At the May 19 Technical Review Meeting for the Mesquite City Council, a small crowd gathered to hear details of the upcoming agenda.
While there isn’t too much meat there, there are two items that may start some new conversations in the community.
Shorter items include reappointing Councilwoman Cindi Delaney to the Southern Nevada Health District Board and Councilman George Rapson to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board for the next year. Council will also consider appointing David Ballweg, a local business owner and active community member, to the Architectural Review Committee.
With construction beginning soon on the new Noor Estates residential area next to Hunter Park on East Mesquite Boulevard and Dairy Lane, council will be considering the approval of a street name change for the existing Dairy Lane to become North Dairy Lane as well as approving of a reservation for a Public Right of Way along what will be South Dairy Lane and East First South Street. This will define where the City’s Right of Way is for the future. As of right now, some of it is part of the ball park fields.
There’s a new restaurant coming to town. Antigua Bohemia Bar and Restaurant will be located next to the Dollar Tree at 1085 W Pioneer Boulevard Suite 120 and 130, where LaFonda used to be. They will be coming before the Council on Tuesday to apply for a liquor license.
Other minor matters on the agenda include the approval of extension for the Sun City Communication Tower and an Airport Use Agreement.
The two contentious items, however, are the proposed updated Ambulance Fee Schedule and the amending of Title 1 of the Mesquite Municipal Code of Chapter 11.
Mesquite Fire and Rescue is seeking to increase their fees to remain competitive with surrounding EMS services. The increase would include BLS (Basic Life Support) services rising from the current $600 and $22 per mile to $800 and $26.50 per mile. It would also include ALS (Advanced Life Support) rising from its current $800 to $950, with the same amount for mileage.
Based on statistics from February 2015, over a 12 month period, these increases could theoretically bring in an additional estimated $200,000 to the city’s revenue based on this one month’s statistics of 34 BLS calls and 103 ALS calls. The increased rates will still be very competitive to the average rates for Nevada, Arizona and Utah. If Mesquite Fire and Rescue is granted the SAFER Grant, which will add up to 17 new personnel, they will be able to offer a Critical Care Transport team which will be slightly higher than the two other categories, adding additional income to the City.
The other major item up for discussion will be creating a ‘Residency’ type clause in the Mesquite Municipal Code that will require all City employees to reside within a 15 mile radius of Mesquite. This too could affect Mesquite Fire and Rescue as several of their reservists live in Las Vegas. However, talk at the Tech Meeting was hopeful that several exceptions will be made to accommodate current employees and those who are not employed full time, such as those reservists. Initially, the consideration of the Ordinance was to restrict employees to Clark County only. This would prevent residents of Beaver Dam and Littlefield from working for the City. Public Works Director Bill Tanner notified the Council that it would directly affect several his employees. City Attorney Bob Sweetin made the needed adjustments to the Ordinance prior to its posting on the City website Wednesday morning. The Ordinance will only place the restriction that the employee must live within 15 minutes of Mesquite. Further discussion will take place at Tuesday’s Council Meeting.
The meeting will be held at Mesquite City Hall, 10 E. Mesquite Boulevard in the Council Chambers upstairs at 5 p.m.
