Two candidates already vying for Henderson council seat

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 | midnight

With the filing period still more than two months away, two longtime Henderson residents have announced their intentions to seek Jack Clark's Ward 3 Henderson City Council seat.

Clark, who is nearing the end of his fourth term in office, is ineligible to seek a fifth because of the state's term limits law.

Enter Kathleen Boutin, who runs a nonprofit group that helps homeless teens, and Jack McClary, a city volunteer and private business owner. Unlike other recent, more high-profile elections, however, don't expect to find any sniping against the current administration. Both candidates say they are pleased with the city's course and want it to continue.

Boutin, who founded the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth in 2000, said she sees a City Council seat as a chance to expand her commitment to community service.

"This is a perfect opportunity to run because Jack Clark is retiring," Boutin said. "He's done a wonderful job, and I want to continue his legacy of public service. I've dedicated my life to community service and I want to continue that."

McClary is the chairman of Henderson's Commemorative Beautification Committee, a citizens group that oversees the Holiday Decorating Contest, Arbor Day and Community Pride Awards. He owns a pool maintenance business and said he wants to keep the city on its present course.

"I think the current City Council has done an incredible job of making this a great city, and I want to continue their initiatives," he said.

Boutin said her priorities, if elected, would be to adhere to the city's master plan on development issues and to protect funding for youth and senior services and public safety.

Henderson is facing a projected $28 million revenue shortfall, which has prompted city officials to institute a hiring freeze, cut departmental budgets and delay construction projects.

"We're tasked with some very serious fiduciary decisions right now, and I would like to see the quality of life and opportunities for our children at the very least preserved, if not expanded," Boutin said.

McClary said city officials have planned well and put Henderson in a good position to respond to the economic challenges, but said he expects more tough decisions will have to made in the coming years.

He said his priorities would be to maintain public safety funding and to work with the city's Redevelopment Agency to help struggling developments, not just in traditional redevelopment areas like downtown, but also in newer parts of town like Inspirada and Lake Las Vegas.

"We've got to creatively look at what we can do create jobs and opportunities in these areas," he said.

Both candidates said they believe their professional backgrounds have qualified them to serve on City Council.

"I really bring a lot of experience to this position," Boutin said. "Business management experience, public service experience, and nonprofit experience."

McClary said his business experience has taught him how to be decisive.

"I've had to make those tough decisions," he said. "I've had to deal with the goods and the bads in the economy. I think that perspective as a business owner, having dealt with budgets and employees, is very important, and I think that I bring that perspective."

The filing period for municipal office runs from Jan. 27 to Feb. 6. Early voting will be between March 21 and April 3, and Election Day is April 7.

In addition to the Ward 3 council seat, voters will also be electing a mayor and a municipal judge in Department 2.