He’s a county commissioner and he’ll park where he wants

Thursday, April 3, 2008 | 2 a.m.

If you don’t know Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, here’s a tip. Don’t ask him about his parking habits.

A Sun reporter made that mistake Wednesday when he noticed Collins’ hulking Super Duty Turbo Diesel Ford F-350 near the front of the customer parking lot outside the Clark County Government Center.

For rank-and-file county workers, that’s a big no-no. They get chewed out for taking spaces designated for people seeking government services.

Instead, most employees park in a lot so far away the county provides a shuttle. There’s a closer, covered lot for senior county staff. Commissioners have their own parking area, a walled-in, covered lot abutting the government center. It’s known informally as the “Bat Cave” and a key card is required for access.

When the reporter asked county spokesman Erik Pappa whether the restrictions on the customer lot applied to commissioners, Collins wasn’t happy. Upon receiving a note from Pappa about the inquiry, Collins left a zoning meeting in progress and walked up to the Sun’s closet-sized office next to the commission chambers, where he unleashed a profanity-laced tirade.

“You got a problem with where I park?” he said. “I can park anywhere I (expletive) want to ... I’m not depriving anybody ... I park like regular people do ... This is (expletive).”

He also said something about unloading stuff from his truck, then threw Pappa’s note and a copy of the county’s administrative parking rules on the reporter’s desk and walked away.

The rules say: “Customer lots are for customers of the Clark County Government Center, Regional Transportation Commission and Regional Flood Control only.”

Pappa later explained that the rules don’t apply to commissioners. County Manager Virginia Valentine sets the rules for employees but not her bosses, he said.

And for the rest of the day Collins’ big white truck remained in the customer lot.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By gopher

4/3/08 at 7:21 a.m.

Suggest removal

Yep, new Commissioners like the old ones. Screw the employees and taxpayers, rules do not apply to me. Plus, he has to be close to the door to allow him the energy to spend our money. Maybe he can get a horse and we have twice the manure to deal with!
By AngryPostman

4/3/08 at 1:59 p.m.

Comment removed by staff.
By harrahswhistleblower

4/4/08 at 5:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

Cowboy Collins:

You don't get it do you? I haven't heard your public apology for your comment when you & your fellow commissioners voted on hiring Kessler - the one that you were certain that everything was done correctly by all departments concerned. I guess you were a little off weren't you Mr. Collins; actually a lot off! If you want respect from us common folk you need to earn it...a little hint you will earn it by doing your job to the very best of your abilities and part of that job is protecting the public not your interests.

Remember you are a public official...unlike Charles Barkley you should be a role model for the rest of us. Your behavior as a Clark County Commissioner in the above stated matter is unacceptable, you have no excuse for what you did. You should apologize publicly for your inexcusable behavior regarding both instances. Be a man and do the responsible thing...do what is right.