Smith joins Rhodes, Brown in NLV council victories

Wednesday, June 4, 1997 | 10:33 a.m.

North Las Vegas City Council members John Rhodes and Paula Brown were returned to office, where they'll be joined by former Assemblywoman Stephanie Smith.

The trio, all victorious in Tuesday's election, will combine with newcomer Mayor-elect Mike Montandon and Councilman William Robinson to form a council that is certain to shift toward a new direction.

Smith (29 percent) and Rhodes (26 percent) topped fellow candidates Robert Eliason (23 percent) and JoAnna Wesley (22 percent) to win four-year terms effective July 1. Brown breezed past challenger Sylvester Rogers 64 to 36 percent to win a two-year term.

Rhodes, a 32-year-old consulting business owner, played up the city's economy in winning his second four-year term. He has said he wants to attract more upscale housing and business corridors but conceded the new council may have different priorities.

"I think there will be a slower growth plan, but it is hard to tell," he said. "We'll have fresh ideas."

Rhodes called it a "sign of the times" that the council has undergone a major personnel change, saying it reflects what is happening elsewhere in Clark County. Gone are longtime Councilman Theron Goynes, who lost to Montandon, and Mayor James Seastrand, who chose not to seek re-election. Brown has only been on the council since January, having replaced Mary Kincaid after the latter won a seat on the Clark County Commission.

Though one of the new faces on the council, Smith is a familiar political commodity. The 39-year-old middle school orchestra teacher served in the 1993 state Legislature.

Smith said she expects the advantage of serving on the council over the Legislature to be the immediacy with which local problems can be addressed.

"You can remedy things quickly," she said. "In the Legislature it's a longer process. Some of the issues are philosophical and not easy to define."

She said her priorities are to preserve quality of life through sound zoning decisions, more parks and better police protection.

"I want to have a government that listens to us (citizens) and responds to us," Smith said. "The new council is a fairly eclectic group. It's going to be a good council."

Brown, the 49-year-old owner of JB Chemical Co., is confident the new council will work toward the betterment of the community. She has said she wants a master plan written so developers know what's expected of them. Brown also would like police officers to be assigned to specific areas to breed familiarity with those neighborhoods.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Mike Montandon," Brown said. "We're all working for the same goal."