Greetings District G Residents,

I hope you find this edition of our newsletter interesting and informative. It’s important for Clark County to obtain as much stimulus funding as it can receive from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This funding will help boost our local economy and help put unemployed Southern Nevadans back to work. As you’ll see in the article below, Clark County has been aggressive in applying for funding. This will continue. The County also is continuing to take steps to keep its own fiscal house in order. We are facing a projected budget deficit of $151 million due to declines in property and sales tax collection revenues and actions during the 2009 Legislative session. Our newly-formed Committee on Community Priorities will meet regularly over the next several months. The County Commission supported my effort to organize this committee, which has been asked to make recommendations on prioritizing county services provided to the public. The group’s recommendations are due in January when budget discussions begin for the next fiscal year. I encourage you to attend the committee’s meetings or follow them on Clark County Television Channel 4 rebroadcasts. In addition, I’m happy to report that District G’s Fire Station 19 has a new home in a bigger location on Spencer Street near Russell Road.  Area sports shooters also will soon get to hone their skills at the new Clark County Shooting Park, which opens later this year. Enjoy updates on many other topics in this newsletter, and feel free to contact my office with any issues or concerns at 455-5561 or ccdistg@co.clark.nv.us.                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                               Sincerely,

County Requests $429 Million in Stimulus Funds to Date

Agencies throughout Clark County have applied for $429.2 million in stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The grants are intended to help communities with foreclosure recovery, infrastructure repair, energy efficiency, educational opportunities and other programs aimed at protecting those with the greatest need. To date, Clark County has been awarded $26.7 million in stimulus money, including $16.3 million for new public works projects.

“This funding should be an important boost to Southern Nevada," Commission Chairman Rory Reid said. "While we are not guaranteed all of the money we have applied for, I am hopeful that we will get the funds we need to stimulate growth and give this area the shot in the arm it needs.”

The County is continuing to seek stimulus funding opportunities through the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The County is competing with other states for the remainder of the money, so there is no guarantee that the projects will be funded and if so, how much will be funded.

The public can track the status and spending of these grants in a Web page posted at www.accessclarkcounty.com designed to increase transparency. The County is adding new features to the site so citizens can view more information about stimulus-funded projects, including project descriptions, start and finish times and the number of jobs created.

The largest grant application awaiting approval is $367 million for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program II. Clark County will serve as the lead agency for managing a foreclosure recovery program in unincorporated Clark County and the cities of Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas. The grant will help with the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes in areas that are disproportionately affected by the foreclosure crisis.

Other grants awaiting approval include:

• A Department of Housing and Urban Development grant for $2.1 million for community development.
• A Federal Emergency Management Agency grant for $15 million to rebuild three fire stations.
• A Department of Energy grant for $7.7 million to improve energy efficiency and conservation at the county.
• An Environmental Protection Agency grant for $3.1 million to the Water Reclamation District for an infrastructure project in Indian Springs.

  The proposed rapid transit project along Sahara Avenue would intersect with the RTC's popular Deuce service on the Strip, and two other rapid transit lines.      

As anyone who lives in Southern Nevada knows, Sahara Avenue is a busy and critical roadway. This is one of the many reasons why the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is proposing to build a rapid transit project along a 12-mile stretch of Sahara Avenue, between Hualapai Way and Boulder Highway. 

The Regional Transportation Commission is applying for stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement the rapid transit project and related improvements. Information about the funding source is posted online.

In 2007, the RTC completed a study of several options for improving traffic flow on Sahara Avenue to accommodate short and long-term transportation needs within the corridor. The RTC’s proposed improvements would include a dedicated transit lane, enhanced transit shelters, easier boarding, and a consolidation of transit stops. The rapid transit line would intersect with two other rapid transit lines and the RTC’s Deuce service on the Strip, making transit service faster and easier to access. The RTC’s study also proposes some minor roadway improvements including increased traffic signal coordination.

A series of public meetings regarding these proposals has been held to date. If funding is obtained to move forward with the plans, work could begin in 2010 and commuters could be enjoying these improvements by 2012.

Information about all the RTC’s projects is available on the agency’s Web site at www.rtcsnv.com.

Clark County is continuing to cut costs as the local economy keeps struggling.

The County is facing a projected budget deficit of $151 million due to declines in property and sales tax collection revenues and actions during the 2009 Legislative session.

"Clark County is doing what families all across Southern Nevada are doing,” Commission Chairman Rory Reid said. “We are trying to figure out what’s necessary and what can be deferred for a later day. If there’s a silver lining in the economic travails we are facing, it’s that we have to find more ways to be efficient with our limited financial resources. Taxpayers are going to have a leaner and more focused government as a result.”

