BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER WITH THE STATE OF THE CITY THOUGH, I NEED TO DEFINE WHAT A CITY DOES OR SHOULD DO. THE CORE FUNCTION OF A CITY GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF LIFE, BASIC SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS, YOUNG AND OLD, WATER AND SEWER, AND STREETS AND DRAINAGE.
TODAY, I WILL BE ADDRESSING MOST OF THESE FUNCTIONS, AS I BELIEVE THEY WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STATE OF THE CITY. TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THESE AREAS, IT TAKES ON-GOING, SMART PLANNING WITH A MINIMUM OF A FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT WILL YIELD DEVELOPMENT THAT CREATES JOBS, AND, OF COURSE, BE A CREDIT TO OUR CITY. WE, AS A CITY HAVE SHYED AWAY FROM LONG-RANGE STRATIGIC PLANNING AND HAVE LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET IN THE SAME FASHION. I BELIEVE WE HAVE CHANGED OR ARE CHANGING OUR OLD WAYS OF SHORT-TERM PLANNING, AND BUDGETING AND ARE FINALLY LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE LONG TERM.
YOU PROBABLY WANT TO HEAR SOME DETAILS, USUALLY ECONOMIC IN NATURE AND YOU WILL. BUT TO ME THERE IS MORE TO THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS THAN ECONOMICS AND A LOT OF STATISTICS. IT’S MORE TO ME, A STATE OF THE MIND—WHAT WE PERCEIVE OUR CITY TO BE, AND WHAT WE WANT FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING HERE. FOR MOST OF US WE THOUGHT CAREFULLY BEFORE WE CHOSE MESQUITE TO BE OUR HOME, IT DIDN’T CHOOSE US.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES OF MUSIC WAS WRITTEN BY BILLY JOEL,” NEW YORK STATE OF MIND”. I’VE NEVER LIVED IN NEW YORK, BUT I HAVE IN DULUTH, MINN., LOS ANGELES, CA, LAHAINA, MAUI, AND FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, MESQUITE. ALL VERY DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SIZED, AND WITH A DIFFERENT MIND-SET. THE LYRICS OF NEW YORK STATE OF MIND REMIND ME SO MUCH OF A GREAT PART OF MY LIFE AND WHY I’M HERE IN MESQUITE.
LET ME QUOTE A SMALL PART,”I’VE SEEN ALL THE MOVIE STARS IN THEIR FANCY CARS AND THEIR LIMOUSINES, BEEN HIGH UP IN THE ROCKIES UNDER THE EVERGREENS AND, I DON’T WANT TO WASTE MORE TIME, AND HERE’S WHERE I ALTER THE WORDS A BIT, I’M IN A MESQUITE STATE OF MIND. I DON’T HAVE ANY REASON, I LEFT THEM ALL BEHIND, I’M IN A MESQUITE STATE OF MIND.
WHAT I’M TRYING TO CONVEY IS SIMPLE. VIRTUALLY EVERYONE HERE TODAY PICKED MESQUITE AS OUR HOME. THERE MUST BE A REASON. BUT, SOME WANT TO DUPLICATE WHERE THEY CAME FROM. THOMAS WOLFE SAID, “ WE CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN”. WE MOVE ON, WE ADAPT IF WE CHOOSE TO. WE ENJOY THE FRUITS OF OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER. LIKE ANYPLACE, USA, IT’S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT’S, IN MY OPINION, VERY CLOSE. HOWEVER, WE MUST STRIVE TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER. BUT WE MUST BE REALISTIC AS WE ARE STILL SMALL IN SIZE AND YOUNG IN YEARS. MATURITY WILL COME, BUT OUR KEY TO SUCCESS IS IN CAREFULL PLANNING.
TODAY, AS I SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO, YOU WILL HEAR MY TAKE ON THE STATE OF THE CITY—WHAT’S GOOD, WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD, WHAT WORKS AND WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT; WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THE ISSUES WE FACE.
BUT NOW, AFTER THAT LONG INTRODUCTION, I NEED TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL AND INTRODUCE OUR SPECIAL GUESTS TODAY. OF COURSE, ALL OF YOU ARE SPECIAL IN GIVING OF YOUR VALUABLE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY, AND I THANK YOU.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY WIFE PHYLLIS WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME, NOT ONLY THROUGH NEARLY 55 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, BUT MORE THAN EVER THESE PAST NINE YEARS. FIRST, WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL, MY RE-ELECTION, MY APPOINTMENT AS MAYOR, AND MY ELECTION FOUR YEARS AGO. BEING MY WIFE IS NOT EASY, AND BEING THE WIFE OF A MAYOR CAN BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. I THANK HER FOR HER PATIENCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY FELLOW COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AND MY STAFF WHO KEEP OUR CITY OPERATING AS EFFICIENTLY AS IT DOES.
OVER THE PAST YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES AT CITY HALL. CITY MANAGER, ANDY BARTON RETIRED, AS WELL AS BILLY TANNER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, DAVE EMPEY, FINANCE DIRECTOR, TROY TANNER, CHIEF OF POLICE, AND SEVERAL OTHER LONG-TIME EMPLOYEES. THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERALBLE MOVEMENT AMONG STAFF AS WE REALIGN RESPONSIBILITES. IN ADDITION WE HAVE BROUGHT SHANNA MCPHETERS IN AS A GRANT WRITER AND JANICE REDONDO AS OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCE PERSON REPLACING AARON.
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PARTS OF DELIVERING THE ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS IS FINDING THE WORDS TO ADEQUATELY THANK AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE AT CITY HALL FOR THE RESULTS THEY DELIVER DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THEY, AS WELL AS ALL OUR EMPLOYEES BEHIND THE SCENES, ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY WHO GIVE US THE STATE OF THE CITY.
THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. TODAY, YOU WILL ONLY HEAR A FRACTION OF WHAT THEY DO.
LET ME START BY INTRODUCING OUR NEW CITY MANAGER. THOUGH NOT NEW TO MESQUITE CITY GOVERNMENT, AARON BAKER HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. AS YOU MAY KNOW, UNDER OUR CHARTER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THE CITY MANAGER IS THE CEO OF THE CITY, AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, MARTINE GREEN, YOU CAN REST ASSURED CITY HALL IS WELL MANAGED. MY ROLE IS TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER IS TASKED WITH MANAGING OUR CITY, AND HE IS DOING IT WELL.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE BOB SWEETIN, OUR CITY ATTORNEY. BOB PROVIDES US EXCELLENT LEGAL ADVICE THAT KEEPS US OUT OF TROUBLE, HANDLES NUMEROUS COURT CASES AND WORKS CLOSLEY WITH OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES IN KEEPING US UP WITH LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND NEW REGULATIONS.
