No Margin for Error | What It Takes to Lead Through Higher Scrutiny

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I had a pastor who made a statement and it's just like a, I hear it all the time, he says,
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people love it when you get ahead, but just not ahead of them.
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And so when you're in the first and something, you're always feeling like you have to be
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that a little bit better, but I, I can only be myself.
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People just look at you like, just sit back and just say, I'm just going to watch a
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fail.
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And that is, I'm just not going to let that happen.
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What does it take to lead when one mistake could define your entire career?
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Emily Goyne's Brown is Nevada's first black mayor, rebuilding a city from economic collapse
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while facing scrutiny most leaders will never experience.
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From classroom teacher to running North Las Vegas, here's how she's rewriting the rules
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on leadership under pressure.
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This is the Exit Interview.
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Hi, everyone.
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Welcome to today's Exit Interview.
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We are thrilled to be joined by Pamela Goyne's Brown, the mayor of North Las Vegas.
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Thank you so much for joining us.
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She was elected in 2022 and has been serving as mayor ever since then, also the first black
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mayor in all of Nevada and, and also you previously served as the councilwoman for for North
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Las Vegas, following your near father's footsteps, I know.
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And your former educator, now public servant.
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So welcome, mayor Pamela Goyne's Brown to the Exit Interview.
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Welcome.
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I'm excited to be here, so thank you so much for having me.
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Of course, what led you from your life in education to now to then running for office
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and councilwoman.
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And now the city's first mayor, black mayor.
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Well, you know, my story's pretty funny and I shared often, my goal was not to go to
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college at all.
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Really?
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My mother just always said, finish school, so I did it, I graduated from high school and
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I just told her, I'm not going to college and my mother and my father were both educators
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and she said, well, you don't have to go to college, but you can't stay here, period.
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And so I'm like, so that means either get out or find, and I didn't have a job.
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So I went to college, I was a pianist since I was in elementary school and so I, that's
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the only thing I knew I was good at.
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And so I said, I'll just play the piano and so I majored in music, just music at first
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because I'm like, I'll be a professional pianist.
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But spending a lot of time in a little four by six or whatever room with just a piano
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in me, that was not fun because I was missing out on the college experience.
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And so I changed my major to music education and I literally graduated Sunday afternoon
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and had to get on a flight that night to start a teaching job back here in Las Vegas long
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time ago.
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And so that started my educational career.
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I taught music for 20 years at the elementary level and then I was an assistant principal
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for the last half of my career, totaling 35 years total in the Clark County School District
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here.
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And then in 2011, the council seat that my father previously served and then another
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predecessor that that seat became open and my brother was like, you ought to run for
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office.
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And I'm like, who?
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Me?
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Why?
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And so, and he's just said, I think you love serving the public, which I absolutely did
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at the time.
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So I did put our team together, put a platform together and I was successful in my first
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campaign race as a city councilwoman and my, my father actually served as a councilman
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and a mayor pro tem right in his time, but they didn't have term limits then.
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And so I served three council terms and then my predecessor John Lee wasn't going to run
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for his third term.
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It's mayor.
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And he's the one who said, you know what, I think you'd be great at this.
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And again, I'm like, the people are finding you.
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So in like my mother and I think and my brother, you know, people saw something in me that
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I didn't see in myself.
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Yeah.
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And so here I am today.
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And I'm just so eternally grateful to everybody who helped to, you know, push me and
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to do what I, I'm doing right now with my absolutely love.
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Yeah.
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But good for you for, could some people that happen to, and people see that in you and
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they go, you should do this and, and not everyone actually heathes the call.
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Absolutely.
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So what was it?
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Was it just who was coming to you or was it, did it kind of spark something in you at
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the same time when they came to you and said, you could do this?
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Did it just ignite?
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Well, it was a little of both, absolutely them saying that it mean saying to do this.
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But then when I actually said, I'm going to do this and then talking to people in, I
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represent it war two at the time.
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Right.
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And then, you know, people, our name was a well known name in that community anyway.
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And so just talking to people, hearing about their knees and what they wanted to see,
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the city and how they wanted to develop and grow, I'm like, I could do that.
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And so just building those relationships and knowing who our customers are, which are
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our constituents, it's like I owe it, you know, I owe it to them to make sure that their
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lives are better.
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And so that's how that happened.
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It's a big responsibility taking office or being a public servant in any capacity.
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Absolutely.
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And so how did you manage sort of knowing, okay, yes, you want to help and serve the public,
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but also managing being the first black mayor and then having all of the pressures of being
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successful in the role, I think that the pressure is exponentially more than probably a normal
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mayor.
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And that pressure somewhat is still happening today.
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Yeah.
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It's, it's even surreal some days when I wake up and say, wow, you are the first black
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mayor in the state of Nevada, then on top of that, you are the mayor.
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Yeah.
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So you build a great support system and that starts with my family because they're always
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in my corner, no matter, you know, if I do greater, I screw up something anyway.
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They're always in my corner pushing me.
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But just again, I love to listen to our constituents.
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It's very, very important to me and in our whole city and just, you know, what do you want
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your city to look like?
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We're building a complete city.
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What do we need?
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What are we lacking here in North Las Vegas?
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And we've had to build and rebuild over the last decade.
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And so it's just been challenging at times, but what we are today has been so rewarding
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because the work that happened even before I was mayor, it's, it's paying off right
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now.
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And that's such a great feeling.
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I'm curious, just even before you were mayor in terms of just the campaign, because, and
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God bless you, because campaigns are not for the faint of hearts.
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What is highly transferable about the process of coordinated campaign, creating a campaign,
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running a successful campaign?
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What highly transferred into the actual job when you got it as mayor and what was like
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completely different, its own ecosystem has nothing to do with the job, but was just
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something that worked in the campaign?
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Well, you know, running the campaign is, it's grueling.
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You have to, I think you had a special person to even go through that process because it
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kind of consumes your life, your, your, your private life is not private anymore.
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People just know everything about you if not, they think they do.
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Or they're going to go up and dig up and try to find as much dirt as they can.
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And I'm like, look, I go to work and I go home.
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That's what I do.
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And just knowing that you, you, and I, and I said this before, that support system is
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so very important because, you know, when I go home at the end of the day and I'm like,
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what am I doing?
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I'm questioning myself, can I do this?
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Because it's like 50, 50, I'm probably 60, 40, you know, no one's going to like you
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no matter what.
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Some people won't like anything that you do and show it's like sometimes you're always
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trying to prove yourself, but you have to be confident in yourself to know who you are
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and what your platform is all about.
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And it's about making people's lives better.
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And so, you know, that's what you focus on through your campaigns and sometimes it's
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really hard to ignore the negative noise, but you growth that shoulders really quick.
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Because no one here in herself and knowing what you stand for and what you believe in
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gets you through to that finish line because if you listen to everything, it would tear
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you down.
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But then on the flip side of that, all the positive reinforcement that I have received,
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that is just like, it keeps me going and it defines my purpose is what I'm doing and
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why I'm doing it.
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Because when people see what happens in North Las Vegas and what is happening, they're
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like, oh my gosh, we've worked so hard to make this happen.
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And part of, I guess, what after the campaign is over because you're, you're out there
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promoting yourself, you're speaking to numerous things.
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I think the fundraising is the most gruesome part of the campaign and I have learned how
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to do that because it is a process and there's a way to do that.
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And when people say, what do you need?
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You can say, oh, whatever, you have to be intentional.
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And that took practice because I'm like, I can't ask people for $10,000 and like, that's
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the problem.
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You better ask them or they, you know, you start low or you start high and let them come
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up.
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So I had to learn that really, really, it took a process because and then the time that
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you're spending on that aspect of the campaign, it's every day, right, every day, but you
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have to put in the work.
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Right.
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How did you come to the decision of what you wanted to prioritize and put out there as
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your campaign?
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For me personally, it was focusing on economic growth.
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And I think my experience in the education space was important, especially for the constituents
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in North Las Vegas because if we want our city to be successful, we didn't educate
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it workforce to train individuals in Herp, where they will stay and work in North Las
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Vegas when they come to that point in their lives.
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But a lot of it is working with amazing team.
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We have built such a great team in the city of North Las Vegas.
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We have amazing directors.
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We've grown our comms team and we didn't always have one.
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And so no one can tell our story better than we can.
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And so when you have a great team in place and we put together a vision, and so that
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vision is coming to life right now and it's just the work and that's been almost a decade
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in the making.
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Right.
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And what was, what around the comms in particular for you was, was it challenging, like were
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you already on like Instagram and like, you know, like feeling comfortable in front of
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cameras when you started?
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Because social media is just taking on its own personality so to speak.
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It can be, again, if you just listen to all the negative noise, you feel like, oh my gosh,
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but then when you eat all the positive thing and we were just talking about that little
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while ago, that's a good feeling when people are seeing what's happening in our city.
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But I'm just to have a comms team because, you know, North Las Vegas was hit the hardest
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during the recession.
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Right.
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And so we've had to build back literally from ground zero is what I want to call it.
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Right.
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COVID.
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Yes.
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And coming right after COVID.
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And so, you know, we were getting a lot of negative press in the district.
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Yeah.
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Just our whole city.
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And so we're like, that is not the North Las Vegas that we want to be.
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We're trying to get away from being called North Town and just, we are North Las Vegas.
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And so our team is helping us to tell the story, but we're controlling the narrative now
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instead of someone else controlling that narrative.
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That makes sense.
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What is your, what is your practice to manage the negative comments and the negativity?
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How do you protect your own psyche?
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Part of that is having a great comms director and the people that are under him know how
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to dispel those myths or those untruths.
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And we don't mind correcting reporters or news media and, you know, given them the facts
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and telling them, this is how it is and this is what it is.
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And then that's, we've built some really good relationships with most of people out in
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the media world.
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And so I think that's, that's been a huge difference in our city.
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Okay.
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Great.
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Yes.
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So from your platform and the things that you campaigned on, now you've won, you've
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thickened your, your, your skin is a little tougher, you know, you're building your teams.
