Las Vegas Council to discuss audit on workers

Sito Negron

Monday, Nov. 24, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

The specific issues in the city of Las Vegas pay investigation revolve around such personnel matters as whether Assemblyman Wendell Williams took money he didn't earn, but the broader implications involve the nature of local and state government in Nevada.

So when the Las Vegas City Council meets Tuesday in special session to take up issues related to the scandal, the discussion is expected to be wide-ranging. For example, Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said last week that she thinks city employees should not serve as elected officials.

And Councilman Michael Mack said it might be time to discuss such issues as full-time politicians, city-county consolidation, and moving to a "strong-mayor" system, in which the mayor is the chief executive. Currently, Las Vegas operates under a city manager system, which means the council hires a manager to operate as the chief executive.

The meeting was called by Mayor Oscar Goodman last week to address issues brought forth by the city audit of sick time claimed in 2001 by Neighborhood Services employee Williams, and former city employee Morse Arberry, both Democratic members of the Assembly. The audit also explored how their boss, Neighborhood Services Director Sharon Segerblom, supervised them.

Segerblom and Williams, who had been on leave, last week were asked by city managers to report to work, and both said they were told they were to either resign or be fired. City officials would not comment on the potential actions.

Both Segerblom and Williams have said they plan to speak at the 2:30 p.m. City Council meeting. Williams has alleged that his payment and a promotion in 2001 were arranged because he helped the city pass a bill in the Legislature.

The audit did not address Williams' allegations. It recommended that the city tighten its policies and procedures in regard to employees who serve as lawmakers.

The agenda item for Tuesday's special council meeting is broadly stated. It calls for discussion and possible action regarding the auditor's report "and other matters pertaining thereto," and regarding the service of city employees in the Legislature "and other matters pertaining thereto." Mack said council has a lot to consider. Of going to a strong-mayor system, he said, "I've heard the notion floating out there, but I've not heard it in the form of a specific proposal."

Such an idea would have to be approved by the Legislature, which next meets in regular session in 2005. Mack said he thinks the current administration, under Goodman, would work well under a strong-mayor system, "but I don't know how well it would work in future administrations."

He also said other issues relating to the valley's political system, like consolidation, and full-time lawmakers, ought to be discussed. Boggs McDonald said she plans to bring up whether city employees ought to be lawmakers. She said the fact city employees serve at all violates the principle of separation of powers.

"You're dealing not only with the separation of power issue, but in our state, where there is no home rule, every city, county, and improvement district is a creation of the state," she said. "So you have a scenario where one minute the individual is your subordinate, and during the months the Legislature is in session they're your superior."

Councilman Larry Brown said the issue raises "questions as far as a person's right to serve."

However, he pointed out that in other government bodies where employees are elected officials, lawmakers took a leave of absence during the legislative session.

"So there's an example where someone takes a leave from a public job, serves in the Legislature and obviously didn't raise some of the conflict issues that have been raised with some of the others," Brown said.