GINA MENDEZ IS OUR LEAD HUMAN RESOURCES PERSON. FOR MANY YEARS, GINA WAS A DEPARTMENT OF ONE. WITH THE ADDITION OF AMY GALE AS HER ASSISTANT, HER DEPARTMENT RUNS SMOOTHLY. THESE TWO LADIES HAVE A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY GET IT RIGHT!
OUR CITY CLERK, TRACY BECK, WORKS TIRELESSLY IN PROVIDING A VARIETY OF SERVICES TO THE CITY AND COMMUNITY. FINALLY, WE ARE BACK TO A DEPARTMENT OF TWO WITH THE ADDITION OF STEPHANIE FRENER AS THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK. YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHORTLY.
I TOOK CONSIDERABLE TIME IN LOOKING AT WHAT ISSUES ARE AT THE FOREFRONT IN OTHER CITIES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL. MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE COMMON TO ALL CITIES BUT THEIR IMPORTANCE WILL VARY CONSIDERABLY WHEN ANALYZED. AS I LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES, I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT OUR COMMON THREADS AND GIVE ME SOME BENCHMARKS OF BOTH SUCCESS AND FAILURES.
I’LL TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AS THEY PERTAIN TO MESQUITE, HOWEVER, WHAT I SAY TODAY IS REFLECTED THROUGHOUT THE NATION IN WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO MOST MAYORS.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THE MAJORITY OF MAYORS AND IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF MESQUITE. IT IS, HOWEVER, THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL AND OFTEN MOST CONTENTIOUS AND DIFFICULT ISSUE WE FACE. LET ME EXPLAIN. PRIOR TO THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2008, WE WERE CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING SMALL CITIES IN AMERICA. BEING IN THE SOUTHWEST WITH GREAT WEATHER, LOTS OF SUNSHINE, PROXIMITY TO A MAJOR AIRPORT AND JUST NEXT TO ONE OF THE MOST TRAFFICED INTERSTATES IN THE WEST, MADE US A SURE BET. MANY SMALL BUSINESES OPENED UP, SUN CITY DEVELOPED AND ALL LOOKED ROSEY. THEN THE RECESSION. OVERALL WE DID FAIRLY WELL CONSIDERING.
HOWEVER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STOPPED COLD. NUMEROUS NEW HOMES BUILT STRICTLY ON SPECULATION REMAINED UNSOLD AS DEVELOPERS AND CUSTOMERS DISSAPEARED. MANY SMALL BUSINESSES CLOSED. A MAJOR CASINO SHUT ITS DOORS AND A SHORT-LIVED ONE REMAINED EMPTY. SOLSTICE, A PLANNED CASINO, SHOPPING DISTRICT, NEVER GOT OFF THE GROUND, AND THE CITY LOST SEVERAL MILLION WITH AN UNSECURED DEVELOPMENT LOAN. PEOPLE MOVED AWAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE WORKFORCE WHO LOST THEIR JOBS.
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING CHANGES AND TODAY IT’S DIFFICULT TO FIND A HOME FOR SALE, AT LEAST NOT AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE FOR ANYONE STARTING OUT. IT’S BEEN SINCE 2007 SINCE ANY LARGE HOUSING PROJECT HAS BEEN BUILT. NOW IT STARTS TO GET COMPLICATED. WHY?
IN ORDER TO BRING JOBS TO MESQUITE, WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT WE ALSO NEED TRAINED EMPLOYEES TO FILL THOSE JOBS IN A PERIOD WHERE UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE JUST ONE HIGH SCHOOL THAT GRADUATES LESS THAN 200 STUDENTS A YEAR. OUR STUDENTS, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE NOT READY FOR THE JOBS THAT COULD BE FILLED, AS THEY ARE UNTRAINED.
WHEN WE ELIMINATE THOSE WHO WILL GO DIRECTLY ON TO SOME FORM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THOSE WHO WILL TAKE LOW-SKILLED JOBS RIGHT AWAY AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF WORKING, AT LEAST FOR AWHILE, AND WE HAVE AN EXTREMEY SMALL NUMBER REMAINING. MESQUITE CURRENTLY HAS AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SIMILAR TO LAS VEGAS, AROUND 3.5 PERCENT. WE DON’T HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WORK IN MESQUITE. THAT’S A GOOD THING, HOW EVER, NOT WHEN AN EMPLOYER NEEDS TO HIRE.
WE ARE NOT READY FOR BIG BOX STORES, MAJOR MEDICAL CENTERS, MULTIPLE SUPER MARKETS, TRADER JOES AND THE LIKE. WE MAY NEVER BE. WE ARE A SMALL CITY AND NOT SURROUNDED BY OTHER SMALL CITIES THAT COULD BE PART OF AN URBAN COMMUNITY. FUNNY, I OFTEN HEAR WE ARE GETTING TOO BIG AND GROWING TOO FAST. FOR SOME YES, FOR OTHERS NO. THAT IS PART OF THE QUANDARY WE FACE. WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE? BY THE WAY, AND I’M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF LARGE RETAIL BUSINESS’S ARE CLOSING OR HAVE CLOSED IN RECENT YEARS OR REDUCING THEIR PRESENCE LEAVING MAJOR SHOPPING MALLS GHOST TOWNS.
AS AN EXAMPLE, SEARS, KMART, PARTY CITY, WALGREENS, FAMILY DOLLAR, PAYLESS SHOES, THE GAP, PIER ONE, MACY’S AND SO MANY MORE. WE, IN MANY WAYS ARE VERY FORTUNATE. THE CLOSING OF MANY OF THESE STORES HAS DEVESTATED MANY COMMUNITIES THAT COUNTED ON THEM AS MAJOR EMPLOYERS. IT HAS BEEN CALLED, “A RETAIL APOCALYPSE” BY MANY ECONOMISTS. WITH ON-LINE SHOPPING SO PREVALENT THESE DAYS AND GROWING, THE “ RETAIL APOCALYPSE WILL ONLY CONTINUE.
