Mayor’s call for council ‘stewards’ meets opposition

Erin Neff

Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999 | 11:22 a.m.

Now that Mayor Oscar Goodman has stalled the appointments of two new council members with an ethics opinion request, a former politician and average residents alike are both vying for input in the process.

Citizens will have their voices heard this Friday. But former City Councilman Scott Higginson will still have to wait to see if he can become a "steward" of the seat on a temporary basis until voters have a shot at it in 2001.

"My basic thought is, I think whoever's running (in 2001) would have a head start if they got appointed," Goodman said. "The concept of having stewards is not unappealing to me."

The Las Vegas City Council has to appoint people to represent the newly created Wards 5 and 6. The Legislature has mandated those positions be filled by appointment before Jan. 1.

Goodman said Monday he feels uncomfortable making the appointment because he wants citizens to be able to decide. He had previously talked with Higginson and former Clark County Commission Chairman Jay Bingham about whether they would be interested in caretaker-type roles.

But Councilman Gary Reese totally disagrees and wants nothing to do with Higginson or Bingham as a steward for the Ward 6 seat.

"The ultimate decision that I have to make is who's going to be the best councilman, not who has the most friends," Reese said. "If you open it up to public forum, it will turn into a dog and pony show and the important thing to remember is that not one person there gets to vote."

Bingham, for his part, is expected to tell Goodman today that he is not interested in taking on a steward's role. As a steward, he would have had to step down from the seat in 2001 without seeking it in an election.

On Friday Goodman will listen to residents' input about the appointment process as part of his regularly scheduled open meeting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"I'm going to try to get enough input on Friday," Goodman said. "If I don't, I may have to schedule another session."

Goodman delayed the appointments Oct. 20 when he won a narrow 3-2 vote seeking an opinion from the city's Ethics Review Board about whether city employees can serve on the council without violating a city code related to lobbyists.

Lawrence Weekly and Orlando Sanchez, both of whom work for the city, were on the verge of winning those appointments to Wards 5 and 6 respectively when Goodman won the delay.

Both Weekly and Sanchez are favored by City Councilman Michael McDonald, while Goodman had reportedly favored Uri Clinton and Michael Mack for the two seats.

The ethics board will meet Nov. 4 to consider whether Weekly and Sanchez should have to resign from their city jobs at least two years before seeking a seat on the board. The cooling-off period, as written in the code, is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest from city employees turned lobbyists.

But Goodman hasn't been quietly waiting for the ethics decision. Instead he will be talking with Higginson and any other residents who are now interested in the seat.

Even if the council supports Higginson as a steward in Ward 6, nobody has expressed any need for stewardship of Ward 5.

"What about Ward 5?" Reese asked. "If having a steward is so important, why hasn't one been suggested for that ward."

Higginson, the vice president of governmental affairs for Del Webb Communities Inc., served as the Ward 4 City Councilman from 1989 until he resigned in January 1995, citing the need for more income.

"Scott Higginson quit being a councilman in mid-term," Reese said. "Why would I appoint someone to serve in a position who didn't want to serve?"

Higginson did not return a call for comment.

Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said she would consider the merits of appointing someone to caretaker positions, but she had not yet made up her mind.

McDonald and Councilman Larry Brown did not return calls.