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And what was it, what was it like to actually start to execute on and deliver on your sort
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of campaign promises?
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What, what happened?
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What was smooth about that?
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Like what initiatives like took off was exactly how you thought it would be or were there
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other ones that were like, Oh, I thought this was going to go like this.
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And then I hit this and then this happened.
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What, what was smooth and what was rough in terms of the, the, the launch process?
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Well, I can, I'll just use our economic growth, economic development as an example.
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We had to build back our city and the form, my predecessor called it grow economics.
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And we had to kind of grow our own tax base.
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Otherwise the state was going to come in and we were in receivership.
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And so we've really grown our industrial blueprint in the city of North Las Vegas.
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There are a lot of big box warehouses in the city limits now.
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And so people were not really happy with those.
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But when you explain the why behind that, these are tax paying customers.
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And if our city is going to survive, which is paid off really well, we need these tax
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paying businesses to come in.
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And so that's exactly what happened and be spin off of that.
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We're able to grow our team members in the city right now.
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We're actually running out of space in our own city hall for our employees, our police
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and our fire services.
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They have increased.
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We're still always recruiting.
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But you know, those numbers have grown.
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Our economic blueprint as far as bringing in more commercial services, everything is
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just falling into line.
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We're trying to keep up with the growth of parts of residential space is going.
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So all of those things were part of the campaign and part of the platform that I put out.
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But just the word that we use was to keep the momentum flowing and we're absolutely doing
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that.
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I wonder for, I know you mentioned like building up your staff.
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And I know for you like having the staff and the people who you're hiring within the
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city, having it reflect the demographics of the city.
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He was also very important to you.
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Tell us a little bit about what it was, you know, what you had to put in place to execute
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that or where there are any challenges therein to sort of to get the sort of numbers and
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balance.
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Well, North Las Vegas is 42% Hispanics, so with the largest minority majority city in
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the state of Nevada.
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And I think the biggest challenges with any employee, employer situation is finding quality candidates
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who buy into the vision of North Las Vegas, who have the best interests of the city in
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mind.
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And so, you know, when you set out and you interview people, you hope the same people
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that interview other ones that show up to the job.
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And so we've been intentional on, I think it's important that you see people that look
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like you, they represent your community.
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Absolutely.
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And I can just cite our police department.
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For example, we want people to see as they are protecting us within their people as well.
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And you know, they see them in non-working situations where there are community events
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or just in the neighborhood talking to people not so much as cop to the citizen, but as
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person to person.
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And so if I'm an African-American female and I may be struggling or something and I'm
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just going to keep it real, I'm going to relax a little bit if I see someone that looks
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like me and I'm talking to them because maybe they can relate to what I'm going through.
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But we just want to be intentional in saying that we have a very diverse community.
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We need a diverse workforce.
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And speaking of diversity, you're also a woman and there are different ways that women
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are treated in politics versus men and the expectations of how to hold yourself.
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You're expected to be more empathetic, to show warmth, but also strength.
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How do you navigate or balance that?
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Well, the good thing here is all the leaders except two in our major cities in Nevada are
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female.
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You know, the mayor of Las Vegas is a female, the mayor of Henderson is a female.
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And so I think we think a little bit more first and I can only use my husband as an example.
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You go from zero to 99 and heartbeat and I'm like, wait, stop, breathe, take a second and
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think about it first.
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And I do that because some situations, if you want an answer, like I need to know now,
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I'm sorry, I'll think about it and I'll get back to you or I need to ask staff because
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they're the expert in some of these areas and then I'll come back to you with an answer.
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So I want to always think things through because once you put it out there, it's so hard
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to take it back.
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Right.
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It really is.
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You don't want to shoot first the last questions later.
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And so I think that's something you have to learn.
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Oh, yeah.
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Yes.
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Patients, you have to learn.
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But then because some, you know, you're usually in a room full of males when you're,
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you know, reading with developers or potential customers.
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And it can be sometimes intimidating.
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Yeah.
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Or they do that intentionally as well, so did you have to intimidate you?
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Was there a process of having to earn respect to people who didn't out the gate immediately
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come through and respect?
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There was, but you know, when you come in there and, you know, sometimes you have to
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sit up a little taller, you have to walk a little straighter and you come in there and
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you give a firm handshake and you introduce yourself and you just sit down and I contact
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in a smile goes a long way.
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Let's have the conversation.
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And then, you know, and then they know that, well, maybe she's not a pushover or let's
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have a serious conversation because I'm going to do my homework, first of all, before you
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even come to me.
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So I know what's going on.
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Right.
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And what your goals are.
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And you know, developers are doing what they're supposed to do.
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They want what they want because they want to come in and build in your city.
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But we have a plan, a vision, a strategic plan of what we want in our city.
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So it'd be easier to work together than not.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Were there other initiatives under that sort of like diversity umbrella that you wanted
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to do or incorporate as you were like launching your campaign platform?
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Well, just to say that not that all versus we want all voices heard, but I want all voices
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respected as well.
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And there's not a day that goes by when I listen to someone and it could be something totally
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off the wall or something.
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I have no control over it or it's something that's at the federal of the state level, but
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it's important that we listen.
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And then also provide a resource if I can't answer, help you out or that's not something
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we do at the local level.
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But here's how you can access this or I can refer you to something or to someone.
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And so it's just all about being, I guess at third party person, so to speak, if we need
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to be there and make sure that we are intentional about helping our constituents.
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I want to switch a little bit to the family conversation, because you're a family.
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You have a family of children, you have a husband, but when you're a public servant and
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you're in politics, it's not just you, it's your whole family now under a microscope.
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And the privacy doesn't just go away from just you, it's your whole family.
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What was that conversation like when you and your husband said, you know, are you willing
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to open the door to let everybody come in the house and see everything for both you and
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your marriage, but also your children and protecting them as well?
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I think my husband was probably more excited than me.
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Really?
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More, more, more don't know about this whole process than me.
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And I mean, he is my biggest and loudest cheerleader and he's from New York, so he's
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super loud.
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People absolutely, they love him and I have two sons and they were just like, you got
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to do this mom and even now it's like, my mom's the mayor and I'm like, well yeah, I am
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and that's like sometimes it's real because I just want to be mom or I just want to be
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Pam and it's just like, where you go is it?
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He wouldn't know you when you go someplace and I'm like, well, I just can't go to Walmart
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and look like a bum and have a little mascara or make sure I have on a decent pair of sweats
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if that's what the case is.
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But it's just the support behind them and then being behind me in everything that I do
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and I couldn't ask for a better support system.
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I need my siblings and all of my families is very, very supportive.
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That's really nice.
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Was there any challenges like if you were getting any backlash, did that trickle down
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to your sons and then come back up to you?
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Did they experience any hardships that you had to kind of talk through and tell them
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like just ignore the noise or do you want to fight somebody?
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Yeah, I mean, and usually it's in social media and I'm just like just ignore the noise
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because you just read all that stuff.
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If you let it, you'll believe it and you just like, well, you know, that's not true
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and they want to respond and I'm like, don't, because you don't even know if somebody's
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really typing that or they're hiding behind the keyboard or something.
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If they were in person, I guarantee you they wouldn't say that.
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So I just have to tell them just ignore the noise and don't even respond.
366
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Yeah.
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00:21:02.760 --> 00:21:10.000
So I'm just curious from like the management side of things, I've handled logistics
368
00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:15.760
before as a producer, but I've never run a city.
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I don't think they won't let me give me that job so no, it's in danger.
370
00:21:19.560 --> 00:21:28.560
But how do you even logistically, mentally, organizationally approach the job of running
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a city?
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Yes.
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How do you manage yourself your time?
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How do you keep yourself together and then kind of what's your sort of management protocols
375
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to keep everything?
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00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:48.320
Man, that, that, I don't know, like I said, I rely on my assistant is I love her to
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do that.
378
00:21:49.320 --> 00:21:50.320
Absolutely amazing.
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She runs my life.
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That's just, that's just real.
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I go to bed, check my calendar the night before when I get up in the morning before I even
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00:21:57.760 --> 00:21:58.760
get out of bed.
383
00:21:58.760 --> 00:22:01.960
I'm looking at my iPad to see what's on my agenda today because it can change from the
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night before 10 in the morning.
385
00:22:03.360 --> 00:22:10.560
And so get up and I, I usually on the weekends, well, not every weekend, Sundays off the
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limit period.
387
00:22:11.560 --> 00:22:12.560
Yeah.
388
00:22:12.560 --> 00:22:16.520
But Saturdays, usually I try to take a little time for myself, but like emails just, it's
389
00:22:16.520 --> 00:22:17.520
non-stop.
390
00:22:17.520 --> 00:22:24.800
And so it's just finding that balance when I just, I just go and tell my body says, Pam
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no more.
392
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No more.
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And so it will absolutely let you know when you know what you need to stop and relax.
394
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So even if I go to California for the weekend or Arizona, lock them anywhere just to separate
395
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for a day or two, then come back and I'm right back in it because it literally could be
396
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a 24 hour, seven day a week job.
397
00:22:43.560 --> 00:22:44.560
I, I can only imagine.
398
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I'm going to ask you a hard question that people ask maybe suspiciously sometimes, but I
399
00:22:49.800 --> 00:22:53.720
want to, on his answer is, how do politicians sleep at night?
400
00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:58.400
Because you have so much responsibility and there's so much going on and sometimes it's
401
00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:01.000
not always great and sometimes it's really great.
402
00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:02.400
And how do you shut it off?
403
00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:10.480
How do you, you know, honestly, I don't, I mean, my brain is always going and it's really
404
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.480
sad.
405
00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:12.720
I'm a, I'm a diehard football fan.
406
00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:16.760
I don't care who's playing, but I always have a device like I'm sitting there watching
407
00:23:16.760 --> 00:23:22.080
the game and I have my iPad and my lap or my phone is right here.
408
00:23:22.080 --> 00:23:26.720
So I don't sleep, I don't sleep on the, I just put it at the, I don't sleep all night
409
00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.720
so.