THIS LEADS ME BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT I WILL ALUDE TO MORE THAN ONCE, WHAT DO WE WANT MESQUITE TO BE, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE. NOT NECESSARILY FOR US, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT HOPE TO MAKE MESQUITE THEIR HOME AND RAISE THEIR CHILDREN. WE AS A CITY ARE SERIOUSLY LOOKING AT THIS AND WILL NEED YOUR COOPERATION AND IDEAS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
LET ME DEFINE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. ECONOMISTS SEE IT AS THE GROWTH OF THE STANDARD OF LIVING FROM A LOW-INCOME (POOR) ECONOMY TO A HIGH-INCOME (RICH) ECONOMY. WELL-PLANNED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN GIVE US A MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY BY CREATING AND RETAINING JOBS AND BUILDING THE LOCAL TAX BASE. AS YOU KNOW, JUST ROOFTOPS WILL NOT PAY THE BILLS.
SO, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WHAT I SEE AS OUR FIRST PRIORITY, WHERE ARE WE? LETS LOOK AT 2019. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SUCCESSES THIS YEAR, AND YES, SOME FAILURES.
WE WERE COUNTING ON THE REV GROUP BRINGING GOOD PAYING JOBS TO MESQUITE WITH A MAJOR RECREATIONAL VEHICLE SERVICE CENTER. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN DUE TO RESTRUCTURING OF THE COMPANY. WE LOST SEVERAL SMALL BUSINESSES. GUNS AND GUITARS, ALFREDO’S MEXICAN FOOD, MESQUITE PHARMACY, THE AMUSED OWL AND SEVERAL MORE. HOWEVER, WE GAINED THREE TIMES THAT WITH NEW OPENINGS. WILL THEY ALL BE SUCCESSFUL? ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
ALONG WITH NEW OPENINGS, 2019 SAW EXPANSION OF DEEP ROOTS MEDICAL AND THIS YEAR. THEY NOW OCCUPY 80,000 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING SPACE. MESQUITE GAMING SEES A FUTURE IN MESQUITE WITH POSITIVE INDICATORS IN AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATES AND GROSS GAMING REVENUE. THESE POSITIVE INDICATORS HAVE LEAD MESQUITE GAMING TO EXPAND AND RE-MODEL AT THE VIRGIN RIVER PROPERTY. THE UPGRADE AND EXPANSION PROJECT WILL ADD 10,000 SQUARE FEET OF GAMING SPACE, AN ADDITIONAL BAR AND A NEW HIGH-END RESTAURANT. IN ADDITION THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO DEVELOPING VACANT LAND FOR 600 AFFORDABLE APARTMENT UNITS. WE NEED THESE BADLY. ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT NOT REALIZE IT, THE SPECIAL EVENTS THEY HOLD DURING THE YEAR SUCH AS MESQUITE MOTOR MANIA, HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL, SUPER RUN CAR SHOW AND THE CASA RIB FEST, NOT ONLY SHOWS FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BRINGS IN THOUSANDS OF VISITORS THAT SPEND CONSIDERABLE MONEY HERE. OF COURSE WE CAN’T FORGET THE NUMEROUS GOLF TOURNAMENTS.
THE EUREKA HOTEL AND CASINO BELIEVES IN EDUCATION AS AN INVENSTMENT IN MESQUITE THROUGH THE EUREKA COMMUNITY INITIATIVE BY SUPPORTING THE MESQUITE READS PROGRAM RAISING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY FOR THE PROGRAM, THE LITTLE SPROUTS GARDENING PROGRAM, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY PROGRAM AND HAVE HIRED STUDENTS THAT COMPLETE THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS HAVING A SENIOR WORKING IN GREGORY’S.
IN ADDITION THEY TOTALLY FUND THE ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS AND CONCERT. THE RISING STAR BRINGS NUMEROUS YOUTH SPORTS TEAMS AND SPORTS CAMPS TO MESQUITE. THESE EVENTS BETWEEN MESQUITE GAMING, THE RISING STAR, AND THE EUREKA BRINGS MUCH NEEDED REVENUE TO OUR CITY. TIME DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF THESE EVENTS AND THEIR IMPACT, BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM AT A LATER TIME. 1.3 MILLION VISITORS IN 2019, THANKS TO OUR RISING TOURISM IS NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT!
ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT THAT I HOPE OCCURS THIS YEAR IS A 310 UNIT APARTMENT PROJECT ON PIONEER BLVD NEAR THE FORD DEALERSHIP. ALL IN ALL, 2020 LOOKS LIKE A VERY POSITIVE YEAR FOR DEVELOPMENT. I DO NEED TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE A 40 PLUS UNIT DEVELOPMENT OF APARTMENT/CONDO’S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ACROSS FROM THE MAVERICK GAS STATION.
THE SECOND AREA OF CONCERN TO SO MANY MAYORS IS INFRASTRUCTURE. IT IS NOT SUCH A GREAT CONCERN TO ME, AT LEAST NOT IMMEDIATELY. I’LL GO INTO SOME DETAIL. TO BEGIN WITH, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE OFTEN NOT ALL THAT VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THEY DON’T TYPICALLY GARNER A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION, THOUGH THEIR FAILURES CERTAINLY DO. NONETHELESS, THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO PRESERVE OUR ASSETS AND ENSURE THE CONTINUED RELIABILITY OF SERVICES AND QUALITY TO OUR RESIDENTS.
OUR CITY IS YOUNG, AND THANKS TO OUR CITIES FIRST ADMINISTRATION AND THE WORK DONE BY OUR LATE MAYOR, JIMMIE HUGHES, I BELIEVE OUR OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. OUR ROADS, STREETS, AND SIGNAGE IS SOME OF THE BEST I HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE.
I AM, HOWEVER, ASKING THE CITY TO INSTALL MORE FLASHING PEDESTRIAN LITES AT CROSSWALKS AND TO ACCELERATE THE PAINTING SCHEDULE OF OUR STREET LINES AND MARKINGS. WITH OUR CLIMATE, THEY FADE QUICKLY. OUR STREETS ARE VERY SAFE, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. I’M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE NOTICED AND EXPERIENCED CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC IN JUST THE PAST YEAR. WE HAVE TWO NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I FIND THEM A GODSEND. IT SEEMED IT TOOK FOREVER, BUT THEY ARE GOING A LONG WAY IN IMPROVING TRAFFIC FLOW.
