LV City Council develops new mission statement

Diana Sahagun

Monday, Aug. 20, 2001 | 11:21 a.m.

After spending a day away from their families and City Hall, members of the Las Vegas City Council Sunday in Mesquite developed a new mission statement designed to give new and established residents an idea of what to expect from their city's leaders.

The city's old mission statement, drafted by a prior council, failed to capture the essence of what the city has and will become, Mayor Oscar Goodman said.

According to the old mission statement, the city of Las Vegas is "recognized locally, nationally and internationally as a world-class city, a leader in public sector innovation, and a singularly livable city."

The new vision says that Las Vegas is "a vibrant, vital, diverse city of opportunity in which all citizens can live affordably, safely and know they will be heard."

The council spent about six hours inside a meeting room at the Casa Blanca hotel-casino before finalizing the new statement.

Craig Holt, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant, was paid $5,000 to help the council give City Manager Virginia Valentine direction regarding the city's priorities over the next several years. Facing a tight budget this fiscal year and the next, the council will have to determine what services should continue to be funded, and which should not.

The city spent $11,000 for the retreat, which includes food and lodging for the council and department directors, city spokesman David Riggleman said. On Sunday, Goodman said a plan to develop the inner core of downtown and preserve the outlying areas of the city should be a priority. Goodman said for the city to thrive the inner core must first be saved.

With the future of 61 acres of prime downtown real estate at stake, the council must determine how it wants the property developed and how many resources should be targeted for the property.

During the next several months Valentine will meet with department heads to determine what resources are being used and where resources are lacking.