Las Vegas council briefs for July 5, 2002

Friday, July 5, 2002 | 8:42 a.m.

Intersection will close during days

The Bonneville Avenue and Sixth Street intersection will be closed to traffic next week.

Starting on Monday and continuing through Friday, the intersection will be closed to traffic from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. to allow pavement reconstruction.

While the closure is in effect, The Bonneville and Sixth intersection should reopen by approximately 5 p.m. each day and should return to full access on July 12.

City to narrow list for manager

The City Council could make a decision early next month on a new city manager, replacing Virginia Valentine, who resigned in May.

Claudette Enus, the city's human resources director, was directed by the City Council on Wednesday to narrow the list of 15 candidates to the top five, who will be invited to the council's Aug. 7 meeting.

At that meeting, the candidates will be asked to give a 3-to 5-minute presentation, at which the council can also ask questions. After the presentations, the council may make a decision on who should become the new city manager or postpone a decision.

Work approved on two parks

Downtown Las Vegas and the northwest are on their way to getting new parks.

The Las Vegas City Council approved an agreement with URS Corp. to design Civic Square Park, which would surround the downtown post office.

The $105,903 agreement will go toward designing the park, slated for three-quarters of an acre, adjacent to Fourth Street and Stewart Avenue where a parking lot currently sits.

The council also approved a $54,175 design agreement with Marriotti Landscape Architecture to design the second phase of Police Memorial Park in the northwest.

City officials want to construct the second phase on 11 acres at Cheyenne Avenue and Conquistador Street, which will include additional grass and landscaping.

Massage licenses needed

Massage therapists and reflexologists will be required to obtain a business license and submit to a thorough background check, according to a new ordinance adopted by the council.

The new bill was prompted by the council's concerns that massage establishments were acting as fronts for prostitution. Last month the council revoked temporary business licenses from two massage establishment owners after Metro Police uncovered acts of prostitution and other violations.

The new bill will put the licensing of all massage establishments in the hands of the city by requiring massage therapists, accupressurists and reflexologists to obtain a business license, rather than the typical work card issued by Metro.

The bill also gives the business license director authority to approve or deny a massage therapist license. Currently, the department is not involved in the process.

Current massage therapists can continue working under the work card requirements until Oct. 1. After that date massage therapists must obtain a business license. The semiannual license fee is $75.

Developer given additional time

Texas-based Southwest Sports Group will have 30 additional days to finalize a development agreement for 61 acres west of downtown.

The council approved a second extension for the developer in order to complete a proposed agreement for the site. Once the plans are submitted, city staff members will review them and present them to the council Sept. 18, nearly a year after the council selected Southwest as the proposed master developer.