LOOKING IN ON: SUBURBS

By Mike Trask (contact)

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007 | 7:38 a.m.

There were some big-city issues in Boulder City last week, such as more talk about how to come up with $26 million to pay for a third water intake valve into Lake Mead and the formation of a committee to examine the city's finances.

And there were the usual small-town issues, such as looking at forming new rules for parking large vehicles on the narrow streets.

And as sometimes is the case in Boulder City, there were a few strange topics, specifically the half-hour discussion about the possibility that the news media could make the city look terrible.

A brief discussion about the intake valve during Tuesday's council meeting resulted in little progress. Mayor Roger Tobler called the process a "waiting game" as the city reviews its finances and explores bond possibilities.

The city will have about $3 million from its capital improvement fund to put toward the cost. Where the other $23 million will come from is uncertain.

The obvious answer seems to be selling some of the 107,000 acres the city owns in the Eldorado Valley. But selling land in Boulder City requires voter approval and residents often have rejected sales. In June voters narrowly turned down selling 30 acres in a residential area.

"There could be interest for commercial development instead of residential," Tobler said, citing some parcels along Industrial Road. "We need a strong financial picture to show residents what we need and when we need it."

The city's financial picture will be getting a thorough examination by a new financial advisory committee.

The five-member panel will meet in December and January to look at the city's books prior to the establishment of next year's budget.

Last week the council set standards for the appointed members, requiring them to have bachelor's degrees in finance, economics, accounting or business. Finance Director Timothy Inch will attend the meetings.

The group will be asked to explore ways to pay for the intake and to examine other aspects of city spending, including the two city-owned golf courses.

The ongoing discussion about parking recreational vehicles on city streets will continue with a community meeting to be scheduled following the holiday season.

Councilwoman Linda Strickland's e-mail box has been filled since she broached the idea of establishing stricter rules for RV parking in response to safety and aesthetic concerns. The parking issue also leads to neighborhood strife, Strickland said.

Some residents favor limits to make streets safer for children. Others, however, have said that forcing them to put their vehicles into storage would violate their rights. One man at last week's meeting even used a vastly overstated Nazi comparison.

So there's little doubt the community meeting will be heated.

The odd debate over media relations in Boulder City might finally be wrapped up after nearly two months of on-again, off-again public discussion.

City Manager Vicki Mayes has set a new policy allowing department heads to respond to media inquiries.

Previously, Mayes attempted to be the primary city administrator available for interviews other than elected officials and the city clerk and city attorney, who are under direct supervision of the council. That policy had varying degrees of success.

Councilman Travis Chandler and Strickland had pushed for a policy change, a move that spawned more than one debate over the merits of open government.

Chandler even attempted to pass a resolution to establish accessibility standards for the press. That failed on a 2-2 vote, with Chandler and Strickland in favor and Tobler and Councilwoman Andrea Anderson opposed. Councilman Mike Pacini was absent.

"I think there may be a circumstance down the road where we have an investigative reporter out for blood and they will grill to the point where they get something out of them (city employees) that they shouldn't," Anderson said. She also noted it is easier to change a policy than a resolution.

Strickland quickly responded: "I have a problem with information that 'shouldn't get out,' because we should have open government."