Clark County commits $150M to public park improvements

Clark County green spaces are set to receive a much-needed funding spike.

County commissioners on Tuesday voted to sell $150 million in bonds to pay for improvement to their public park system. The county last issued parks bonds in 1999.

Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak said it’s another sign the county is putting the Great Recession in the rear-view mirror.

“I think you’re definitely seeing things get back to normal and start on the improvement trail,” Sisolak said. “We’ve woefully under-built and underfunded (parks) for the last decade because of the situation we’ve been in, so this is an exciting opportunity.”

The county last year approved spending almost $80 million of construction tax revenue and capital funds to build and upgrade parks. More than a third of that money was funneled to projects in the southwestern regions of the Las Vegas Valley.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, whose district got about $9 million last year, said she is pushing for a larger portion of the new funding for the older areas of the eastern Valley. She wants dollars committed to the Hollywood Regional Park in Sunrise Manor before her commission term ends in January.

“If you finish the regional components first that will really serve the whole area, and it helps with the cities that abut the county line,” she said.

The bonds will not require the county to increase its annual general fund spending. Principal and interest will be paid back with existing sales tax revenue.

The vote came just minutes after commissioners approved Daniel Hernandez to be the county’s new director of parks and recreation. Hernandez, 56, has more than 30 years experience in the field and has been the department’s assistant director of parks and recreation since August 2017.

Possible term limits

Commissioners will continue to mull over whether to establish term limits to some appointed boards, commissions and committees.

Giunchigliani wants appointees to serve no more than three consecutive two-year terms on town advisory boards and citizen advisory councils. Restrictions to other boards — dealing with issues like wildlife management and air pollution — would be two terms, unless otherwise defined by state law.

The commissioner said she is tired of seeing the same people served on the boards every year.

“Spread it around a little bit. Get some additional perspectives in the long run,” she said after the meeting. “Because people don’t trust us, and that’s why I don’t think people are applying because they know this group knows that person, and that one is always going to be reappointed, so why put in an application?”

The proposal drew mixed reactions from other commissioners Tuesday.

“Some people would say term limits make sure the bad people on these commissions and boards leave. Others argue the good ones that we lose them with term limits,” Commissioner Larry Brown said. “I can’t support it because I favor the good ones that want to serve beyond two terms. That’s more important than the not so good ones being forced off the board.”

Smaller rural communities could face difficulties filling their boards, Commissioner Susan Brager said.

“Mountain Springs has maybe 70 people in the whole community, so not everyone wants to participate,” Brager said.

At Commissioner Jim Gibson’s request, Giunchigliani agreed to bring her proposal back to the commission’s Oct. 16 meeting for a vote.

Contact Michael Scott Davidson at sdavidson@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Follow @davidsonlvrj on Twitter.