OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Mesquite City Council Regular Meeting - August 26, 2025

City Council & Committees — Tuesday, August 26, 2025
BodyMesquite, Nevada
SessionCity Council & Committees
DateTuesday, August 26, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:43:26

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good evening, everyone.

0:02

Welcome to the Tuesday, August 26th, 2025 regular City Council meeting minutes, our meeting for the City Mesquite.

0:10

It is 5 p.m.

0:12

We are going to uh have an invocation by Pastor Craig Jansen of the River Valley Bible Church.

0:26

Thank you.

0:26

Let's pray.

0:28

Father in Heaven, we are very grateful that you've made yourself known to us through your creation.

0:36

Lord, your care for us through your provision, your love for us through the gift of your son, Jesus Christ for our sins, and your wisdom for us through your inerrant word.

0:49

Father, I'm I'm grateful, grateful for a mayor and council that sees the wisdom of invoking you as a guide in this meeting.

0:59

And so I do ask you for your guidance for your wisdom and any decisions that need to be made here tonight.

1:06

May you be honored through it and bless the meeting.

1:09

It is in Jesus' name I pray.

1:11

Amen.

1:13

Thank you, and ask you, please, to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:20

Pledge allegiance.

1:21

Goodbye.

1:28

One nation, under God, an indivisible liberty and justice for all.

1:37

And now I'd like to uh welcome Gene Watkins for a proclamation of Women's Equality Day, which is it today, August 26th or excellent.

2:06

Good morning or good evening.

2:08

Um I want to thank everyone for this proclamation, the opportunity to read it in council.

2:16

I am here with uh members of the Women's History and Culture Center in our signature blue uh shirts, as well as the Mosquito Girls.

2:26

And this is the proclamation.

2:34

August 26th is Women's Equality Day, the day we celebrate a groundbreaking advancement in human rights in the United States when the 19th Amendment to our Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote.

2:52

The 19th Amendment reads the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

3:08

With only one sentence, this amendment changed our constitution and our nation's history.

3:16

Our founding fathers had drafted the Constitution based on hundreds of years of English common law, English common law that said when a woman married, she lost her status as a free person and became property that was owned by her husband.

3:38

Once a woman married, she no longer had control over her body, her children, any money she made, or any credit for things that were the result of her labor.

3:51

This is why many writings passed down through the ages show the author as anonymous.

4:00

Married women were not allowed to take credit for what they wrote.

4:12

Women of all ages and backgrounds banded together to break down this barrier to equality.

4:20

And they did that with the support of men who believed in their cause.

4:46

We see it in women serving with honor and distinction in our armed forces.

5:00

While many inroads have been made in the struggle for women's rights in the 125 years since the passage of the 19th Amendment, more institutional, societal, and cultural changes are needed to achieve the gender equality envisioned by the 19th Amendment.

5:18

We still need to pass the ERA amendment that guarantees equal legal rights to all American citizens, regardless of sex.

5:31

Women's Equality Day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by men and women in the struggle for equal rights to preserve their legacy and to build on it for future generations.

5:47

Now, therefore, I and the Mesquite City Council proclaim August 26, 2025 as Women's Equality Day in Musquite, Nevada, and that is signed by Jesse Whipple, the mayor of Misquite.

6:04

Thank you.

6:11

Thank you, Jean, and thanks for every everything you do.

6:14

You're amazing.

6:15

Thank you.

6:17

Could we have the honor of your photographs?

6:19

Of course.

6:20

Official photograph.

6:30

Yes, he is at that.

6:32

That's okay.

6:34

Oh, okay.

6:56

Who else is you?

7:10

Okay.

7:14

Thank you.

7:22

No, should we do it now?

7:25

No, do it now.

7:26

Okay, we'll do it then.

7:27

Thank you so much.

7:31

Thank you.

7:32

Okay.

7:40

Jesse said it's okay to make one announcement now that we've done that.

7:45

We just talked about today being a celebration of women all across the United States having the right to vote.

