected. If that doesn’t happen, the top two vote getters in this nonpartisan race will appear on the November ballot, according to the Sparks City Charter.
Where is Sparks Ward 1?
Ward 1 covers the southwest corner of Sparks, from Greenbrae Avenue south to the Truckee River. It’s bordered on the east by McCarran Boulevard and near El Rancho Drive on the west.
Donald Abbott
● Age: 34
● Education: Associate degree in HVAC/R and renewable energy
● Occupation: Photographer at AbbottOgraphy and Sparks city councilmember
● Political experience: Two terms in Sparks City Council Ward 1
● Political affiliation: nonpartisan
● Family: Single
● Money raised in 2024:
(cash on hand: $24,000)
● Biggest donors: Reno Sparks Association of Realtors, Reno Fire Fighters Association, Irish Capital
Christine “Chris” Garvey
registered
$7,800
● Age: 62
● Education: Associate degree in applied sciences/dental hygiene
● Occupation: Registered dental hygienist
● Political experience: Three terms as a school board trustee for the Clark County School District
● Political affiliation: Republican
● Family: Married with 3 children and 4 grandchildren
● Money raised in 2024:
(cash on hand: $7,600)
● Biggest donors: Robert Beadles, Christine Garvey
Nicolas Lee
$8,000
● Age: 70
● Education: Bachelor of science in business administration – accounting
● Occupation: Retired
● Political experience: None
● Political affiliation: Democrat
● Family: Married with 3 stepchildren and 6 step-grandchildren
● Money raised in 2024: $0 (cash on hand: $0)
● Biggest donors: None
What’s something that could make the Sparks City Council more effective?
• Donald Abbott: I think we need to continue our community engagement efforts because we make better decisions for our whole community when others are involved with the decision making of our city.
• Chris Garvey: Our current city council seems to spend most of its time listening to and addressing the needs of developers and special interest groups, while reminding residents that our opinions aren’t really valued.
The council could be more effective by engaging in open communication with citizens, increasing transparency around spending, and doing their homework and asking questions before making decisions that have long-term impacts.
The council needs to be more active in the monitoring process to make sure policies and tax dollars are getting the outcomes desired. This is the first step in building back trust with voters.
• Nicolas Lee: New people. Better leadership, more forward-thinking/ planning. More transparency. The résumé of some of folks in office is surprisingly lacking and sad.
I’ve been a resident of Sparks since 1984, and I have been a homeowner since 1986. As such, I am in a better position to comment on decisions that could have been done better and/or with less cost.
Current: Downtown Sparks, apart from special events, is a ghost town. 2010 Sparks City logo and branding at a time of recession. And Victorian Avenue – what happened there? What’s “Victorian” about it?
What are two issues you’ll prioritize if elected?
• Abbott: I will prioritize making sure that all populations are represented, including at-risk populations. In my first term in city council, I helped create the Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee to bring attention to the special and unique needs seniors face in our community. I will continue to prioritize at-risk and under-represented populations in our community.
Secondly, I will prioritize supporting small businesses in our community to help our local economy thrive and grow. Through supporting small businesses in our community, we can also ensure that we are supporting the essential needs of our residents.
• Garvey: Public safety will be my number one priority. Ward 1 has the most crime in Sparks. Looking at programs such as DEEDS that Reno Police has implemented and is showing a decrease in crime is something I would ask for as a councilmember. Traffic has also become a major safety concern.
My second issue is growth. Development needs to pay for itself. Infrastructure needs to be addressed upfront and not be an afterthought or a burden to the taxpayers. I will ask for a review of the planning process that currently allows plans to be amended multiple times, often in favor of the developer, not the existing neighbors, taxpayers or safety concerns.
• Lee: No. 1 Infrastructure – many neighborhood roads in Ward 1 have a Pavement Condition Index of “RED” where the pavement is so far gone, it needs to be completely redone.
It’s clear Pyramid Highway, Sparks Boulevard and Vista Boulevard have not kept pace with the exploding growth in Spanish Springs and beyond. Rushhour traffic can take as many as three cycles of red-yellow-green just to maneuver one intersection.
No. 2 Parks and recreation – softball, soccer and youth sports are kings. Three events are notable – July 4th fireworks at downtown (Nugget), Hot August Nights and Hometowne Christmas Parade.
Clearly, Sparks has fallen behind Reno and Washoe County and continues to slide further.
What can the city of Sparks do to help seniors harmed by higher housing costs?
• Abbott: Accessible and affordable housing is a growing concern in our community across Washoe County. In Sparks, we have rental assistance programs available specifically for seniors to help them access affordable housing. I also have been working diligently with new housing projects in Ward 1 to become affordable senior housing communities as well as have supported others that have been built in Ward 1 during my tenure.
• Garvey: Sparks has several lowrent senior apartments that will soon transition off affordable housing agreements. These agreements provided builders with favorable investment conditions in exchange for a period of years that low rent would be guaranteed for qualifying seniors. The current council has not adequately planned for this, and many seniors may be impacted. The city needs to work with nonprofits, developers and government agencies for grant opportunities and funding programs. It’s time to support our seniors.
The city needs to explore extending existing agreements and to structure new affordable development so it provides a sustainable safety net for vulnerable seniors. Any development for senior housing must be safe, have the appropriate amenities and respect the existing neighborhood.
See WARD 1, Page 10A