By Mike Trask

Mon, Mar 24, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Whispers about last week’s strange dustup at the Vons supermarket in Boulder City are continuing.

But still nobody is willing to admit he was the one yelling and swearing in a March 16 incident that led Vons to kick people gathering signatures for and against a recall of City Council members Travis Chandler and Linda Strickland off its property.

Resident Jim Amstutz said he was calmly manning a table gathering support for the recall when a store manager came outside and told him and his crew to pack up their belongings.

“It came out of the blue,” he said. “We were blindsided.”

He said he and Al Navarra, who also was at the table, did not exchange words with an anti-recall contingent.

Navarra agrees there was no conflict.

“They are trying to discredit what we are trying to do,” he said.

It was somebody from the anti-recall side who swore at a Vons employee while insisting it was inappropriate to use private property to gather signatures on recall petitions, Amstutz said.

Vons had previously given permission to both sides to be near the front of the store. Vons management has declined to comment about changing its mind.

Nancy Nolette, part of a group of residents gathering support for the targeted council members, said she has no idea who initiated the ugly scene. But she insists they weren’t part of her group.

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In addition to the possible recall, Boulder City voters may have another big decision to make later this year.

This one could cost them money.

The Clark County Commission has approved placing a question on the November ballot that will ask voters whether they want to pay additional taxes to support the Boulder City Hospital by creating the county’s first hospital tax district.

Using tax dollars to subsidize a private hospital is not unprecedented in Nevada. Eight formerly private hospitals now have tax districts in the state, most in rural sections of Northern Nevada.

If the district vote passes, Boulder City residents would pay 15 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a home with a $200,000 taxable value — which is multiplied by 35 percent to get the assessed value — would pay $105 per year.

Hospital administrators said the tax would raise about $1 million annually for the 67-bed hospital with a $19 million annual budget. It has lost about $500,000 each year since 2000.

Officials say the hospital needs new equipment and room improvements. It also hopes to use some of the money to recruit doctors who could help keep business in Boulder City, rather than see residents drive to Las Vegas or Henderson for care.

•••

Some folks in North Las Vegas want to work for free.

Resident Mark Pallans has put together a proposal to increase the city’s volunteer forces. And he has the city’s attention.

“They are always complaining about not having enough officers,” Pallans said.

So he is trying to do something about it. He said some volunteer programs, such as handicapped parking enforcement, being used by other local cities could easily be copied in North Las Vegas.

“My intent is just to bring it to the City Council,” Pallans said. “I hope it makes a point.”

The point, he said, is that many residents are willing to do more to help build a safe community.

The city has had a formal volunteer program and a full-time volunteer coordinator since 2006. The volunteers help with special events at libraries and in the Parks and Recreation Department.

City officials will listen to Pallans’ thoughts about expanding the volunteer programs at a meeting this month.