The county has cut costs through department budget reductions, voluntary furloughs, delaying capital projects, hiring freezes and employee wage concessions. These measures have saved the county about $90 million, but the county still has a shortfall of $60.7 million this year, and is facing a projected deficit of $108.7 million in fiscal year 2011.

At the Sept. 1 County Commission meeting, the Board supported the deferment of $54 million from active capital projects to help improve the current financial situation. Commissioner Reid asked County finance staff to meet with employee groups to have further conversations about the budget.

“I think it’s important to have a clear understanding of what the facts are because lots of different budget figures are being thrown around,” Commissioner Reid explained. “We need to know what’s encumbered, what’s not, what’s available to be transferred to the general fund, and what’s an appropriate balance to be maintained for a rainy day.”

County management also is reviewing 5-percent budget cuts recommended by each department.  Some of those cuts have already been implemented, and more are expected to be implemented in the upcoming months.

The County Commission also recently approved extending a voluntary furlough program for employees through June 30, 2010. The program allows employees to take up to 192 hours of voluntary unpaid leave. The program resulted in a savings of $1.5 million during its original operational period of Feb. 2009 through early September 2009.

Clark County residents are invited to attend meetings of the newly-formed citizens Committee on Community Priorities.

Commission Chairman Rory Reid proposed the creation of the committee to engage residents in a community-wide discussion about budget priorities. The group met for the first time in August.  Its next meeting is scheduled to be held on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 12 p.m. in Clark County Commission Chambers. The committee is scheduled to hold forums to collect community input and make recommendations to the full County Commission in January as the county begins formulating its budget priorities for the next fiscal year. The County Commission directed the committee to provide feedback on prioritizing county services provided to the public. The committee also may make recommendations related to the consolidation of services, legislative changes and revenue enhancements.

“Clark County is facing unprecedented budget challenges and is tasked with providing services to the community that no other government does, including courts, social services not provided by the state or federal government, and University Medical Center, our only public hospital in Southern Nevada,” Commissioner Reid said. “We don’t know when our revenue picture will turn around so it’s critical that we come together as a community and carefully consider what our priorities should be in these difficult economic times. This is an opportunity to provide the people of Southern Nevada with the most efficient government they’ve ever seen.”

The Clark County Commission appointed 15 citizens from diverse backgrounds to serve on the committee. The committee is part of a larger effort to reach out to the community to gather new ideas to address budget challenges, control spending and shape budget priorities. Other outreach efforts include employee focus groups, surveys of members of the county’s 13 Town Advisory Boards (TABs) and six Citizen Advisory Councils, and community town hall meetings within each commissioner’s district.

Each Committee on Community Priorities meeting will focus on specific aspects of the County general fund budget, including mandated and non-mandated programs and services and expenses and any revenues related to those programs and services. Meeting agendas will be posted on the county’s Web site  three business days in advance of each meeting. All meetings will be held in Commission Chambers at 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy. in downtown Las Vegas.  Each meeting also will be aired live and taped for replay on Clark County Television (CCTV) cable Channel 4.  All Channel 4 programming also is streamed live at www.accessclarkcounty.com. The meeting schedule may be revised to add other topics and meeting dates. The current schedule is:         

• Oct. 8 at 12 p.m.
• Oct.  22 at 9 a.m.       
• Nov. 5 at 11 a.m.
• Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.  
• Dec. 3 at 9 a.m.  
• Dec. 11 at 9 a.m.  

Members of the committee include:  

• Assemblyman Morse Arberry, Jr. – Chairman of the State of Nevada Ways and Means Committee
• Bobbette Bond – Executive Director of the Nevada Health Care Policy Group & Director of Public Policy for the Culinary Health Fund
• Dr. Nancy Brune – Director of Research and Policy at UNLV’s Institute for Security Studies
• Alex Dixon – Director of Planning and Analysis for Paris, Bally’s and Rio Las Vegas
• Cornelius Eason – President of Priority Staffing, USA and Urban Chamber of Commerce of Las Vegas Board of Directors
• Keen Ellsworth –  Attorney, Business Owner & Las Vegas Planning Commission Member
• Michael Holloway – Engineer and Managing Principal of Poggemeyer Design Group Inc.
• John Marchiano – Attorney/Former Henderson City Attorney
• Al Martinez – President of Service Employees International Union Local 1107
• David Peter – Employee Representative/Service Employees International Union Local 1107
• Dr. John Ruckdeschel – Director and CEO of Nevada Cancer Institute
• Roland Sansone – Real Estate Developer & Managing Member of Sansone Companies
• William Stanley – Director of Organizing for the International Union of Elevator Constructors
• George Togliatti – Vice President of Security, Surveillance & Safety at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino/Former Director Nevada Department of Public Safety
• Carole Vilardo – President of the Nevada Taxpayers Association

