Monday, Sept. 10, 2007 | 7 a.m.
Turns out that Clark County staff and judges might be giving night court some thought. But before we go there, here's one to get the wheels turning :
Q : Which Clark County commissioner most closely resembles bailiff Bull Shannon from the sitcom "Night Court"?
If we were casting, we'd have to go with Commissioner Tom Collins. Before you second-guess us, consider this Wikipedia reference for the shaven-headed character played by Richard Moll: "A (seemingly) dim-witted hulk of a figure who was actually gentle and often childlike."
Plus, Collins is tall and funny.
Anyway, it was Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani who suggested night court and weekend hours as a way to deal with a space crunch facing the county in 2009, when six new judges will join the bench. Five will be family court judges , and space is limited at that courthouse . Judges and county officials are talking about spending millions of dollars to renovate that facility.
Night court, however, might save money. You can put more judges in courtrooms if they share space in two shifts.
But many judges and attorneys were put off by night court, saying they spend evenings with their families.
In Arizona's Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, judges are pulling evening shifts. Court administrators there say customer service drove their decision to expand hours.
Next week, Clark County district judges will host some of their Arizona counterparts , and judges here plan a trip there to see how alternative hours are working , said court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer.
Also, Justice of the Peace Deborah Lippis told commissioners Tuesday that judges are putting together a survey for court users to see what they think about night court.
Meanwhile, commissioners will be doing a survey of sorts themselves as they conduct a national search for a new hospital administrator for University Medical Center.
Q Will interim Chief Executive Kathy Silver throw her hat in the ring?
She said last week she wasn't sure . If you would have asked her when she took over the financial mess that is UMC, she says , she would have said "No way." But she's gotten used to the job . If she does apply, she'll compete against others across the country and at least one commissioner - Giunchigliani - who says she thinks Silver was part of the problem under the regime of then- boss Lacy Thomas. Other commissioners say they like her, though.
Now for some promised updates :
First, we return to last week's tech talk. If you'll recall, Commissioners Giunchigliani, Rory Reid and Lawrence Weekly plan to start sending e-mail newsletters to constituents who subscribe at the county's Web site (www.accessclarkcounty.com).
Q Why aren't the others?
Commissioner Susan Brager hopped on the wagon this week. Collins said he already has e-mail lists he uses for specific issues, but isn't doing district wide e-mail updates.
"Everybody gets overloaded with that stuff," he said.
Commissioner Chip Maxfield said he's not doing an online newsletter because commissioners looked at that idea several years ago and found it would take too much staff time.
We'll let you know when we catch up with Commissioner Bruce Woodbury.
OK, time to check your psychic skills.
Q Did fortune teller Debbie Marks get her psychic arts license at Tuesday's commission meeting?
Kind of. It was a battle between her attorney, Barry Fisher, who said the county's laws are unconstitutional, and Metro Police, who want her to come in for questions.
Fisher said fortune telling is a First Amendment right, which means government must not use subjective and discretionary criteria in granting a license.
But Metro says Marks' application had some questionable information in it . Her attorney wanted to know what kind of questions Metro had, but the department didn't want to show its cards. (Then again, if Marks is good at her job, she should already know what they are.)
In the end, commissioners approved the license, but on the condition that Marks go in for questioning by police. In the meantime, the district attorney's office will be drawing up a revised ordinance in light of Fisher's argument.
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