WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY

Monday, Aug. 27, 2007 | 7:11 a.m.

A fairy tale character and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins walk into a bar ...

OK, this joke has no punch line, though if you can think of a good one, drop us a line. This week's county commission activities did, however, contain a bit of each of those elements, plus some jokes.

Let's start with a little word association. We'll give you a word and you tell us what comes to mind. Ready?

Lobbyist.

Let us guess - words like integrity, transparency and honesty rushed through your mind. No? Well, who can blame you? From imprisoned Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff down to Clark County's own felons, Donald Davidson and Lance Malone, the guys who get the deals done sometimes do so not only with sweat and elbow grease, but also cash-filled Crown Royal bags and offshore bank accounts. As a result, an honest lobbyist has become in the American psyche something akin to the tooth fairy.

That's why we felt a little like we were in Neverland during an incident at Tuesday's commission meeting, where a lobbyist stood up and informed a commissioner that he needed to abstain because of a potential conflict of interest.

Seriously.

Q. If you guessed prominent land-use expert Greg Borgel, look for a quarter under your pillow. Borgel is perhaps the most frequent guest of our commissioners. A former county zoning administrator, he now represents pretty much everyone who is building something big in Clark County. That includes Harvey Whittemore and his massive Coyote Springs development about 60 miles north of Las Vegas.

Before commissioners approved the day's agenda, Chairman Rory Reid noted that he would abstain on an item related to Coyote Springs because his law firm, Lionel, Sawyer & Collins, represents the developer.

But before commissioners voted, Borgel approached the podium and told Reid that he would want to abstain on another item, also related to Coyote Springs.

" All right, that's a good point," Reid said. "That one slipped right by me. Any other discussion? Anything else anybody wants me to abstain on?"

Borgel's action wasn't totally altruistic. The last thing he wants is for a vote related to his client to be called into question later because Reid participated.

"It's the kind of thing that would come back to haunt you later," Borgel said. "It's in our mutual interest. I'm kind of a detail-oriented person. If everyone paid attention to the details, there would be a lot fewer headlines."

Another guy at Tuesday's commission meeting could have used a good lobbyist, but before we go there, here's another question.

Where is the best place in town to get a drink if you are under age?

Apparently, a bar called Element at 1030 E. Flamingo Ave. That was, until the commission meeting Tuesday, when the bar's liquor license was suspended.

The bar not only admitted minors and served them, it even advertised on its flyers that those 18 and up were welcome. It also sponsored a wet T-shirt contest, another no-no. Plus, county business licensing agents saw folks chugging beer in the bar's parking lot.

Owner Dragan Rnic apologized, saying he was in the hospital when underage drinkers were downing liquor in his establishment.

That didn't appease County Business Licensing Director Jacqueline Holloway. When Rnic was in the hospital, his son was illegally running the bar, she said.

"He is not on the license," she said. "So basically the operation was running on its own."

OK, so maybe a lobbyist couldn't have helped.

Now for some humor, commission-style.

When discussing whether to begin charging fees at Hollywood Skate Park, someone mentioned that state Sen. Warren Hardy and his son were at the park's opening.

"I'd like to see Sen. Hardy on a skateboard," Reid said, garnering laughs from those in attendance.

"I'd like to see him fall off," said Commissioner Tom Collins, to a small number of uncomfortable chuckles.

People weren't quite sure how to interpret Collins' joke. Hardy is a Republican. Collins is a former Nevada Democratic Party chairman. And, of course, this is the same Tom Collins who once used expletives to describe Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons.

So, our final question is open-ended.

Was this a chummy joke among former colleagues or a mean-spirited jab?

All we know is that around Collins, helmets should be required.