City council briefs

Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

Sludge-contract vote delayed again

The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday again agreed to hold off on a vote regarding a sludge disposal service contract with Republic Environmental Technologies Inc., the parent company of Silver State Disposal.

Without comment the council agreed to Silver State's request to hold the item until Jan. 19.

The company is asking for a five-year contract plus a five-year extension. Silver State has been removing sludge from the city's Water Pollution Control Facility for the past six years. Its contract expired in November.

The requested contract was first considered Nov. 3 but was held to allow Silver State time to comply with new financial and ethical disclosure requirements.

Appointment process may be changed

The addition of two seats to the Las Vegas City Council will also create vacancies on the Planning Commission.

Newly-appointed Councilman Michael Mack will quit his post on the Planning Commission when he takes over the Ward 6 council seat in January. Planning Commissioner Leni Skaar will also step down from the Planning Commission to join Mack's staff.

As a result, the City Council on Wednesday agreed to revisit the way planning commissioners are appointed. The city attorney's office will construct an ordinance -- scheduled to be introduced Jan. 5 -- that would link a planning commissioner's term to that of the corresponding council member's term.

It is also possible the council may ask for the voluntary resignations -- and re-appointment -- of all planning commissioners to bring all of their terms in line with the proposed ordinance.

Curfews established for special events

Fearful of potential riots and juvenile delinquency on New Year's Eve, the Las Vegas City Council adopted two restrictive ordinances Wednesday.

The first imposes a curfew banning anyone under 18 who is not accompanied by a guardian from being in certain downtown areas after 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

The ordinance adopted Wednesday restricts youths from the Fremont Street Experience after 6 p.m. on New Year's Day but allows them on the pedestrian mall after 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The mall will be restricted to those with tickets for the entertainment that night. Any teen on the mall will have a ticket.

The council also adopted an ordinance limiting the use of glass and metal beverage containers at certain special events such as New Year's Eve celebrations.

Plans made for facility on MLK

With a 15-minute-plus fire response the norm in a downtown neighborhood, the Las Vegas City Council authorized staff to negotiate the purchase of land for future construction of a fire station.

The property, located at Martin Luther King Boulevard between Oakey and Charleston boulevards, is estimated to cost between $310,000 and $340,000.

Ironically, the city will also negotiate for land adjacent to the property that was the site of a house-destroying fire recently. The addition of that property to the entire site will allow the Las Vegas Fire Department to house a rescue bucket truck at any future station there.

Mayor Oscar Goodman abstained on the vote because he lives nearby and said he believes the move could increase his property value.

Business authorized to buy 4 acres

Berlin Industries Inc. was authorized Wednesday to purchase 4 acres in the Las Vegas Technology Center to expand their existing printing facility.

The sale would bring the city $1,142,911.

In another real estate action, the City Council approved a lease agreement between the city and the state's Welfare Division for 30,840 square feet of office space at 1040 W. Owens Ave. The monthly revenue of $16,927 will be an increase for the city.