Las Vegas City Council met on Wednesday, July 22, Find the agenda. Here is a recap of items that may have been of interest.
APPROVED Agenda Item 12 – Temporary Outdoor Pavilion and Day Center: City Council will vote on the allocation of $2,100,000 in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada for the construction of a Temporary Outdoor Pavilion and Day Center at 1501 Las Vegas Blvd, in an effort to provide necessary care of the homeless populations and low-income community members during the COVID-19 pandemic so to mitigate COVID-19 effects and enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions, and further the goals of the city to ensure that homeless individuals can remain safe and secure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Outdoor Pavilion and Day Center will be located on the current parking lot of Catholic Charities campus, adjacent to Foremaster Lane, to allow for convenient and joint access for both Catholic Charities and the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center guests. The project will also provide additional parking for visitors of the Corridor of Hope.
APPROVED Agenda Item 13 – $50,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts: City Council will vote on the acceptance of $50,000 in grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economy Security (CARES) Act to support staff and facilities costs and boost partnerships within the arts community to sustain arts and culture specific events and programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
APPROVED Agenda Item 23 – National Atomic Testing Museum: City Council will vote on the ratification of the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial funding allocation in the amount of $250,000 for the costs of staffing and materials related to the planning and development of exhibit and educational space at a new National Atomic Testing Museum that will be located within Symphony Park in Downtown Las Vegas. The Commission funding will cover (a) historical research, (b) exhibit design, (c) educational curriculum design and development, (d) artifact acquisition, relocation, and curation, (e) interactive media production, (f) site design and development, (g) project management, and (h) office supplies associated with these tasks.
APPROVED Agenda Items 34, 37 & 38 – Construction of the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center: City Council will discuss the construction contract as well as funding allocations for the construction and operation of the Courtyard located on Foremaster Lane between Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard. This project includes construction of the Corridor of Hope, also known as the Courtyard, which consists of three buildings, a large metal canopy and all other amenities and site work as needed. This is phase 2 of the CMAR process; CORE was selected in phase 1 through a competitive RFP process in accordance with NRS 338.169. This item is being funded in part by Community Development Block Grant Funds.
APPROVED Agenda Item 36 – Ratification of Actions Authorized by the City Manager: If City Council approves, this Resolution approves and ratifies actions authorized by the City Manager to address the negative impacts caused of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and businesses. These actions, both undertaken and to-be undertaken, include the waiver of monthly rental fees for various tenants of city facilities that could not operate during the pandemic, the establishment of a Housing Assistance Program for city residents in danger of losing their residences due to financial hardship from the pandemic, and the construction of a temporary Outdoor Dining Pavilion and Day Center in the Corridor of Hope to provide meals and respite for indigent individuals and families while indoor facilities remain closed due to the pandemic. These efforts are being administered by various city departments, including Parks and Recreation, Operations and Maintenance and the Office of Community Services. The Housing Assistance Program utilizes $4,000,000 of the Coronavirus Relief Funds from the Federal CARES Act, and the Outdoor Dining Pavilion and Day Center will use $2,100,000 from the same fund.
APPROVED Agenda Item 39 – New Restaurant Service Bar License: If City Council approves, this bill will authorize, on a temporary basis, a partial waiver of the origination charge for new restaurant service bar licenses. The Council adopted similar measures in January 2016 and January 2017, authorizing in each case a waiver of up to five-sixths of the origination charge for new licenses of that type applied for in the year following ordinance adoption. This bill is intended to re-adopt that temporary program through the end of the year in order to help encourage the establishment of this type of business, particularly in light of current business conditions.
APPROVED Agenda Item 62 – Overview of Proposed Changes to the RTC’s Transit Service: The RTC transit system is experiencing a severe drop in funding as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To adjust for this loss in revenue, the RTC is considering making system-wide service changes beginning in Fall 2020. Proposed changes include route eliminations, routing adjustments, and schedule changes. RTC staff will present the proposed transit service changes and answer any questions.
UPDATE PROVIDED TO COUNCIL Agenda Item 63 – Report on the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE: The Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas LIFE was launched in September 2018 to provide a vehicle for corporate and philanthropic partners to support innovative programs that improve the quality of life for all Las Vegas residents. Dr. Lisa Morris Hibbler will provide an updated report on the progress of the Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas LIFE.