Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) representatives Stephen Sifuentes, left, and Scarlet Doyle met with Mesquite Mayor Al Litman Jan. 8 to discuss plans for a new cemetery. Photo by Burton Weast.

Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) representatives Stephen Sifuentes, left, and Scarlet Doyle met with Mesquite Mayor Al Litman Jan. 8 to discuss plans for a new cemetery. Photo by Burton Weast.

The creation of a special veteran’s area for the new Mesquite Cemetery was the topic of a meeting between Mayor Al Litman and representatives for Senator Dean Heller (R-NV). Attending the Jan. 8 meeting at City Hall from Senator Heller’s office was Scarlet Doyle, a legislative assistant based in Washington D.C. and Stephen Sifuentes, who is Senator Heller’s regional representative based in Las Vegas.

Mayor Litman is requesting the Senator’s assistance in securing federal funding for a special veteran’s section and monument in the new cemetery. Litman said “We have been working on this issue for some time,” and that the city would like federal support like that given recently to a cemetery in Ely.

Litman told Heller’s staff that unlike many areas Mesquite “has the land and we will give it to you for a veterans cemetery.”   Both Doyle and Sifuentes indicated Heller’s support and desire to try and find funding. Litman praised the Senator saying he had received “good cooperation” to date on the effort.

The city has also approached the State of Nevada for assistance on the project, but so far has had little success. “We are not getting the results from the state even though they appointed a special veteran’s person.” Litman plans on continuing the city efforts at both the state and federal level.

The new cemetery, currently under construction, is located on Hardy Way west of Falcon Ridge Parkway.