Fire Station 19 Opens at New Home Near McCarran Airport  

Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid helps open Fire Station 19 with a traditional firehouse "hose-cutting ceremony," Sept. 19.  Also pictured are Clark County Fire Chief Steve Smith and Deputy Aviation Director Rosemary Vassiliadis.  

After 18 months of construction, Fire Station 19 is now operating from a brand-new, bigger location at  5575 S. Spencer St. on Department of Aviation property.

Due to airport expansion plans, Station 19 was relocated across the street from its original location to the north side of newly-realigned Russell Road. The station serves the McCarran International Airport area, including all homes and business south of Flamingo to Sunset and West of Pecos to Paradise.

“Residents and businesses in this area should feel safe and secure with Fire Station 19 as part of the neighborhood," said Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid. “Station 19 also brings another layer of protection to one of the community’s greatest assets – McCarran International Airport, which served more than 44 million passengers last year, making it the seventh-busiest airport in the country.”

The Department of Aviation paid for the new station, which cost about $5 million to build. The new station is 13,000 square feet and has the same design as other County fire stations, with the exception of an extra apparatus bay. The new station houses seven suppression personnel, one engine, one rescue unit and one water tender. Station 19 also is home of the Clark County Fire Department’s Investigations Unit, which investigates suspicious fires and any fires of an unknown origin.

The grand opening ceremony in September included an open house so the public could tour the new building.

Shooting Park Dedicated, Set to Open in December

September is Emergency Preparedness Month, but it's a topic that is always timely since disasters can strike at any time, county officials said.

“The efforts you take before a disaster occurs is the key to ensuring the safety of yourself and your family in an emergency,” said Jim O’Brien, manager of Clark County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Three primary steps for citizen preparedness are summarized below:

1. Get a disaster supply kit. The kit should contain items for you and your family's basic needs for  three days to two weeks, including food and water. Your kit should include provisions for your family's unique needs, including supplies for infants, medically fragile family members and pets. 

            2. Create an emergency plan. Family members may not be together when a disaster strikes, so it's important to plan in advance how you will connect with one another. Choose a primary and secondary meeting place in case an emergency affects your home or neighborhood and designate an out-of-state contact for family members to call in the event they are separated. In an emergency situation, it's often easier to call out-of-state than within an affected area.

            3. Be informed. In an emergency, stay tuned to your radio or TV for instructions and information. Have a hand-cranked or battery-powered radio (with extra batteries) on hand in case of a power outage. Use a NOAA weather radio if possible. It’s also important to learn about the emergencies that can happen in our area and how to respond to them. Hazards we are most vulnerable to in Clark County include communicable disease, wildfire, flooding, earthquake and extreme heat.

More information about preparedness is available on the Office of Emergency Management Web site. Additional Internet resources include the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org; the Federal Emergency Management Agency, www.Ready.gov; and the Southern Nevada Health District, www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org.  

The Southern Nevada Health District continues to plan for the upcoming influenza season, including the expected return of the novel H1N1 strain. With the beginning of the school year, the health district anticipates local outbreaks of influenza among children and other groups in close proximity.

To date, there have been more than 250 laboratory-confirmed H1N1 cases in Clark County; however, the number of reported cases represents a small percentage of residents who have been infected with H1N1 as most do not seek medical care.

Two different flu immunizations will be available this season to protect against illness. There will be a new H1N1 vaccine to protect against the new strain of H1N1 influenza that will likely require two doses. There will also be a vaccine against the seasonal influenza strains that will require one dose for most people.

The health district anticipates the first H1N1 vaccine shipments will arrive locally in mid-October, and additional shipments will continue to be received through the end of the year. Seasonal influenza vaccine will be available communitywide through physicians’ offices, clinics and pharmacies. There are no anticipated shortages of seasonal influenza vaccine. People should contact their physicians or health care providers if they have any questions.

The CDC estimates that more than one million Americans have already been infected with the new H1N1 influenza strain. Until adequate immunization rates for H1N1 are achieved, the best way to prevent influenza is to practice good health habits. Current recommendations include:  

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Updated information regarding H1N1 is available on the Southern Nevada Health District website, www.SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict.org as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) site, www.cdc.gov. 

