City news briefs

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1999 | 10:09 a.m.

Sale of city cards to benefit sports Cable & Wireless Global Card Services unveiled the first official city of Las Vegas pre-paid telephone card during Monday's City Council meeting.

The card features the city seal and a photo of the city's skyline. Proceeds from the sale of the cards will be used in support of city youth sports programs and facilities.

Larry Sragow, regional sales manager for Cable & Wireless, presented Mayor Pro Tem Michael McDonald with an oversized 60-minute pre-paid card to show off the features.

Cards will be sold at stores throughout the city.

Agreement approved with design firm

The City Council on Monday approved an agreement with Harding Lawson Associates to prepare design and construction documents for the planned Fire Station No. 41 at Buffalo Drive and Wittig Road.

The council approved a $119,526 contract with Harding Lawson for civil engineering services. The amount includes a $6,000 contingency to be authorized by the director of fire services if necessary.

Lone Mountain action approved

City Council on Monday approved an ordinance to annex all 451.4 acres of Lone Mountain from county-zoned land into the city limits.

The annexation of the landmark in the Spring Mountains foothills in far northwest Las Vegas, affects the land west of Hualapai Way, between Gilmore Avenue and Lone Mountain Road.

Councilman Larry Brown said the city zoning allows for better control of development and maintains consistency with the density standards found in the neighboring city areas of Sun City and Summerlin.

The property owners, National Group #1, Limited Liability Co. requested the annexation.

Linking rate hikes to CPI approved

The City Council on Monday approved an ordinance that ties future rate increases from Silver State Disposal Services to increases in the Consumer Price Index, provided they don't exceed 6.5 percent in any year.

In 1994 Silver State hiked its rates 19 percent in Las Vegas and neighboring cities. Silver State has asked for rate hikes about every three or four years since 1985. The last Silver State increase was in April of 1994.

Silver State is now able to raise its rates by the same percentage as the CPI's increase from Dec. 31, 1997 to Dec. 31, 1998. The first time Silver State would be eligible to increase rates would be July 1, 1999, according to Deputy City Manager Steven Houchens.

The ordinance also allows the City Council to approve an alternative method for adjusting rates and charges -- apart from the CPI -- in the event of an unforeseen economic circumstance.

The County Commission and the Henderson and North Las Vegas city councils approved similar ordinances with Silver State last week.

Adamsen, Brown named to panel

Councilmen Arnie Adamsen and Larry Brown were appointed Monday to serve as the city's representatives on the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition.

The City Council approved the agreement forming the coalition on Dec. 7. Two of the city's elected officials needed to be appointed to the coalition by Jan. 21.

Bill would change election precincts

The City Council introduced a bill Monday that would add an additional voter precinct to Ward 2 and delete two precincts from Ward 4.

The bill proposes to add Precinct 3195 to Ward 2. Precinct 3195 will be split out of Precinct 3008 in Ward 2. Those requests came from Sun City residents.

The bill also proposes the deletion of Precinct 3020 of Ward 4, which will be merged with Precinct 3019. Precinct 3020 was a mail precinct with 67 voters in 1997. With this merger, the voters will have a polling location.

The bill also proposes to delete Precinct 3067 in Ward 4 and merge it with Precinct 3068, also of Ward 4. Precinct 3067 had no population in 1997.

The bill will be heard by the Recommending Committee on Monday.

Sportspark deal approved by Council

After a decade of icy reception over a planned ice rink, the chills will be found in an appropriate place beginning next month.

Las Vegas Sportspark Ltd. has entered into an agreement with the city to build and operate a $6 million, 19-acre recreation complex that includes an ice rink, roller rink and three softball fields.

The city will oversee certain aspects of the operation, including prices, hours and accessibility.

The park is planned in western Las Vegas and will include a row of windows in the arena that provides a panoramic view of the Strip.