Editorial: Civility on board a tall order

Friday, Jan. 5, 2001 | 9:42 a.m.

The Clark County Commission, arguably the most powerful elected body in Nevada, saw its effectiveness and influence wane in 2000 because of petty feuding among its members. But a new year can be used as a springboard for a fresh start, and if there is any entity that could use one, it's the Clark County Commission. For that matter, there is a new chairman, Dario Herrera, who is hopeful that he can forge a spirit of cooperation.

Unfortunately Herrera's optimism has yet to infect some commissioners. Sun reporter Adrienne Packer's story on Tuesday's inaugural commission meeting of 2000 demonstrated that the tension hasn't disappeared -- including that between Commissioners Myrna Williams and Erin Kenny, who sit next to each other. For instance, when Williams had the floor and was talking, Kenny at the same time was speaking under her breath, apparently in disagreement. Williams then gave Kenny an icy glance. While the spat seems unabated between Kenny and two fellow commissioners, Williams and Yvonne Atkinson Gates, ironically the rift between Kenny and Mary Kincaid has been smoothed over. That rapprochement is all the more remarkable since Kenny openly tried to defeat Kincaid in her re-election bid last year. But considering that Kincaid received labor's enmity for her voting recor d, and Kenny is tight with the unions, Kincaid's newfound friendship may be based more on sustaining her political future t! han on affection for Kenny.

It would be perfectly fine if commissioners had sharp philosophical differences over governing. Instead the acrimony often has been over personal slights -- real and imagined. Former Commission Chairman Bruce Woodbury did a yeoman's job in trying to end these differences, but even his efforts couldn't quell such strong feelings. Now Herrera inherits this task -- it is hoped he has better luck than Woodbury did. There is only so much a chairman can do, however. Kenny frequently has been the lightning rod for division, but the key is for all commissioners to show maturity. New Year's Day has come and gone, but it's still not too late for the bickering commissioners to offer a New Year's resolution of their own: to act like adults.