Sunday, May 19, 2013 | 2 a.m.
A busy week of meetings awaits Clark County commissioners, who will convene on three consecutive days to conduct official business.
Budgets will be the focus of a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, followed by regularly scheduled meetings at 9 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, all at the Clark County Government Center.
Final budget approval
Commissioners are scheduled during their special meeting Monday to adopt a final budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The $1.2 billion proposal is roughly the same size as the current year’s budget and won’t result in any cuts to staff, but $41 million in reserves will be used to cover a structural deficit.
The budget outlook has improved in recent years after the county’s tax base was pummeled during the recession, but property tax revenues are still below 2006 levels and the county’s reserve funds are dwindling, making balancing the budget in future years potentially more difficult.
Commissioners will finalize the budget after taking comments from the public.
Business licensing changes
Two proposed licensing changes that have met resistance from business owners wary of more restrictions will be discussed Tuesday by commissioners.
One ordinance, which will be discussed during a public hearing, would require motels to designate on-site managers responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations. These managers would then need to complete Metro Police’s Landlord Training Program to meet business license requirements.
Commissioners also will introduce new regulations on the practice of reflexology, which involves using pressure on various parts of the body for a variety of perceived health benefits.
Reflexology clinics currently are licensed as “drugless practitioners,” but Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Mary Beth Scow are pushing for tighter rules similar to those placed on massage businesses.
The proposed ordinance would require reflexology clinics to obtain a massage business license from the county and a certification from the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapists.
Neither of the two ordinances will be eligible for adoption Tuesday.
Search for fix for UMC continues
Commissioners discussed a proposed property tax hike to help pay for University Medical Center at their meeting earlier this month and decided to spend the next year considering different solutions to fix the troubled hospital’s finances.
Commissioners are expected to conduct their first special meeting on the subject May 29, where they will discuss several items, including potential funding sources for the hospital and changes to its management and governance.
The board is split on what to do about UMC, and the debate over the best solution will likely drag on for months.
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