Women’s History Month proclaimed

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

Mesquite Mayor Al Litman read a proclamation into the record which declared the month of March to be Women’s History Month during a City Council meeting held Tuesday, Feb. 27.

The proclamation reviewed the history of the designation of National Women’s History Month in March. It mentioned the earliest roots of the movement began in March of 1857 when garment workers in New York City factories staged a protest over inhumane working conditions and low wages. This led to the creation of the first women’s labor union.

The proclamation recalled that the first Women’s Day celebration in the U.S. was held in 1909. More than seven decades later, in 1981, Congress designated the second week of March as National Women’s History Week, the document stated.

This was followed in 1987 by Congress expanding that week into a full month with all of March being Women’s History Month.
“This month is a time we set aside to honor the sacrifices, advances and progress made by women throughout history,” the proclamation read.

After reading the full proclamation, Litman presented the official copy to Jean Watkins, founder of the Mesquite Women’s History and Culture Center.

LED sign at Hughes Middle School
In another item on the agenda, the Council approved an ordinance that will allow for LED readerboard signs to be installed at local schools and other Public Facilities-zoned properties in the city.

Mesquite Senior Planner Dan Catron explained to the board that the Clark County School District had submitted plans in January for an LED sign at the Hughes Middle School campuss. But the city code, as currently constituted, would not allow such signs in that circumstance, he said.

“Signs in a Public Facilities zone maintained by entities other than the city are typically not allowed,” Catron said. “And any LED-type readerboard signs are generally not allowed within 200 feet of a residential zoning district.”

But Catron added that such signs have become very common on school grounds to inform people of community and school events.
Catron said that the proposed ordinance would bring several code changes. Firstly it would allow community event signs to be erected and maintained by governmental entities other than the city.

Secondly it would allow LED technology in the 200 feet vicinity of residential areas subject to limitations on hours of operation.

The language in the draft ordinance stated that such signs could not be illuminated between the hours of 9 pm and 5 am each day.
After Catron’s presentation, Litman opened a public hearing on the matter.

Only one comment was given from the public by Mesquite resident Gary Elgort. Elgort expressed concern that the 5 am start time might be too early for the signs to be illuminated so close to homes.
“That seems exceedingly early to have a lighted sign go on so close to a residential areas,” Elgort said. “I’d be much happier if you thought about, say, 7:30.”

This comment began a brief conversation with the board on reasonable start times for these signs. Board members asked what the rules were for construction starting and ending each day.
City Engineer Travis Anderson said that during winter months, from Labor Day to Memorial Day, start time for construction is 6 am. During the summer months it is at 5 am, he said.

With that understood, board members were generally in agreement with the ordinance as presented.
“It doesn’t matter much to me one way or another,” said Council member Wes Boger. “But if the neighbors have a problem with it, they can definitely come to us and tell us it is a problem and we can always revise this later.”

Council member Brian Wursten agreed. “Let’s pass it as it is and if we need to change it later, we can do that,” he said.

Boger made a motion to adopt the ordinance as presented. The Council approved the motion with a unanimous vote.