County votes to require developer disclosure forms

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, June 19, 2002 | 10:29 a.m.

New policies designed to protect Clark County commissioners from potential conflicts of interest were put into place Tuesday when the board agreed to include disclosure forms in developers' applications.

The new requirements were established to eliminate perceptions of backroom deals between commissioners who might be acquainted with a developer or business person with interest in a company.

After a debate about whether the commission was overstepping its boundaries, the board voted 6-0 to reject any proposal or application if land-use applicants do not completely fill out the disclosure forms. Commissioner Myrna Williams was absent.

"I think it's an appropriate request to find out who the companies are," Commissioner Chip Maxfield said. "I don't see it as an invasion of privacy; we're not looking for financial information."

The policy requires non-publicly traded corporations to disclose individuals who have 5 percent or more interest in the firm. Publicly traded companies must divulge all officers and members of the board of directors. Land-use requests must include the applicant and landowner.

Commissioner Dario Herrera pitched the disclosure proposal so that the "public understands who stands to benefit" from the commission's decisions.

To ensure companies that might be reluctant to provide the information comply with the new policy, Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates recommended that the board toss out applications that do not include disclosure forms.

"It's one thing to say we have a disclosure policy," she said. "But if it's not enforced, it's not worth the paper it's written on."

Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, who owns a small North Las Vegas flower shop, was most hesitant about the new requirements. Business owners have enough hoops to jump through without additional paperwork, she argued.

"Businesses before us have privacy rights," she said. "I don't understand how we can ask businesses to go through another process."

County administrators are looking into further strengthening ethics policies related to land use matters. Following a recommendation made by Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, administrators are looking into introducing another policy that would require applicants to list the commissioner with which they have discussed a land-use proposal.