410
00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:28.720
Yeah.
411
00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.720
It's just the nature of the beast.
412
00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:35.400
But you're, because you've been, you've been a public servant for a very long time and
413
00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.400
it's impressive.
414
00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:40.800
I mean, even seeing you here today, you're very positive, you're very upbeat, you're very
415
00:23:40.800 --> 00:23:41.800
optimistic.
416
00:23:41.800 --> 00:23:42.800
You have.
417
00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:43.800
I'll fake it till you make it.
418
00:23:43.800 --> 00:23:44.800
I'll just keep it.
419
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No, you have.
420
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You have.
421
00:23:46.800 --> 00:23:47.800
Just keep it up.
422
00:23:47.800 --> 00:23:48.800
You have like a very positive to you.
423
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How do you, how do you keep that and, and protect from the burnout of all the responsibility?
424
00:23:54.760 --> 00:23:56.160
I have to keep positive.
425
00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.160
That's how I keep going.
426
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Right.
427
00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:01.960
Because if not, it'll, you'll get burned out really, really easy and so and that's part
428
00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:07.000
that, um, ignoring that negative noise and I focus on what we're doing in the city,
429
00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:09.080
what's best for the residents there.
430
00:24:09.080 --> 00:24:14.920
And that's what we do, um, because our constituents are our customers as well.
431
00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:19.480
And so I just have to focus on keeping that positive vibe and keeping the city moving
432
00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.480
forward.
433
00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.480
Yeah.
434
00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:28.200
Can you share with us maybe a story that you experienced with, with one of your constituents
435
00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:35.440
who perhaps gave you the positive reassurance that like, yes, I'm supposed to be here.
436
00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.680
I need to keep going.
437
00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:38.440
I need to keep doing this.
438
00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:40.280
Oh gosh, let me think.
439
00:24:40.280 --> 00:24:43.240
Um, you know what, it is my next door neighbor.
440
00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.240
Her name is Judy.
441
00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.240
Hi, Judy.
442
00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:50.080
Um, Judy has my phone number and it's just so funny.
443
00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:55.480
She encourages, encourages me all the time, but she doesn't do it face to face.
444
00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:59.800
She will text me or she even sent me a card in the mail or she'll send me something
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in the mail.
446
00:25:00.800 --> 00:25:04.520
And I'm like, Judy, just open the door and right next door or I'll catch you sometimes
447
00:25:04.520 --> 00:25:06.560
she's out in the front yard pulling her weed.
448
00:25:06.560 --> 00:25:07.560
Right, right, right.
449
00:25:07.560 --> 00:25:11.480
She's a little pan, but it's just, we communicate more via text or she'll mail me something
450
00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:14.960
in the mail, but she's always encouraging the absolute love because I think it's just
451
00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:15.960
hilarious.
452
00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.960
It is hilarious.
453
00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:17.960
Yeah.
454
00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:18.960
Oh, that's super sweet.
455
00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:19.960
I love that.
456
00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:26.960
Um, what, what from your, it's funny when you, we were talking about teaching, um, music
457
00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:32.800
in elementary, I'm like, are there similarities between that and running?
458
00:25:32.800 --> 00:25:36.600
You know, it actually is because it's, it's funny.
459
00:25:36.600 --> 00:25:42.480
I'm dealing with little people and their families and, you know, helping them through struggles
460
00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:46.840
or issues and whatever because if a child comes to school hungry, or they don't have pencil
461
00:25:46.840 --> 00:25:48.680
or pen or a coat and all those kinds of things.
462
00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:52.320
I have to deal with that and their families or if they're, you know, little Johnny's
463
00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:57.000
not the nicest little Johnny and I'm dealing with their parents and so, and he's the same
464
00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:58.000
thing with everything.
465
00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.000
He's the same thing with the big people.
466
00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:02.200
You're, you're there to help them have a better life and make things that better.
467
00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:03.200
Right.
468
00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:04.200
Same, same thing.
469
00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:05.200
Mm-hmm.
470
00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:06.200
Just older bodies.
471
00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:07.200
Bigger bodies.
472
00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.200
Same thing.
473
00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:09.200
Bigger bodies.
474
00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.200
Yeah.
475
00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:11.200
Yeah.
476
00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:12.200
Absolutely.
477
00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:13.200
Yeah.
478
00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.200
Yeah.
479
00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:15.200
Yeah.
480
00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:16.200
Yeah.
481
00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:23.920
So, have there been, have, have there been certain strategies for you that you feel like
482
00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:30.720
consistently work in terms of like how you are like managing projects or managing time?
483
00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:36.720
Is there like a kind of a default way you have to prioritize things that consistently
484
00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:40.800
pays off for you in terms of keeping you sane in the process?
485
00:26:40.800 --> 00:26:45.480
Well, yeah, it's basically what's best for North Las Vegas.
486
00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:46.480
Got it.
487
00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.480
That's always the priority.
488
00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:50.320
All development is not good development.
489
00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:55.680
We look for developers or potential clients that are going to be great community partners.
490
00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:58.240
What are they going to get back to the community that they want to come and build and what
491
00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.320
they want to do here?
492
00:26:59.320 --> 00:27:02.200
And I think that's very, very important.
493
00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:07.280
And then how are you going to be involved in, because, you know, a lot of times the
494
00:27:07.280 --> 00:27:10.840
developers come in and make their money sale boom and they're out of there.
495
00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:14.400
And we're looking for people that want to do a little bit more than that, be more grounded
496
00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:18.200
in the community that they're building and, you know, hopefully they're just having
497
00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:20.680
that same feeling just like we are.
498
00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:24.640
And so those are literally like the first questions I ask.
499
00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:29.640
And then we always ask, you know, water use here is always a hot topic and sure in the
500
00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:33.560
vat of just because we're in the desert, power and all those kind of things go into those
501
00:27:33.560 --> 00:27:38.200
conversations when we're sitting down looking at potential clients or developers here.
502
00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:39.200
Yeah.
503
00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:44.880
And on a personal level, like just managing your office, what are, what are things that
504
00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:48.560
you always, do you have certain rituals that like this has to happen?
505
00:27:48.560 --> 00:27:52.000
Or this is how I have to do things in order to keep things smoothly operated?
506
00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:55.640
Well, you know, every day when I get to the office, of course, I speak to everybody.
507
00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:59.840
And then I sit down with my assistant and we have our one-on-one briefing to outline my
508
00:27:59.840 --> 00:28:00.840
day.
509
00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:04.560
And then she's really good about saying, you know what, Mayor, you're not going to that.
510
00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:05.560
You don't need to go to that.
511
00:28:05.560 --> 00:28:12.640
So, and I'm like, okay, and she's like really in setting up meetings so that I'm prepared.
512
00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:16.320
So if someone calls and they want to meet with the Mayor, she just goes to and say, you
513
00:28:16.320 --> 00:28:20.360
know, one of the reasons why you need to meet with her so that we can be prepared for this
514
00:28:20.360 --> 00:28:21.360
meeting.
515
00:28:21.360 --> 00:28:24.400
So I don't want to go in there and be blindsided about things.
516
00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:29.760
And then just like every day, there has not been two days that have ever been the same.
517
00:28:29.760 --> 00:28:36.480
And so just navigating all of that, whether I'm in the building, I'm out of the building
518
00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:43.600
a lot or even building a bathroom break, please, you know, or you know, give me the correct
519
00:28:43.600 --> 00:28:44.600
shot right there.
520
00:28:44.600 --> 00:28:45.600
Back to back.
521
00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:46.600
I need five minutes.
522
00:28:46.600 --> 00:28:50.880
I got to get out of here for it's like, or you know, even travel time when I have to
523
00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:54.240
come Henderson or whatever, just so I have enough time to get there.
524
00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:59.360
So I'm not stressing myself because I'm just so conditioned to be on time and on time
525
00:28:59.360 --> 00:29:01.280
means you get there before time.
526
00:29:01.280 --> 00:29:04.080
So those kind of things are really, it helps out a lot.
527
00:29:04.080 --> 00:29:06.920
What are your strategies for stress management?
528
00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:08.520
Um, it's a family show.
529
00:29:08.520 --> 00:29:09.520
No, I'm just kidding.
530
00:29:09.520 --> 00:29:16.440
First I curse them out, right, and then every other life, and you know, I have someone
531
00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:18.720
saying just smile and nod because they can't read your thoughts.
532
00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:25.040
So a lot of that happens, like, yeah, I try not to get too overly stressed on.
533
00:29:25.040 --> 00:29:26.840
There are times where you just can't help it.
534
00:29:26.840 --> 00:29:31.440
But then just kind of sitting back and taking a deep breath and just regrouping and going
535
00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:35.320
have some me time, which that could be two minutes, that could be 10 minutes, just to
536
00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:40.280
separate for a minute or I've even ended meetings before when they get little heat at
537
00:29:40.280 --> 00:29:41.280
some times.
538
00:29:41.280 --> 00:29:44.560
I'm like, you know, let's calm down when cooler heads prevail.
539
00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:48.360
I'll be happy to meet with you again, but, you know, we're not getting anything done.
540
00:29:48.360 --> 00:29:49.360
Let's just stop this meeting.
541
00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:52.360
So those type of things help manage the stress part of it.
542
00:29:52.360 --> 00:29:56.320
And someone is not being respectful or have crossed the line.
543
00:29:56.320 --> 00:29:57.520
How do you manage?
544
00:29:57.520 --> 00:30:02.600
I shut it down, because I'm thinking we're going to be more productive if we're going
545
00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:07.600
to be respectful from one for one between each of us and if that's not happening, if we're
546
00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:14.640
just going to be heated and when voices go below above a conversational level, no, right,
547
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:17.880
no, no, not going there.
548
00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:18.880
We just not going there.
549
00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:19.880
This is sorry.
550
00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:24.520
Come back and I learned that from the education space because, right, and I know parents
551
00:30:24.520 --> 00:30:27.400
were super compassionate about their kids and I get it.
