NLV council briefs for Nov. 6, 2003

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003 | 9:23 a.m.

Funding for new cops is questioned

A North Las Vegas Police report that calls for four new police stations and more than tripling the number of officers by 2020 or 2025 is a good plan, but one that could be hard to pay for, City Council members said Wednesday.

"We're obviously growing and we're obviously adding police," Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said. "But where is the money going to come from, we don't know yet."

Smith's fellow council members had similar reactions to the plan, which was presented to them by Police Chief Mark Paresi on Wednesday.

Mayor Michael Montandon said that while the city's budget is growing, it's not growing fast enough to keep up with the demands for more spending.

"We have similar concerns with fire, roads and parks," Montandon said.

While no costs are included in the report, new police officers currently cost about $69,000 a year each, which would mean about $8.4 million a year in new personnel costs by 2005 if the plan is followed. Also, city officials said a new police headquarters would probably cost about $42 million.

City manager gets 5-year pact

The North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday gave new City Manager Gregory Rose a five-year contract that will pay him $147,000 for his first year on the job, and give him $6,000 raises at the end of the first and third years of his contract.

Rose's contract is similar to the contract of former City Manager Kurt Fritsch, who was fired by the council on July 16. One noticeable difference is a clause that states that if parts of the contract conflict with the City Charter, then the rules in the contract prevail.

Fritsch has sued the city over his firing, alleging that the city followed terms in the charter instead of the contract.

Rose had been an assistant city manager under Fritsch, and was named acting city manager nine days after Fritsch was fired.

The council appointed Rose to the position permanently on Oct. 1.

School bus yard raises concerns

The Clark County School District is hoping to put a new school bus yard in northern North Las Vegas, but city elected leaders don't like the district's first and second choices for the yard.

City Council members decided Wednesday to try to work with the district to get them to put the yard near the Interstate 15 and Las Vegas Beltway interchange at Centennial Parkway and Lamb Boulevard.

What the council members don't want is a bus yard farther west off the beltway. The district's top two choices are land near where Revere Street hits the beltway. However, officials said new residential development will soon surround those properties.

Farmers market considered in city

A farmers market may be coming to North Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, the council asked city staff to investigate how expensive running a farmers market would be and whether it might work out better if the city contracted with someone who arranges farmers markets.

City Community Development Director Jacque Risner said the additional information probably will be presented to the council in early January.