Editorial: Put Wal-Mart on hold

Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004 | 9:09 a.m.

In March the Clark County Commission approved a Wal-Mart at Eastern Avenue and Russell Road -- unwittingly, according to its members. The commission had approved a lease of airport property that in turn included a sub-lease for the Wal-Mart site. The lease and sublease were spelled out, but only in the commission's "consent" agenda, which is a group of items approved simultaneously with one vote.

After residents learned that a Wal-Mart was destined for their already traffic-laden neighborhood, they angrily confronted the commission. The commissioners pleaded innocent, saying they had no idea that a Wal-Mart was part of what they thought was a routine conversion of former residential land to commercial uses. The county had purchased the property to create a commercial buffer zone between McCarran International Airport and housing developments.

As a result of this situation, the County Commission ordered that all lease approvals in the future be voted upon as individual items. The commissioners also agreed to reconsider the lease approval, which they will do on Wednesday. Attorneys for Wal-Mart are planning to defend their sublease, saying it was gained in a valid and binding manner. The commissioners may hear that they have no choice but to ratify their earlier vote.

In our view, a stated oversight such as that which occurred in March is grounds for a new vote. We also believe that there is no such thing as a mandatory yes vote. Elected officials may vote yes or no on any issue before them. We would like to see the County Commission rescind its earlier approval of the lease. The whole process should begin again, this time with the commissioners' full knowledge and with opportunity for residents to express themselves before the vote is taken.

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