Candidates for new City Council seats get out to meet the people

Jace Radke

Friday, Oct. 1, 1999 | 10:25 a.m.

Candidates for the new Ward 5 Las Vegas City Council seat don't need to persuade voters they are the person for the job, but that didn't stop three candidates from meeting with the public Thursday night.

About 20 people were at the West Las Vegas Library to meet Uri Clinton, the Rev. Marion Bennett and Katherine Duncan-Briley, all of whom are hoping to be named to the City Council.

Both the Ward 5 and 6 seats, which will bring the City Council up to seven members, will be appointed by the mayor and the current council, but Clinton said it was important to meet the people he could be representing.

"I will be at every possible public forum because it's important to reach out to the community," said Clinton, a 27-year-old mediation specialist for Clark County Social Services and a recent law school graduate. "There is a difference between the candidates who reach out to the community and those who try to slip into the back door."

Bennett, 66, also said he felt it was important to know the community and added that there will soon be a vote on the new council seats.

"Right now the mayor and council will pick these new seats, but in a year and a few months the people will be able to vote on them," Bennett said.

Other candidates for the Ward 5 seat who did not attend included Mujahid Ramadan, 47, Harvey Munford, 59, Al Gallego, 62 and Lawrence Weekly, 35.

Weekly, a ward liaison for Councilman Gary Reese, is considered a front runner for the position by many in City Hall, and said early Thursday that he would not be attending the forum.

"I stand firm behind what I've said in the past, and that is that this is an appointment process and not an election," Weekly said. "Also there is an art show at the Sahara Library tonight, and as a Library Board member I'll be attending."

The three candidates who attended the forum answered questions on a variety of subjects, including the deconsolidation of Metro Police, ward boundaries, bringing business opportunities to Ward 5 and conserving the area's history.

The candidates also explained how residents could make their feelings about who should represent Ward 5 known to the mayor and the City Council.

"At the Oct. 6 meeting the council will be taking nominations for the open seats, and if you can get down there you will be able to address the subject," said Duncan-Briley, a community activist and 22-year Las Vegas resident.

Clinton also suggested that citizens write, e-mail, fax and call the council and mayor to give their input into the appointment process.

The new Ward 5 includes parts of downtown and West Las Vegas, and Ward 6 takes in areas in the northwest north of Craig Road.