City’s former manager vents anger to council

Lisa Snedeker

Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998 | 11:15 a.m.

If Linda Hinson could live anywhere other than North Las Vegas, she would.

That's what the former city manager told members of the North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday night when she confronted them during the public-comment period about the police investigation into allegations of misconduct while she was in office.

"I am the former city manager whose house has been splashed on Channel 13 and whose name has been in the newspapers for at least three weeks regarding this so-called investigation and probe of the former city manager using her position for her own personal gain," Hinson said.

"I want to clearly go on the record now ... I don't have to lie, I don't have to cheat, and I don't have to steal for anything of my own personal gain. I've worked hard to get what I have gotten, to get to where I am."

The police investigation involves the city's lack of rights of way for the property surrounding Hinson's home at 4621 Kenny Way.

As a result, if the city needs a right of way to improve the street in front of Hinson's home, which she shares with her husband, Roger, it would have to condemn the street and purchase it from them.

Hinson acknowledged that she refused to "sign over 30 feet of our property to the city for a dollar ... no one in his or her right mind is going to do that.

"That's the only form I didn't sign. If you still need it, I can't do it for a dollar."

Hinson said that instead of a police investigation into the matter, the council should have told the assistant city manager or the acting city manager to call her "and get this mess straightened out.

"You, mayor, who is the chief elected official of this city, you and the rest of you on this council have demonstrated to the public how you treat people -- the residents of the city and former workers of the city. You don't care. You want to discredit me. Fine, you've done that. You've slandered my name in the press.

"So be it. Because God knows what I have done and what I haven't done."

When Hinson asked for a copy of the police investigation, City Attorney Richard Maurer told Hinson that the report will be submitted to the district attorney's office before Nov. 1.

"And it will be up to the district attorney to do with it as he sees fit," he told Hinson.

When Hinson discovered the district attorney's office would get to see the report before she did, she said: "You've already found me guilty."

Mayor Michael Montandon told Hinson she was out of order.

"We did not request the investigation; the district attorney's office did," he said.

"That's not what the DA said," Hinson retorted as she left the dais.

Councilman Bill Robinson requested that the investigation be expedited. "Let's get it out of the way and let's move on ... to city business."

Maurer has vowed the investigation, which was spurred by acting City Manager Pat Importuna, would be wrapped up by the end of the month.

"This (case) won't be sat on," he said in an earlier interview. "If Linda's done nothing, we're going to know."

However, Maurer said, public officials using their position for personal gain would not be tolerated.

Importuna first approached the district attorney's office with concerns about Hinson's actions while she was in office. The case was sent back to the city attorney's office, who turned it over to the North Las Vegas Police to investigate.

Hinson, who worked for the city for 20 years, had served as city manager since 1994. She was placed on paid leave through Oct. 1.

Hinson said she planned to call the district attorney's office today concerning her case.

North Las Vegas Police Lt. Mike Blackwell said last week he has assigned an investigator almost full time to research Hinson's business dealings while in office.

If the allegations made against Hinson are confirmed, Blackwell said she could face felony charges, a call that would be made by the district attorney's office.

Blackwell said the investigation could be wrapped up as early as this week.