Las Vegas Council briefs

Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000 | 11:12 a.m.

Spending

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

To the Regional Transportation Commission to provide an area-wide natural gas fueling system.

To American Productivity & Quality Center Consulting Group for an audit of the city's Public Works Department's engineering functions.

To Stewart & Stevenson Power Inc. for engine replacement parts.

To create a new position, Neighborhood Response Supervisor.

Mixed-income units planned on Gass Ave.

Calling it a historic step for downtown's future, the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday approved plans for a mixed-use apartment complex.

The Tom Hom Group of San Diego was authorized to proceed with plans for a 47-unit mixed-income complex on city-owned land at Las Vegas Boulevard and Gass Avenue.

The $6.7 million project was allocated $4.1 million in private activity bonds through the city's Neighborhood Services Department in August. However, developers were urged by the council to find an alternative site.

Will Newbern, president of the Tom Hom Group, said it would have cost about $1 million more for any of the alternate sites identified by city staff.

The project will be four stories with retail uses on the ground floor. It will be a mix of affordable and market-rate housing with prospective rents ranging from $500 to $700 a month for the 11 to 20 affordable units and $900 to $1,000 a month for the market rate.

Members will keep their jobs now

Las Vegas planning commissioners were spared their jobs Wednesday despite a change in city code making their terms concurrent with council members terms.

The ordinance, which passed unanimously, applies to future appointments only. Council members will rotate making recommendations to the council for appointment.

They started on that path Wednesday when Mayor Oscar Goodman decided to appoint Rick Truesdell to the seat currently held by Hank Gordon, whose term ran out last fall. Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald then appointed Gordon to fill the seat vacated by new Councilman Michael Mack.

Councilman Gary Reese held for two weeks his appointment to fill the seat vacated by Leni Skaar, who now works on Mack's staff.

Plans denied for discount store

The Las Vegas City Council struck down plans for a Costco discount store Wednesday evening following more than three hours of debate over the store's impact on traffic in the neighborhood.

The council unanimously denied plans for the 151,612-square-foot store on Charleston Boulevard between Fort Apache Road and Odette Lane.

Little change seen on various boards

The changing of the guard for the City Council wasn't much of a change at all Wednesday when board and commission positions were appointed by Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Michael McDonald retained the position of mayor pro tem and his position on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. He was also appointed to the Audit Oversight Committee, the Emergency Operations Committee, the Las Vegas Valley Water District, the Yucca Mountain Oversight Committee and the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.

Goodman appointed himself to the Audit Oversight Committee, the LVCVA, the Nevada Development Authority, the Regional Flood and Regional Transportation commissions and the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition.

The only contention came when newly appointed Councilman Lawrence Weekly asked Councilman Gary Reese if he would be willing to give up his seat on the Economic Opportunity Board because most of its agencies deal specifically with Weekly's Ward 5.

Reese refused, citing EOB's work countywide.

More time proposed for new certification

In response to a protest from massage therapists about a recent ordinance, the City Council introduced an amended version Wednesday.

The new measure, which will now go to the Recommending Committee for a hearing, would give existing licensed massage therapists 120 days to comply with the original ordinance's provisions.

The extra time was requested by massage therapists, who said it would be impossible to earn the type of certification requested in the first ordinance under the time constraint it established.