552
00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:29.520
But when you're coming in, they're yelling about that.
553
00:30:29.520 --> 00:30:33.880
I have your kids seven hours and 11 minutes out of the day.
554
00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:39.120
They come to me how you send them, and I can't fix them unless there's, you know, it's
555
00:30:39.120 --> 00:30:40.120
the work together.
556
00:30:40.120 --> 00:30:41.120
We have to work together.
557
00:30:41.120 --> 00:30:42.120
Right.
558
00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:43.360
That's a strategy that I learned really quickly.
559
00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:44.360
Right.
560
00:30:44.360 --> 00:30:47.560
No, I'm sure parents coming up to your school constantly and having something to say.
561
00:30:47.560 --> 00:30:55.720
You sent your kid here, man, I can't fix their kids right away, so yeah, let's work
562
00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:56.720
together.
563
00:30:56.720 --> 00:31:02.240
I used to phrase all the time and I look at him say, I'd in birth them, you did.
564
00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.240
Period.
565
00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.240
Period.
566
00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:05.240
Yeah.
567
00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:08.320
But I would love to work together so I could come out with some solutions so that both
568
00:31:08.320 --> 00:31:09.320
of us are successful.
569
00:31:09.320 --> 00:31:10.320
Yeah.
570
00:31:10.320 --> 00:31:11.320
Right, right, right.
571
00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:16.280
How is the landscape of politics changed since you entered the space to know?
572
00:31:16.280 --> 00:31:18.200
It's just getting ugly.
573
00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:21.400
I don't know what other word to use.
574
00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:24.640
The focus is on destruction.
575
00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:25.640
Yeah.
576
00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:29.480
And if we could just get back to what's best for people and try to make people's lives
577
00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:33.400
better, that's what I would love.
578
00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:37.120
But here in the state in Nevada, we are mayors.
579
00:31:37.120 --> 00:31:38.480
We get along seriously.
580
00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:39.800
We all get along.
581
00:31:39.800 --> 00:31:43.840
I can call or text any one of them, all of our elected officials here, which is really
582
00:31:43.840 --> 00:31:48.680
good because you don't find that in some states and that transparent part of it and being
583
00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:49.680
able to communicate.
584
00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:53.560
No, we may not always agree, but we still can have conversation.
585
00:31:53.560 --> 00:31:55.320
That's something I really, really appreciate.
586
00:31:55.320 --> 00:31:56.320
Right.
587
00:31:56.320 --> 00:31:57.320
Right.
588
00:31:57.320 --> 00:32:05.720
And have things have the scale of things changing on the national side of politics as
589
00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:09.720
that, do you guys feel like you're like in your bubble because you guys all communicate
590
00:32:09.720 --> 00:32:15.400
and you're able to keep things together or do you feel that sort of outside pressure,
591
00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:19.560
like influence, you know, or try to influence like how you're operating?
592
00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:22.040
I think we're in our bubble, honestly.
593
00:32:22.040 --> 00:32:25.440
And I just think you can look at what goes on nationally.
594
00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:28.960
Sometimes I'll just turn off because it's like, it's just that bad.
595
00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:34.000
But then it feels good when you can, like if I wanted to ask the mayor of Henderson something,
596
00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:36.640
I can just call her right now and she will answer.
597
00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:41.040
Or, you know, any of our other elected officials, and so I think we are in our bubble.
598
00:32:41.040 --> 00:32:43.080
That's great that you're able to do that.
599
00:32:43.080 --> 00:32:48.560
And are there what from the initiatives that you've launched from your campaign or that
600
00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:53.080
you started when you got in office, like what are the things that you've been, you've
601
00:32:53.080 --> 00:32:58.000
looked during your tenure and been like the most excited about and the most proud of
602
00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:00.920
that you were able to execute up to this point?
603
00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:02.440
Oh gosh, there are so many.
604
00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:03.440
So I just list a few.
605
00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:08.080
Well, we are totally reimagined our downtown corner city of North Las Vegas.
606
00:33:08.080 --> 00:33:11.320
We didn't have a clearly defined downtown area.
607
00:33:11.320 --> 00:33:15.240
So over the next few years that is just going to come off, you'd be like, wow, this is
608
00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:19.920
downtown North Las Vegas, Nevada State University is open and satellite campus in North Las
609
00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:20.920
Vegas.
610
00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:22.800
That is huge.
611
00:33:22.800 --> 00:33:27.920
We are growing in supporting our schools, whether they're public, private or charter schools
612
00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:29.320
in North Las Vegas.
613
00:33:29.320 --> 00:33:33.040
We have a homegrown teacher program where we're hoping at one of our high schools where
614
00:33:33.040 --> 00:33:36.600
they are training high school students that want to become teachers.
615
00:33:36.600 --> 00:33:39.400
And hopefully they'll stay in North Las Vegas and want to work.
616
00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:44.120
We have the first government run veterans resource center where we support our veterans and
617
00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:46.120
provide resources for them.
618
00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:51.760
We have opened our Dolores work to resource center, right adjacent to the city of North
619
00:33:51.760 --> 00:33:56.600
Las Vegas City Hall and it's a resource center for the entire community.
620
00:33:56.600 --> 00:33:57.600
We need help.
621
00:33:57.600 --> 00:33:58.600
Come on in.
622
00:33:58.600 --> 00:33:59.600
We're here to help you.
623
00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:04.600
We have our own North Star Academy, it's our daycare center and we opened it out of the
624
00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:09.600
need for our first responders because they don't work nine to five schedules.
625
00:34:09.600 --> 00:34:10.600
Sure.
626
00:34:10.600 --> 00:34:11.600
Sure.
627
00:34:11.600 --> 00:34:14.960
But now it's open to all city employees, a safe place for their kids to have child, you know,
628
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.280
for child care services.
629
00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:22.600
During COVID, we opened the first and only micro school and we called it, what's up micro
630
00:34:22.600 --> 00:34:23.600
school?
631
00:34:23.600 --> 00:34:29.000
Because, you know, schools were closed doing COVID and the governor at that time said,
632
00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:33.000
well, recreation centers, cities, open your recreation centers for people that still have
633
00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:34.000
to go to work.
634
00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:37.520
And I'm like, if we open our rec centers, that's fine, but why should we have kids just to
635
00:34:37.520 --> 00:34:40.520
come and play all day when we can set up a school?
636
00:34:40.520 --> 00:34:41.520
And so that's what we did.
637
00:34:41.520 --> 00:34:44.640
We set up a, it's called a Saturday that early like, oh, it's gonna be a school.
638
00:34:44.640 --> 00:34:49.320
And so the kids that attended our micro academy suffered no learning loss during that time
639
00:34:49.320 --> 00:34:52.640
because they were having school.
640
00:34:52.640 --> 00:34:57.600
We are increasing our medical blueprint out by our, the VA hospital.
641
00:34:57.600 --> 00:35:03.640
I don't know if you know where that is, but it's 135 acre campus was just going to be
642
00:35:03.640 --> 00:35:05.160
a beautiful medical campus.
643
00:35:05.160 --> 00:35:11.400
And then the North Las Vegas, where the former Texas and the Fiesta Hotel sites were,
644
00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:15.480
we're partnered with a great real estate company called Agora Realty and they're developing.
645
00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:23.040
We call it an Olympic type facility with, you know, restaurants, cafes, a sports facility,
646
00:35:23.040 --> 00:35:26.400
ice skating to focus on club sports and things like that.
647
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:30.600
So there are so many things that are going on.
648
00:35:30.600 --> 00:35:35.440
And just to be a part of all of that and then all the other economic growth, there's an
649
00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:37.520
industrial place called Apex.
650
00:35:37.520 --> 00:35:43.520
It's like 7,000 acres of developer land out there will be a major hub for innovation,
651
00:35:43.520 --> 00:35:47.800
technology, logistics, heavy industrial, light industrial.
652
00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:50.840
So all of those things are happening like right now.
653
00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:51.840
I love it.
654
00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:52.840
I love it.
655
00:35:52.840 --> 00:35:53.840
That's so much to be proud of.
656
00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:54.840
Oh, absolutely.
657
00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:55.840
Yeah.
658
00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.440
Speaking of the demographic of the city, a big part of being mayor is being a leader.
659
00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.440
Yes.
660
00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:02.440
You are in leadership.
661
00:36:02.440 --> 00:36:04.760
That is the job.
662
00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:10.720
And so it's more than just being a public figure, it's about bringing people along and
663
00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:16.280
encouraging people to work together to be to execute what is on the agenda.
664
00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:20.320
What are sort of some of your strategies of getting everybody to work together and come
665
00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:25.640
along and keep people motivated, particularly in the national level that's very chaotic
666
00:36:25.640 --> 00:36:26.640
right now?
667
00:36:26.640 --> 00:36:27.640
Sure.
668
00:36:27.640 --> 00:36:31.000
Well, right in our little four walls of our Northwest Vegas city hall, we've worked really hard
669
00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:34.080
on building morale and keeping people motivated.
670
00:36:34.080 --> 00:36:39.520
And we just kind of did a mind shift on, you know, how can we help you feel successful,
671
00:36:39.520 --> 00:36:41.360
make sure that you're a valued employee.
672
00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:47.480
And I think the way that you treat your employees on a day in and day out basis is extremely important.
673
00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:51.360
Even from walking into the building when you go to the security desk, you know, you see
674
00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:55.520
these guys there are girls in uniform, but they smile and nod and you know, they treat
675
00:36:55.520 --> 00:36:57.040
you like a human being.
676
00:36:57.040 --> 00:37:00.200
And I think that's very important versus you coming in and like, I'm security.
677
00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:01.200
What do you want?
678
00:37:01.200 --> 00:37:02.200
Those kind of things.
679
00:37:02.200 --> 00:37:05.400
And so, you know, we focus on strengths, you know, even if you have your employee of
680
00:37:05.400 --> 00:37:09.800
the month, our directors recognize outstanding employees and what they do.
