Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2010

Currently: 57° | Complete forecast | Log in

Airport board puts new limits on public comment

Friday, Aug. 13, 1999 | 12:13 p.m.

The new chairman of the authority's board of trustees is making it harder for the public to comment during public meetings.

Geno Menchetti announced this week that citizens no longer will be allowed to speak on items as they come up on the agenda. Menchetti also moved the board's public comment time from the end of the meeting to the beginning.

Only if trustees ask for their input will people in the audience be allowed to speak during other parts of the meeting.

Menchetti said his new rule is not aimed at anyone in particular and is meant to make airport meetings more efficient. He said people still would have plenty of opportunities to address board members.

"If somebody indicates they want to speak and trustees want to hear them, we'll hear them speak," Menchetti said. "There is a lot of diversity on the board, lots of differing points of view.

"I'm sure on anything controversial, they'll be able to speak."

The state's Open Meeting Law does not require public bodies to take public comment throughout their meetings.

The law requires a "public comment" item be placed somewhere on the agenda. However, all the other governing bodies in Washoe County let the public speak on any item on the agenda, including the Board of Washoe County Commissioners, which appointed Menchetti to his post on the airport board, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

Rewana Farms resident Gil-Bert Weikel, who has attended dozens of airport meetings through the years, said he was dumbfounded when Menchetti announced the new rule at the board's Tuesday caucus.

He suspects the rule is aimed at shutting up Reno activist Sam Dehne. Dehne, a former Reno mayoral candidate, attends most local government meetings and seldom passes up a chance to speak.

On Thursday, Dehne stood up in the audience during the airport trustees' regular meeting in protest because none of them wanted to hear his comments. Menchetti called a two-minute recess and told the airport police chief to evict Dehne.

"They're after Sam. They're sick of him," Weikel said. "I'm sure you're tired of him, too, but you either put up with him or you risk losing the people's right to speak."

Weikel said the new rule will discourage ordinary people from coming to board meetings and talking to trustees. It's not fair to expect people to get all their comments in at the beginning of the meeting before they know what they want to say, he said.

Trustee Tom Gribben said he likes concentrating public comment at the beginning.

"This gives people an opportunity to get out of here," Gribben said. "Not everybody has all morning to spend."

Trustee Richard Hill said he's willing to sacrifice "copious" public comments to have efficient meetings and to have people get to the point. He and Gribben complained people often repeat themselves and each other when they get up to speak.

archive

Spotlight

Elvis

Elvis

A look at the enduring bond between Las Vegas and Elvis

NASCAR Weekend

NASCAR Weekend

Full coverage of NASCAR weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Miss America

Miss America

Stories, photos and videos from this year's pageant

CityCenter

CityCenter

The definitive guide to MGM Mirage's newest property

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

Full coverage of New Year's Eve 2009

Sights Unseen

Sights Unseen

A collection of our favorite images that didn't run in 2009

Bottoming Out

Bottoming Out

Gambling addiction in Las Vegas

Funny Face

Funny Face

Carrot Top's stage act a mask of contradictions

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

A detailed look at where renewable-energy sources are located in the state

A gamble in the sand

A gamble in the sand

The history of Las Vegas

Guest Gauge

Guest Gauge

The weekend crowd forecast for Las Vegas

CES 2010

CES 2010

Full coverage of the International Consumer Electronics Show

  • Most Read
  • Discussed
  • Most E-mailed

Calendar »

  • 19 Fri
  • 20 Sat
  • 21 Sun
  • 22 Mon
  • 23 Tue