AS YOU KNOW, BOTH WATER AND POWER DELIVERY ARE PROVIDED BY OUTSIDE SOURCES AS WELL AS THE NATURAL GAS THAT IS BEING INSTALLED IN MESQUITE. WATER IS A FUNCTION OF THE VIRGIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, A QUASI-PUBLIC UTILITY. THE CITY DOES NOT OPERATE THE WATER DISTRIBUTION OR SET THE RATES. KEVIN BROWN, THE CURRENT CEO OF THE DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED ME WITH THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN MESQUITE THIS PAST YEAR AND THEIR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE.
OUR WATER DISTRICT HAS GREAT FAITH IN MESQUITE AND HAS EARMARKED MANY MILLIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. KEVIN AND HIS STAFF ARE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB FOR THE CITY OF MESQUITE. IN THE PAST YEAR A NEW WELL WAS ADDED, AS WAS AN ARSENIC TREATMENT PLANT. THREE ADDITIONAL WELLS WERE REHABILITATED AND CONSIDERABLE DEFECTIVE PIPING WAS REPLACED. IN MY MIND, WATER IS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. WE ARE IN THE DESERT AS YOU ALL KNOW.
IN SPEAKING OF WATER, WE DODGED THE BULLIT THIS YEAR WITH THE REMOVAL OF GAS AND OIL EXPLORATION JUST OUTSIDE MESQUITE AND OUR MAIN SOURCE OF WATER. I WON’T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT IF NOT FOR THE INTERVENTION OF THE GOVENOR SISOLAK, SENATOR MASTO, MY SELF, AND OTHERS, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION WHEN LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF MESQUITE.
THE OVERTON POWER DISTRICT IS ALSO A QUASI-PUBLIC UTILTY PROVIDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DELIVERY OF POWER NOT ONLY TO MESQUITE, BUT THE ENTIRE MOAPA VALLEY. THEY ALSO SET THE RATES AND DELIVER OUR POWER. MENDIS COOPER, THEIR CEO, HAS ALSO PROVIDED ME WITH THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE GOALS FOR MESQUITE WHICH I WILL ADDRESS.
A CITY CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT ADEQUATE ENERGY AND WATER.
2019 MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A PROJECT SOME 20 PLUS YEARS IN THE MAKING. NATURAL GAS SERVICE IN MESQUITE. LAST FEB. SOUTHWEST GAS AND THE CITY ANNOUNCED THE ARRIVAL OF NATURAL GAS SERVICE WITH THE FIRST CUSTOMER BEING DANIELLE’S CHOCOLATES AND POPCORN. BRINGING NATURAL GAS TO OUR FAST GROWING CITY MARKS A NEW ERA OF GROWTH AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNUTY FOR US. THE FIRST NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS ARE BEING SERVED BY A “VIRTUAL PIPELINE”. COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS IS TRUCKED INTO MESQUITE AND DISTRIBUTED VIA A PIPELINE THAT RUNS FROM CITY HALL TO THE INTERSECTION OF FALCON RIDGE AND PIONEER.
THIS MULTI-YEAR PROJECT WILL BRING 40 MILES OF PIPELINE CONNECTING THE CITY TO THE MAJOR TRANSMISSION LINE LOCATED 14 MILES NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE. THE IMMEDIATE BENEFIT TO THE CITY WILL BE THE ADDITION OF APPROXIMATELY 300 JOBS DURING CONSTRUCTION OF THE PIPELINE AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE. IT IS MUCH TO EARLY TO ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF NATURAL GAS, BUT BY NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
SO, BACK TO ELECTRIC POWER. THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH POWER OUTAGES IN MESQUITE. THOUGH NOT FREQUENT, THEY CAUSE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHEN THEY OCCUR. WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH OVERTON POWER IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR OPERATIONS AS WELL AS LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES WHEN WE DO HAVE THESE UNPLANNED OUTAGES.
IN 2019, OPD FINALIZED A CONTRACT WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION SERVICE PROVIDER TO CONSTRUCT A NEW TRANSMISSION LINE CONNECTION TO THEIR SYSTEM. A NEW TRANSMISSION LINE, CONSTRUCTED WITH STEEL POLES, WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED RELIABILITY. THE TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2022. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS OPD IS WORKING ON TO IMPROVE SERVICE AND I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THEM AS THEY PROGRESS DURING THE COMING YEAR.
OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN MESQUITE IN SO MANY WAYS THAT IT SHOULD CALL FOR A SEPARATE TALK. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF NICK MONTOYA AND HIS OUTSTANDING STAFF, MESQUITE HAS BECOME KNOWN STATEWIDE FOR ITS INNOVATIONS, QUALITY RECREATION CENTER, SPORTING EVENTS FOR ALL AGES, BALLFIELDS THAT ARE THE ENVY OF ALL, AND BEAUTIFUL, WELL MAINTAINED CITY PARKS AND TRAILS. WITH THAT SAID, LET ME MENTION JUST A FEW OF THE PROJECTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN 2019. THE DEPARTMENT REFURBISHED THE PULSIPHER PARK FITNESS AREA, UPGRADED OUR INDOOR POOL AND REST ROOMS, UPDATED OUR BEAUTIFUL RECREACTION CENTER, INSTALLED NEW PRIVACY/SECURITY FENCING AT OUR PRE-SCHOOL WENT OUT TO BID ON NEW ADDITIONAL PICKLE BALL COURTS, HOSTED COUNTLESS SPORTING EVENTS FOR BOTH OUR YOUTH AND ADULTS, REFURBISHED OUR SPORTS FIELD WITH LED , ENERGY SAVING LIGHTING, INSTALLED LIGHTING AT THE NEW CEMETERY IN ADDITION TO A FLAG POLE AND SO MUCH MORE. AND YES, PICKLE BALL COURTS ARE ON THE WAY. IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE PATIENCE. BY THE WAY, IF YOU NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT PARKS AND RECREATION DOES, NICK MONTOYA WILL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU. I CAN’T THANK PARKS AND RECREATION ENOUGH FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE STATE OF THE CITY. WE WOULD NOT BE FIRST CLASS WITHOUT THEM.
