City Council briefs

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 | 10:10 a.m.

Spending

Here is how the Las Vegas City Council voted Wednesday to spend taxpayer money:

To MMC Inc. for technical headwork at the city's Water Pollution Control Facility.

For a Regional Transportation Commission contract for construction of Flamingo Road from the Las Vegas Beltway to Durango Drive.

For an RTC agreement with a supplemental amount for Windmill Lane street improvements.

For projects adjacent to Regional Flood Control District detention basins.

To Leader Industries for two super duty rescue units to be used by the Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

For RTC agreement for bicycle route "share the road" signs.

Goodman gets friend on board

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman now has an ally on the City Centre Development Corp. board.

His friend and law partner, Marty Keach, was unanimously appointed to a newly created eighth position on the board Wednesday.

The seat was created because Goodman wanted Keach on the board, and City Centre's bylaws required the current vacant position to be filled by an architect.

"I believe there has to be communication between the City Council and the City Centre Development Corp.," Goodman said in supporting the motion made by Councilman Larry Brown.

In a related move, the council appointed architect Steve Swisher to fill the City Centre seat vacated when Tom Schoeman resigned. The council also amended City Centre's bylaws to create the eighth seat.

Even though the board will now have eight seats, the quorum for meetings will remain four. City Centre is the city's private sector redevelopment arm.

Council approves deal with Carriage

The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday approved a lease agreement with Carriage Services of Houston to take over all operations at Woodlawn Cemetery on Las Vegas Boulevard North.

Carriage will lease the cemetery for a period of 10 years, with three five-year extensions possible. The city is leasing Woodlawn because the cemetery has become a $500,000- to $800,000-a-year drain on budget funds.

Under terms of the agreement, Carriage will pay $50,000 a year to the city. The city will pay half of the cemetery's water bill, an estimated $50,000 expense. By breaking even on the lease deal the city will actually save between $13 million and $15 million in expenses over the course of the agreement.

Carriage will take over as soon as its state sales licensing is approved.

The city's employees who work at Woodlawn will be transferred to parks and recreation positions.

Resolution supports bistate proposal

The Las Vegas City Council gave its blessing Wednesday to two projects seen as crucial elements to attract tourists and businesses to Southern Nevada.

The council passed a resolution supporting the efforts of the California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission to provide a high-speed train link between Las Vegas and Anaheim.

The board also approved a resolution supporting the Nevada Film Office's development of a website promoting Nevada to the film industry.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt requested members of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition to support the website, which will be set up using state funds.

Goynes appointed to fill vacated seat

Byron Goynes, a member of the city's Board of Zoning Adjustment, was appointed Wednesday to a vacant seat on the Planning Commission.

Councilman Lawrence Weekly recommended Goynes to fill the seat vacated when Leni Skaar resigned to work for Councilman Michael Mack.