Neighborhood councils meet with disfavor

Erin Neff

Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1999 | 11:06 a.m.

Although cities nationwide are handing a greater voice and more clout to individual neighborhoods through representative councils, a move to create a similar hierarchy within local government here has stalled.

A bill to create 12 neighborhood councils within the Las Vegas city limits was killed in a recent recommending committee after existing neighborhood associations felt the proposal would undermine their current efforts.

Every resident older than 16 who lives within one of the 12 areas would automatically become a part of the individual neighborhood council. Each council would then elect five leaders to advise the city on specific issues.

City staff would set the area boundaries and oversee the program. Neighborhood associations, by contrast, form on their own and already have established relationships with city staff and leaders.

"What's the use of creating a (neighborhood) council if it's going to interfere with the work already in place?" asked City Councilman Michael McDonald, who voted against moving the bill out of committee. "My neighborhood associations told me they don't want them."

Neighborhood councils, which are in place in cities from Tacoma, Wash., to Boston, are designed to hand over more authority on community issues to individual residents. The councils, with elected representatives, either make formal requests to the city's elected leaders or have budgets and spending authority of their own.

In Tacoma, for example, residents in the south part of town recently voted to install speed bumps and signs on specific streets to slow down traffic. Now the City Council will consider that request among those from other neighborhood councils before approving money for the selected projects in April.

"We wouldn't assume that each neighborhood is the same and has the same needs," said Elton Gatewood, Tacoma's neighborhood councils coordinator.

Gatewood said the neighborhood councils help the elected leaders understand the diverse needs from revitalization of blighted downtown areas to open space needs in the northeast part of town.

Under the initial proposal in Las Vegas, the 12 neighborhood councils would have similar advisory-only power, but they would be eligible for a total of $60,000 handed out through the city's Neighborhood Services division.

But not Las Vegans agree formal boards are needed to advise their city council members and the mayor.

"When we do have a problem, we can go into the city staff or directly to the council and the mayor," Jerry Kosbab, leader of the Arthur McCants Neighborhood Association on the east side of town, said. "When I first heard about the proposal, I thought, 'What do we need this for?' "

Kosbab, 64, represents the city's largest neighborhood association, and he does not think the proposed councils are necessary to amplify his voice in government.

The creation of neighborhood councils in Las Vegas was first proposed in Mayor Jan Laverty Jones' 1998 State of the City address, but the idea never received full support from the City Council because of objections from neighborhood associations.

"They told us they think it just adds another layer to government and waters down the power they have," City Councilman Gary Reese said. "Until we find a way that it will be a benefit, I'm not willing to support it."

The city will now work with its neighborhood associations to explain why the councils are sought, in an effort to gain consensus on a new bill draft.

"These are not town boards that would usurp their power," said Sharon Segerblom, Neighborhood Services director. "We'll take the bill out and explain that it's a much more grass roots effort."

Tom and Anita Jackson, who live in the northwest portion of town, said they would welcome such a proposal.

"We don't belong to a neighborhood association," Anita Jackson said. "If you include everyone in a given area, it would seem to give everyone greater voice."

Tom Jackson agreed, adding: "How could you be against an effort to bring people closer to government?"

When the city of Los Angeles began to reform its charter last year, neighborhood councils were proposed as a way to narrow the distance between City Hall and outlying communities such as West Los Angeles, Venice and South Central -- each with their own specific issues.

A survey of residents conducted by Fairbank, Maslin and Maullin, found that while people favored the councils, each neighborhood had a different vision for how they should operate.

"When it comes to neighborhood governance, there doesn't appear to be a one-size-fits-all approach," said George Kieffer, chair of the Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission that examined neighborhood councils.

That, Reese said, is reason to treat formation of councils with care.

"Anytime people can have a greater impact on government, it's good," Reese said. "If we can get something that everyone agrees is best, it may be beneficial."