Power outage at City Hall ends council meeting abruptly

view file photoGreg Danz, owner of the Broadacres Swap Meet, is shown at his business at 2930 Las Vegas Blvd. North in June 2008. The swap meet would be affected by a proposed ordinance change that would require a permit for selling animals. Advertisement

The North Las Vegas City Council meeting was cut short on Jan. 20 when a winter rainstorm caused a power outage in parts of the city, including the downtown area and City Hall.

Approximately 10 agenda items were moved to the Feb. 3 meeting after city officials learned the building's backup generator had only about 15 minutes worth of power.

"We don't typically see these kinds of situations with power outages related to weather," one city official said.

After a 10-minute wait, as staffers attempted to determine if the outage would be brief or lengthy, Mayor Shari Buck announced that the remainder of agenda items would be continued to the next scheduled meeting.

"In just a few minutes here, we are going to be operating in the dark, so I am going to have to call it and say that the rest of the items will be heard during our next meeting," she said.

Among the items continued to Feb. 3 was consideration of a proposed ordinance change that would prohibit the sale of animals on public streets and property and would regulate such sales by requiring a permit. That ordinance alteration, if enacted, would directly affect vendors at the Broadacres Swap Meet, 2930 Las Vegas Blvd. North, owned by Las Vegas resident Greg Danz.

A controversy over the practice of selling animals in the summertime heat began brewing last August. Some animal rights activists have called for a ban on such sales at the facility.

Before the loss of electricity prompted suspension of the council meeting, Danz stated that he was in support of the ordinance requiring permitting, but would oppose any attempt to impose an outright ban.

"The incident that sparked all this happened once," Danz said. "I can understand amending an ordinance, but I would fight a ban. Many of our vendors would support that fight, as well."

North Las Vegas resident Bernice Shawly, who said she attended the council meeting to see what would happen with regard to the ordinance regulating animal sales, said at the end of the evening that she planned to return Feb. 3 to hear the rest of the discussion and see how the council votes on the proposed changes.

"Maybe then, the rain won't be an issue. This has been a strange night," she said.

Contact North Las Vegas and Downtown View reporter Amanda Llewellyn at allewellyn@viewnews.com or 380-4535.