681
00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:12.760
And then we focus on family first.
682
00:37:12.760 --> 00:37:17.360
And I think that's important too, because it's like if you're struggling outside of work,
683
00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:19.520
you're not going to be 100% when you're at work.
684
00:37:19.520 --> 00:37:23.800
So we want to make sure that you are whole and if not, how can we support you?
685
00:37:23.800 --> 00:37:30.360
And we have a lot of initiatives in our medical space as well as far as healthy exercise
686
00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:34.160
programs or diet nutrition programs that you can get involved in to make sure that you
687
00:37:34.160 --> 00:37:38.800
remain healthy and that you're exercising, you're eating right, and it's your just full
688
00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:42.280
of life every single day when you come in and so it's just about how you're treated
689
00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:44.280
even from being greeted when you walk in our doors.
690
00:37:44.280 --> 00:37:45.280
Right.
691
00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:48.720
Well, it's interesting that you say that because what I'm hearing, it's almost, it's like
692
00:37:48.720 --> 00:37:53.280
it's, you're kind of creating, I mean, we talk about like company culture a lot, but
693
00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:57.600
you're almost creating like a city culture, you know, that's a similar, it's a bigger
694
00:37:57.600 --> 00:38:03.080
platform, but a similar idea of like, this is how you, this is how you conduct yourself
695
00:38:03.080 --> 00:38:04.080
here.
696
00:38:04.080 --> 00:38:06.720
Like if you want to be a business, you want to come in here, you can't just be coming
697
00:38:06.720 --> 00:38:11.640
in here to like smash and grab, you have to be looking to invest long term in our community.
698
00:38:11.640 --> 00:38:15.720
If you're, you know, working here, you have to be conscious of like you're a servant
699
00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:20.160
and like these, you want to create a warm environment and you take care of them, we'll take
700
00:38:20.160 --> 00:38:21.160
care of you.
701
00:38:21.160 --> 00:38:22.160
Absolutely.
702
00:38:22.160 --> 00:38:28.720
How intentional, it sounds, I mean, obviously it's very intentional and what, what do you
703
00:38:28.720 --> 00:38:33.640
see as the, are there, are there other things that you're doing that sort of go along with
704
00:38:33.640 --> 00:38:37.920
that sort of cultural kind of, you know, environment?
705
00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:41.920
And what do you see as the impact of that, like what do you see as the outcome of that?
706
00:38:41.920 --> 00:38:46.440
Well, and I think, like you said, it was very intentional because, you know, morale
707
00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:51.080
was down there years ago because you just, what is the future of not just our city,
708
00:38:51.080 --> 00:38:52.080
but the state.
709
00:38:52.080 --> 00:38:57.840
The world and so, you know, just to boost people's morale and so being very intentional about
710
00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:02.000
programs that are focused on our employees, and we call them team members, I call them
711
00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:04.160
family members.
712
00:39:04.160 --> 00:39:09.720
We do fun things there, you know, we go crazy for like holidays and Halloween, I mean,
713
00:39:09.720 --> 00:39:11.000
there's massive contests.
714
00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:12.000
Oh my gosh.
715
00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:17.200
It doesn't look like a city hall when you come in there because every department, every
716
00:39:17.200 --> 00:39:21.360
floor, and it's fun and then we invite their families to come in for activities.
717
00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:27.680
We celebrate all the diverse holidays that we have and so we just focus on every demographic.
718
00:39:27.680 --> 00:39:30.160
You don't discriminate or favor one over the other.
719
00:39:30.160 --> 00:39:34.600
And so that's just, we see people for people and I think that's really important.
720
00:39:34.600 --> 00:39:35.600
Yeah.
721
00:39:35.600 --> 00:39:36.600
Yeah.
722
00:39:36.600 --> 00:39:40.640
First, someone is aspiring to potentially or considering moving into public service or
723
00:39:40.640 --> 00:39:42.720
going into politics.
724
00:39:42.720 --> 00:39:45.080
What would you, what advice would you give?
725
00:39:45.080 --> 00:39:46.080
Who?
726
00:39:46.080 --> 00:39:47.080
Don't do it.
727
00:39:47.080 --> 00:39:48.080
Yeah.
728
00:39:48.080 --> 00:39:49.080
Run.
729
00:39:49.080 --> 00:39:50.080
No.
730
00:39:50.080 --> 00:39:57.080
If that's something that you're truly wanting to do, right.
731
00:39:57.080 --> 00:39:59.320
Tell yourself a support system.
732
00:39:59.320 --> 00:40:03.200
Surround yourself with people who are going to be in your corner.
733
00:40:03.200 --> 00:40:06.320
Whatever your platform is, stay true to it.
734
00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:10.280
Don't put something out there that you know that you cannot, you can't change the world.
735
00:40:10.280 --> 00:40:14.920
So whatever you're going to campaign on, make sure that you can deliver on those promises.
736
00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:19.680
Don't don't, and then once you, if you win that office, don't make a promise that you're
737
00:40:19.680 --> 00:40:22.960
not going to follow through or keep because then you want to, because you have to build
738
00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:26.280
that trust in those people that voted you in that office and when you get in there and
739
00:40:26.280 --> 00:40:30.600
you do a complete 360 likes, yeah, I'm just saying.
740
00:40:30.600 --> 00:40:31.600
That's not good.
741
00:40:31.600 --> 00:40:34.880
And then people lose trust and faith and confidence in you.
742
00:40:34.880 --> 00:40:39.280
And I just like to always remain positive because there's so much negativity out there
743
00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:42.080
and just being positive and hopeful.
744
00:40:42.080 --> 00:40:46.120
It only helps, it helps me too, but I think it benefits the constituents and the community
745
00:40:46.120 --> 00:40:47.120
as well.
746
00:40:47.120 --> 00:40:53.320
How do you learn to sort of set realistic expectations and deliver on them and not be
747
00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:59.040
a yes person because I feel like, I think in general, people have a tendency to be like
748
00:40:59.040 --> 00:41:04.720
a yes man or a yes person because everybody wants to please, but particularly as mayor,
749
00:41:04.720 --> 00:41:08.360
you want to make sure that you're delivering and there's a lot of asks.
750
00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:12.280
So how do you learn to strengthen that muscle?
751
00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:16.600
Well, in the space, when you're trying to be in that space, I think if you're knowledgeable
752
00:41:16.600 --> 00:41:22.080
about what the role and what a mayor or a council person or what all the duties and roles
753
00:41:22.080 --> 00:41:26.480
are at the, like at the local level are what you can and what you cannot do, what you
754
00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:33.000
can control, because if you're promising to build a massive hotel, you can't do that.
755
00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:36.360
So, but you have to make sure that you know the things that you can and what you cannot
756
00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:37.360
do.
757
00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:42.960
And same thing when you're in that space as well, know what happens at federal level, state
758
00:41:42.960 --> 00:41:48.520
level and local level and as far as what your task are as far as following laws, because
759
00:41:48.520 --> 00:41:50.440
I don't make the laws.
760
00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:55.800
So, you know, just making sure that when the state hands us down to the local level, what
761
00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:59.960
do we do to implement it or what policy or ordinances are we saying in that space, you have
762
00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:00.960
to know those things.
763
00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:05.960
Do you feel like your education experience helping to run a school helped you to ramp up
764
00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:06.960
as mayor?
765
00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:07.960
Oh, absolutely.
766
00:42:07.960 --> 00:42:10.960
Yes, because you know, when you're running the school, you're looking at demographics,
767
00:42:10.960 --> 00:42:18.240
you're looking at, you know, lunchings and budgets, supplies, compliance, all of those
768
00:42:18.240 --> 00:42:19.240
kind of things.
769
00:42:19.240 --> 00:42:20.240
Yes, yes.
770
00:42:20.240 --> 00:42:26.280
When you're testing children on state tests, you know, looking at all that data, those kind
771
00:42:26.280 --> 00:42:27.280
of things.
772
00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:29.960
So, they're very, very similar just with older souls.
773
00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:34.200
I'm sure the five-year-olds were easier.
774
00:42:34.200 --> 00:42:39.360
They, well, I don't know, but they're, I mean, they love to hug you, that's what I like
775
00:42:39.360 --> 00:42:40.360
about them.
776
00:42:40.360 --> 00:42:41.360
Right.
777
00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:42.360
More hugs.
778
00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:43.360
Yes.
779
00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:44.360
More hugs, yes.
780
00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:51.680
Were there things when you came into the job, though, that were particularly challenging
781
00:42:51.680 --> 00:42:58.080
for you to, to either learn how to execute or to, you know, create boundaries around
782
00:42:58.080 --> 00:43:02.760
or like, what were the, what were the areas that were like, this one is going to be tricky
783
00:43:02.760 --> 00:43:05.280
for me to kind of figure out?
784
00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:11.880
I think coming in in 2022, after a recession and coming back, bringing North Las Vegas
785
00:43:11.880 --> 00:43:14.320
to life, it was how, first of all, how are we going?
786
00:43:14.320 --> 00:43:16.320
Are we going to keep this going?
787
00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:18.320
Because it was financial.
788
00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:19.320
Financial things.
789
00:43:19.320 --> 00:43:25.240
And then so, right now, if you look at our books, so to speak, it looks really good on paper.
790
00:43:25.240 --> 00:43:28.640
But that does not mean now you, you've got the Cadillac.
791
00:43:28.640 --> 00:43:32.240
You don't go out and try to get the Mercedes or whatever is better than a Cadillac.
792
00:43:32.240 --> 00:43:33.240
Right, right, right.
793
00:43:33.240 --> 00:43:34.240
You still have to be intentional.
794
00:43:34.240 --> 00:43:38.400
And we are very intentional on looking at our budget and saying, you don't, you don't
795
00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:39.400
buy the whole cookie.
796
00:43:39.400 --> 00:43:40.880
Now, you take a bite out of the time.
797
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.880
And so, you got it.
798
00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:45.800
You want to do that, it's been challenging because people see, we're in the green right
799
00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:46.800
now.
