New department will concentrate on development

Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 | 8:56 a.m.

With some officials concerned the city may be lagging behind other communities in attracting business, North Las Vegas will create a department in July to focus solely on economic development.

Council members have informally given their blessing to create an Economic Development Department at a cost of $284,000 a year. The proposal will be part of the city's 2005-2006 budget up for consideration in May.

The oversight for economic development falls to Michael Majewski, who currently is second to Jory Stewart, the planning and development director.

Majewski will have his own department responsible for economic development and redevelopment and will report to City Manager Gregory Rose.

Some council members such as Shari Buck said it's frustrating that North Las Vegas has lost out to Henderson and other communities in landing companies in recent years. She said she wondered what the city has done wrong and what it needs to do to make the locale more appealing.

Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said the city needs to spend money on economic development to be on the cutting edge and not playing catch-up.

"The world changes, and we need to be prepared for it," Smith said. "We have done some great things, but that doesn't mean things don't change. By focusing on (economic development), we keep in the running with everyone else. We are growing so fast that we need to make sure we are covering all the bases."

The new department proposed by Rose creates two positions in the city responsible for marketing and helping local businesses expand and cut through bureaucracy.

The city plans to promote its redevelopment areas for investment, as well as to coordinate future land sales of the Bureau of Land Management and oversee development strategies and promotions for the Cheyenne Technology Corridor along Cheyenne Avenue.

Majewski's office will also seek investment from foreign companies and will work with local firms to export products. The city will hire a researcher to gather up-to-date demographic data that companies seek on the work force and other parts of the city, officials said.

Mayor Michael Montandon said the added expense is worth it for the city's economic future. He said there's no program, tax or revenue that is more important than the city creating jobs for its residents.

As one example mentioned, the city may have lost out in attracting firms such as Ocean Spray Cranberries that located a bottling operation in Henderson 10 years ago, though the North Las Vegas officials did point to some of the city's successes.

Majewski included among the successes the Cheyenne Technology Corridor. Where once there was nothing, there are dozens of companies that created thousands of jobs, including defense contractors such as DynCorp that serves Nellis Air Force Base.

However, the pride in such successes is somewhat deflated as other businesses exit the community.

"I don't know if there were things that we were doing wrong, but for some reason for every person we land, somebody makes a decision to go to Kingman, Ariz., Henderson or Mesquite," Montandon said. "It is just competitive."

Majewski said there will be more of a focus on economic development with a new department rather than having it fall under the city planning division.

Sharon Powers, executive director of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, said her organization is excited about the new department. She said the city has attracted companies even without this, but is glad it is following the lead of other cities like Henderson.

"Henderson obviously has a very aggressive economic development department," Powers said. "They go out and visit and travel and are probably one up on North Las Vegas, but then again North Las Vegas has some things over Henderson. But I am impressed with what Henderson has been getting. They have been going after private colleges and health care."

North Las Vegas is expected to get a UNLV campus and veterans hospital, Powers said.