Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016 | 7:45 p.m.
The Las Vegas City Council today forgave more than $4 million in retroactive debt accrued by Clark County for using the city’s fire department in county-owned “islands” between majority city-owned land in the northwest valley.
City Chief Financial Officer Mark Vincent told council members that Clark County has ignored letters requesting payment for fire service.
Vincent says the county owes $5 million in retroactive debt to the Las Vegas and North Las Vegas departments for service.
A 1985 amendment to the 1977 Fire Service Automatic and Mutual Aid agreement calls for service to the county-owned land by city fire departments, given the county repays those expenses. The council voted 5-1 to continue with the amendment, but vowed to start collecting from Clark County when called to serve on county-owned land.
City Councilman Bob Coffin wasn’t pleased with the outcome.
“I just don’t feel comfortable even thinking there is a statute of limitation when one government owes another government,” said Coffin, who represents Ward 3. “We now are saying, despite our recent attempts to contact you, we’ll forget about what you owe us.”
Mayor Carolyn Goodman interjected, saying the move was a “positive statement,” before Coffin jumped back in.
“Your honor, honey,” Coffin said before quickly apologizing for what he called a sexist statement. “I’m trying not to be angry because what we have here is a real difference of opinion of how we should manage our money.
“I can’t say we’re getting our money’s worth because it’s not apparent.”
Goodman disagreed and the agenda moved on. Coffin later apologized again for the informality of saying “honey,” to which Goodman responded “believe me, I don’t even listen to it anymore.”
In other council news:
• Coffin and Councilman Ricki Barlow were the main objectors in a proposal from the city’s Economic and Urban Development staff on renderings for a parking garage set to be built in Symphony Park, just two blocks south of City Hall on Main Street.
The “boxy” garage would not fit aesthetically in an area of artistic architecture that include the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Smith Center, Barlow and Coffin said.
“It’s not harmonious at all,” Coffin said of the proposal. “I just don’t think we want to have something so stark, so square and so cubist at this point. I know you’ll fix it."
Barlow echoed that sentiment, urging designers of the presentation to consider the “unique character” of the buildings currently sitting on Symphony Park’s 61 acres of land.
“Not only from a structural standpoint, but an aesthetic standpoint,” Barlow said, “to help continue to drive all of the unique pieces that Symphony Park has to offer moving forward.”
• A planned, 50,000-square-foot art museum and multiple park spaces in Symphony Park was also presented by Las Vegan Chuck Kubat of Kubat Consulting.
The council met the proposals with mixed emotion, citing Las Vegas’ homeless population and increasing levels of inhabitancy in small parks as a concern. No action was taken on the concepts.
“These are not definitive — you’ve given us some food for thought here and it’s exciting,” Goodman said. “I’m sure this will be looked at over a period of time.”
• Among 16 business licenses approved by the city council Wednesday included the medical marijuana cultivation facility for Mother Herb, 6265 Saddle Tree Dr., near West Sunset Road and South Valley View Boulevard.
• The council voted to permanently revoke Tobacco Dealer, Coin Amusement Machine, Restricted Faming and Tavern Liquor licenses for central valley strip club Larry’s Villa and owner Brent Douglas Howard on 2401 West Bonanza Rd., for “a repetitive pattern of illegal activity.” The strip club, which opened in 2006, had at least four shootings and a history of violent crimes, a city business licensing manager said.
“They have repeatedly been found ignoring the law, conditions of their business license and the Las Vegas municipal code,” the business licensing manager said.
• The council honored the Chilean Association of Nevada. Dressed in Chilean red, white and blue and holding mini flags, two dozen members of the organization sat in the front row and were presented with an award of recognition from the city of Las Vegas.
The nonprofit organization, who sponsors Chilean youth for medical operations in the United States, spent the past 12 months organizing cultural events and volunteering to earn the city’s recognition, said its president, Silvia Boswell.
“This is a great honor, and we’re proud to earn this” Boswell said. “We’ve worked a long time to be recognized this way by the city.”
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