Attentive mayor inaugurates open-door public meeting

Erin Neff

Monday, Aug. 2, 1999 | 11:44 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman presided over the court of public opinion Friday, attentively listening to the good, bad and ugly side of concerns and keeping a campaign promise to keep City Hall open to everyone.

"This is what local government is all about," Goodman said to a crowd of about 50 gathered at his first three-hour, open-door monthly meeting.

While the nation's Founding Fathers never heard gripes about malfunctioning traffic arrows at busy intersections, they did understand the importance of each citizen's right to be heard.

And that, Goodman said, is the true spirit with which he listened to 50 people bringing forward complaints and a handful of compliments.

Some stumped for programs in which they were involved. Others lamented social and traffic ills and a few brought resumes in hopes of working or volunteering for the city.

John Fritz spoke out against the proposed arena for fear its funding would come from taxpayers' pockets.

"The price of the tickets aren't going to benefit us," Fritz said, speaking on behalf of fellow fixed-income senior citizens.

Goodman told him "not to lose sleep over it," vowing not to hike property taxes for the proposal about which Goodman is co-chairing a study committee.

"Right now I think it's premature to get concerned about it," he said.

Others were concerned about who was appointed to the study committee examining the feasibility of a sports arena for downtown Las Vegas.

"It reads as usual like the who's who of special interest groups," said Ken Mahal, president of the Nevada Seniors Coalition. "I don't see people in this who actually have experience dealing with that issue."

Billy McCurdy, who worked on Goodman's campaign, complained about the lack of a black person on that 30-member committee.

Goodman agreed with his concern, saying he would like to see Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan own any basketball franchise that could come to Las Vegas if an arena is built.

Many residents -- obviously frustrated with their dealings with other governments and agencies -- brought their concerns to the man they perceived as having both a sympathetic ear and the ability to get things done. In many of those cases Goodman simply referred the person to the proper authorities or directed his two staff assistants and his "kitchen cabinet" liaisons to meet with the person.

The "kitchen cabinet" -- another of Goodman's campaign promises -- was on hand Friday to take notes and listen to what residents had to say.

Forming a so-called "Rainbow Coalition" was one of Goodman's promises to deal thoroughly with various communities in Las Vegas.

The kitchen cabinet includes Tim Casey, community liaison for Veterans of Foreign Wars representing military veterans; Rose Dominguez, president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce representing the Hispanics community; Tim Emerson, volunteer for Aid for AIDS of Nevada representing the gay and lesbian community; and Leonard Gross, chairman of the Commission of Older America representing the senior community.

It also includes Elena Perez, a UNLV student representing youth; Barbara Robinson, a retired attorney and local columnist representing the black community; Tonie Sison, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce representing the Asian community; and Vince Triggs, executive director of the Nevada Association for the Handicapped representing the disabled.

The inaugural open door meeting included its share of levity.

When suspender-clad Tom McGowan ambled toward the microphone, Goodman mocked his former mayoral opponent's vocal style by mumbling McGowan's name and address before McGowan could.

"You said your office would be open to the public, and it is," McGowan said before joking about Goodman's busy schedule, "Now, if you were only in it."

Ben Cohen, a Minnesotan visiting Las Vegas, told Goodman he should run on a presidential ticket as "Mayor Oscar the Brains Goodman" with his governor "Jesse The Body Ventura."

"Oh boy, they come out of the woodworks, folks," Goodman said.

One resident gave him a home-grown basket of grapes, which he joked he wanted to "stomp on it with my bare feet and turn it into white wine."

After the meeting, while sampling one of the grapes, Goodman said he thought the session went well for a first try -- rambling speakers and the occasional wacko notwithstanding.

"It's a public forum, that's what it's all about," he said.