Mayor: Henderson getting stronger, smarter

As he does every summer, Brian Greenspun is taking some time off and is turning over his Where I Stand column to others. Today’s guest columnist is Henderson Mayor Debra March.

In 1953, the city of Henderson was born and James B. French was chosen as its first mayor. Sixty-four years later, I am honored to serve as Henderson’s 13th mayor and the second woman to hold this important office. I am also grateful to have been entrusted with the power that accompanies my new role, which began on June 20 when I raised my hand and took the oath of office.

Today, Henderson has grown to become Nevada’s second-largest city, with more than 300,000 residents living in a vibrant, thriving community that continues to be a great place to call home. As we look back on how far our community has come, we are also looking ahead to the future and planning for the unique challenges and tremendous opportunities that await on the horizon.

Two years ago, our Community Development Department launched Henderson Strong in order to refresh the city’s existing comprehensive plan. The thought behind the name Henderson Strong was to develop an exciting plan that resonated with the public. It was important to accurately portray Henderson’s strong and bright future, while also building on the success of Southern Nevada Strong, a regional planning effort that I chaired.

Last month, my four colleagues on the City Council joined me in adopting Henderson Strong, and we’re now moving forward with the plan’s implementation phase.

More than 26,000 residents were contacted during the Henderson Strong outreach process and 5,500 provided input on the plan. This extensive feedback has been woven into the fabric of Henderson Strong to ensure that it reflects the diversity of today’s Henderson and the issues that the community cares most about — while also serving as a living blueprint to guide critical decisions about growth and development for decades to come.

By combining in-depth analysis of existing conditions, research-based projections about the future and the issues that residents say they value most, Henderson Strong will guide the work of the city to achieve the community’s shared vision. This includes enabling us to make thoughtful decisions about issues related to housing, transportation, the economy and the environment that will ensure Henderson remains a premier community. I invite interested Sun readers to visit www.hendersonstrong.org to learn more about the plan and how it’s being put into action.

As mayor, I also developed a 100-day plan that was the product of more than 50 community meetings where I listened to neighbors from across Henderson discuss what mattered most to them. My plan focuses on five key areas: maintaining quality of life, promoting economic development, playing an active role in education, enhancing transparency and improving public safety.

Henderson families consistently rank education as their No. 1 issue in community surveys, and our city is home to some of the best public and private schools in Nevada. If Henderson were its own state, our schools would rank as 20th in the nation for overall quality.

Earlier this year, Henderson created its own 15-member Community Education Advisory Board or CEAB. Bringing together a wide array of expertise and real-world experience, the CEAB is enabling Henderson to support our local schools and teachers and to coordinate the delivery of more resources that directly benefit our students and classrooms. The CEAB also serves as a community voice on education capable of highlighting important issues and focusing efforts on addressing areas in need of added attention.

Through a partnership with the Public Education Foundation, the city of Henderson invites businesses and individuals committed to creating a high-quality learning environment to invest their time and energy into supporting local schools and education initiatives designed to boost student achievement and create successful educational outcomes.

The city has also provided designated Clark County School District schools in our community with more than $1 million in funding for facilities and other physical improvements through taxes collected by our redevelopment agency. Thanks to a change in state law that Henderson supported in the 2017 session of the Nevada Legislature, the city is partnering with CCSD to direct those dollars to meet classroom needs such as textbooks, computer technology and other learning tools for our students.

From smart students to Smart Cities, Henderson has embarked on an ambitious plan to harness technology and data to improve everything from transportation infrastructure to public safety and transparency. We have already made investments in becoming a Smart City that are linked to areas such as traffic management, city facilities and emergency response, and there’s still more to come.

By collecting and analyzing data from sensors, cameras and other technologies, the city is creating systems capable of recognizing changing conditions such as traffic congestion and responding automatically. This has produced increases in efficiency, public safety and cost savings. Investing today in Smart Cities technology will pay increased dividends tomorrow by enhancing Henderson’s economic competitiveness as companies look for communities that are on the cutting edge when it comes to data-driven solutions to urban challenges.

We are sharing a growing collection of data with our citizens so they can gain valuable insights into our work on behalf of residents through this enhanced transparency. Shared data can also be used to create digital applications or harnessed in innovative ways to improve the community or tap new commercial opportunities.

Another key to Henderson’s continued success is economic development. We are working hard to attract new businesses and opportunities that will create good-paying jobs. West Henderson is an area with tremendous potential to become a corporate hub, and we’re highlighting its proximity to Interstate 15, the 215 Beltway, Interstate 11 and other transportation corridors as a key selling point for industries seeking a location where they can efficiently deliver products across the western region.

Businesses are also looking for excellent quality of life for their workers, and that remains one of Henderson’s most valuable assets. A leading contributor to our livability is the city’s award-winning Parks and Recreation Department, which has twice won a national gold medal as America’s best. Henderson offers a majority of residents access to a park within 1 mile of their home and great recreational activities for adults and children of all ages, not to mention furry four-legged friends who have bark parks of their very own to enjoy. We also pride ourselves on offering families and visitors more than 180 miles of paths and trails that are available for walking or biking any time of the year.

Henderson has been ranked as one of America’s safest cities for its size and our police and firefighters are consistently recognized for their skills and professionalism. We are grateful for the hard work and bravery demonstrated daily by the men and women who protect and serve our community. As mayor, I will continue to advocate for the resources needed to give our police and firefighters the tools and training they need to keep Henderson safe.

From a small town to a Smart City for the 21st Century, Henderson continues to evolve as one of America’s premier communities, but at its heart, it will always be a very special place to call home for both our residents and our business community.

Debra March has been mayor of Henderson since June 20; she previously had been the Ward II councilwoman since 2009.