County briefs for January 3, 2002

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 9:37 a.m.

The County Commission on Wednesday ratified County Manager Thom Reilly's decision to hire Albert Godwin as director of the Building Department.

Godwin, who graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, has been the top building official in Fort Worth, Texas, for the past six years.

Reilly said a committee whittled down 40 applicants to four, who were then interviewed by Reilly and Assistant County Manager Rick Holmes.

"This is exciting to me," Godwin told commissioners. "For years I could only read about Las Vegas casinos and their designs. To participate is really thrilling."

Attorney dropped from committee

A Las Vegas attorney was bumped at least temporarily from a committee assembled Wednesday to address helicopter noise issues.

After writing a letter welcoming Laura Fitzsimmons to the Advisory Committee on Helicopter Noise, Aviation Director Randy Walker told county commissioners he had concerns about the appointment.

Walker said Fitzsimmons has represented clients who have filed condemnation lawsuits against the airport. He said one case is still pending.

Fitzsimmons, miffed at Walker's change of heart, said she has no cases pending and told Walker she would not take helicopter noise cases while she serves on the two-year committee. Fitzsimmons said she was interested in serving on the committee as a resident, not a lawyer.

"The only reason I wanted to serve on the committee is that I live near Rancho and Alta -- helicopter junction," Fitzsimmons said.

The attorney wrote letters to the board Wednesday and will appear at the Jan. 15 meeting to plead her case.

Ordinance is introduced

An ordinance requiring retail store owners to install a restraining system to keep shopping carts on their property was introduced by the Clark County Commission Wednesday.

The new law, which cannot be passed until a public hearing is held Jan. 15, is designed to reduce the number of abandoned shopping carts that litter the Las Vegas Valley.

Retail stores might have to pay as much as $100,000 to install the systems.