Teamsters challenge union votes

By Emily Richmond

Friday, May 12, 2006 | 7:20 a.m.

It's not often the results of an election are challenged by the side that gets the most votes. But Teamsters Local 14 is expected to do just that, after winning the most votes to represent the Clark County School District's support employees.

The tally was 2,711 votes for the Teamsters and 1,932 votes for the current union, the Education Support Employees Association. Additionally 93 ballots were cast for no union, said Julie Contreras, commissioner of the Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board.

Last year the Nevada Supreme Court upheld the board's decision that an election should be held. The justices also agreed that to be declared the winner, a union would have to receive support from at least 50 percent plus one of all employees eligible to cast ballots. Over a nearly five-year court battle, the Teamsters argued that victory should be based on a simple majority of the ballots cast.

"There is not a politician or a judge in Nevada who could win an election under similar circumstances," said Gary Mauger, chief executive for Teamsters Local 14, in a prepared statement. "Why should we be held to a different standard than other unions or individuals seeking a fair and impartial election?"

The Supreme Court's decision didn't address the possibility that not enough ballots would be cast to meet the supermajority threshold, Contreras said.

"At this point we're expecting something to come from one of the unions or possibly the School District," Contreras said. "We will wait to respond until then."

The board is expected to certify the election results at its next meeting in June.

Barring a last-minute crush of candidates filing by today's 5 p.m. deadline, it appears only one of the four School Board races will have a crowded field.

The most cluttered ballot so far is for the District F seat being vacated by three-term incumbent Susan Brager-Wellman, who is seeking a spot on the Clark County Commission.

As of Thursday the candidates for District F included longtime community activist Carolyn Edwards, known for her work on growth issues and school zoning; Sonia Joya, state director for Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.; Sam King, coordinator of the district's adult education GED program; and small-business owner Mitchell Tracy, who finished second to Brager-Wellman in the 2002 election with 42 percent of the vote.

In the District E race Terri Janison wants to hold on to the School Board seat to which she was appointed last fall, following the surprise departure of incumbent Denise Brodsky. The six other School Board members chose Janison from a field of two dozen applicants after Brodsky, who had been re-elected in 2004, resigned to take a job with United Way in Louisiana. The winner of the general election will complete the remaining two years of Brodsky's term.

Two candidates filed to challenge Janison, wife of KLAS Channel 8 chief meteorologist Kevin Janison. They are Steve Greco, a member of the Summerlin North Homeowners Association board, and retired substitute teacher Frank Albano, who ran against Brodsky in 2002.

Greco was one of a dozen candidates in the 2004 special election for Las Vegas City Council. The Ward 2 seat was won by Steve Wolfson.

School Board Vice President Sheila Moulton, who filed Thursday for a third term, was facing two challengers going into today's deadline. They are parent and community activist Gina Greisen, who ran against Moulton in 2002, and Martin Dean DuPalo, shelter manager for the Lied Animal Foundation and an adjunct political science instructor at UNLV.

As reported by the Sun, Greisen says she was fired Wednesday by the Las Vegas Valley Water District after her boss advised her that serving on the School Board would take too much time away from her job.

And as of late Thursday, incumbent School Board member Larry Mason was unopposed for a fourth term representing District D.

The Janisons are in a protracted legal battle with the Summerlin North Homeowners Association board over whether the family is allowed to leave its portable basketball hoop out overnight on a city street.

Greco said the dispute had no bearing on his decision to run for the School Board.

"It's apples and oranges," said Greco, who described himself as a stay-at-home dad to his 3-year-old son. "Ms. Janison was appointed, not elected, by her peers to obtain another yes vote. There is never any logical debate or discussion by the School Board, it's always a yes vote across the board."