North Las Vegas council briefs for July 19, 2001

Thursday, July 19, 2001 | 11:23 a.m.

Council wants to stay involved

North Las Vegas council members said Wednesday they want to stay actively involved in air quality issues.

Their comments came in response to the designation last month of the Clark County Commission as the sole air quality agency by Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Guinn had vetoed legislation creating a consolidated air quality agency that would have included representatives from each local entity, because the Legislature failed to fund it. The County Commission offered to fund air quality initiatives if it received the designation.

As the council met Wednesday night, City Manager Kurt Fritsch asked where the city stands on the issue and warned that it should not take the stand of "going to war with the county."

Mayor Michael Montandon said he would like the city to be very involved in the creation of the rules, charters and guidelines for the organization.

Mayor appointed to board

The North Las Vegas City Council made three new appointments to boards Wednesday.

Mayor Michael Montandon moved to reappoint himself to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority for a two-year term, but the other three council members turned down that request. Instead, Councilman Robert Eliason moved to appoint Montandon for a one-year term, which was approved unanimously.

"Ninety percent of our boards have a one-year term, and I just wanted it to follow the same lines as the others," said Eliason, who had asked July 5 that the appointment be delayed.

Eliason was appointed to the Clark County Board of Health and the North Las Vegas Library District Board of Trustees. Sheila Rex and Laurie Porritt were reappointed to the North Las Vegas Library District Board of Trustees.

Police funding accepted

A $381,792 federal grant was accepted for the North Las Vegas Police Department by the City Council.

The renewable grant of $381,792, from the Justice Department, will put more laptop computers in patrol cars, allowing officers to look up criminal history information without help from dispatch.

"It eliminates a waste of time," Police Capt. Ed Finize said.