Las Vegas City Council Meeting - December 3, 2025
Las Vegas City Council Meeting - December 3, 2025
The Las Vegas City Council met on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 AM (reconvened at 9:30 AM) to address routine administration, resolutions, appointments, and community reports. The meeting included ceremonial recognitions, approval of consent items, a report on the Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas Life, and council member updates.
Ceremonials & Recognitions
- Dr. Ma was recognized as Citizen of the Month for his contributions to dental education, cleft palate clinic, and feral cat trapping (modified cat trap with remote).
- The council proclaimed December 3, 2025, as "Max Crosby Foundation Day" in Las Vegas, honoring the foundation's work in teen substance abuse intervention and youth health.
Consent Calendar
- Items 10–24 (routine approvals) were approved in one motion. Item 25 (R-83-2025) was held in abeyance to January 21, 2026, at the applicant's request.
- Items 31A–31B (Las Vegas Rescue Mission) were held in abeyance to January 21, 2026. The remaining items on the consent agenda were approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Eric Melkeza de Christ Nimrod spoke during citizens' participation, offering positive remarks about the council and holiday wishes.
Discussion Items
- Ratification of Sue Brown as Director of Human Resources: Sue Brown, a 20-year city employee who rose from hourly worker to deputy director, was ratified as HR director at a salary of $177,000 plus benefits. Council members praised her career growth and succession planning.
- Appointment of Interim Municipal Judge, Department 2: After a competitive process (9 applicants, 8 eligible, 6 advanced to council interviews), the council appointed Peter Bellin as interim judge. The position pays $220,005.76 from the general fund. Bellin has 35 years in private practice and will serve until the next election.
- Resolution R-84-2025: Approved a resolution to sell up to $90 million in revenue bonds (Series 2026) to reimburse the city for capital projects, including a civic center and off-street parking. The bond will replenish general fund reserves and support delayed CIP projects.
- Appointment of Nathan Taylor: Appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (Ward 6 seat) to replace Melody Howard.
- Ordinance 2025-39: Approved amendments to LVMC sections 6.84.10 and 6.84.50 to define wedding chapels for licensing, update operational requirements, and related matters.
- Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas Life Report: CEO Sally Dobler presented an annual update. The fund (a 501c3 nonprofit) raised $1,439,000 in FY2025 (104% of goal), granting $903,000 back to the city. Return on investment was $1.94 for every $1 of city administration grant. Key 2025 highlights: U Street Hockey & Mindfulness Yoga, 300 computers given to seniors/students, and a $25,000 grant from the Battle for Vegas charity event. For 2026, the fund targets $845,000 in fundraising (excluding a major project). A brand audit with Voicebox begins January 2026. Major project: Nevada State Veterans Memorial Park at Thunderbird Family Sports Complex, with a $8–10 million campaign goal (groundbreaking January 2025, completion October 2026).
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Sue Brown as HR Director (unanimous).
- Approved: Peter Bellin as Interim Municipal Judge (unanimous).
- Approved: Resolution R-84-2025 for $90 million bond sale (unanimous).
- Approved: Nathan Taylor to Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (unanimous).
- Approved: Ordinance 2025-39 on wedding chapels (unanimous).
- Held in Abeyance: Items 25 and 31A–31B to January 21, 2026.
- No Action: Mayor's Fund report (informational only).
- Future Dates: City clerk instructed to set public hearing dates for appeals from planning commission and dangerous buildings/nuisance abatements.
Council Member Updates & Upcoming Events
- Council members announced district events: toy drives, holiday festivals (Tamales & Mariachi, Fiesta Navideña, Posada), household hazardous waste drop-off (Dec. 13), and community health fairs. The Neighborhood Partners Fund grant opens January 12, 2026. The Secret Santa Project toy giveaway is Dec. 20, 2025. Council also noted the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everybody. The December third, 2025 meeting of the city council is called to order. This meeting has been properly noticed and posted in compliance with the open meeting law. These proceedings are being video recorded and can be viewed live on City of Las Vegas TV on Cox Cable Channel 2. You could also watch the meeting live online and access other city content by visiting Las Vegas, Nevada dot gov slash connect. The proceedings will be rebroadcast rebroadcast on City of Las Vegas TV, the Wednesday of the meeting at 8 p.m. and also on Friday at uh 4 a.m., Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 7 a.m. and the following Monday at 5 p.m. This building is protected by a state-of-the-art fire detection and suppression sprinkler system. If alarms should activate during today's meeting, please evacuate dur uh using the exits at the back of the chambers out to the mezzanine, proceed out the double doors to the terrace and down the back staircase. For anybody that has difficulty with stairs, please check with the marshal or fire official for assistance. Once outside, assemble on the northeast corner across the street from City Hall at Lewis and First Street. Employees wearing safety vests or our city marshals will inform you when it is safe to re-enter the building. For public comment related to the items on the agenda, citizen participation and public hearing items, we have available a speaker card which you can complete and submit to the city clerk. Cards are available in the clerk's office or at the rear of the chambers. If you do not submit a card, it does not prevent you from speaking under public comment, citizens' participation, or specified public hearing items. If there is anyone present today that is in need of hairy hearing impaired equipment, please see the city clerk staff. May all of those who don't appear before a microphone or in on a camera, uh, those in the room, those out of the room, those who greeted us on the way in, and those who prepared the room, may they find joy in their work today as well. For all who are to be honored, may you experience deep joy and gratitude for the things that God has allowed you to accomplish in the name of our city so that we might flourish, and for all of those who are seeking clarity, may they find what they're looking for so that we might flourish in Jesus' name. Amen. Will you lead us in the pledge? Yes, ma'am. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands. One nation. Under God, individual liberty, justice. Thank you so much. We will now proceed with the ceremony. We will now proceed with the ceremonials. Thank you. Okay, for our first ceremonial item, Mayor Pro Tem Knutson has the honor of recognizing our citizen of the month. Thank you very much, Mayor. And I'm going to invite uh Dr. Ma to comment up to the front here. Uh so just real quick. So I was at a signing of a bill with the governor maybe two months ago, and Dr. Ma came up to me and he said, I think you should make me citizen of the month. And I I appreciate the forwardness of that. Um but there's some things I know about Dr. Ma that I think are important for everyone to know. Um, so I met Dr. Ma uh a few years ago. Uh he was the dean of the dental school. The dental school relies or sits in the Las Vegas Medical District. Um, and we started talking about running. We we share plantar fascitis. Um, but then I started learning about all these other things that Dr. Ma is responsible for. He owned land in Councilwoman Diaz's board. Uh he has a hobby of working on cars. Um he also just worked with the state legislature on building out the first, I'm gonna get this wrong, but it's a first of its kind clinic um in the dental school to work with kids with cleft pallet syndrome, something that Nevada has never had before.
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