Progress continues on the Laughlin Lagoon dredging project.
By a unanimous 7-0 vote Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners approved the next 2 steps towards the clearing of thousands of cubic yards of silt clogging the Laughlin Lagoon. The Commission, chaired by Steve Sisolak whose District A includes Laughlin, approved the 2 matters as part of the consent agenda as they did not need discussion.
Following a request from the Town Advisory Board, the Clark County Commission voted to allocate $1.7-million from Laughlin's Fort Mohave Valley Development Fund to complete the financial package to clear channels -- including a 2,000-ft. public beach at the south end of the backwater by widening the drainage channel next to the Laughlin Bay Marina. About a dozen property owners fronting the mile-long Lagoon will pay the balance of the bonds for Special Improvement District 162-A. On Aug. 7, commissioners are scheduled to award the contract with work required to be done from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 to protect a fish and 2 bird species under the Endangered Species Act.
After the Lagoon is cleared, SID 162-B will tax the property owners to keep the channels cleared with annual assessments to replenish what is spent.
Commissioners also directed the Clark County Public Works Department to prepare the official property tax assessment roll. Property owners may either pay their entire amount up front, or select to have them split into 20 semi-annual payments. The BCC will conduct its public hearing about the assessments on July 17 at 10 A.M. in Las Vegas.
"On behalf of the community, I express our appreciation for the Board's support for this -- for Laughlin -- critical project, the key to launching a new wave of growth of businesses, industries, and professionals that will diversify our economy by adding to our existing tourist and retiree bases," said James "Jim" Maniaci, LTAB chair and Laughlin Economic Development Corporation president. The corporation began work on the project in 2012 by assembling the property owners, having to pause while Nevada law was amended to include waterfront projects in the special districts law.
While the project proceeds through the Clark County steps, work continues on obtaining the permits needed from a half-dozen federal and state agencies.