800
00:43:46.800 --> 00:43:49.200
But that's still down at the end of that tunnel.
801
00:43:49.200 --> 00:43:50.200
Right.
802
00:43:50.200 --> 00:43:52.960
And so, you can see that green light, but it's not that big, bright shiny light.
803
00:43:52.960 --> 00:43:53.960
Right.
804
00:43:53.960 --> 00:43:57.400
So, we still have to be very, and, you know, on purpose on what we're spinning.
805
00:43:57.400 --> 00:44:02.600
And if, like, when I go to the store, I want everything, but do I really need it.
806
00:44:02.600 --> 00:44:04.960
So that's how we're looking at things right now.
807
00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:06.560
Everybody has wants, want, want, want, want.
808
00:44:06.560 --> 00:44:07.560
We need this.
809
00:44:07.560 --> 00:44:09.440
Well, you don't need five rings of paper.
810
00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:10.440
You can get away with one.
811
00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:11.440
Right.
812
00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:13.920
And so, that's, that's, that's kind of challenging.
813
00:44:13.920 --> 00:44:14.920
Right.
814
00:44:14.920 --> 00:44:15.920
Yeah.
815
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:21.040
Would you be able to provide some advice on if there's a colleague that perhaps is just
816
00:44:21.040 --> 00:44:27.440
constantly in opposition, doesn't seem to be going with the agenda and where everything
817
00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:28.440
is moving.
818
00:44:28.440 --> 00:44:34.200
And they're, it sort of starts to turn a little bit toxic and creating a little bit of a
819
00:44:34.200 --> 00:44:36.640
festering within the environment.
820
00:44:36.640 --> 00:44:43.640
How do you contain that and then continue to not let it poison the well, if you would?
821
00:44:43.640 --> 00:44:48.080
And that, that happens, I wouldn't say a lot of time, but that's just part of this job
822
00:44:48.080 --> 00:44:49.080
in this role.
823
00:44:49.080 --> 00:44:50.080
Right.
824
00:44:50.080 --> 00:44:55.200
So, it starts a lot of conversations and you really sit down and you dive into the why
825
00:44:55.200 --> 00:44:57.320
and the reason behind it.
826
00:44:57.320 --> 00:44:58.320
Sometimes that helps.
827
00:44:58.320 --> 00:44:59.320
Sometimes that doesn't.
828
00:44:59.320 --> 00:45:02.200
And sometimes you're just going to have to agree to disagree.
829
00:45:02.200 --> 00:45:07.160
But then when you turn the environment into toxic, that takes it to a whole other level.
830
00:45:07.160 --> 00:45:10.880
It's not, if you don't have to agree, but you cannot tear everything down just because
831
00:45:10.880 --> 00:45:11.880
you don't believe it.
832
00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:13.840
And that's why I said, all voices are respected.
833
00:45:13.840 --> 00:45:14.840
Right.
834
00:45:14.840 --> 00:45:18.240
So, I absolutely want to hear from you, but this is the direction that we're going.
835
00:45:18.240 --> 00:45:19.240
So, either.
836
00:45:19.240 --> 00:45:20.240
Right.
837
00:45:20.240 --> 00:45:21.240
You don't care.
838
00:45:21.240 --> 00:45:22.240
Right.
839
00:45:22.240 --> 00:45:23.240
You don't care.
840
00:45:23.240 --> 00:45:24.240
You don't care.
841
00:45:24.240 --> 00:45:25.240
You don't care.
842
00:45:25.240 --> 00:45:26.240
There you go.
843
00:45:26.240 --> 00:45:27.240
Yes, right.
844
00:45:27.240 --> 00:45:28.240
But we're going.
845
00:45:28.240 --> 00:45:29.240
Yes, absolutely.
846
00:45:29.240 --> 00:45:34.640
Before there, did you feel that there were any in particular challenges for you as the
847
00:45:34.640 --> 00:45:38.160
first black mayor of North Las Vegas?
848
00:45:38.160 --> 00:45:40.880
I mean, I'm just assuming I could be wrong.
849
00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:46.280
I'm just assuming some of the commentary that you were dealing with is because that's always
850
00:45:46.280 --> 00:45:49.840
just like, sadly, given like people are going to come for your neck, people are going
851
00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:55.560
to talk out of their mouth because they just feel like you're a more, I don't know,
852
00:45:55.560 --> 00:45:59.280
a reachable target or there's just less inclination towards respect.
853
00:45:59.280 --> 00:46:00.280
So.
854
00:46:00.280 --> 00:46:01.280
Yes.
855
00:46:01.280 --> 00:46:04.160
I had a pastor who made a statement and it's just like a key, I hear it all the time.
856
00:46:04.160 --> 00:46:07.760
He says, people love it when you get ahead, but just not ahead of them.
857
00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:08.760
Period.
858
00:46:08.760 --> 00:46:13.600
And so, when you're in the first and something, you're always feeling like you have to be
859
00:46:13.600 --> 00:46:20.040
that a little bit better, you have to stay above, but I can only be myself.
860
00:46:20.040 --> 00:46:21.040
Right.
861
00:46:21.040 --> 00:46:24.520
You always have that in the back of your mind because, you know, people just look at
862
00:46:24.520 --> 00:46:28.920
you like, they just sit back and just say, I'm just going to watch your feel.
863
00:46:28.920 --> 00:46:31.800
And that is, I'm just not going to let that happen.
864
00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:32.800
We have too much momentum going.
865
00:46:32.800 --> 00:46:35.640
We have too many positive things going on in the city.
866
00:46:35.640 --> 00:46:37.960
And that's part of ignoring that negative noise as well.
867
00:46:37.960 --> 00:46:42.440
But you know, just saying, yeah, she, you know, just watch and see.
868
00:46:42.440 --> 00:46:43.440
And so.
869
00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:44.440
Right.
870
00:46:44.440 --> 00:46:45.440
But do you feel like you have less margin?
871
00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:46.440
I mean, I know.
872
00:46:46.440 --> 00:46:49.840
Yeah, Obama's talk about their time in the White House.
873
00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:54.040
Oh, it was always, they were just waiting for, yeah, one tiny thing to make an issue.
874
00:46:54.040 --> 00:46:55.040
Exactly.
875
00:46:55.040 --> 00:46:56.040
That was an issue.
876
00:46:56.040 --> 00:46:57.040
Said the world of fire.
877
00:46:57.040 --> 00:46:58.040
Right.
878
00:46:58.040 --> 00:46:59.040
Right.
879
00:46:59.040 --> 00:47:00.040
Put not felonies.
880
00:47:00.040 --> 00:47:01.040
What?
881
00:47:01.040 --> 00:47:02.040
Yeah.
882
00:47:02.040 --> 00:47:07.360
Different metrics seem to be for different people.
883
00:47:07.360 --> 00:47:13.680
But yeah, did you, did you feel the pressure of like, oh, I have less room for error and
884
00:47:13.680 --> 00:47:18.680
or, and were you able to just like, whatever, ignore it, keep your head down or did, did
885
00:47:18.680 --> 00:47:21.280
any of those things kind of creep in at any point?
886
00:47:21.280 --> 00:47:25.200
If it did, I did not let it bother me or I didn't, I just choose to ignore that negative
887
00:47:25.200 --> 00:47:27.640
noise because I'm like, I have too much work to do.
888
00:47:27.640 --> 00:47:28.640
Right.
889
00:47:28.640 --> 00:47:31.920
And, you know, when you're in elected official, you're in those spaces for such a short amount
890
00:47:31.920 --> 00:47:32.920
of time.
891
00:47:32.920 --> 00:47:34.240
Four years goes by in a heartbeat.
892
00:47:34.240 --> 00:47:36.560
You got too much to work to, you got too much going on.
893
00:47:36.560 --> 00:47:41.560
And, and if you're not in our corner, I'm sorry, but we have, we're trying to push the
894
00:47:41.560 --> 00:47:45.000
city in a positive direction, like I said, either get on board or not.
895
00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:49.560
And so you just kind of have to dispel that negative noise and, you know, focus on your
896
00:47:49.560 --> 00:47:50.560
purpose.
897
00:47:50.560 --> 00:47:53.200
And why are you doing what you're doing and keep your city moving?
898
00:47:53.200 --> 00:47:54.200
Yeah.
899
00:47:54.200 --> 00:48:03.720
Do you feel a sense of responsibility to also inspire and encourage other young women and
900
00:48:03.720 --> 00:48:04.720
people of color?
901
00:48:04.720 --> 00:48:05.720
Absolutely.
902
00:48:05.720 --> 00:48:09.040
You know, Hispanics, your community is heavily Hispanic, I'm Hispanic.
903
00:48:09.040 --> 00:48:14.080
Do you feel a sense of responsibility of having to inspire the next generation?
904
00:48:14.080 --> 00:48:15.080
And what does that look like?
905
00:48:15.080 --> 00:48:16.080
Absolutely.
906
00:48:16.080 --> 00:48:22.480
And I get, I'm fortunate I get to speak to so many young men and women, boys and girls.
907
00:48:22.480 --> 00:48:26.600
We're invited to a lot of those kind of things and it's, I love to share my story and
908
00:48:26.600 --> 00:48:31.600
just talk about, you know, believing in yourself and, you know, when doors close, just keep
909
00:48:31.600 --> 00:48:36.520
going to one of those doors open, you know, expect to be told, know a lot of time, especially
910
00:48:36.520 --> 00:48:38.920
if you're a woman of color and a woman.
911
00:48:38.920 --> 00:48:42.880
So there's already two strikes right there, but you know, you can't let that stop your
912
00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:47.800
progress and just believing in yourself and, you know, having that self-knowledge and
913
00:48:47.800 --> 00:48:51.600
just say that I am somebody and I can do whatever I want to.
914
00:48:51.600 --> 00:48:55.520
And that just sound kind of clichés because you hear it all the time, but you can be
915
00:48:55.520 --> 00:48:56.520
whatever you want to.