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT A PART OF MESQUITE CITY GOVERNMENTS RESPONSIBILITY, MESA VIEW HOSPITAL PLAYS AY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. 2019 WAS A STRESSFUL ONE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR ONLY HOSPITAL. DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAD TO BE MADE IN REGARDS TO A LAWSUIT OVER THE BIRTHING PROGRAM THAT WAS DISCONTINUED. MANY THOUGHT THE HOSPITAL WAS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF BEING SOLD. PERHAPS IT WAS. MESQUITE IS A SMALL CITY AND RUMORS SPREAD QUICKLY. AS OF TODAY, I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THE OWNERSHIP OF THE HOSPITAL REMAINS THE SAME. HEALTHCARE IS AND WILL BE A MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR CITY FOR QUITE AWHILE. WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS AS IT’S JUST AS IMPORTANT IN EVERY RURAL COMMUNITY ACROSS THE NATION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE STATE OF RURAL HOSPITALS IN AMERICA AND THE ISSUES WITH HEALTH CARE WE FACE IN GENERAL. HEALTHCARE, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL IS NOT A PRETTY PICTURE IN AMERICA.
CITIES ARE NOT MONEYMAKING, FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES. AS I STATED IN MY OPENING, OUR FUNCTION IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY OF LIFE, BASIC SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, ALONG WITH CLEAN STREETS, SEWER SERVICES AND RELATED AREAS. WE ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB IN EVERYONE OF THESE AREAS. WE DON’T PROVIDE THESE SERVICES WITH OUR MONEY. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH YOUR MONEY THROUGH VARIOUS TAXES, FEES, AND GRANTS. MOST OF WHAT WE RECEIVED COMES FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA CONSOLIDATED TAX DISTRIBUTION.
IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE CITY IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER FINANCIALLY, WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC ON BUDGETARY PRACTICES, MANAGE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STATE AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND MAINTAIN A SAFE FINANCIAL RESERVE. WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO SUBMIT A BALANCED BUDGET AS WELL AS OUR NEED TO SET ASIDE MONIES TO FUND FUTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS. THIS YEAR SAW THE RETIREMENT OF OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, DAVE EMPY. HE WAS REPLACED WITH LONG-TIME ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DODI MELENDEZ. MS. MELENDEZ HAS BEEN TASKED WITH UPDATING HOW WE DO BUDGETS AND SHOULD BE DOING IN THE 21ST CENTURY OF EVER CHANGING FINANCING. I HAVE GREAT FAITH WE WILL SEE MANY POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE COMING YEAR.
FORTY-ONE PERCENT OF STATE OF THE CITY SPEECHES IN THE PAST YEAR INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT COVERAGE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. CITIES ARE CONTINUING TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY BY PLANTING TREES TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND UPGRADING WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO REDUCE WASTE AND DECREASE CONTAMINATION AMONG RECYCLEABLES.
WE, HERE IN MESQUITE ARE VERY FORTUNATE. WE ARE NOT A CONCRETE JUNGLE. WE HAVE CLEAN AIR. OUR COMPANIES DO NOT CONTAMINATE OUR SKYS WITH SOOT AND TOXIC CHEMICALS. OUR RIVER IS NOT A CESS POOL. I LOVE TREE’S, BUT WE ARE IN A DESERT. WATER CONSERVATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT GREENERY. IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE WHEN WE WERE A VERY SMALL TOWN, BUT WE ARE GROWING AND MUST CONSERVE.
WASTE MANAGEMENT IS A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. WHILE RECYCLING HAS BLOSSOMED INTO A GLOBAL INDUSTRY, MESQUITE HAS NOT KEPT UP. I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO ADOPT A RECYCLING POLICY THAT COULD BE ADHERED TO WITH LITTLE OR NO INCONVIENCE TO OUR RESIDENTS. WE, AT LEAST, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK TOWARDS THIS GOAL IN 2020. IT’S BEING DONE ELSEWHERE, WE CAN DO IT ALSO.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR CONCERN IN MOST CITIES. WE ARE FORTUNATE IN HAVING SILVER RIDER, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS NOT JUST FOR SENIORS. DURING THE PAST YEAR THEY REPLACED ALL THE BUS STOP SIGNS IN MESQUITE AND HAVE JUST AQUIRED 30 BUS SHELTERS THAT WILL SOON BE IN SERVICE. THEY ARE WORKING ON ANOTHER ROUTE TO SERVE PASSENGERS THAT THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY REACHING. AS YOU KNOW WE LOST OUR CAB SERVICE LAST YEAR, BUT NOW HAVE LYFT AND UBER DRIVERS AVAILABLE. WITH TWO AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICES THAT OPERATE HERE, I BELIEVE WE ARE WELL SERVED OVERALL.
HOUSING, THAT IS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. CITY LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE RECOGNIZING THE SIMPLE THUTH THAT HOUSING IS EXTREMELY COSTLY FOR AN INCREASINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF WORKING FAMILIES AND ARE WORKING TO REDUCE THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT RESIDENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY FOR A HOME AND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY CAN AFFORD. RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT THE ANSWER. ENCOURAGING AND ENABLING BUILDING A VARIETY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TYPES THAT SERVE THE CHANGING NEEDS OF RESIDENTS ACROSS A LIFETIME AND DO NOT COST IN ACCESS OF 30 PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME SHOULD BE A PRIORITY OF THIS CITY.
IN ORDER TO DO THIS WE NEED TO LOOK AT ZONING AND BUILDING CODES WITH THIS IN MIND. PERHAPS WE NEED TO CHANGE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS AND DEVELOP WAYS TO IMPLEMENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVESTMENTS TO DEVELOPERS. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE ONLY IN MESQUITE, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE GROWTH IS OCCURING.
WITH A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE ARE DESTINED TO SEE A RISE IN HOMELESSNESS. NOT JUST THE MENTALLY ILL OR THOSE LOST TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, BUT THE WORKING HOMELESS WHO JUST CANNOT AFFORD TO EITHER PAY MONTHLY RENT OR CANNOT COME UP WITH A DOWNPAYMENT TO BEGIN WITH. I REMEMBER WELL HOW DIFFICULT IS WAS FOR TWO OF US TO SAVE THE NEEDED DOWNPAYMENT FOR OUR FIRST HOME, AND THAT WAS ONLY 10 PERCENT DOWN. THE DOWNPAYMENT WAS AROUND 20 PERCENT OF OUR COMBINED PAYCHECKS. TODAY, TO GET INTO A 200,000 HOME, IF YOU COULD FIND ONE, WOULD BE 40,000 PLUS CLOSING COSTS. YOU CAN DO THE REST OF THE MATH. LIVING FROM PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK MAKES THIS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR SO MANY. THIS SERIOUS ISSUE IS A PRIORTY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND WILL BE UNTIL SOLVED.