7:53

But tomorrow, we are going to have a memorial, an unveiling of a memorial, and it is about Ann Martin, who saw that the women of Nevada got the right to vote six years earlier, six years before the rest of the country had a right to vote.

8:13

The women had a right to vote.

8:16

That's going to be tomorrow at five o'clock at the Women's History and Culture Center.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety██████████████14%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Zoning████████8%
Public Safety████████8%
Procedural███████7%
Women's Rights██████6%
Urban Design██████6%
Procurement Policy█████5%
Animal Welfare█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Mesquite City Council Regular Meeting - August 26, 2025

The Mesquite City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and a Women's Equality Day proclamation. The council addressed numerous items, including resolutions for infrastructure projects, a new RDA fund, updates to the master transportation plan, a gaming license, an escrow extension, and ratification of a collective bargaining agreement. Key actions included approval of several interlocal agreements, denial of participation in the proposed Southern Nevada Council of Governments, and approval of a 30-day escrow extension.

Consent Calendar

  • 2.1, 2.2, 2.3: Unanimous approval of meeting minutes, budget transfers/amendments/bills paid/purchase orders, and monthly financials (item 2.3 moved to next meeting).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • John Rosen (resident): Expressed concern about council members' lack of understanding of the city charter, code, and procedural rules; urged better orientation and performance standards.
  • Rayline Schiffano: Discussed annexation issues in Mesquite Vistas, requesting a letter confirming proper subdivision of her property; raised concerns about 4D parcel not being annexed into the master association.
  • Marcus Spender: Alleged that the city is not enforcing code against a nightclub next to his Red Hills Cinema, citing insufficient parking (3 deeded spaces vs. 53 required) and stating that the city's inaction constitutes a taking; claimed no reciprocal parking easements exist.
  • Daniela Cortez and Patty Ahrens (residents): Raised a persistent rat infestation problem, noting it has been ongoing since 2021; requested city assistance beyond current cleanup efforts.
  • Erica Nicholas (business owner): Echoed concerns about the nightclub's parking and liability; claimed reciprocal parking easements were illegally inserted into some deeds; asked the city to enforce codes.
  • Sandy Romberg (resident): Praised the Mesquite Police Department for a recent drug bust removing 68 pounds of meth from the streets.

Discussion Items

  • 3.1–3.5 (Resolutions): Staff presented interlocal agreements for flood control (Pulsipher Wash/Leavitt Lane crossing), ADA ramp improvements (Mesquite/Sandhill Boulevards), creating RDA 2.0 fund (Fund 26), supplemental funding for Leavitt/Hafen Lane design, and mill/overlay project for Mesquite/Sandhill Boulevards. All were unanimously approved.
  • 5.1 (ASR-25-010): Approval of site plan for two commercial buildings (12,000 sq. ft.) at Riverstone Lots 6 & 7; staff noted 15 parking spaces (14 required) and conditions for separate review of landscape/lighting/signage. Unanimously approved.
  • 5.2 (TM-25-006): Tentative map to create 7 condominium lots (garage structures) on the same property; staff reported 24% building coverage, 49% paved area, 27% open space (exceeds 15% requirement), minimal traffic impact. Approved.
  • 5.3 (Southern Nevada Council of Governments): Staff presented two options—defer participation for a year or approve without committing to a budget share. Council discussion raised concerns about cost and limited influence due to distance from Las Vegas area. Motion to deny participation passed (Councilwoman Gallow moved, Councilman Ennis seconded; votes: Parrish yes, Naisbitt yes, Galloway yes).
  • 5.4 (Class A Gaming License): Approved transfer of 7 slot machines from Eclipse Gaming to Century Gaming Technologies at US Gas (798 W Mesquite Blvd). Unanimously approved.
  • 5.5 (Master Transportation & Capital Improvement Plan): Max Barnes presented the plan, including a proposed increase in traffic impact fees from the current $195 to $672 per new home (lower than surrounding areas like St. George at $2,700). Public comment from Wes opposed the fee increase. Council accepted the presentation as informational; final adoption scheduled for October 28, 2025.
  • 5.6 (Escrow Extension): Approved a 30-day extension (from August 26 to September 25, 2025) for the sale of 700 Hardy Way to Paragon Properties, LLC. Motion by Councilwoman Fielding, seconded by Councilman Ennis, passed unanimously.
  • 5.7 (RDA Loan Agreement Update): Resolution R25-033 updated the loan agreement between the Redevelopment Agency and the General Fund for remaining redevelopment projects. Approved unanimously.
  • 5.8 (Collective Bargaining Agreement): Ratified a three-year contract with Teamsters Local 14 (covering regular employees M1 and M2) at a total cost of $2.4 million. Council commended staff and union for cooperative negotiations. Unanimously approved.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimously approved: Consent agenda, Resolutions R25-031, R25-028, R25-032, R25-029, R25-030; ASR-25-010; TM-25-006; gaming license; escrow extension; RDA loan update; Teamsters CBA.
  • Denied: Participation in Southern Nevada Council of Governments (motion to deny passed).
  • Presented: Master Transportation Plan; final adoption to be considered October 28, 2025.
  • Public comments on rat infestation referred to staff for follow-up with county health department.

