Retreat focuses on city’s needs

Mathis Winkler

Monday, Dec. 3, 2001 | 8:35 a.m.

They used pencils from the city of Henderson and met at a golf course in Las Vegas, but North Las Vegas was all City Council members had on their minds during a daylong retreat on Saturday.

The city's five elected leaders and 16 top officials, most dressed in casual shirts, jeans and sneakers, used the time to come up with priorities for the years ahead.

Rather than deciding on lofty visions for North Las Vegas' future, they were looking for specific ways to improve city government.

"We're not going to do any touchy-feely stuff," said Bob Cooper, Henderson's economic development manager, who led the discussions. "We're not going to come up with a vision or mission statement, but with priorities that will be helpful to staff."

To do so, council members first gathered lists of residents' concerns and top issues at council meetings. They talked about the city's assets and challenges in moving forward.

Councilwoman Shari Buck said constituents complained about letting the city's downtown area die as well as a lack in road improvements and parks.

Residents also wanted more places to shop and dine, Councilwoman Stephanie Smith added.

Mayor Michael Montandon said North Las Vegas still had to work on its image.

"We live in the shadow of Las Vegas," he said, adding that city officials struggled to provide adequate services.

Splitting into smaller working groups to discuss issues in detail, council members and city officials selected eight areas of city government that should get extra attention.

Many of the areas mirrored the priorities council members set at their last retreat two years ago -- quality growth, economic development, revitalization, recreation and public safety.

But they also added some others, such as public works projects to improve the community and consensus building among council members.

City Manager Kurt Fritsch said unity among city leaders was the most important factor to move ahead. While council members don't have to agree all the time, they have to honor the majority's decision.

Unity is the one issue "that we will hold the five of you to," he said. "You are our leaders."

Councilman Robert Eliason, the newest member on the board, described the retreat as "awesome.

"This is exactly what we needed to get this council together," he said.

And while the city's priorities will not change drastically after the meeting, Buck said she and her colleagues were ready to bring North Las Vegas up a notch.

"We want to raise the bar on what's being built here," she said. "We want to push ourselves more and push developers more."

City officials will go over notes from the retreat and present council members with an action plan by mid-January, Fritsch said.