I, LIKE MOST MAYORS, FEEL THAT PROVIDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF ANY CITY GOVERNMENT. LOOKING FORWARD, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON RETAINING OUR CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF WHILE MAKING SURE WE ARE HIRING THE BEST AVAILABLE CANDIDATES. MY SENTIMENTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME FOR OUR FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF POLICE CHIEF CHESLEY AND FIRE CHIEF ANDRUS, I AM CONFIDENT WE ARE ALWAYS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I FIRST WANT TO ADDRESS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, HEADED UP BY JASON ANDRUS. IN 2019, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO 3, 168 EMERGENCY CALLS FOR SERVICE. THAT AVERAGES OUT TO NEARLY 90 CALLS A DAY.— IN AN ATTEMPT TO SEE IF WE COULD REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE DEPARTMENT, AN EXTENSIVE STUDY WAS DONE BY A THIRD PARTY COMPANY. THE RESULTS SHOW US WE ARE BETTER OFF IN PROVIDING INTERFACILITY TRANSPORTS OURSELVES. THE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED A TRANSPORT AMBULANCE THIS PAST YEAR SAVING CONSIDERABLE MONEY. WE WILL HOWEVER, BE FACED WITH REPLACEMNTS OF SEVERAL FULL SERVICE AMBULANCES. THEY ARE VERY COSTLY. THIS YEAR WE ARE PUTTING A VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUND INTO OUR BUDGET. IT’S ABOUT TIME, BUT AS I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE ARE CHANGING HOW WE DO BUDGETS AND PLANNING AHEAD MUCH BETTER.
WE NOW ARE PUTTING IN NATURAL GAS. AND WITH THAT, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED EXTENSIVE TRAINING SHOULD THERE BE ANY CALLS RELATED TO THE GAS.
ACCIDENTS ON OUR STREET AND ROADS HAPPEN JUST LIKE ANYWHERE ELSE. THE DEPARTMENT HAS PURCHASED THE STATE OF THE ART IN EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT TO GET ENTRAPPED PASSENGERS OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
ACTIVE SHOOTER EXERCISES HAVE OCCURRED AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUED TRAINING WILL CONTINUE. IT’S SOMETHING WE DON’T WANT TO THINK ABOUT, BUT UNFORTUNATLY HAPPENS. WE LIVE IN DANGEROUS TIMES.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE OVERLOOKED, AT LEAST NOT IN THE DEGREE IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. THIS PAST YEAR, CHIEF ANDRUS, MYSELF, AND OTHER STAFF MET WITH OVERTON POWER TO PRODUCE A MUTUALLY AGREEABLE PROTOCOL ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY POWER TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DURING THE EVENT OF A PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE.
IN ADDITION WE ARE WORKING ON OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER PLAN FOR THE CITY AND ANTICIPATE COMPLETION OF THE PLAN EARLY THIS YEAR. IN 2020, THE DEPARTMENT WILL COMPLETE THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN, COMPLETE A 20 WEEK FIRE ACADEMY, A 16 WEEK EMT COURSE, WILL BE RECEIVING AN EMS GRANT FOR 250,000 DOLLARS,AND COMPLETING THE SOUTHERN NEVADA HEALTH DISTRICT’S TWO YEAR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR EMT’S/PARAMEDICS. SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME WE COULD DO WITHOUT A FIRE DEPARTMENT, JUST VOLUNTEERS. I HOPE HE WASN’T SERIOUS. WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING DEPARTMENT, ONE WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, HEADED UP BY CHIEF CHESLEY GETS BUSIER EACH YEAR AS WE GROW. UNFORTUNATELY AS WE GROW, CRIME GROWS WITH IT. WE ARE NO EXCEPTION, ALTHOUGH WE ARE THE SECOND SAFEST CITY IN THE STATE. I’LL GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES. ASSAULT AND BATTERY ARRESTS WERE UP 24%, FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS, 33%. ILLEGAL DRUG ARRESTS, 13%. NOW THE GOOD NEWS. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT IS DOWN 21%. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS DOWN 8%. GRAFFITI DOWN 42%.
DISPATCH GETS BUSIER EVERY YEAR, WITH 17,866 CALLS OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT ADDED ONE NEW DISPATCHER AND ONE MORE PENDING.
CHIEF CHESLEY HAS STARTED A NUMBER OF NEW PROGRAMS SUCH AS A K-9 INTO THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, A FOCUS ON OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH WHICH IS A COLABORATION BETWEEN THE CHIEF AND MYSELF. OUR PEER TO PEER PROGRAM IS INNOVATIVE AND WAS TALKED ABOUT ON NATIONAL TV BY SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES. WE ARE WELL AHEAD IN IMPLEMENTATATION OF THIS.
IN ADDITION, TO ALL THEIR DEPARTMENT DOES, THE DEPARTMENT HAS OPENED A PROBLEM SOLVING UNIT, A PROACTIVE POLICE APPROACH TO TARGETING CRIME AND CRIMINALS BEFORE OR QUICKLY AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURS.
BEFORE I LEAVE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT, I WANT TO MENTION THAT CHIEF CHESLEY RECEIVED THE 2019 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE UNDER 40 AWARD WHICH REPRESENTS THE TOP RISING LEADERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, EXEMPLIFYING LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE LAW INFORCEMENT PROFESSION. I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THEIR JOB IS TO KEEP US SAFE AND THEY DO IT DAILY.
ALONG WITH PUBLIC SAFTEY, OUR MESQUITE MUNICIPAL COURT IS VERY ACTIVE IN A NUMBER OF AREAS. WE KNOW THEY TAKE CARE OF THE BAD GUYS, BUT THAT’S ONLY AS SMALL PORTION. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JUDGE TOONE A MESQUITE BREAKING THE CYCLE PROGRAM HAS BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. THE PROGRAM ASSISTS HABITUAL CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS THAT HAVE UNDERLYING DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTIONS BECOME LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS. IN ADDITION THE COURT CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH SPECIALIZED VETERAN AND MENTAL HEALTH COURT PROGRAMS IN LAS VEGAS.
