57°F
weather icon Partly Cloudy

Ballot questions move forward

Updated March 1, 2018 - 10:55 am

City Council is moving forward with several ballot questions for the 2018 election, seeking locals opinions on refinancing debt, land sales and purchasing a new fire engine.

One question presented at Tuesday’s City Council meeting involved allowing the city to refinance debt to save money. According to city code, Boulder City cannot incur any new debt of $1 million or more without voter approval, and the city’s bond counsel considers refinancing existing debt new debt.

Resident Judy Dechaine said she did not see the need for a ballot question as city code, section 1-9-12 paragraph E, allows the council to annually review all its outstanding debt obligations “to evaluate possible savings to be attained from refunding existing debt.” The code also said that refunding debt obligations should be pursued at anytime where it is “financially advantageous.”

Mayor Rod Woodbury agreed and said that he always believed the city had the ability to refinance debt but the bond counsel does not agree.

“We’re left with what bond counsel will do. … if bond counsel doesn’t agree with us, no one will lend to us,” he said.

Currently, the city has one remaining debt of approximately $26.1 million in principal for its raw water line. It also has approximately $9.8 million more debt in interest for that loan.

According to a staff report from the Dec. 12 City Council meeting, City Clerk Lorene Krumm said that the city’s financial adviser, Marty Johnson, approached the city in 2016 and estimated it could have saved more than $3.5 million had it refinanced the debt then.

If the debt is refinanced within the next year, and depending on interest rates at the that time, the city could save an estimated $2.5 million to $2.75 million.

Council unanimously approved the ballot question.

In a vote of 4-1, council also approved having voters weigh in on whether to use $750,000 from the capital improvement fund to purchase a new fire engine.

Prior to casting the dissenting vote, Councilman Kiernan McManus said his preference is to not use capital funds because it is an item that will be replaced rather than being a one-time purchase.

In another 4-1 vote, council approved putting a question on the ballot about selling 1.72 acres of city owned land at 1401 Boulder City Parkway, site of the old Boulder City airport.

Before the vote, McManus said that this property, along with 1.92 acres at 300 Railroad Ave., the site of the old water filtration plant, have been city owned for 33 years and nothing has been done with either.

“You say we can’t save everything but haven’t done anything to save those pieces of property,” he said.

He also said that without deed restrictions for the property being on the question there were no guarantees about what would happen to the land. In addition, he said that property could be significant once the complete streets project moves forward.

Councilman Rich Shuman asked how deed restrictions work and whether the city is mandated to sell the property if the voters approve it.

Woodbury said deed restrictions could be placed on the request for proposals for the land when it is issued.

Acting City Attorney Steve Morris said the ballot question would give the council the authority to sell the land, but not require it to do so.

Historic Preservation Committee Chairman Alan Goya said he agreed with attempting to sell both properties so a sustainable use could be found for them. In addition, he said he was glad the council and the public were discussing the properties.

For the old water filtration plant property, council unanimously approved a staff directive to bring back options for deed requirements as well as options for parceling off Reflections Park.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council:

■ Heard a presentation on moving the city’s election cycle to even numbered years and agreed to place the idea on a future council agenda to solicit more public input.

■ Approved a ballot question amending the charter pertaining to the use of enterprise fund revenues to comply with state law.

■ Recognized the Boulder City Police Explorer Post for its achievements at the 2018 Chandler Cadet and Explorer Tactical Competition in Arizona.

■ Approved a bill re-establishing the duties of the Airport Advisory Committee and a bill amending the airport rules, regulations and development standards.

■ Heard a presentation on the Boulder City Parkway Complete Streets project. City Engineer Jim Keane said that staff hopes the design process is finished by spring.

■ Received the Attorney General’s Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in his recent published opinion that the city violated open meeting law during its city attorney negotiations.

■ Approved vacating a public utility easement for 1323 Boulder City Parkway, the former Big O Tires location.

■ Approved an agreement between the city and Hanwha Q CELLS EPC USA LLC for dedicated building inspector services for Techren Solar 1 project.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Council candidate slate set

A total of seven candidates for city council and three candidates for justice of the peace of Boulder Township will face off in the primary election scheduled for June 11.

Ultrarunner to push himself to the limit

It’s not uncommon for friends or even family members to try and best one another whether that be athletics, academics or relationships.

Vets home hit with 18 citations

In a recent unannounced inspection, the Southern Nevada State Veterans’ Home was cited 18 times for issues ranging from verbal abuse of a patient to failing to provide meals at an appropriate temperature, to employees not having keys to locked gates, which would be needed in the case of an emergency evacuation.

BDCU looks back on past year at annual meeting

For more than eight decades, the Boulder Dam Credit Union has been the most popular place for Boulder City residents to do their banking, not to mention see friends and neighbors.

Top o’ the evening to ya

Photos by Ron Eland/Boulder City Review

BC repaint: Countdown is on

It’s almost time to don that old pair of jeans, the ratty tennis shoes in the back of your closet and a shirt you’re not worried about ruining.

Management of veterans’ home sparks controversy

Documents provided to the Boulder City Review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) appear to back up many of the accusations leveled at the Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) and leadership of the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home which is located in Boulder City by current and former employees over the past year. Many of the same issues were also noted by CMS surveyors in an inspection of the home that occurred in January.

Spending for proposed pool to be on Nov. ballot

During Tuesday’s Boulder City Council meeting, City Manager Taylour Tedder may have summed things up best.

Historic preservation event set for May

It’s a couple of months away, but scheduling for events tied to Historic Preservation Day — slated for May 11 —are pretty set and revolve around the theme of Trains, Planes and Automobiles.