Boulder City mayor thanks everyone in his State of the City speech

Jeffrey Libby

Thursday, Jan. 11, 2001 | 10:30 a.m.

Boulder City Mayor Robert Ferraro spoke Wednesday night of the accomplishments of others in his State of the City address.

In a short, tightly scripted speech, Ferraro took time to thank everyone from the fire chief to the chamber of commerce for their contributions to the town.

He took no credit himself.

"Give 'em a hand," the mayor growled, flashing his hand into the air.

The packed crowd of about 100, which spilled from the council chambers into a hallway narrowed by department displays, obliged him on each occasion.

"Even the most casual observer has to notice the change in our community," Ferraro said. "This improvement is not just in aesthetics but in attitude as well. A collective pride has engulfed our town."

Ferraro, serving his 24th year as mayor, attributed the shift in large part to volunteerism. He called it part of a renaissance that began in the late 1990s with the healing of a rift between the council and residents. He said the rebirth would continue well into the 21st century.

"It's our volunteers that make this city tick," he said. "If we didn't have them, we wouldn't be the progressive city we are."

Local organizations volunteered time to plant 2,400 trees and 2,500 shrubs along four miles of Adams Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Drive, the mayor said. They planted more trees at the community gardens and along U.S. 93 at the eastern entrance to the town.

Tops on the mayor's list of the city's accomplishments for 2000 was the adoption of a strategic plan for future budgeting and capital investment.

He asked each person of the seven-member planning panel to stand up and be thanked by the crowd.

The strategic plan will allow the city to balance spending and revenue while maintaining a 20 percent savings account, he said.

The mayor then outlined the accomplishments of each of the city departments.

Public safety rated as his top priority.

"Has anyone even counted all the antennas on our police vehicles? They look like a porcupine on wheels," Ferraro said. "And that's because they're the best-equipped vehicles in Southern Nevada."

He also thanked Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, a resident of Boulder City, for his help negotiating state aid for construction of a $4.7 million public library.

Ferraro applauded Councilman Bryan Nix's effort as a member of the Regional Transportation Commission in securing $2.3 million in state money for improvements to Veterans Memorial Drive.

The mayor said his priority for this year would be building a 40-unit assisted-living facility for the elderly. By next year that facility could be expanded to 80 units, he said.

"We have an aging population, people in dire need of that help," the mayor said. "A number of these people were here at the very, very beginning. We have a number of people we still call the 31-ers. They came here to construct the dam."

Their sons and daughters, now in their 70s, also need assistance, the mayor said.

Many spectators said afterward they enjoyed the 35-minute speech. Some said they liked it because it was short. Others said they were pleased to hear that an improved rating for the fire department would result in lower insurance costs and slightly lower taxes. Another woman looked forward to movies at the recreation center.