Bullying … Dressed Up in a Suit

How sad is this? A recent opinion in This Is Reno reminded us of something that Councilmember Devon Reese never seems to understand: when you sign up for public office, you don’t get to pick and choose which residents you’ll interact with.

You wanted the appointment. Then you wanted the election. And yet here we are, watching Reese decide who’s “worthy” of his attention and who gets brushed off as a nuisance. Spoiler: that’s not how democracy works.

Even if a resident is a pain in the ass. Even if they’re passionate, loud, or—yes—zealous. That comes with the territory. You ran for office, Devon, not for Homecoming King. You don’t get to cancel constituents who make you uncomfortable.

What makes this all the more disappointing is the contrast. The This Is Reno piece highlighted Reliance Grounds Maintenance owner Rob McCalla — a man who hires from sober living homes, gives people second chances, even third chances. He seems like the kind of guy you’d want to sit down and have a coffee with. He invests in people others might write off. So why not sit down with Rob and end this disagreement and learn how the Landscape Maintenance Districts (LMDs) could be better served.

A copy of the ‘Company’ tab on the Reliance Grounds Management website.

Maybe Reese should take a page from Rob’s book. Start giving residents—especially the ones who question government—second, third, and fourth chances. After all, those “problematic” residents are often pointing out mistakes, raising red flags, or calling out questionable deals. There’s a name for that: whistleblowing. And whistleblowers have that pesky Whistleblower Protection Act.

Instead, Reese’s pattern has been to belittle, mock, or even question the mental health of residents who dare to stand up to him. That’s not leadership. That’s bullying dressed up in a suit.

So Reno voters need to ask themselves: is this the kind of government we want? A councilmember who filters out dissent, or one who respects that democracy means every voice—yes, even the loud, messy, inconvenient ones.

Because in the end, it’s not about Reese’s comfort. It’s about our community. And if he can’t handle that, maybe he shouldn’t be sitting on the dais in the first place.

The email Councilmember Devon Reese sent to a constituent.