North Las Vegas State of the City address to highlight positives

The engine of North Las Vegas gets a checkup at the 16th annual North Las Vegas State of the City address planned for Thursday at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane.

The annual luncheon and speech is a time for city officials to give a yearly progress report and set goals for the year ahead, said Mayor Shari Buck, the featured speaker of the event.

Last year Buck touted 2011's theme of "North Las Vegas: Open for Business" in her address.

"Yes, we are open for business. We're open to opportunity. We're open to new ideas. We're open to the talent and ingenuity of our residents, business leaders, community leaders and stakeholders who hold the keys to a better tomorrow," Buck said in the 2011 address.

In last year's speech, she heralded faith-based partners sponsoring events such as the Easter Egg Drop and Make A Difference Day projects. She highlighted new job makers such as the Water Reclamation Facility, SkyView Multi-Generational Center, Amonix, Republic Services, Priority Plastics, Southwest Gas and El Super grocery store.

She discussed the then-$35 million budget shortfall due to lagging property and sales tax revenues. The city was almost pushed to the brink of a state takeover of its finances in 2011. The 2012 fiscal year budget is currently balanced.

A full copy of the mayor's address for 2011 is available on the city's website at tinyurl.com/mayoraddy.

A lifelong North Las Vegan, Buck said that last year, the city weathered some of the hardest times she can recall.

"The city has gone through tough times before, but it seemed to be everything was (bad)," she said. "It was the perfect storm for us."

Buck said Thursday's address will celebrate the successes and the businesses that took faith in the city's "Open for Business" theme.

"I'm going to highlight about eight or nine key businesses that have come into the city," she said.

Blue Oasis Pure Shrimp, grown in the new North Las Vegas shrimp farm, is to be served at the luncheon, Buck said.

"I'm really happy to bring this," she said, "not only talk about this company but to have people try it."

Buck plans to reveal a tally of new jobs added in 2011, discuss how census findings show population gains and reiterate that North Las Vegas has about 57 percent of land available for growth, she said.

She kept mum about any further specifics of her Thursday address.

Buck said she has noticed a change in morale among residents and employees, whom she pegged as resilient for weathering difficult times.

"There is a different energy now," she said.

She cited optimism, new hires in the financial department and the new $117 million City Hall buildings as positive changes.

"We didn't celebrate the positive things enough last year," Buck said. "We were very busy trying to keep our budget balanced, and we didn't take the time to get the good things out."

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.