1-day hearing set for Mack complaint

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, Nov. 1, 2001 | 9:41 a.m.

The Las Vegas Ethics Review Board, which missed a key deadline last month, will conduct a marathon session Monday to determine whether Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack broke ethics laws when he voted to deny an auto dealership in northwest Las Vegas.

Ethics Chairman Earle White Jr. -- who sparked controversy when he missed a 30-day deadline to hear the original ethics complaints -- will hold a condensed version of the city's ethics process, which normally takes months.

Upon the conclusion of the hearing, Mack will know his political fate.

The hearing will be held two days before the City Council is scheduled to decide whether White should be reappointed for another four-year term as chairman.

Goodman, who appoints the chairman position, said that he wants to know why White missed the original deadline.

Because he did not call a hearing within 30 days, the original complaints -- filed in August -- had to be refiled by attorney Tony Sgro on behalf of John Staluppi Jr.

Staluppi filed the complaints after Mack led the vote to deny his Nissan dealership along Rancho Drive. Days later, Mack disclosed that he had an outstanding $60,000 loan from a rival car dealer who owns land inside the proposed northwest Town Center. Mike Bellon, who works for Staluppi, filed a similar complaint against Mack. He has refiled as well.

As outlined in Monday's lengthy agenda, White is first scheduled to appoint a two-member panel to decide whether just and sufficient cause exists to hold a full hearing into the Mack complaints. A two-member panel, consisting of board members, heard the same complaints Aug. 29 and determined just and sufficient cause did exist, which means a hearing is required to be held within 30 days.

But White will hold the full hearing immediately after the panel reports its findings to the board.

After the hearing, the six-member board will determine whether Mack broke ethics laws by allegedly trying to broker a deal between the two rival car dealers. If the members determine Mack broke ethics laws, the board has several options, including filing a complaint in Municipal Court or filing a petition in District Court seeking his removal from office.