Planning commissioner to run for Las Vegas City Council

By Dave Toplikar

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 | 2:54 p.m.

A man who has been helping plan Las Vegas' future from outside of elective office for the last decade will formally jump into elective city politics Tuesday afternoon.

Steve Evans, who chairs the Las Vegas Planning Commission, is expected to formally file at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday to run in the April 5 primary election for the 3rd Ward seat on the Las Vegas City Council.

Evans would face former State Sen. Bob Coffin and attorney Tony Liker for the open seat, which is held by term-limited Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.

According to Evans' campaign, Evans planned to meet with supporters late this afternoon at the Beat Coffeehouse in the East Fremont Arts District. He then planned to walk with supporters to the city clerk's office to file.

Evans, who has lived in the 3rd Ward most of his life, has been on the planning commission since 2001. He is also a member of the Neon Museum's board of trustees and serves on the 2020 Master Plan Steering Committee.

"I will be an energetic and passionate voice for the established neighborhoods as well as the emerging ones in Ward 3," Evans said in prepared remarks released by his campaign.

"From the conception and realization of urban renewal downtown to the preservation and protection of our ward’s older neighborhoods, I have been there every step of the way. Our neighborhoods, community centers and businesses deserve their fair share of resources, and I will be their tireless advocate. I thank Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese for allowing me to be the voice of Ward 3 on the Las Vegas Planning Commission."

Two incumbents on the city council are up for re-election: Ward 1 Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian and Ward 5 Councilman Ricki Barlow.

Randy "Mr. Randy" Voyard will challenge Barlow. Margarita Rebollal has filed to run against Tarkanian.

The city also has three municipal judge posts up for election.

Those running for the open Department 2 seat so far are Marco Angioni, Sonny Bonaventure, Robert Kurth, Susan Roger and George Trachtman.

Incumbent Judge George Assad will face challenger Heidi Almase in the Department 3 primary. And incumbent Judge Cedric Kerns will face Clark Seegmiller in the Department 5 race.