NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

fred couzens/viewThe sign at Boulder Inn & Suites will be discussed at the Sept. 17 planning commission agenda. Advertisement

YEAR-END STATEMENTS SHOW MIXED RESULTS FOR CITY BUDGET

According to the unaudited year-end financial statements for the city, the ending fund balances for the general and capital improvement funds closed lower than the previous year, but the balances in the utility, cemetery, special projects, aviation and redevelopment funds were higher.

The general fund EFB dropped about $64,000 as actual expenditures were 95 percent of budgeted expenditures and actual revenue was only 91 percent of budgeted revenue. The city's fiscal year ends June 30.

The capital improvement fund balance lost more than $248,000, primarily because the city didn't spend $850,000 for "contractual expenses," nor did it realize $1.47 million in revenue from the "sale of fixed assets."

The utility fund fared better with an additional $1.2 million in "miscellaneous revenue," which brought actual revenue in at 99 percent of budgeted revenue and expenses at 93 percent of what was budgeted.

The cemetery fund gained about $225,000 ($796,785 versus $571,424); the special projects fund realized a $1.8 million gain, as 65 percent of the expected revenue came in, while costs were held at 41 percent of the budgeted amount.

Both the aviation and redevelopment funds posted significant fund balance gains -- the airport at 683 percent and redevelopment at 151 percent -- as the airport got $1.52 million in unanticipated Federal Aviation Administration grant money, and redevelopment revenue increased $244,000, while budgeted expenses were reduced by $169,000.

The statements were part of the Aug. 12 agenda that was approved by the City Council.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ALMOST NOT A MEETING

The city Planning Commission took action on only one of three action items on its Aug. 20 agenda as only four of seven commissioners were in attendance -- two were absent and a third is in the process of being appointed.

Alpaca Pete's got its conditional-use permit for another year, even though it was disclosed by City Planner Susan Danielewicz that the business had violated last year's permit extension by using more flags than the sign code allows.

Then there was the variance request by Boulder Inn & Suites for its 392-square-foot sign on the western side of its three-story building on Nevada Way that got postponed. The delay came about when it was discovered the display is not a wall sign but a banner sign, and because of that, the public hearing needed to be reset for the Sept. 17 meeting.

Then Zach Inman was scheduled to appear on a variance request for a front porch that encroaches 4 feet, 5 inches into the front yard setback at 635 8th St., but that item stalled when Chairman Jim Giannosa disclosed he helped build the porch and therefore had "a pecuniary interest," prompting him to abstain from voting.

His abstention left only three votes, when four is required for a quorum, so Inman has to come back Sept. 17 to find out if he gets his variance.

CITY ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF SPEAKERS BUREAU

Want to learn more about the inner workings of City Hall or details about some new project? Well, the city has the answer and it's the new Boulder City Speaker's Bureau.

The bureau is a free local service, which was created in order for citizens to receive information about city programs and services so they can get involved.

All kinds of groups, associations and clubs are eligible to take part and invite a city staffer to speak on any issue, from aviation to zoning.

Requests for speakers need to be coordinated through city Public Information Officer Rose Ann Miele, who can be reached at 293-9358 or by e-mail at rmiele@bcnv.org.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS TO HOLD GATHERING

Ready to kick off their sponsorship and registration drive for the 2008 NAMIWalks for the Mind of America in November, members of the Southern Nevada chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness are holding an informal informational gathering at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Boulder City Library's meeting room.

Those wanting to learn more about the 5K walkathon or maybe find a way to get answers about a mental illness affecting their family or friend -- NAMI says one in four adults experiences a mental health disorder in any given year -- can come to the meet-and-greet.

The NAMI walkathon is scheduled to take place Nov. 22 at UNLV, with registration starting at 8 a.m. and the walk getting under way at 10 a.m.

There's no fee to participate in the 5K walk, but walk sponsors are encouraged to sign up with the walker so all the proceeds can be used for NAMI's support, education, research and advocacy programs in the Las Vegas area.

CARVE OUT SOME TIME FOR PUMPKINMAN TRIATHLON

Organizers of the fifth annual Pumpkinman Triathlon have announced that the event will be headquartered and staged from Boulder City on Oct. 18.

More than 1,500 athletes from all over the world are expected to swim, bike and run through Lake Mead and Boulder City and the roads in between as they compete in Nevada's largest triathlon.

Athletes will compete in a sprint, international or half-distance course that will include venues at Boulder Beach, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the streets of Boulder City. Pumpkinman competitors swim 0.93 mile, run 6.2 miles and ride a bike 24.9 miles.

The event starts at 7 a.m. at Boulder Beach and is expected to wrap up within three hours, so come early to cheer on the starters or come later and welcome the athletes as they cross the finish line on Colorado Street. Competitors are expected to be on the streets of Boulder City around 7:30 a.m.

The ranks of the finishers are expected to include 13-year-old Austin Lelles of Boulder City, who three weeks ago became the youngest person to complete an Ironman Triathlon.

HOSPITAL SCHEDULES MEETINGS TO DISCUSS TAX DISTRICT

Boulder City Hospital Administrator Tom Maher announced last week that two more town hall meetings have been scheduled for October so voters can gain additional information about the proposed hospital district and tax levy prior to the Nov. 4 general election.

The meetings will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 in City Council chambers.

Everyone is invited to attend the gatherings, where hospital administrators, members of the board of directors and hospital staff will be available to answer questions and give out information.

The Clark County Commission June 3 approved placing an advisory question on the Nov. 4 ballot that seeks to find out if the city's residents want to create a hospital district, and with it, a property tax levy of 15 cents per $100 of assessed valuation that would be collected as a subsidy to supplement the hospital's revenues.

After the vote is in, the Clark County Commission will weigh the community's wishes and decide whether district-forming legislation should be recommended to the state Legislature in 2009.