Vegas closer to having a veterans memorial

By Sam Skolnik

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Local activist Peter “Chris” Christoff, a Korean War veteran, for years has been hassling Las Vegas officials. But he isn’t one of those advocates with a million issues.

Christoff’s demand has been plain: Las Vegas needs to build a veterans memorial where people will see it and can pay respects to those who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

After four and a half years, it looks like there finally might be some real movement toward making the idea a reality.

Those close to the idea say the City Council will propose using city land inside the closed Huntridge Circle Park for the memorial — possibly at its April 15 meeting.

“I’ve been a big supporter of this idea ever since I heard about it,” said Councilman Gary Reese, whose ward includes the park, which is on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard.

Reese said the memorial might go on the south end of the park. Others said the north end remain a playground, and that there also might be a bolstered law enforcement presence for the site.

One of the main issues has been cost. Two years ago Reese and Mayor Oscar Goodman approached Rep. Shelley Berkley to pursue federal funding. That effort fell flat.

Now it appears local fundraisers have come along. Two Las Vegas-based businesses have pledged to raise $1.2 million for the memorial. The groups are American Shooters, which equips first responders with firearms and other munitions, and Performance FORCE Concepts, which conducts high-end training for security forces such as police SWAT units.

The two companies will sponsor a shooting and military tactics competition — — the American Heroes Challenge, through which they hope to raise money for the memorial.

Michael Millett, president of American Shooters, said if their fundraising efforts are just partially successful, the companies will make up the difference.

“The reality is, veterans are having a tough time, especially coming home to a bad economy,” Millett said. “They deserve our support and respect.”

Millett said no architectural or landscape designs have taken shape for the proposed memorial.

Plans gained political traction during a March 9 meeting that Reese hosted and included Goodman, City Attorney Brad Jerbic, city Communications Director David Riggleman, Millett and a few of his colleagues.

Christoff did not attend. But all know of his contributions to the cause — including the original idea to place the memorial at Huntridge Circle, a park the city shut down in 2006 citing rampant crime and homelessness.

Las Vegas is the only metro area of 2 million or more people in the country without a vets memorial, Christoff said. That needs to change.

“These people never got any recognition,” Christoff said. “We need to give them that, because they deserve it.”

•••

Mark Vincent, the city’s longtime and well-respected finance guru, got a temporary promotion not long ago to acting deputy city manager, one of two deputies to new City Manager Betsy Fretwell.

But Vincent has decided to take himself out of the running for the permanent job. He’s cited family reasons, noting the demands of the job.

According to a city spokesman, 53 applicants showed interest during a recent monthlong period in which the city advertised the position. The base pay for the job is $134,000 per year.

Vincent will return to his job as the city’s finance director once a replacement has been selected.