Las Vegas City Commission Minutes, May 14, 1929 to February 11, 1937, lvc000003-407

On motion of Commissioner Marble seconded by Commissioner Ward it was moved and carried that the Mayor of the City of Las Vegas be directed to write the Southern Nevada Power Co. in substantially the following form, and that said letter be sent registered mail with a return receipt requested: Las Vegas, Nevada, Sept. 24th, 1935. Southern Nevada Power Company, Las Vegas, Nevada. Gentlemen; The Board of City Commissioners of Las Vegas is aggressively prosecuting its plans to establish a municipal power plant, agreeable with the wish expressed by the voters at the last city election. However, the Board is desirous of avoiding a duplication of plants, if possible, and to that end you are requested, if you are interested in selling your distribution system to the City of Las Vegas, to submit a price to the City without delay, at which you are willing to sell your plant to the City of Las Vegas. Very Respectfully, The City of Las Vegas, By L.L. Arnett, Mayor. Vote on said motion was as follows Commissioners Farnsworth, Marble and Ward and His Honor the Mayor voting aye. Noes none. On motion of Commissioner Farnsworth, seconded by Commissioner Marble it was moved and carried that the Mayor write the Southern Nevada Power Company in substantially the following form and that said letter be sent registered mail and return receipt requested: Las Vegas, Nevada, Sept. 24th, 1935. Southern Nevada Power Company, Las Vegas, Nevada, Gentlemen; Your President, Mr. Clark, stated before the Colorado River Commission on Sept­ember 16th of this year that the Southern Nevada Power Company plans to proceed with the construction of a transmission line from Las Vegas to Boulder Dam. In view of the plan of the City of Las Vegas, which contemplates a municipal power system, we wish to call your attention to the fact that a transmission line such as we understand you have in mind is not well adapted to coordinate with the city's plan. We feel that it would be unfortunate to have you pursue construction which would prove un­economical in the event the City should reach an agreement with you whereby your plant might be purchased by the city. For several reasons we feel that the continued construction of this transmission line, with the necessary sub-station and accessories, by you would prove to be an obstacle to our reaching an agreement as to the purchase price, to-wit: 1. The type construction which we understand you intend to adopt is not economical­ly appropriate for the prospective load to Las Vegas and vicinity. 2. Forty-four thousand volts is higher than is necessary or economical It is not one of the standards recommended by the standardization committees of the electrical in­dustry. It does not fit in with the contemplated facilities of Boulder Dam and this increases the cost of the step down substation at Las Vegas. 3. The route over which you have erected some poles is longer than is necessary and has no good road for construction, maintenance and patrol. If we clearly understand your plan of construction it will result in a line which will be worth to the city much less than its probable cost to you and the cost will be much more than the city will need to spend on its own transmission line and substation. Therefore, we deem it important to call this matter to your attention and trust that you will agree with us, that is desirable to avoid expenditure which will cause loss or which will increase the probability that the city will be forced to construct a system which will largely duplicate the one which you are now operating. Very respectfully, The City of Las Vegas, L.L. Arnett, Mayor. Vote was as follows: Commissioners Farnsworth, Marble and Ward and His Honor the Mayor voting aye. Noes, none.