Selby: Goecke retirement not related to report

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005 | 9:40 a.m.

The retirement next week of Las Vegas' longtime Public Works director comes during an investigation into the reason for two versions of a report on the effects of allowing homes to be built next to a sewage treatment plant.

City Manager Doug Selby said Tuesday that Richard Goecke's personal leave, which Selby said was vacation time, and his Sept. 9 retirement are in no way related to the issues surrounding the reports.

Goecke has been on personal leave for at least the past six weeks. His leave began shortly after city leaders discovered there were two versions of the report, which is expected to be a factor in the City Council's decision on whether to lift a deed restriction that would let developer Billy Walters replace his Royal Links Golf Club with new homes.

The deed restriction prohibits homes on the land, located next to the city's sewage treatment plant, which comes under Public Works' management.

"This is his choice to voluntarily retire," Selby said, adding that Goecke has been an award winning public works director who has had a hand in many innovations that have helped residents and saved the city money.

Las Vegas Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian initially requested the report, done by a private firm working for the city, in response to Walters' request that the city lift the deed restriction.

In a July 8 e-mail, Selby asked Goecke and Environmental Manager David Mendenhall, the city's treatment plant manager, to get an outside consultant to assess the effectiveness of past odor control measures, a record of past complaints and the likelihood of future complaints.

Both versions of the report acknowledge that allowing homes next to the plant would likely result in more odor complaints, and both versions recommended more study of the matter.

However, one version of the report was noticeably more foreboding, saying additional odor-control measures could cost more than $80 million. It suggests problems with putting homes close to hazardous materials, such as the methane gas that is a byproduct of the treatment process.

That version of the report was filled with large sections crossed out.

However, the apparent final draft of the report was vague in its description of potential problems and the potential costs that could come with allowing homes on the golf course.

Following an internal city investigation into why there were two versions of the report, Metro Police was called in to investigate the matter.

It is unclear who asked for the changes to the reports, but Undersheriff Doug Gillespie has said the police investigation into the matter will focus on the "conduct of city employees."

Selby said he is still waiting to hear from Metro on the results of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the city has contracted for a more extensive report and an independent appraisal of the value of the deed restriction, Selby said.

Walters said he is anxious to see the results of the new reports on the matter.

"I don't anticipate anything we can't deal with," Walters said Monday. He added that the odor emissions from the plant are already minimal and that any new homeowners would have to sign odor easements acknowledging their homes are near a sewage treatment plant.

Walters is asking the city to lift the deed restriction in return for $7.2 million. That figure represents the difference between the $894,000 Walters paid the city six years ago for the land and the 1999 value of the land if it had no development restriction, plus 6 percent interest.

City documents estimate the value of the land without a deed restriction at $48 million, but Walters has said it is unfair to evaluate his offer without taking into account the roughly $50 million he says he has invested in the property and the value of the additional revenue from the sale of water to new homes that would be built on the golf course.

City Councilman Gary Reese said he believes Goecke's departure from the city "has nothing to do" with the issues surrounding Royal Links and the two reports.

Reese said Goecke has always been very accessible and helpful and has overseen a "wastewater treatment plant as good as there is in the country."

Goecke, hired as Public Works director in August 1995, also received national attention for his work. In April he was named one of the top 10 public works leaders of 2005 by the American Public Works Association.

Selby said Goecke's accomplishments for the city include initiating a low-cost solution to the problem of what's known as saw-tooth roads, which is the term used to describe roads that change from full roads to half roads in places where development has not been completed.

Goecke initiated what has become known around City Hall as "Goecke paving" in which would-be half roads are instead paved to full-road width using temporary, lesser quality standards, Selby said.

Goecke also oversaw the conversion of city traffic lights from regular light bulbs to LEDs, which Selby said use less energy and last longer.

The outgoing department head has also overseen hundreds of millions of dollars of spending on flood control improvements and road and sewer line extensions, Selby said.

Attempts to reach Goecke on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Selby said City Engineer Charlie Kajkowski, who has been acting Public Works director since Goecke went on vacation last month, will continue to serve as acting director.

Selby said he did not know yet whether the city will conduct a nationwide search for a new director or look internally.

Reese said he wants the city to promote someone from within the department.