North Las Vegas considers budget priorities

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Jan. 21, 2000 | 2:52 a.m.

More needs than cash

North Las Vegas city departments are asking for $25 million more than what is available in next year's budget. Although the budget is expected to increase by 6 to 8 percent, the city does not have all the funds to fulfill the requests of all departments.

City Clerk: $470,000

Municipal court: 182,000

Detention: 428,900

Fire: 4,339,000

Parks & Recreation: 2,924,200

Finance: 2,000

City attorney: 5,000

Human resources: 531,426

Development: 1,321,301

Public works: 2,786,136

Police: 7,512,000

Water & Sewer: 4,437,797

Library: 10,700

Total: $24,950,460

A budget review of the city of North Las Vegas shows a city on target, but possibly faced with a gaping $25 million hole to fill next year.

City departments are asking for $25 million over and above what is expected in revenue for fiscal year 2000-2001, which begins July 30.

And city residents seem to be split on where the additional funds should go, and how the pie should be divided.

Although preliminary figures show next year's revenues up by $5.9 million, there may only be $2 million left over from the current budget to carry over into the next year to cover the requests.

"What we have is an extraordinary amount of demands from all departments from what is often realistic needs," City Manager Pat Importuna said.

Resident Evie Kinney says one realistic need is for funds for a police department, which is already struggling to keep up with growth. A recent audit shows the department needs more officers and new headquarters.

"The first priority we need in North Las Vegas is an infrastructure of police and fire before there is any new development," she said. "This is not being addressed."

Importuna said he will systematically go through each request to decide how best to divide the finds. He said he must consider what allocations are mandated by law, what has previously been directed by the council, and what the priorities are within the department and between the departments.

"North Las Vegas is one of those cities that always seem to just get by and then have a little something left over," he said. "We haven't enjoyed such an influx of growth economically that we get a spike in revenue."

He admits that public safety, including fire, police and the detention center, is of the upmost importance. Those three departments are asking for more than $12.3 million in supplemental funds.

Resident Jay Craddock has another request -- he has told the City Council at numerous meetings that the real need is for additional parks and recreational areas for the city's more than 117,000 residents.

The parks department is asking for more than $5 million in excess funds -- more than originally reported by the finance department.

Parks director Eric Dabney said a great deal of the money the department is requesting will go toward improving older parks throughout the city, and funding more festivals and special events.

Fire Department Deputy Chief Jim Stubler said the majority of the $4.3 the department is asking for will go toward equipping, staffing and construction of a fifth fire station in the city's northwest.

The city has already mapped out a tentative location for the fire station: the southwest corner of Washburn Road and Allen Lane near Theron H. Goynes Park. The station would house two fire trucks and a search and rescue team.

"If the City Council chooses to reduce your budget, you have to operate on what they give you," Stubler said, adding there are no federal funds available for fire departments.

City Finance Director Vytas Vaitkus said some departments will be able to make do without the total amount, because of outside funding resources.

For example, he said, the police department and parks department have separate, outside funding sources such as grants, which can be utilized.

For the current mid-year budget, the city looks on-track, having spent 47 percent in expenditures and having gained 46 percent in revenues.

A tentative budget will be filed in April, and the City Council will hold a special meeting in May to review and adopt the final budget.