Air-quality agencies’ merger gets tentative regional OKs

Friday, June 23, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny's plan to consolidate two regional air-pollution agencies under local control got qualified endorsements from two regional agencies Thursday.

The Clark County District Board of Health voted to accept a report from the county's Environmental Advisory Committee, which Kenny heads. The report includes Kenny's proposal to merge the air-pollution duties of the health district and county Comprehensive Planning Department under the oversight of a board made up of elected representatives from the county and the cities in the Las Vegas Valley.

Later Thursday, the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition adopted a more vaguely worded resolution that calls for an interlocal agreement to create a unified agency.

The coalition resolution calls for the managers of Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City, along with chief administrators at the health district and Regional Transportation Commission to work together to draft the interlocal agreement.

Kenny participated in discussion on both issues by phone. She has been in California this week with her family. Although both boards voted to OK the different versions of the proposal unanimously, some elected officials said they have concerns about the proposal.

The debate during the health district's morning meeting was more contentious than the afternoon meeting. Several board members, including Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid and Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers, expressed concern that Kenny's plan was moving forward too quickly, and without enough input from the cities.

"We can do this quick or we can do this right, but I don't believe we can do both," Cyphers said.

She said the planning coalition is the appropriate place for consolidation to be considered.

Kincaid repeated concerns expressed Tuesday at a Clark County Commission meeting that Kenny's plan might not be in line with state statutes, that the funding mechanisms need to be better defined and that consolidation might not be necessary.

North Las Vegas Councilwoman Stephanie Smith -- who is running for county office against Kincaid, with backing from Kenny -- said the planning coalition already is involved in the process.

Both Kincaid and Smith said election-year politics are clouding the issue.

Kincaid said Kenny has been carried away by political power.

Smith said Kincaid's criticism of Kenny's plan is motivated by politics.

She warned that if Kenny's plan for a new pollution board controlled regionally isn't adopted, the state will impose a board. That board could be dominated by state-level agencies and officials.

Two weeks ago state Sen. Jon Porter, R-Henderson, said he would impose a board if one isn't developed locally. He was following recommendations from a private consultant that was critical of the region's response to air pollution issues.