Concerns Over Connection Between Councilman Devon Reese and Firm Recommended to Get $900000 for City's Labor Negotiations

Several locals have reached out to us about a proposed three year City of Reno contract of up to $900,000 with the Simons Hall Johnston law firm to negotiate labor agreements with concerns on connections to councilman and mayoral candidate Devon Reese and how the firm was chosen. The City Manager’s recommendation will be looked into at the next city council meeting.

A document shared with us for a case involving Michael Leonard from Mike’s Reno Report has Simons Hall Johnston representing Alex Velto, while there are also several mentions on that certificate of service document of Reese Ring Velto.

That firm which bills itself as Nevada’s Labor and Litigation Attorneys includes both councilman Devon Reese and Planning Commissioner Alex Velto.

Reese Ring Velto itself has built its business model with different unions and helping with their contracts.

On the Nevada Police Union NVPolice,org website it’s indicated “Reese Ring & Velto provides the legal plan for union members. As a member, this valuable plan provides you with 24-hour coverage for both duty-related criminal and administrative actions. Our legal plan has you covered off the job as well.”

In 2023, Reese was initially issued a deferral agreement by the Nevada Commission on Ethics to receive training and “develop a disclosure and abstention check process” after he had voted for the Reno Professional Administrative Group and the Reno Protective Police Association both represented by his then employer Hutchison & Steffen when labor contract negotiations came up with the city.

Last year, Our Town Reno reported about a police report which had been filed by Michael Leonard for an incident type called stalking/harassment against Reese after an alleged altercation at the Belleville Wine Bar.

Reese had responded to Our Town Reno saying that matter would be “handled by the Court.”

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