Parents can map out suggested safe routes to local elementary and middle schools using a Web site updated each year by Clark County’s Department of Public Works.

The County partners with the School District and other local jurisdictions on a community-wide Safe Route to School Program. The Department of Public Works conducts an annual inventory of school-related traffic control devices within a two-mile walking radius of elementary and middle schools located in the county. Parents and guardians can use the information to designate a route for their children to and from school. Families can print out maps from the site as well.

The new school year also is a good time to remind motorists that school speed zones are in effect from 30 minutes prior to school starting to 30 minutes after school ends when children are present or when the flasher is operating on school days. Along the frontage of schools, the speed limit is 15 miles per hour during the reduced times where signs indicated the reduction is in effect or the flashers are operating.

The speed limit is 25 miles per hour during times when school-age pedestrians are crossing roadways near schools in areas where speed reductions are in effect and school zone flashers are operating. Also it's important to note that some schools operate on a 12-month calendar and these locations are marked accordingly with signs. A handout containing additional information about school zones also is available from Public Works.

October 'Centennial' Series to Highlight Strip Entertainment

Liberace and Elvis photo is courtesy of the Las Vegas News Bureau.         

Clark County ’s “Centennial Stories” discussion on Friday, Oct. 2, will highlight the history and impact of entertainers on the Las Vegas Strip.

October’s discussion is the ninth in a series of 90-minute roundtables called “Centennial Stories: Examining Our Past.” Clark County is hosting the series as part of its100^th birthday celebration this year.

The popular discussions are held at 6 p.m. on the first Friday of each month in the Commission Chambers at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. The events are free and include a 30-minute opportunity for attendees and callers to ask questions of the panelists. Each roundtable discussion is aired live on Clark County Television (CCTV) Channel 4. Viewers can call in with questions by dialing 455-2288 (CCTV.) All Channel 4 programming also may be viewed live on the County Web site at www.accessclarkcounty.com. The discussions are replayed on Channel 4 throughout the month they are held.

Topics and dates for the remaining discussions are as follows:

• Nov. 6, Military History in Clark County
• Dec. 4, Marketing Las Vegas .

Additional information about the centennial is available at www.AccessClarkCounty.com/100.          

Commissioner Reid attends Aug. 28 dedication of new habitat mitigation ponds at Clark County's Wetlands Park.

Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid helped dedicate the new In-Lieu Fee Mitigation Ponds at the Clark County Wetlands Park.

Funding for the project was collected from developers to mitigate the loss of habitat for waterfowl and migratory birds near Wetlands Park. The design and construction of this project has been a partnership between Clark County and Ducks Unlimited, a non-profit organization and World Leader of Wetlands Conservation. The Desert Wetland Conservancy was instrumental in bringing Ducks Unlimited and Clark County together for the project.

“These ponds represent the importance of the ecological and esthetic riches of the wetlands in Southern Nevada,” Commissioner Reid said.  “This project encourages recreation in a responsible manner to the ecosystems; engages the public in the beauty and necessity of wetlands; and most importantly, restores a natural habitat for native species of plants and wildlife.”

The site occupies a 112-acre portion of the Clark County ’s 2,900-acre Wetlands Park.  Prior to the construction of the ponds this past winter, the area was covered in reeds, the usual terrain in wetlands.  The addition of six new ponds now provides open water as well as permanent wetlands.  These restoration efforts provide a highly improved habitat for a variety of birds and other wildlife that use the area during fall and spring migration, during the spring and summer breeding season, or as wintering habitat.

The project is already a success with 212 species of birds already making the Wetlands Park home during some part of the year.  This spring six species of birds that had not been seen in the Las Vegas Wash since the 1970s were spotted at the ponds, including the “American Avocets” and the “Franklin’s Gull.”

To get to Wetlands Park, take Tropicana Avenue east to Wetlands Parkway. Turn left onto Wetlands Parkway and drive 1 mile. Desert Wetlands Information Center is located on the left.

Residents who are on the go can now download Clark County Commission meetings on their iPod or MP3 player and keep up with the issues that most affect them.

“The county is always looking for ways to increase people’s participation in government,” County Commission Chairman Rory Reid said. “This is one more way for people to engage the county, no matter how busy they are.”

The service is free to all users and is offered through iTunes. Podcasts are available from July 23, 2009, to the present. The only requirement is that users sign up for a free iTunes account.

The service is an extension of what is already offered by the county. Residents can also access live and on-demand streaming video of meetings online dating back to 2007.