916
00:48:56.520 --> 00:48:58.680
You just have to work hard at it and keep going.
917
00:48:58.680 --> 00:49:04.880
No, and I can imagine your, your, your supports that like you, you mentioned it and talked
918
00:49:04.880 --> 00:49:10.360
about it, but your family seems like, like, basically like such a gift in terms of just
919
00:49:10.360 --> 00:49:15.280
being able to keep you together and grounded and like, you know, it gets really real.
920
00:49:15.280 --> 00:49:22.280
I know your husband thought to be like, can you just, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, because
921
00:49:22.280 --> 00:49:25.200
sometimes I have to tell him, what did you say?
922
00:49:25.200 --> 00:49:29.780
I just have to tell him, just let it go, it's, it's okay and he, he's, he's learned to
923
00:49:29.780 --> 00:49:31.300
code it in pretty well.
924
00:49:31.300 --> 00:49:32.300
Yeah, I'm sure.
925
00:49:32.300 --> 00:49:38.300
But it's, it's also just a part of just being with that support system, having people
926
00:49:38.300 --> 00:49:43.420
in your corner, it, it really helps a lot in, and my sister's like, I'm not the politician
927
00:49:43.420 --> 00:49:44.420
she is.
928
00:49:44.420 --> 00:49:45.420
So I can say what I want.
929
00:49:45.420 --> 00:49:46.420
Right.
930
00:49:46.420 --> 00:49:50.140
We know you really can't, but it's glad that they, they, they, they have my back.
931
00:49:50.140 --> 00:49:51.140
That's amazing.
932
00:49:51.140 --> 00:49:52.140
Yeah.
933
00:49:52.140 --> 00:49:56.060
Are there, what are things are you most sort of looking forward to that are like in the
934
00:49:56.060 --> 00:50:01.260
pipeline for you that are like projects that you're like super excited to like see executed
935
00:50:01.260 --> 00:50:04.380
for your constituents and for your, for your city?
936
00:50:04.380 --> 00:50:09.420
Well, I'm just really excited about our downtown project because it's, you know, we have
937
00:50:09.420 --> 00:50:15.900
a couple things already that are built open in an operation right now, but once it's completed,
938
00:50:15.900 --> 00:50:17.660
we've never had anything like this.
939
00:50:17.660 --> 00:50:20.940
It's our largest redevelopment project ever.
940
00:50:20.940 --> 00:50:26.900
We started the conversation 11 years ago, actually, maybe, maybe 12 years ago, uncounseled
941
00:50:26.900 --> 00:50:29.180
by the council, but we didn't like it back then.
942
00:50:29.180 --> 00:50:33.740
And so we had to go back and start over again and what we have now, it is phenomenal.
943
00:50:33.740 --> 00:50:38.300
And to be able to walk in our downtown area without being in a car or walk around and go
944
00:50:38.300 --> 00:50:43.020
get, if I want to taco here, if I want Chinese food here, if I want Italian food here,
945
00:50:43.020 --> 00:50:47.060
if I want soul food, we're going to have such a variety and it's going to be so amazing.
946
00:50:47.060 --> 00:50:48.580
So I'm excited about that.
947
00:50:48.580 --> 00:50:49.980
Can you tell me just contextual?
948
00:50:49.980 --> 00:50:54.660
I mean, I can imagine why when you say build a downtown, why that's important, but, but
949
00:50:54.660 --> 00:50:58.900
talk about why, why is a kind of centralized downtown?
950
00:50:58.900 --> 00:51:00.220
Like, what does that do?
951
00:51:00.220 --> 00:51:03.140
How does that, how does that change the city?
952
00:51:03.140 --> 00:51:08.340
Well, you need a gathering place for your family and your friends in a downtown area.
953
00:51:08.340 --> 00:51:14.220
You know, I think a downtown someone or I think a town square or the district in Henderson.
954
00:51:14.220 --> 00:51:17.780
It just gives you that fun feeling when you go there and you can shop if you want to.
955
00:51:17.780 --> 00:51:21.980
You can have a bite to eat, maybe see a show or just bring your family and enjoy the green
956
00:51:21.980 --> 00:51:26.100
spaces or just hang out with your friends or your girlfriends and just have a good time.
957
00:51:26.100 --> 00:51:30.460
I mean, there'll be, if there's open mic night or something like that or if there's a concert
958
00:51:30.460 --> 00:51:34.460
or artist that you want to see poetry nights, all those kind of things, just in that central
959
00:51:34.460 --> 00:51:38.740
gathering place, and then our constituents can do it in their community without having
960
00:51:38.740 --> 00:51:40.740
to travel 20 or 30 minutes someplace else.
961
00:51:40.740 --> 00:51:41.740
Right.
962
00:51:41.740 --> 00:51:42.740
Oh, right.
963
00:51:42.740 --> 00:51:45.660
And bringing that business to other places gives you a chance to sort of like keep those
964
00:51:45.660 --> 00:51:48.860
dollars circulating within that part to the city.
965
00:51:48.860 --> 00:51:49.860
Absolutely.
966
00:51:49.860 --> 00:51:50.860
I heard a quiet bar.
967
00:51:50.860 --> 00:51:51.860
I heard a quiet bar.
968
00:51:51.860 --> 00:51:52.860
That farting.
969
00:51:52.860 --> 00:51:53.860
Yeah.
970
00:51:53.860 --> 00:51:55.500
And I'm also seems just to bring it back.
971
00:51:55.500 --> 00:52:00.180
It seems to be in terms of what you were saying, like from an ethos standpoint, terms of
972
00:52:00.180 --> 00:52:02.380
like these, this is family, right?
973
00:52:02.380 --> 00:52:06.100
So it's like you're kind of building a dinner table, you know, for the family to gather
974
00:52:06.100 --> 00:52:11.580
around to be able to kind of, you know, like build community and stay and it's a way
975
00:52:11.580 --> 00:52:17.060
for businesses to anchor down more because they're more in contact day to day with the
976
00:52:17.060 --> 00:52:18.380
constituents.
977
00:52:18.380 --> 00:52:23.260
And so it just, it feels like it's, it's also kind of a physical manifestation of the
978
00:52:23.260 --> 00:52:25.260
ethos that you're talking about.
979
00:52:25.260 --> 00:52:29.340
And one other project that I forgot to mention and this is a big one is we call it Project
980
00:52:29.340 --> 00:52:30.660
Sparkle.
981
00:52:30.660 --> 00:52:36.180
We have several parks in our more mature parts of the city of North Las Vegas and we call
982
00:52:36.180 --> 00:52:40.380
it Project Sparkle because we're bringing life back to those parks where we're redesigning
983
00:52:40.380 --> 00:52:44.180
those parks, you know, bringing them up to like the newer generational parks.
984
00:52:44.180 --> 00:52:48.580
And so those are other family spaces where you come out of your house and you get to
985
00:52:48.580 --> 00:52:51.220
know the people in your community in those sparkle parks.
986
00:52:51.220 --> 00:52:52.220
So that is so exciting.
987
00:52:52.220 --> 00:52:53.220
Yes.
988
00:52:53.220 --> 00:52:54.220
Somebody who has toddlers.
989
00:52:54.220 --> 00:52:56.220
Appreciate all the parks.
990
00:52:56.220 --> 00:52:57.220
Yes.
991
00:52:57.220 --> 00:52:58.220
It's a real life.
992
00:52:58.220 --> 00:52:59.220
How important parks are?
993
00:52:59.220 --> 00:53:00.220
Do you have kids?
994
00:53:00.220 --> 00:53:01.220
Until you have kids.
995
00:53:01.220 --> 00:53:02.220
Oh my God.
996
00:53:02.220 --> 00:53:03.220
Oh my God.
997
00:53:03.220 --> 00:53:04.220
Oh my God.
998
00:53:04.220 --> 00:53:05.220
All the green spaces.
999
00:53:05.220 --> 00:53:06.220
It's so important.
1000
00:53:06.220 --> 00:53:07.220
It's so important.
1001
00:53:07.220 --> 00:53:08.220
So important.
1002
00:53:08.220 --> 00:53:09.220
Absolutely.
1003
00:53:10.220 --> 00:53:13.180
Is politics in the future for your children?
1004
00:53:13.180 --> 00:53:16.260
My oldest son has mentioned that before.
1005
00:53:16.260 --> 00:53:17.260
I don't know how.
1006
00:53:17.260 --> 00:53:22.380
And I think he would be an awesome politician because he gets so attached to things and
1007
00:53:22.380 --> 00:53:27.020
he leads with his heart on everything and things just rattle him and I'm like, just take
1008
00:53:27.020 --> 00:53:28.020
a deep breath.
1009
00:53:28.020 --> 00:53:30.820
So he may or he may not my youngest son.
1010
00:53:30.820 --> 00:53:31.820
No.
1011
00:53:31.820 --> 00:53:32.820
No.
1012
00:53:32.820 --> 00:53:33.820
Not him at all.
1013
00:53:33.820 --> 00:53:34.820
No.
1014
00:53:34.820 --> 00:53:35.820
He's what I call my starving actor.
1015
00:53:35.820 --> 00:53:36.820
So that's right.
1016
00:53:36.820 --> 00:53:37.820
That's his forte.
1017
00:53:37.820 --> 00:53:38.820
Yeah.
1018
00:53:38.820 --> 00:53:44.980
How do you connect to whenever there's sort of something up if you get a letter from
1019
00:53:44.980 --> 00:53:48.820
one of your constituents and there's a problem?
1020
00:53:48.820 --> 00:53:53.900
What is your approach to doing your research on what it is and connecting to understand?
1021
00:53:53.900 --> 00:53:55.380
You must have been in my office today.
1022
00:53:55.380 --> 00:53:56.380
You should have.
1023
00:53:56.380 --> 00:53:57.380
I know.
1024
00:53:57.380 --> 00:53:58.380
I know.
1025
00:53:58.380 --> 00:54:01.340
So I've got two letters, about two separate issues.
