LV council briefs for August 17, 2000

Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000 | 9:55 a.m.

Haugsness will head new unit

The city of Las Vegas' massive Public Works Department got a little less unwieldy Wednesday.

The City Council approved a promotion for Larry Haugsness by naming him director of a new Department of Field Operations.

Haugsness, who was the city's assistant public works director, now will oversee the department that will handle the maintenance of buildings and infrastructure.

Field Operations will include building and vehicle services and two other divisions encompassing 360 employees.

Haugsness, who has worked for the city for 14 years, will make $109,306.

Boost planned for Municipal Court

Judges who fill in at Las Vegas Municipal Court would get a raise under a proposal unveiled Wednesday.

The proposed ordinance would increase the compensation for alternate judges from $75 to $100 per court session.

Court Administrator Michael Havemann said the increase is needed to attract qualified people to serve. The current amount has remained unchanged in 10 years.

A public hearing on the proposal will be held 4 p.m. Sept. 5 in the city manager's conference room. After that hearing, the measure must come back before the full council for a vote.

Community center in the works

A proposed sale of $12 million in bonds would fund a community and senior center in eastern Las Vegas.

An ordinance introduced at Wednesday's City Council meeting authorizes the sale of medium-term building bonds to fund the proposed project at Eastern and Stewart avenues.

The public has a chance to comment on the sale of bonds during the Recommending Committee meeting Sept. 5 at 4 p.m.

Kern named to audit committee

Two respected members of the business community were appointed Wednesday to city committees.

Michael W. Kern, a certified public accountant with the firm Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern, was appointed to a vacant community-at-large seat on the Audit Oversight Committee.

Mayor Oscar Goodman and Councilmen Lawrence Weekly and Michael Mack abstained from the vote because Kern served as treasurer or accountant for their campaigns.

Kern was unanimously approved by the rest of the council.

Local attorney Bruce Levin was unanimously approved to fill a vacant seat with the City Centre Development Corp.