THE COMING YEAR WILL SEE NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE COURT WITH THE ADDITION OF JURY TRIALS FOR MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES, A CONTINUATION OF BREAKING THE CYCLE PROGRAM AND IMPROVING THE TECHNOLOGY USED BY THE COURTS.
TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, THE DEPARTMENT HEADED UP BY DIRK MARSHALL CONTINUES TO UPDATE THEIR TECHNOLOGY ALL THE WHILE RESOLVING 2100 I.T. REQUESTS FOR SERVICE, AND MOVED ALL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND AGENDAS FROM PAPER TO OUR COMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR EASY ACCESS. WITH THE CONSTANT UPGRADING OF TECHNOLOGY THE DEPARTMENT WILL REPLACE AGING NETWORK, SERVER, STORAGE AND PHONE SYSTEMS.
PUBLIC WORKS HAD THE OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP OF BILLY TANNER FOR MANY YEARS, BUT BILLY DECIDED TO RETIRE. TRAVIS ANDERSON HAS TAKEN HIS PLACE. HE IS TOP NOTCH AND KNOWS HIS STUFF. A NUMBER OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OCCURRED THIS PAST YEAR, FOREMOST, THE BADLY NEEDED TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT THE INTERSECTION OF GRAPEVINE AND PIONEER AND TURTLEBACK AND PIONEER. I MENTIONED THESE TWICE AS IT WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. THERE WAS A MAJOR ROADWAY RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN 2019, NUMEROUS ROADWAY CRACK SEAL AND SLURRY PROJECTS DONE AS PART OF A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
IN THE COMING YEAR THE DEPARTMENT WILL FINISH THE DESIGN OF THE EL DORADO TO TOWN WASH STORM DRAIN PROJECT AND START CONSTRUCTION. OBTAIN THE PERMIT FROM THE BLM FOR THE VIRGIN RIVER FLOODWALL PROJECT. CONSTRUCT THE 2020 KITTY HAWK ROADWAY REHABILITATION PROJECT AND THE FIRST PHASE OF THE 2020 MESQUITE ROADWAY RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT. AS I HAVE STATED MANY TIMES, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE BEST IN THE STATE!! OUR STREETS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND CLEAN.
FOR A SMALL CITY, WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS SAVED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BY THE AVOIDANCE OF OUTSIDE COUNCIL ON A NUMBER OF LEGAL MATTERS, ESTABLISHED OUR FIRST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER AND IMPLEMENTED A FULL-TIME VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAM SERVING VICTIMS OF ALL CRIMES. THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTING A JURY TRIAL SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR MUNICIPAL COURT, FURTHERING SHELTERING SERVICES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN NEED, AND CREATING A CORPS OF VOLUNTEER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATES.
GINA MENDEZ, OUR HR DIRECTOR IS FOCUSED ON RECRUITING, MOTIVATING, AND RETAINING THE BEST POSSIBLE WORKFORCE. HR MAINTAINS OUR RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, WORKERS COMPENSATION, CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY, DOES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF REQUIRED STATE AND FEDERAL REPORTS, UNION NEGOTIATIONS AND SO MUCH MORE. IN 2020, HR WILL BE WORKING ON REVAMPING CITY POLICY TO ENSURE EFFECTIVENESS AND CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT ALL DEPARMENTS, A COMPENSATION STUDY, WORKING ON BADGES AND PICTURE ID’S FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, PARTICIPATING IN HR TRAINING AND NUMEROUS PROGRAMS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY CLERKS OFFICE DEALS WITH SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST COUNCIL MEETINGS. AS AN EXAMPLE THE OFFICE DID ALL THE SCHEDULING FOR THE 5TH ANNUAL MESQUITE PARADE OF LIGHTS, HANDLED 48 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, NUMEROUS VOTER REGISTRATIONS, COORDINATED THE DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN NOMINATIONS , OVERSAW THE COORDINATION OF THE 2019 MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE HANDLED ORDINANCES, PROCLAMATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.
THIS YEAR THE OFFICE WILL BE COORDINATING THE UPCOMING ELECTION, CREATING AN ON-BOARD PACKET FOR NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, DIGITIZING THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS TO MAKE THEM MORE USER FRIENDLY, PRESERVING THE CITY HISTORY BY SCANNING ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR STAFF AND ANY REQUESTS, AND STREAM LINING THE SIGNING OF CITY DOCUMENTS.
THE LAST AREA I WILL TALK ABOUT IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HEADED UP BY RICHARD SECRIST. THIS DEPARTMENT PROBABLY DOES MORE DIFFERENT TASKS THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT. LET ME BRIEFLY EXPLAIN. THE DEPARTMENT OVERSEES AND UPDATES THE CITY MASTER PLAN. THIS PAST YEAR WE UPDATED THE PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT. THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 305 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS, JUST SHY OF THE PRIOR YEAR.
THEY ISSUED 13 COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, 35 COMMERCIAL REMODEL PERMITS, AND 44 NEW BUSINESS PERMITS. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO CONDUCTS ALL BUILDING INSPECTIONS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
PERMITS WERE ISSUED FOR THE FIRST APARTMENT PROJECT IN 11 YEARS. THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF 48 MARKET-RATE STUDIO APARTMENTS. SEVERAL OTHER MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES. BEFORE US NOW IS A ZONE CHANGE TO REZONE 15 ACRES FROM COMMERCIAL TO HIGH-DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT COULD BRING US 310 APARTMENT UNITS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO DRIVE AROUND MESQUITE AND HAVE NOTICED MANY NEW BUSINESSES OCCUPYING WHAT WERE EMPTY SPACES IN OUR SHOPPING AREAS. WE NEED TO VISIT THESE BUSINESESS, UTILIZE THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE. OFFER THEM ANY ASSISTANCE WE CAN AND PROMOTE THEM TO OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
IN THE COMING YEAR WE SHOULD SEE AT LEAST 100 NEW WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS COMPLETED.
POPULATION WISE WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO 25,000 FULL-TIME RESIDENTS. BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION GROWTH WE WILL NEED TO FORM A PLANNING COMMISSION AND WILL BE LOOKING FOR QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE UP THAT COMMISSION.
TODAY, I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT A LOT OF TOPICS AND ISSUES, THAT WE, AS A CITY, DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THESE ISSUES ARE NOT UNIQUE TO MESQUITE. OUR CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES ARE WHERE THE BIG ISSUES OF OUR TIMES ARE BEING DEBATED. UNLIKE WASHINGTON, HOWEVER, WE GET THINGS DONE. WE HAVE TO. WE ANSWER TO YOU.
