At City Hall, an emotional send-off for Goodman, Reese

By Dave Toplikar

Published Wednesday, June 15, 2011 | 12:39 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, June 15, 2011 | 6:13 p.m.

With some tears, some jokes, references to the improvements that have been made in downtown Las Vegas in the past dozen years and even a farewell toast, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese were honored today at their last full Las Vegas City Council meeting.

Goodman, who has served for 12 years as mayor, and Reese, who has served 16 years on the council and 20 total in public service, will step down July 7. That’s when Goodman’s wife, Mayor-elect Carolyn Goodman, and City Councilman-elect Bob Coffin will be sworn into office.

A public party to honor both Reese and Goodman will begin at 7 p.m. today on Fremont Street.

This morning, council and city staffers took about an hour to present tributes to Reese and Goodman for their service, presenting each with a video highlighting key events during their terms and a scrapbook that showed projects the city has promoted.

Reese, who choked back tears, has been involved in public service since 1991, when he became a member of the city planning commission, City Manager Betsy Fretwell said.

Reese’s philosophy had always been to promote not just his own ward, Ward 3, but the entire city, Fretwell said. She said she could always find him at his barber shop to discuss city business.

Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian called Reese a “perfect gentleman” who helped to guide the council and keep its members connected.

Goodman was characteristically jovial during the send-off, wisecracking about getting another one of many plaques from U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who planned to honor Goodman and Reese in the Congressional Record.

As Fretwell got up to talk about him she said, “If you didn’t hear him, he said he could still fire me.”

Fretwell said Goodman came into office with the dream of turning Las Vegas into a “world-class city” and has constantly pushed that message throughout his three terms.

“You have left one heck of a legacy,” she told him.

Councilman Steve Wolfson said “nobody was a better cheerleader” than Goodman for the projects he promoted to improve downtown.

References were made to what Goodman has helped to accomplish: acquiring the 61-acre Symphony Park, building a city hall, paving the way for Zappos to move its corporate campus downtown, bringing in the World Market Center, helping to establish the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and helping to create the Arts District.

Tarkanian called Goodman “an extraordinary man for all seasons.” She said the number of events he attends each week is “absolutely staggering.”

Councilman Steve Ross joked with Goodman that there would soon be an opening for a greeter at the Mob Museum. The museum, one of Goodman’s pet projects, is set to open in February.

Councilman Ricki Barlow also spoke well of Goodman and Reese, saying “God places special people in special places to do special things.”

Councilman Stavros Anthony, a former Metro Police officer, said the only thing he knew about Goodman was his background as a mob lawyer — and that when police would arrest organized crime figures, Goodman would get them out of jail on the same day.

Anthony, who said he was elected to oppose two projects — the Mob Museum and a new city hall — said he was surprised by the collegiality of Reese and Goodman, even though he worked against those projects. He said he now considers both to be friends.

Goodman told the gathering that “the mayor can’t get anything done by himself.” He said as a lawyer he had done his own research and worked alone, taking complete responsibility for defending his clients.

He said he came to City Hall with that same work ethic, that he would do everything by himself. But he said he was “spinning” and couldn’t get much accomplished.

“I learned that a mayor is one vote in the city of Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s not like the old man Daley in Chicago or Boss Tweed in New York,” he said. He said he had never been to City Hall until the day before he was sworn into office.

“I had no idea what was supposed to happen. But I knew I wanted to see the city revive itself to create a renaissance,” he said.

He said he learned to work with city staff and other council members to help to push his vision forward and get the projects approved that he thought would help the city.

“Even though the journey comes to an end in this job, life will continue from that point on,” he said. He said he was looking forward to helping his wife, who was at the meeting, as she becomes the city’s new mayor.

As he ended his speech, someone brought up a drink for him in a cup and sat it on the podium. He initially waved it off, then looked at it saying, “Oh, it’s gin,” getting laughs.

Goodman then raised his glass, saying “I’m going to end my comments by saying to the city of Las Vegas, l’chaim!”