McDonald welcomed by Ward 1 constituents

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, April 11, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

In his first community meeting since he was cleared by a District Court judge on a charge of abusing his office, Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald proved he still has strong support from residents.

McDonald met with almost 100 residents Tuesday in the first of three town hall meetings this week to discuss issues affecting Ward 1.

During the almost two-hour meeting, there was no mention of McDonald's recent ethics troubles. Instead, residents spoke of their concerns about the widening of U.S. 95, infrastructure matters and the need for more police coverage.

Several of the residents commended McDonald for his help on planning new parks, for getting roads fixed quickly and for helping create the neighborhood response team when he became a councilman.

One woman even asked for McDonald's autograph.

Since December, McDonald has faced the city's and state's ethics board on charges of abusing his office.

In December, the city's ethics review board ruled that McDonald violated ethics laws on two occasions. The board found McDonald lobbied for the sale of the Las Vegas Sportspark to bail his boss out of a bad investment. The board also ruled he tried to block a tavern license requested by political consultant Sig Rogich.

The state's ethics commission, which heard almost the identical case in February, found McDonald violated the law but split on a decision on whether his behavior was willful.

The ethics board forwarded its case to a District Court judge, who ruled in March that the allegations did not rise to the level of malfeasance.

After the meeting, McDonald acknowledged that it has been a stressful few months, but he said that his constituents' support has kept him going.

"The phone calls, cards during Christmas, they really help myself and my family," McDonald said. "The residents, telling me to keep up the good work ... during the whole process nothing got dropped in Ward 1."

Of most concern to the residents was the widening of U.S. 95, which will rip through the ward from the Spaghetti Bowl to Craig Road over the next seven years.

Residents who asked if they might lose their homes were told portions of the widening phase were still in the planning stage by National Department of Transportation representatives.

"What's the point of having the widening project when in a few years you're going have to rip it out again to provide more lanes?" asked one resident. "It's poor planning."

McDonald also announced that he is working with the city and mayor to create a website just for Ward 1 residents, which would have links to other government sites.

He promised someone on-line from his office who would answer questions personally.

"What makes Ward 1 special is that the people are involved, they come out to these meetings," McDonald said. "They're really my bosses."

McDonald will have another Town Hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the West Charleston Library and at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Mead Conference Room.