REGARDLESS OF THE VARIED ISSUES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FACING, AMERICA’S MAYORS ARE PROVIDING LEADERSHIP. OUR CITY CHARTER, WHILE NOT GIVING THE MAYOR THE ABILITY TO VOTE ON THESE ISSUES WE FACE, STILL ALLOWS ME TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THESE ISSUES FORWARD FOR DEBATE AND ACTION. THIS RECENTLY OCCURRED WITH THE PROPOSED OIL AND GAS FRACKING VERY NEAR OUR MAIN SOURCE OF WATER, BASIN 222. WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE CITY, HENDERSON, BOULDER CITY AND LAS VEGAS, WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THIS PROCESS. UNIFIED, WE ARE LISTENED TO.
THIS PAST YEAR WE SAW HOUSING, PUBLIC SAFETY, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND DEMOGRAPHICS TAKE ON NEW SIGNIFICANCE WITH THE 2020 CENSUS UPON US. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE TAKE THE CENSUS COUNT SERIOUSLY AS IT WILL AFFECT OUR FUTURE AS A COMMUNITY. BEING CAREFULLY COUNTED WILL HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, STREETS, SCHOOLS, AND MAKE OUR CITY STRONGER BECAUSE THE CENSUS IS WHAT MORE THAN 300 FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY PROGRAMS USE TO DETERMINE FUNDING. FUNDING THAT COMES BACK TO OUR CITY TO SUPPORT CRITICAL COMMUNITY SERVICES AND BETTER ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THE KEY ISSUES I SPOKE ABOUT TODAY.
AMERICA’S ONGOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS HAS LED MAYORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SEEK INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. WE TOO, IN MESQUITE, ARE WORKING ON THESE SOLUTIONS. THEY WONT BE EASY, BUT WE WILL GET THERE. I MENTION THIS AGAIN AS I SEE IT AS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTURE.
MAYORS ACROSS AMERICA ARE FOCUSED ON LEADING THEIR CITIES WITH A POSITIVE AGENDA FOR GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY. IT IS YOU, THE CITIZENS OF MESQUITE THAT ARE CREATING NEW ECONOMIC GROWTH, DEVELOPING FAR REACHING IDEAS AND HELPING US AS A CITY MOVE FORWARD. WE CANNOT BUILD A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR CITY CHARTER IS WRITTEN SO THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS THE CEO OF THE CITY. IT’S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY. AARON BAKER HAS THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND I AM CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY. AARON HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR JUST A FEW MONTHS, BUT HAS BEEN WITH US FOR MANY YEARS. AARON HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH OVERTON POWER TO UPDATE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT DURING A POWER OUTAGE AS WELL OVERSEEING THE SALE OF CITY PROPERTY, AND WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR. IN 2020, AARON WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL ON A STRATEGIC PLAN, CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF CITYWIDE HR POLICIES FOR COMPLIANCE WITH BEST PRACTICES, REFINING THE BUDGET PROCESS, ESTABLISHING A VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT CAPITAL OUTLAY REPLACEMENT FUND, WORKING CLOSELY WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND , OF COURSE, MANAGING THE DAILY CITY BUSINESS.
SO, AFTER LISTENING TO ME FOR MIGHT SEEM AN ETERNITY, I NEVER SAID I WOULD BE BRIEF. WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CITY? EVERYONE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. THERE ARE A FEW THAT WILL SAY IT’S TERRIBLE BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE A CERTAIN STORE HERE, OR MARKET, OR PLACE TO DINE.
SOME WOULD SAY IT’S GREAT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, OR CLEAN STREETS, OR LOW CRIME. SOME ARE HAPPY WE HAVE SO LITTLE TRAFFIC. SOME SAY WE GREW TOO FAST AND HAVE TOO MANY TRAFFIC LIGHTS. OTHERS TELL ME IT’S TOO HOT IN THE SUMMER, BUT SOME LOVE THE HEAT AND TELL ME IT’S TOO COLD.
WHAT DO I REALLY THINK? I FEEL SECURE WITH OUR CITY. WE HAVE STRONG BONES, WE ARE YOUNG AND GROWING. WE HAVE CONCERNED CITIZENS, EXCELLENT CITY GOVERNMENT AND GREAT EMPLOYEES. OUR RESIDENTS ARE GIVING AND CARING. WE ARE HEALTHY, BUT ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR WELL-BEING AS ALL OF US SHOULD.
CAN WE DO MORE TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY? OF COURSE WE CAN, AND WE ARE. IF WE TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY, IT WILL TAKE CARE OF US. IN 2015, I GAVE MY FIRST STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. I BRIEFLY MENTIONED THAT IN A SMALL CITY LIKE MESQUITE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SMALL CITIES THAT EXPECT TO EVOLVE WITH A QUALITY LIFESTYLE TEND TO BE PROACTIVE AND FUTURE ORIENTATED. THEY EMBRACE CHANGE AND ASSUME RISK. SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATIEGIES ARE GUIDED BY BROADLY HELD LOCAL VISION. WE MUST WORK TOWARDS THIS VISION AS A UNIFIED COMMUNITY.
WE MUST CAPITALIZE ON OUR STRENGTHS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, NOT ON WHAT WE DON’T HAVE AND WHAT WE MIGHT NEVER GET. WE MUST GET AWAY FROM THE MENTALITY OF SHOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE AND COULD HAVE. THEY ARE SELF-DEFEATING AND NEGATIVE. IF WE ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE, WE MUST IDENTIFY, MEASURE AND CELEBRATE OUR SHORT-TERM SUCCESSES TO SUSTAIN SUPPORT FOR OUR LONG TERM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE NOT STAGNANT AND NEVER WILL BE.
AS I STATED IN THE BEGINNING TODAY, I’M IN A MESQUITE STATE OF MIND, I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE ALSO.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS 2020. I KNOW THIS WAS A LONG, AND DETAILED REPORT. THERE WAS A LOT TO SAY, AND MUCH MORE THAT NEEDS DISCUSSION. I WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH ANY OF YOU AND SPEND MORE TIME ON ANYTHING I TALKED ABOUT TODAY, OR ANYTHING YOU THINK NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION. I WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.
WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY! WE LIVE IN A GREAT COUNTRY!
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME YOUR TIME TODAY.