Adjourned: 6:43 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the Tuesday, August 26th, 2025 regular City Council meeting minutes, our meeting for the City Mesquite. It is 5 p.m. We are going to uh have an invocation by Pastor Craig Jansen of the River Valley Bible Church. Thank you. Let's pray. Father in Heaven, we are very grateful that you've made yourself known to us through your creation. Lord, your care for us through your provision, your love for us through the gift of your son, Jesus Christ for our sins, and your wisdom for us through your inerrant word. Father, I'm I'm grateful, grateful for a mayor and council that sees the wisdom of invoking you as a guide in this meeting. And so I do ask you for your guidance for your wisdom and any decisions that need to be made here tonight. May you be honored through it and bless the meeting. It is in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Thank you, and ask you, please, to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge allegiance. Goodbye. One nation, under God, an indivisible liberty and justice for all. And now I'd like to uh welcome Gene Watkins for a proclamation of Women's Equality Day, which is it today, August 26th or excellent. Good morning or good evening. Um I want to thank everyone for this proclamation, the opportunity to read it in council. I am here with uh members of the Women's History and Culture Center in our signature blue uh shirts, as well as the Mosquito Girls. And this is the proclamation. August 26th is Women's Equality Day, the day we celebrate a groundbreaking advancement in human rights in the United States when the 19th Amendment to our Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote. The 19th Amendment reads the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. With only one sentence, this amendment changed our constitution and our nation's history. Our founding fathers had drafted the Constitution based on hundreds of years of English common law, English common law that said when a woman married, she lost her status as a free person and became property that was owned by her husband. Once a woman married, she no longer had control over her body, her children, any money she made, or any credit for things that were the result of her labor. This is why many writings passed down through the ages show the author as anonymous. Married women were not allowed to take credit for what they wrote. Women of all ages and backgrounds banded together to break down this barrier to equality. And they did that with the support of men who believed in their cause. We see it in women serving with honor and distinction in our armed forces. While many inroads have been made in the struggle for women's rights in the 125 years since the passage of the 19th Amendment, more institutional, societal, and cultural changes are needed to achieve the gender equality envisioned by the 19th Amendment. We still need to pass the ERA amendment that guarantees equal legal rights to all American citizens, regardless of sex. Women's Equality Day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by men and women in the struggle for equal rights to preserve their legacy and to build on it for future generations. Now, therefore, I and the Mesquite City Council proclaim August 26, 2025 as Women's Equality Day in Musquite, Nevada, and that is signed by Jesse Whipple, the mayor of Misquite. Thank you. Thank you, Jean, and thanks for every everything you do. You're amazing. Thank you. Could we have the honor of your photographs? Of course. Official photograph. Yes, he is at that. That's okay. Oh, okay. Who else is you? Okay. Thank you. No, should we do it now?

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