Vegas’ new disaster czar dwells on the bad — for us

By Sam Skolnik

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 | 2 a.m.

On any given day, her job might require her to track alerts about possible earthquakes, rampaging fires or flash floods to hit the area. She might be on the lookout for warnings of medical epidemics or even terrorist threats.

As the newly installed manager of the city’s Office of Emergency Management, it’s Carolyn Levering’s job to “prepare, respond and mitigate the effects” of any of these types of potential disasters.

She says her job is perpetually interesting.

“I love this line of work,” said Levering, Clark County’s deputy emergency manager for five years before starting with the city June 2. “I love that no two days are alike. There’s no daily grind.”

Levering manages just two employees, but her office is in touch with all manner of fire, police and emergency responder agencies, as well as the Southern Nevada Health District, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Homeland Security Department, all in an effort to make sure she’s constantly aware of any possible threats to the region.

If disaster strikes, her job is to fully inform the mayor and the City Council, and, when necessary, to open the Emergency Operations Center at Fire Station 1, a few blocks from City Hall downtown. The center serves as a command post for communications and crisis management.

Levering said her office’s missions are clear-cut: First, do everything possible to assist citizens, in part through emergency management training offered to city residents. Second, protect property. Third, act as a lobbyist for more resources when needed.

Half of her department’s $720,000 budget comes from the city, Levering said. The other half is covered by FEMA.

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City managers are seeing some positive indicators regarding one of the eight “Strategic Plan Priorities” approved by the City Council a few years ago: revitalizing and invigorating the downtown urban core.

According to the city’s director of business development, Scott Adams, several key performance indicators appear to be on the upswing, including the fact that downtown’s population has remained steady over the past year. Most cities’ urban cores have been losing people, he said.

Adams, who will address the City Council on the topic today, also said there has been a “dramatic” increase in downtown’s tax base.

Perhaps the most important trend, he said, is that the ratio of private sector investment in downtown is increasing in relation to public sector investment.

Adams did not provide the exact numbers, but said he would be giving a detailed presentation to council members at their meeting.

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According to city statute, any restaurant with a bar that serves alcohol must be located at least 400 feet from schools and child care facilities.

A local developer, Hector Camacho, today will ask the City Council for a waiver so he can build a bar attached to a food court 58 feet from the property line of the Elbert Edwards Elementary School. And Camacho’s property abuts another property that includes a child care center.

The Planning Commission rejected Camacho’s proposal on a 7-0 vote, and staff concurred.

In his defense, Camacho notes that he has offered to restrict his alcohol sales until after 4 p.m. on weekdays. And he says he is one of the few developers who is proposing new development in an otherwise stagnant local market.

The project would be on a plot of land near East Bonanza Road and Page Street in Ward 3.

Ward 3 Councilman Gary Reese said he doesn’t have a problem with the development, given that the front entrance of the school would actually be closer to 200 to 300 feet away from the food court, and that Camacho is willing to restrict the hours he’d sell alcohol.

“You’ve got taverns all the way up and down Bonanza,” he said. “How are you going to deny it?”