Planning the Future or Playing the Family Game? It’s Called Ethics …

The Nevada Commission on Ethics will be sending former Reno Planning Commissioner J.D. Drakulich a Letter of Caution.

There’s a familiar smell wafting through Reno politics again, and it’s not sagebrush or summer wildfire smoke — it’s the scent of undeclared conflicts and developer dollars.

Former Reno Planning Commissioner J.D. Drakulich, a rumored, un-declared candidate for City Council Ward 2, has found himself on the receiving end of a little love letter from the Nevada Commission on Ethics. Case number 25-070 isn’t just a paperwork formality — it’s a jurisdictional determination about a potential conflict of interest that should make every Reno voter pause and ask: “Whose interests is Drakulich really planning for?”

Let’s rewind.

During his time on the Planning Commission, Drakulich voted in favor of a 17-unit housing development at 1565 Plumas Street, just a whisper over the 14 units allowed “by right.” A modest stretch, you might say.

We enjoy a great visual showing the land J.D. Drakulich’s family owns.

But what he didn’t say during that vote? That his uncle and aunt own two parcels directly next to the project site. Yes — immediate family with a direct financial interest in the outcome. The public heard crickets. The vote went through.

And now, thanks to someone filing a complaint (hat tip to civic vigilance), the Nevada Commission on Ethics has determined this situation is worth a much closer look.

This all might be a footnote if Drakulich was heading off to private life. But he’s not. Rumor is he wants a promotion — and might be running for Reno City Council Ward 2, to fill the seat of the termed-out Naomi Duerr.

So here's a thought exercise: If Drakulich didn’t disclose a direct family conflict while sitting on a volunteer commission, what level of transparency should we expect when he's making million-dollar decisions from the City Council dais?

Short answer: None. Long answer: Also none, but now with more campaign donors.

And speaking of donors - anyone curious about who might benefit from a Drakulich win should spend five minutes with his Nevada Secretary of State Contribution and Expense Reports from his previous run against Councilmember Jenny Brekhus. Spoiler: it reads like a Home Builders Association yearbook.

When developers need a vote, they don’t want a question-asker. They want someone who smiles, nods, and calls it “progress.” Drakulich seems to have mastered that art.

So who would be really be electing? A public servant? Or a political heir to a long Reno tradition of sweetheart deals, half-truths, and ethical blind spots?

The Ethics Commission did its job. Reno voters should remember do theirs in 2026.