NLV council briefs for November 2, 2000

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000 | 10:18 a.m.

Construction to start on facility

After more than a year of planning, construction of an $8.9 million recreation center is expected to begin at the end of this month.

Clark County will kick in an extra $3 million that is needed to fund the project, covering the cost of a swimming pool and up-front payment of $300,000 for annual debt service for 10 years.

Parks Director Kenneth Albright said construction should begin at the end of the month or early next month.

The contract was awarded to Pace Construction, a local general contractor.

The North Las Vegas City Council voted to send a letter asking Pace not to use Jetstream Construction as its subcontractor. More than a dozen members of the Carpenters Union attended the meeting to object to the use of Jetstream, a drywall-installation company.

Jetstream was barred from bidding on projects for the Clark County School District after it agreed to a settlement with six Hispanic employees who claimed company officials required kickbacks of $200 to $280 a week in order to keep their jobs. The company paid the workers $6,200 but admitted no wrongdoing.

The project includes construction of a 41,000-square-foot building that will house a main gymnasium, aerobics/dance room, fitness room, multi-purpose room, meeting/recreation rooms, classrooms, offices, a kitchen, and more.

Police to enforce laws on bus stops

The council has finalized an ordinance that will allow police officers to enforce laws prohibiting people from consuming alcohol or sleeping at a bus stop.

The ordinance, modeled after an ordinance adopted by the city of Las Vegas in 1994, is intended to prevent people from interfering with the intended use of a bus stop bench or shelter.

David Buer, a Franciscan brother and an advocate for the homeless, told the council that the timing of the ordinance is unfortunate, because winter is nearing and there aren't enough beds at local shelters.

Buer said at times a bus shelter is the only place the homeless can get out of the cold.

Police Chief Joey Tillmon agreed to work with Buer to redirect homeless men who are found at a bus shelter to a homeless center.

Mayor Michael Montandon said the ordinance is the only way that the shelters can be safe for those who use it.

"The bus stop shelters have too many legitimate uses, that we damage those uses if we allow them to be used as shelters," Montandon said.

The North Las Vegas Police Department

soon will have new vehicles. The city will purchase 28 new police cars for $647,950 and eight motorcycles for $70,377. The new vehicles will replace older ones that are beyond repair.