Testing, testing … Anyone out there?

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

In some Clark County cities, participatory democracy is seeing relatively little public participation.

Since the beginning of the year, a grand total of four - four - people have taken the time on a Tuesday evening to drive to Water Street, fill out a comment card and speak to the Henderson City Council.

North Las Vegas has done only slightly better on Wednesdays. Ten people spoke at regular City Council meetings during the first seven months of 2007.

Widely divergent explanations are offered for the scant public comments in the state's second- and fourth-largest cities, ranging from apathy to a lack of cameras in council chambers to the possibility that the municipalities are doing such a wonderful job that satisfied citizens see no need to trek to City Hall.

Even so, the rarity with which average residents speak at some local government meetings is highly unusual.

In Henderson, the public comment sessions of council meetings typically begin with Mayor Jim Gibson noting that no residents have filled out cards asking to speak.

"I see we have no cards," he says. "Is there anyone in the audience who wishes to comment?" He then waits a beat, bangs the gavel and moves along.

The few and far between public comments at meetings are not the only sign of the considerably less than stellar citizen participation in local government.

Only 15 percent of North Las Vegas voters turned out for the last municipal election, and in Henderson, turnout was even lower - 11 percent.

In contrast, in Boulder City more than 43 percent of voters turned out in the April primaries. And compared with Henderson 's and North Las Vegas ' , its council meetings are virtual gabfests, drawing 47 public comments since January - seven of them from the always vocal activist Sherman Rattner.

Despite the paucity of public comments at other cities' council meetings, suburban residents in the past have shown a willingness to turn out to discuss major issues. Meetings about blasting in Henderson, for example, drew dozens of people last year. And in North Las Vegas, about 30 residents spoke at a special meeting about a proposed technical high school.

Las Vegas had only a 15 percent voter turnout in its last municipal election. But, as might be expected given its bigger size, Las Vegas had more speakers - 70 - than Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City combined. It also has its share of regular meeting attendees, such as Tom McGowan, the suspender-clad retiree whose gravelly voice is heard some weeks as often as that of council members themselves.

Why doesn't the same thing happen in the 'burbs?

"I think it's because we aren't on television," Henderson Councilman Steven Kirk said.

That, some politicians think, limits the number of attention-starved speakers eager for a few seconds of their 15 minutes of Warholian fame, even if it comes on cable TV.

"There are some people I believe go to meetings just to see themselves on TV," Henderson Councilman Andy Hafen said.

Citing costs, Henderson and North Las Vegas have no plans to televise meetings. Las Vegas meetings are carried on cable TV, as are those in Boulder City.

Count North Las Vegas Councilman Robert Eliason as among those glad the cameras aren't rolling during council meetings.

"People like to see themselves on TV," he said. "I think it might sometimes get abused. By some council members, too."

Others suggest that a more mundane concern - traffic - keeps people away from government meetings. Accustomed to battling rush-hour traffic during their morning and evening commutes, many people are not looking to add another trip to their itineraries.

"It's spread out and there are people who don't want to come in from the far end of Green Valley to Water Street," said Michael Green, a history professor at the College of Southern Nevada. "It's not much of an excuse, but it's an excuse."

But more so than the lack of cameras or the traffic, simple disinterest keeps the public comment sessions short and sweet, some say.

"Not many people go to the meetings," said Bob Borgersen, a regular in North Las Vegas. "It's just apathy. People don't express their feelings and they (council) don't know how people feel."

Not to mention, the cities do not sleep.

"The traditional Monday-to-Friday, 8-to-5 job is not the common denominator here," Green said. "When a meeting like this is taking place it's not like everything else is closed."

Or maybe, just maybe, it's that everyone is satisfied. People usually are moved to talk at public meetings when they are dissatisfied with something, not generally pleased with the state of affairs.

"I think as a whole the citizens are happy with the government and the way it's being run," Hafen said.

That might be wishful thinking. Or, if there's something to it, it might help explain why the public microphones in local government chambers are getting so little use.