Speech highlights accomplishments

     By Tiffannie Bond
     View staff writer
      Buried among the food, small talk and sightings of familiar Las Vegas and Clark County politicians, North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon looked back at last year's accomplishments and glanced toward the future during the State of the City luncheon at Cashman Field on Jan. 13.
      With Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates and a collection of North Las Vegas city employees in attendance, Montandon gave a brief history of North Las Vegas. He then cited milestones, such as the three city audits, four new wards, citywide Y2K compliance, new design standards and the city's growth as the past year's major accomplishments.
      Splitting the city into four wards -- North Las Vegas' coming of age -- was at the top of Montandon's accomplishment list for the city.
      In December, Councilman John Rhodes was appointed to Ward 1; Councilman William Robinson to Ward 2; Councilwoman Stephanie Smith to Ward 3; and Councilwoman Shari Buck to Ward 4.
      Audits of the Department of Corrections, police department and the city in general were also at the top of North Las Vegas' accomplishments. In the city's 54-year history, there had never been an outside audit, Montandon said.
      A reflection of these audits was the decision to go to a four-day work week for city employees, closing the offices on Fridays and opening the offices from 7 a.m. until 5:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday to better serve the citizens.
      The city's growth and image is the core concentration for the future.
      By Montandon's estimate, 18 new residents move into the city each day and six new dwellings are built -- a standard that has increased the city's population from 47,000 to approximately 117,000 over the past 10 years. Montandon also said he believes the city's actual population is higher than numbers recently projected by the state demographers.
      "We all know it is more (residents) than that," Montandon said.
      The widening of Lake Mead Boulevard, the downtown beautification project and this year's impending openings of Target and 24 Hour Fitness on Clayton Street and Craig Road and Gold's Gym on Craig Road and Valley Drive are additions that will encourage more residents.
      New residents require an increase in city services, which is why Fire Station No. 55 will commence construction this year or in early 2001.
      A large portion of the city's future lies within a 7,500-acre parcel that will eventually become a master-planned community.
      "We don't have to reinvent the wheel," Montandon said, citing Summerlin and Anthem as good models. "We deserve and want a similar community in North Las Vegas."
      New design standards -- including the addition of hard zoning -- was one of the achievements Montandon felt would lead the city into the future. Hard zoning would give residents a warning on the zoning of land parcels in their neighborhoods.
      For the future, Montandon introduced the new city slogan "Your Community of Choice," which was decided upon by the council members at a recent retreat in Mesquite. The slogan, originally adopted at the Jan. 5 City Council meeting, is supposed to set a standard for North Las Vegas' future.
      During a news conference staged before the address, Montandon said, "The city goal is to be the `community of choice' and attack it every way we can."