LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero delivered her fourth state of the city address Wednesday, addressing public safety, economic growth, education and infrastructure projects, including the Reimagine Boulder Highway project.
Romero said the Reimagine Boulder Highway project remains on schedule and within budget.
“We know it as one of the deadliest roadways in the Silver State. Almost daily, I am asked if the Reimagine Boulder Highway project is over budget and delayed. Let me say, on the record, no! It is more than 71% complete and on track to finish by the original August 2027 date,” Romero said.
Romero said nearly 20,000 feet of underground storm drains have been installed as part of the project. Traffic signals have been upgraded at 17 intersections, and nearly 400 new street lights have been activated. New center islands are also being built to give pedestrians a place to stop before crossing the road.
Public safety
“Safety is not the responsibility of one department or one group of people. It is shared. That is what better together looks like in action,” Romero said.
Romero said the Henderson Fire Department, led by Chief Scott Vivier, has a 98% resident approval rating. The department is also giving firefighters more resources, including a Tethered Drone Program launched in 2024 to locate people through smoke or find hikers missing on trails, and Henderson strike teams that deployed to assist with six wildfires in California and northern Nevada. The department opened Battalion 14, added three new fire engines and graduated 23 cadets across two academies, Romero said.
At the Henderson Police Department, led by Chief Reggie Rader, record-breaking academies in September 2025 and April 2026 produced a combined 65 graduates, Romero said. She said the department’s vacancy rate was more than 13% two years ago and has dropped to below 6%, under the national average, with the current academy, scheduled to graduate in November, among the largest in city history. “And what’s even better, we’re bringing new recruits into our department, many of whom are from Henderson and the surrounding area, and want to serve the community they call home,” Romero said.
During a 30-day demonstration of a Drone as a First Responder pilot program, drones completed 529 flights, arrived first on scene more than 71% of the time, and resolved more than 16% of calls before an officer was sent, according to Romero. The city has completed the pilot and secured funding through the Homeland Security Grant Program to make the program permanent. The city also received $750,000 in federal funding for a Crisis Negotiation Command Vehicle, Romero said.
Henderson’s Ride Smart, Stay Safe e-bike safety campaign has resulted in more than 250 stops by officers since December 2025, along with 12 workshops and more than 300 helmets distributed, according to Romero.
Romero said crimes against citizens are down 7%, property crimes are down 13%, violent crime is down 18% and deadly crashes are down 25% compared with last year.
“For me, this is personal. Just like each of you, my family drives these roads. I live here, and the people I love are here. And I know that every day, our officers and first responders are working to make sure they are safer,” Romero said.
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Economic growth
“A strong economy is not simply about how much a city grows. It is about how we grow. Our goal is not growth for growth’s sake. Our growth is smart, strategic and sustainable,” Romero said.
Romero said the M Resort recently completed a $206 million expansion with a second tower, adding 120 new jobs. The city’s economic development team assisted nine companies with relocating or expanding in Henderson over the past year, creating more than 700 jobs and more than $50 million in capital investment, she said.
Henderson launched advanced manufacturing workforce training at the Center for Excellence through a partnership between Haas Automation and the College of Southern Nevada. The Haas facility is nearing completion and is expected to bring more than 2,000 jobs when fully operational, Romero said.
Through the Henderson Small Business Assistance Program, 10 local businesses received help with cash flow, marketing and grant writing, and all 10 remain active, according to Romero.
Councilwoman Monica Larson said the city’s economic development team met with more than 60 local businesses over the past year to discuss their operations and challenges.
“We don’t just welcome businesses to Henderson and walk away. We stay connected and look for ways to help them succeed,” Larson said.
Romero also highlighted two towers under construction at Black Mountain for Four Seasons private residences, with the majority of 171 units already under contract. “That represents more than new homes. It represents new investment, new businesses, and new economic opportunities for Henderson,” Romero said.
Education
Romero said the city established a Department of Education Initiatives to expand education opportunities. Kesher Academy became the city’s first city-authorized charter school, opening to kindergarten, first- and second-grade students in August. Nexus is set to become the city’s second city-authorized charter school, with plans to open in fall 2027.
Construction is underway on Henderson’s second preschool, with completion estimated for early next year, Romero said. “This is about much more than another building. It’s about giving families access to high-quality early childhood education during some of the most important years of a child’s development,” Romero said.
Infrastructure and water
Romero said Henderson’s public works team completed more than 11,000 work orders, conducted more than 44,000 inspections, and repaired or replaced more than 93 miles of residential streets over the past year. “That’s the equivalent of paving a road from City Hall all the way to Kingman,” Romero said.
Under Utilities Director Priscilla Howell, the city’s water reclamation facility upgrade is part of a $100 million investment in water infrastructure, Romero said. The city is also working with D.R. Horton on two major water infrastructure systems through a public-private partnership. Henderson’s H21 water conservation campaign received the American Planning Association’s 2026 Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
Parks and housing
Henderson voters in June approved continuing existing property tax funding to support the city’s parks and recreation system for the next 30 years, Romero said.
“That is what better together looks like. Our community made it clear that parks and recreation matter and we are delivering on that mandate,” Romero said.
Romero said 85% of Henderson residents live within a 10-minute walk of one of the city’s 77 parks, exceeding the goal the city had set.
The city opened Black Mountain Neighborhood Park, Sentiero Park and Desert Symphony Park over the past year. An adaptive recreation center at Home Park is scheduled to open early next year, which Romero said will be the first in Nevada to offer specialized programming for people of all abilities. Cadence Sports Park, in partnership with the Landwell Company, will provide nearly 100 acres of soccer, baseball and multi-purpose fields.
Henderson’s parks and recreation team provided more than 250,000 meals to seniors this year, Romero said. “For some of those seniors, that interaction with our employees may be the only human contact they had that day. That is what our city is about,” Romero said. The team was also named a 2026 National Gold Medal Award finalist for excellence in park and recreation management.
On housing, Romero said the city has plans to build more than 1,000 attainable housing units over the next four years. The city finalized a land transfer of 18 acres to Ovation for a more than 300-unit attainable housing project in west Henderson, completed through a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
“This is more than a milestone for Henderson. It is a milestone for Nevada,” Romero said.
The newly-opened Visions Park, developed in partnership with the state, Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and the Blind Center, provides housing for people who are blind or visually impaired, Romero said.
The city is also partnering with Dignity Health to establish a recuperative care navigation center, which will provide 40 beds for short-term stays of 30 to 90 days for people who are homeless and recovering from serious illness or injury, Romero said.
“This partnership is about giving people a safe place to recover while helping break the cycle of homelessness and connecting them to a path forward,” Romero said.
Animal services and city operations
Romero said Henderson’s Animal Protection Services team has surpassed a 90% rate of pets leaving the shelter for a forever home, reunification with family, or placement with a rescue partner, and the shelter is in the early phases of a renovation.
Henderson was named a Best Place for Working Parents last year and received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, Romero said. More than 185 employees received mentorship and professional development through the city’s career development program. In fiscal year 2026, the Building and Fire Safety and Development Services Center conducted more than 100,000 inspections and processed more than 16,000 building and fire permits, according to Romero.
“That’s what public service looks like from the inside. People helping people,” Romero said.
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