Goodman an old hand at City Hall

Erin Neff

Thursday, June 10, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

Oscar Goodman was no stranger to City Hall when he made his first official visit as mayor-elect Wednesday.

Goodman had already toured the building from floors one to 10 on two occasions and had met with City Manager Virginia Valentine for help guiding his platform and understanding the city's issues.

Everyone from secretaries to council members say they are impressed by Goodman's energy and have none of the trepidation some believed would accompany a 35-year criminal defense attorney's ascendency to the Las Vegas throne.

"Oscar has done an incredible job of going around to all the departments and talking to people," Valentine said. "He's done everything any candidate could have done."

Goodman's visits to City Hall were not just grip and grab handshake moments. He stopped in every department, chatting up clerks and managers and handing out campaign buttons and bumper stickers.

The effort seems to have paid off.

One employee said she was stunned when the man drawing international media attention personally returned a phone call about one of her suggestions.

Another said Goodman's visits created a buzz that's still ringing in anticipation of his swearing-in June 28.

"It's a really exciting time for the city," said Rick Anderson, human resources director. "Mr. Goodman has a great amount of enthusiasm and seems committed to working with the city manager and the staff."

But Goodman hasn't just made the rounds at Fourth Street and Stewart Avenue. He has also been to most of the city's outlying business and community centers and spent time getting to know people in the planning, traffic and parks offices spread throughout downtown.

"My goal is to know everyone's name in City Hall," Goodman said. "I'm planning to treat people with respect, because if you treat people with respect and say good morning to them, they'll have better morale."

Goodman spent part of Wednesday meeting City Councilmen Larry Brown, Michael McDonald and Gary Reese.

All four said they are committed to working together.

"Sure there's going to be a learning curve for Oscar because he's so new to this," Brown said. "But he's a sharp guy and he'll get the hang of it right away."

Brown also joked he would be researching the scores of Harvard and University of Pennsylvania athletic contests to determine whether his crimson and white alma mater can boast something over Goodman's Ivy League education.

Even with all the local focus, the media-savvy Goodman has made time for the national and international media.

He was scheduled to appear on CNN's "Larry King Live" program Wednesday night but was bumped when a peace agreement in Kosovo was signed.

This morning the defense attorney smiled and touted the city for the nation in an appearance on NBC's "Today" show.

Co-host Matt Lauer mentioned Goodman's nickname "Mouthpiece for the mob" and asked the new mayor-elect about that reputation and the city's image as a result.

"No planes stopped the day I was elected," Goodman said. "They didn't turn around at the border."

Now, he told Lauer, "I'm going to be the mouthpiece for Las Vegas."