City Council plans high-tech outreach

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000 | 11:12 a.m.

Not too long ago residents actually had to go to City Hall to witness government in action.

But first live television and now the Internet are making it possible to do both without even getting dressed and leaving home.

Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack today becomes the first wired one on the dais, with the ability to receive and send e-mail during the meeting.

"If it's really pertinent and they can't get to the meeting, they can send it to me marked 'urgent' and call my attention to a particular agenda item," Mack said.

Today's online experiment is the latest in a growing trend to link City Hall to neighborhoods in the far northwest, Summerlin and other outlying areas.

On Monday, Mack held an online chat for members of his Citizens Advisory Team. The group discussed standards for Town Center, the proposed commercial center in the northwest, the future expansion of Town Center and the possible naming of a section of the northwest with a moniker akin to Summerlin.

"It's a great way to get input, and we're going to try to do a chat like that once a month," Mack said.

Although the technology is proving a successful way to reach out to residents, Mack will also follow up on his online meetings with ones in a bricks and mortar setting.

The follow-up to Monday's chat, for example, will be held Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Betsy Rhodes Elementary School.

Citizens can e-mail Mack during today's meeting or afterward at mmack@ci.las-vegas.nv.us, but don't expect Mayor Oscar Goodman to follow in the councilman's footsteps.

Goodman is still more comfortable writing to constituents by regular mail and communicating to his staff with Post-It notes.

"I don't have time to figure it out," Goodman said recently, looking at the idle computer in his office. "I think I can turn it on."