Governor Agrees to Spare Child Programs From Cuts

            Governor Jim Gibbons agreed to spare Clark County's child welfare and juvenile justice programs from looming budget cuts by the state.

            The Governor made his decision after meeting in November with Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid and several other top elected officials from local and state government.

            "We have a growing number of children in this community, many of them under five years of age, who are entering the foster care system," Reid explained. "In addition, the county's Department of Juvenile Justice Services is tasked with offering guidance, intervention and treatment to children and teenagers whose choices put them on the wrong path early in life. Services to children in either of these vulnerable populations should be spared from budget cuts, or as a community we risk paying a much higher price later on."

Due to a projected state budget shortfall, Clark County received a request in October to cut state funding to child welfare and juvenile justice services by a combined $3.6 million over two years.  The state provides partial funding for Clark County to carry out these services in the community. Cuts to funding for these services also would put federal grants for these programs in jeopardy. Reid and County officials sent letters to the Governor refusing to comply with the request. 

            "We understand the state is in a difficult budgetary position," Reid said. "Clark County is also  facing a revenue shortfall, but cuts to child welfare and juvenile justice services would be devastating, and might result in federal penalties for failure to carry out essential public and federally mandated services."

In 2001, Clark County agreed to integrate the child welfare system with a commitment from the state of Nevada to fund caseworkers on an ongoing basis at a ratio of one caseworker for every 22 children.

"While we face well-documented challenges within our child welfare system, we took on a broken, under funded system and are attempting to put it back together again," Reid said. "Budget cuts at this time would undo the progress we've made to date."

Clark County's Juvenile Justice Department also provides much-needed services to the local community, including detention facilities which are already beyond capacity.  Seventy percent of the state's institutional population originates in Clark County. Cuts to local juvenile justice services would endanger the health, well- being, and public safety of our community, Reid said.

"We cannot afford reductions in child and youth services in our community," Reid said. "The price is too high, and I'm glad the governor seems to agree."

New Furniture Bank Opens  To Assist Needy Families

            Clark County and A Lift Up Org, a local nonprofit agency, have teamed up to open a furniture bank to provide disadvantaged families with furniture.

            The nonprofit enterprise, called A Lift Up Furniture Bank, opened on Dec. 13, and is located in District G at 6230 Kimberly Ave., Suite C near Tropicana Avenue and Boulder Highway.

              "This is a wonderful example of the county serving as a good neighbor by partnering with small business to build collaborations that provide our citizens with resources," said Commission Chairman Rory Reid. "A furnished home creates a safe and warm environment which is very important to the well being of children and families. This partnership creates a program that will help give people a better quality of life."

The new facility is 8,000 square feet. The A Lift Up organization got a big boost of support in September from the ABC Kids Expo, which was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Expo organizers in partnership with a national organization called Kids In Distress donated nearly three semi-truck loads full of children's furniture from the convention to the local furniture bank.

 To donate furniture or seek assistance from A Lift Up.org, please call (702) 457-0700.

Furniture bank founder and president Frank Petrasek said clients will primarily be referrals from Clark County's Departments of Family Services and Social Service and other community service agencies. "We expect to help families who were recently homeless, those that have endured sudden hardships and anyone who is trying to help himself but needs a little boost," Petrasek said.

Petrasek founded A Lift Up Org six years ago and until recently operated a small donation and distribution center on Nellis Boulevard. Petrasek originally supplied food, clothing and furniture. As time passed, he said he recognized the incredible need for furniture and transitioned to exclusively provide home furnishings.

Reid Responds to Recent Articles About Growth  

Commissioner Reid sent the following letter to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in response to several recent articles about Clark County's growth.

 Dear Editor:

             Recently, the Review-Journal published several articles concerning Clark County's population surpassing 2 million people. Understandably, growth is an important issue in Clark County. Growth touches everyone who lives in this community whether they are newcomers or long-term residents. It also impacts the millions of visitors Clark County receives each year. The challenge in dealing with growth from a public policy perspective is to strike a balance between the economics fueled by growth and its impact on the quality of life we enjoy as residents. Research done by UNLV estimates that every new hotel job on the Las Vegas Strip creates at least one more elsewhere in the community. With population and job growth, come subsequent needs for housing and public infrastructure improvements, including roads, fire stations, police stations and parks and recreation facilities.

            The Clark County Commission and county management have been, and continue to be, committed to meeting that challenge by managing growth responsibly. Voters have approved funding for transportation, flood control and public safety improvements that have helped us deal with growth as a community. In addition, the county has spearheaded many initiatives, including the Community Growth Task Force, which was organized in 2004 and resulted in a year-long public discussion about growth. The County Commission adopted several measures as a direct result of those discussions, including two affordable housing pilot projects now under way using provisions of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act. County-led efforts to improve air quality and manage species native to our Mojave Desert have become models for other communities. The county's mixed-use ordinance, adopted in 2005, also is considered a model planning tool for projects that blend homes, jobs and transportation into cohesive new developments. Clark County, in partnership with the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas is collaborating on using new wastewater treatment technology, ozonation, and new disposal options to ensure improvements to the long-term quality of our drinking water from Lake Mead. 

The County Commission has taken numerous steps to deal with land-use issues, which often require the need to preserve the rights of individuals to enjoy the highest and best use of their property and to mitigate the impacts of growth from new development. In June 2007, for example, the Commission adopted a high-impact ordinance, which is intended to guide development of projects in intensely developed areas such as the Las Vegas Strip and to ensure adequate public infrastructure is in place to offset effects from significant new projects. Since 2003, seven new land-use plans designed to protect the integrity of our neighborhoods have undergone updates in unincorporated Clark County with significant amounts of input from residents.  Clark County has been one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation for more than 20 years. There are many challenges associated with our rapid growth, and the county will continue to encourage public input and involvement in balancing the needs of our community.

Sincerely,

Rory Reid

Siegfried & Roy Park Construction to Start Soon

         Residents who live near McCarran International Airport will have the new Siegfried and Roy Park to look forward in upcoming months.

         Construction on the 22-acre park near Russell and Maryland Parkway is scheduled to start in the spring of 2008.  The project is expected to take 10 months to build, with an anticipated grand opening date of early 2009. The Siegfried and Roy Fan Club will participate in the dedication ceremony by presenting and unveiling of a bronze plaque at the park to honor the legendary entertainers.

          After years of meeting with nearby neighbors, and following strict federal regulations including performing an environmental impact study, the park is almost ready for construction.  The park will feature an exciting landscape design that mimics the airport runway with light features casting the walking path similar to the lights and shadows found on the runway.  

           The park also will be equipped with three dog parks, two children's tot lots, approximately 40 parking spaces, restroom facilities, a walking path, two tennis courts, three half court basketball courts, several picnic areas, horseshoe pits, and a water play area.

 Holiday `Gift of Lights' Exhibit Open Through Jan. 1

           The Gift of Lights holiday exhibit at Sunset Park continues through Jan. 1. Admission is $13 per car with $2 off with a donation of a bag of items for Goodwill.

           The family attraction features more than 200 animated and twinkling light displays in a convenient and comfortable drive-through setting. Motorists may tune their radios to a local station playing holiday music as they tour the exhibit.

 Hours

Sunday through Thursday - 5-9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday - 5-10 p.m.