Columnist Jeff German: McDonald learns the hard way about juggling two jobs

Thursday, April 8, 1999 | 11:29 a.m.

City Councilman Michael McDonald has discovered what his colleague, County Commissioner Lance Malone, learned a couple of years ago.

It's not easy balancing two demanding jobs, especially when they're both on the public payroll.

So like Malone, the energetic McDonald has decided to resign from the Metro Police department and devote all of his energy to the job voters elected him to do.

McDonald retires as a cop with a heavy heart. But he understands now that it had become impossible to tackle both jobs with his usual exuberance.

Last Thursday, for example, McDonald received a verbal reprimand from his Metro supervisors for abusing sick leave.

It seems he had called in sick on March 19 (a Friday night), but later was observed hobnobbing with movers and shakers at the House of Blues Foundation Room atop Mandalay Bay. Fellow City Councilman Larry Brown was there, too.

Had McDonald not been on Metro's time, no one would have given a second thought about his presence at the popular night-spot. Any politician running for re-election would love to be seen there.

McDonald went to the foundation room to meet with a potential campaign donor.

But when McDonald's supervisors heard he had been playing hooky, they launched an internal investigation and found cause to discipline the 10-year veteran. The verbal reprimand amounted to a slap on the wrist. It was no big deal.

But it served to remind McDonald of the ongoing conflicts he faced working both jobs.

A couple of days later he called it quits at Metro and became a full-time city councilman, probably to the benefit of his constituents.

Remember the anti-labor Paycheck Protection initiative that died an agonizing death in the middle of the 1998 election year?

Well, it's still dead. But not in the mind of Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson.

In his never-ending drive to whittle away labor's political muscle, Adelson is letting state lawmakers know he still likes the Paycheck Protection concept. The idea is to force unions to get the permission of their members before using their money for political purposes.

Last week, Adelson's top man in Las Vegas, Bill Weidner, circulated a letter at the Legislature asking state lawmakers for their take on the lack of support for a Paycheck Protection bill this session.

"This is a policy initiative that the people of Nevada clearly would like to see passed into law," Weidner wrote. "Because of this, we would like to know why you believe Paycheck Protection legislation was not introduced in the 1999 legislative session."

The letter puts lawmakers on notice that Adelson, who has formed his own political organization, is watching them.

But so are labor leaders, who have worked overtime to kill the anti-union measure that also is opposed by labor's new friend, Gov. Kenny Guinn.

The 46,000-member Culinary Union heads into its showdown on the Strip with the Venetian more united than ever.

Jim Arnold was re-elected to a fifth term as secretary-treasurer Tuesday night.

Arnold and his "Solidarity Team," including President Hattie Canty, ran unopposed.

It was the first time in the union's history that an entire slate of officers was voted into office without opposition.

"I can't think of a more positive signal to send -- that the Culinary Union is united as we pursue the challenges ahead," Arnold said in a statement on Wednesday.

Then, he delivered a message to the Venetian boss:

"Our entire membership is ... determined to fight for as long as it takes to defeat Adelson's union-busting program. We can't let subcontracting -- with its low wage, low benefit jobs -- destroy the standard of living in this community."

On Tuesday, it was reported here that the Culinary Union is gearing up for a massive demonstration on the night the Venetian opens its doors. Elected officials across the state, including the governor, are being invited.

Adelson has refused to open as a Culinary Union property, saying the package he's offering his employees is superior to anything the union can match.

The Venetian announced Wednesday it plans to open no later than May 2.