1026
00:54:01.340 --> 00:54:05.660
First of all, I take everything that I get and I read it because I want to understand
1027
00:54:05.660 --> 00:54:06.660
what's going on.
1028
00:54:06.660 --> 00:54:13.100
And I reach out to if it's something I'll just use traffic lights as a very example because
1029
00:54:13.100 --> 00:54:16.660
that's really important to some people and some people like it's just a traffic light.
1030
00:54:16.660 --> 00:54:20.980
But then I would go straight to that department and that director and say, what's going on?
1031
00:54:20.980 --> 00:54:23.660
How can we fix this or can we fix this?
1032
00:54:23.660 --> 00:54:28.100
So that it starts there and then either they will reach out to that constituent or I
1033
00:54:28.100 --> 00:54:30.700
will personally, I like to personally call them myself.
1034
00:54:30.700 --> 00:54:33.220
And they're like, are you the mayor and you're really calling me?
1035
00:54:33.220 --> 00:54:37.300
And so then I listen, because then it starts from the traffic light and then I have to
1036
00:54:37.300 --> 00:54:40.260
then it goes to ABCD all the way to the right, which is fine.
1037
00:54:40.260 --> 00:54:42.060
I love to listen to whatever they have to tell me.
1038
00:54:42.060 --> 00:54:43.860
So that's how I handle it.
1039
00:54:43.860 --> 00:54:44.860
I love that.
1040
00:54:44.860 --> 00:54:45.860
That makes sense.
1041
00:54:45.860 --> 00:54:46.860
It's funny.
1042
00:54:46.860 --> 00:54:51.380
When you mentioned the traffic light, maybe think there is a story about my, I'm Donnie
1043
00:54:51.380 --> 00:54:56.380
like, and he went to basically go fix a pothole that he used to bike over.
1044
00:54:56.380 --> 00:54:57.380
Yeah.
1045
00:54:57.380 --> 00:54:58.780
It was like, what's one of those parts?
1046
00:54:58.780 --> 00:54:59.780
No, no.
1047
00:54:59.780 --> 00:55:02.820
And that's like, it's like those small, like the traffic light potholes, like those are
1048
00:55:02.820 --> 00:55:06.660
things that actually really do affect the people and it's something that the mayor has
1049
00:55:06.660 --> 00:55:09.260
a lot of jurisdiction over.
1050
00:55:09.260 --> 00:55:16.660
I'm curious from your colleagues or even if there are models, just speaking of like other
1051
00:55:16.660 --> 00:55:22.500
mayors in other states, where either what's like sort of the best piece of like advice
1052
00:55:22.500 --> 00:55:27.620
that you got or was there something that you saw other mayors do that you really wanted
1053
00:55:27.620 --> 00:55:29.660
to model in what you were doing?
1054
00:55:29.820 --> 00:55:33.660
Well, I'm glad you asked that question because I have gone to, and I'm going at the end of
1055
00:55:33.660 --> 00:55:37.820
this month to the United States Conference of Mayors Conference in DC, which I absolutely
1056
00:55:37.820 --> 00:55:39.820
love DC.
1057
00:55:39.820 --> 00:55:44.340
But in one form or the other, all states are working, you know, grappling with the
1058
00:55:44.340 --> 00:55:49.340
same issues, some more than others and so it's great to listen and learn from other mayors
1059
00:55:49.340 --> 00:55:52.940
and share ideas of what's working and what's not working.
1060
00:55:52.940 --> 00:55:57.700
One issue to that's important to me is I'm on a committee about ending childhood hunger.
1061
00:55:57.700 --> 00:56:02.380
And so we share various programs and processes that we're making to make sure that no child
1062
00:56:02.380 --> 00:56:04.140
goes hungry.
1063
00:56:04.140 --> 00:56:07.860
So here in what other states are doing and then I get to share what we do here in North
1064
00:56:07.860 --> 00:56:13.460
Las Vegas, making sure that our food desert is being served or kids are being fed.
1065
00:56:13.460 --> 00:56:19.260
So those type of things and just knowing that we're doing the best we can with what we
1066
00:56:19.260 --> 00:56:22.740
have and that we're everyone struggles with funding.
1067
00:56:22.740 --> 00:56:24.660
That's just the nature of the beast.
1068
00:56:24.660 --> 00:56:29.460
But it's how you use those funds and what you're intentional about using them for and what
1069
00:56:29.460 --> 00:56:34.140
you're going to do with them and making them spread out as far as you can make them.
1070
00:56:34.140 --> 00:56:40.100
But just being around mayors from other states and even the mayors here in our state, we
1071
00:56:40.100 --> 00:56:45.140
like I say, we all get along, but we have like this under, you know, low key competition.
1072
00:56:45.140 --> 00:56:46.140
Sure.
1073
00:56:46.140 --> 00:56:51.920
But it is so much fun because someone comes into North Las Vegas and, you know, we can't
1074
00:56:51.920 --> 00:56:56.480
serve us them or I think they will be better suited in Henderson or Las Vegas.
1075
00:56:56.480 --> 00:57:00.080
We share those things, you know, it's not like I'm going to take this person versus you.
1076
00:57:00.080 --> 00:57:02.160
It's just like what's best reach of the jurisdictions.
1077
00:57:02.160 --> 00:57:03.160
Right.
1078
00:57:03.160 --> 00:57:09.600
But did you, did you get any great advice specifically from anyone in that, in that circle?
1079
00:57:09.600 --> 00:57:16.440
The best advice I got was when a former president Joe Biden came into our conference.
1080
00:57:16.440 --> 00:57:20.600
First of all, and I hadn't met him several times before, but he just kind of caught everybody
1081
00:57:20.600 --> 00:57:25.560
by surprise because he just walked into the, and it was all the newly elected to mayors
1082
00:57:25.560 --> 00:57:28.600
and he just gave us some really great advice.
1083
00:57:28.600 --> 00:57:31.280
And he said, you know, stay true to you who you are.
1084
00:57:31.280 --> 00:57:34.880
And when you vote, make sure that's the best decision because you have to live with that
1085
00:57:34.880 --> 00:57:36.040
decision.
1086
00:57:36.040 --> 00:57:39.960
And then the one thing he said is that your council, when you are the council, when you're
1087
00:57:39.960 --> 00:57:44.520
going from council into a role, a merit role, you're going to see a change in them.
1088
00:57:44.520 --> 00:57:49.400
And I'm like, not my council, you know, and that did happen.
1089
00:57:49.400 --> 00:57:53.880
A positive change, but you do see a change in them because you are switching titles.
1090
00:57:53.880 --> 00:57:57.880
And I'm just like, if my doors open, come in my office, and I don't care, and I always
1091
00:57:57.880 --> 00:57:59.920
have candy in my office, just come in and take it.
1092
00:57:59.920 --> 00:58:05.720
So they knock at the door and I'm like, why are you, come on in, the doors open and they're
1093
00:58:05.720 --> 00:58:08.360
like, oh no, we have to check into them like, no, you don't.
1094
00:58:08.360 --> 00:58:12.440
So that was just one change that I just thought was, I'm like, really, guys, come on in.
1095
00:58:12.440 --> 00:58:15.040
So, but we're still already very open and cordial to each other.
1096
00:58:15.040 --> 00:58:16.040
Okay.
1097
00:58:16.040 --> 00:58:17.040
Yeah.
1098
00:58:17.040 --> 00:58:24.120
What's your current definition of success, and has that definition changed or evolved
1099
00:58:24.120 --> 00:58:27.800
over your, the time of your career?
1100
00:58:27.800 --> 00:58:33.960
I think my current definition of success is to, of success is to, number one, be the best
1101
00:58:33.960 --> 00:58:39.480
person that person that you can be, do the best that you can be, and it's okay to make
1102
00:58:39.480 --> 00:58:44.720
a mistake, but as long as you learn from those mistakes, be positive again.
1103
00:58:44.720 --> 00:58:50.480
I probably said this a zillion times surround yourself with good people who are in your corner.
1104
00:58:50.480 --> 00:58:54.560
And when you set goals, make sure that you can achieve those goals.
1105
00:58:54.560 --> 00:58:58.240
And if not, go back and look at those goals and revise them, make sure that it's something
1106
00:58:58.240 --> 00:58:59.240
that you can achieve.
1107
00:58:59.240 --> 00:59:03.680
And then just be the best you that you can be, and always smile, so I always smile.
1108
00:59:03.680 --> 00:59:04.920
They don't know what your thoughts are.
1109
00:59:04.920 --> 00:59:05.920
There you go.
1110
00:59:05.920 --> 00:59:08.920
That's so true.
1111
00:59:08.920 --> 00:59:09.920
Yep.
1112
00:59:09.920 --> 00:59:10.920
Yep.
1113
00:59:10.920 --> 00:59:15.680
Well, Mayor Goins Brown, thank you so much for coming to the exit interview today.
1114
00:59:15.680 --> 00:59:19.800
Thank you for just for your spirit, for your positivity, just for your transparency,
1115
00:59:19.800 --> 00:59:20.800
what you've shared.
1116
00:59:20.800 --> 00:59:28.160
We're super invested and can't wait to walk around downtown, North Las Vegas, and go
1117
00:59:28.160 --> 00:59:29.160
across the street.
1118
00:59:29.160 --> 00:59:30.160
Yes.
1119
00:59:30.160 --> 00:59:35.880
But yeah, thank you just for sharing your time, your advice, your spirit, and your expertise.
1120
00:59:35.880 --> 00:59:36.880
We really appreciate it.
1121
00:59:36.880 --> 00:59:37.880
Thank you so much for having me.
1122
00:59:37.880 --> 00:59:38.880
It's been a pleasure.
1123
00:59:38.880 --> 00:59:39.880
Thank you so much.
1124
00:59:39.880 --> 00:59:44.800
Hey, Besties, while you're here, do all the things, like, share, subscribe, smash the
1125
00:59:44.800 --> 00:59:45.800
buttons.
1126
00:59:45.800 --> 00:59:46.640
We appreciate your support.