ANSWERS: CLARK COUNTY:

New-fangled voting system gets a ‘NO’ from Collins

He employs pingpong paddles to protest machines’ flaws

Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008 | 2 a.m.

It wasn’t exactly the image county officials envisioned when they pitched a $400,000 electronic management system to the Board of County Commissioners: Commissioner Tom Collins using pingpong paddles to register votes on agenda items, one with YES affixed, the other with NO.

What is the management system?

More than a year ago, county commissioners — including Collins — approved spending $400,000 for what are actually two systems: a voting system, also referred to as a meeting management system, and an agenda management system. The cost included money for hardware, software and maintenance. Collins readily admits he approved the systems, but quickly adds he did so reluctantly.

They went into effect last fall.

What led to Collins’ protest?

Collins is frustrated with the new voting system, which he says is flawed. He estimates that in the past six months, there have been problems four out of five times — a figure officials dispute. “Right now, you can’t vote until the clerk says you can vote,” he said Friday. “It’s embarrassing.”

Collins says he’s had enough. “I told them to put it where the sun don’t shine,” he said.

Indeed, his use of the paddles wasn’t a one-day protest. From here on in, they’ll be his voting method.

OK, but what are county officials saying?

Officials say they feared the previous system, which relied heavily on paper, was about to fail, and were relieved when the new, paperless system came online. Eleven months later, they have few complaints about it. County spokesman Erik Pappa said Friday the “best part of the whole system” is that the dual system allows citizens to access information and county meetings via the Web.

Enough about the management system. What’s on the county’s legislative wish list?

At first glance, nothing sounds sexy, but the items are of huge consequence. The commissioners have decided on three, thus far:

• The commission wants to have the right to make certain county penalties related to business licenses civil, rather than criminal, violations. They are pushing this, in part, so they’ll have power in cases such as the hepatitis outbreak this year. Had the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada been in unincorporated Clark County, rather than in Las Vegas, the commissioners wouldn’t have been able to sanction the clinic with a civil penalty, noted Sabra Smith-Newby, the county’s director of administrative services.

• Officials at University Medical Center hope to require acute care hospitals in Clark and Washoe counties to provide core specialty services — including cardiology and neurology — to treat patients with “typical injuries” seen in an emergency department.

• UMC officials also are asking for a bill that would allow hospitals to move patients they expect will qualify for Medicaid.

Whoa. What’s that last request about?

Patients who haven’t been deemed eligible for Medicaid benefits sometimes linger in hospitals for weeks and months — and sometimes more than a year.

“Patients get stuck here because they’re waiting for their eligibility,” UMC spokesman Rick Plummer said.

This bill would allow hospitals to determine whether these patients would likely qualify. If so — if hospital care isn’t required — patients could be transferred elsewhere, say to a rehabilitation center, if that’s the level of care they need.

The state would front the money, but UMC officials believe the government in the end would benefit.

How?

Plummer said hospitals almost always are more expensive than other medical facilities, including rehab centers.

Why does the county need the state’s approval?

Local governments in Nevada lack home rule, meaning — as the Sun’s Michael J. Mishak reported two weeks ago — they need permission from Carson City to tow cars out of county parking lots or give refunds from airport parking garages.

In 2007 state legislators limited the requests allowed per cycle from 15 to four, and county commissioners have until Sept. 1 to decide what to ask for.

Last week county commissioners decided on three of the four requests. They could decide the fourth this week, officials said Friday.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By mgkrebsii

8/10/08 at 10:04 a.m.

Suggest removal

The old system relied on paper and was about to fail? How so? Did Office Depot run out of paper? Did someone keep dropping the seven ballots, resulting in too much "plumber's crack" being shown? Is that former register of voters who couldn't count still on the payroll? Was she in-charge of counting the seven ballots? (The Sun had a great cartoon 12 years ago about how if she counted the seven commissioners ballots, the results would be reported as: "5 votes for and 4 votes against.")
By mgkrebsii

8/10/08 at 10:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

And the Clerks says:

"Ladies, gentlemen and petulant Mr. Collins, you may now vote.

Make it your final answer.

Mr. Collins, you slapped your voting console too soon. I hadn't pushed the okie-dokie to vote button.

Oh. You used the fat-headed end... I'm sorry, the paddle end, of your, as you call it, "improvised voting device" and mistakenly pushed the Yes and No buttons simultaneously.

Everyone, I have reset the machine. Please vote again.

Please do not strike your... Wait, Mr. Collins. That is not your voting console. You are not allowed to change another member's vote.

Please Mr. Collins. It is not necessary for you to pound everyone elses' voting consoles.

Mr. Collins. Once again, please pound.... I mean, push the appropriate button on YOUR console. Push only one button.

No, Mr. Collins. The green button is Yes and the red button is No.

Oh, your button caps are broken and missing?

Remember that I told you back when you pulled them off and chewed on them that the top button was for the green cap and it meant Yes. That meant that the bottom button was for the red cap and it meant No.

Where is the top of the console? Please look at one of the other member's consoles.

You've broken the buttons off of their consoles?

Will someone please get Mr. Collins one of those double eraser-tipped pencils to vote with.

Mr. Collins, have you considered being a member of the legislature. Oh, you were. The other members almost expelled you from that body.

It's too bad this body cannot do that.

Please Mr. Collins. There is no need to strike me with your improvised voting device!

Will security please take Mr. Collins and put him where the Sun doesn't shine."
By buzzbomb

8/10/08 at 5:48 p.m.

Suggest removal

Each commissioner should be given two paddles, then he/she ought turn to colleague on either side and hit 'em up side the head for spending $400,000 on a machine to tabulate seven votes. Next repeat the process whacking the person seated on the other side. Repeat as needed until all have wised up.
By mikeg

8/10/08 at 10 p.m.

Suggest removal

$400,000 on a machine to tabulate 7 votes?? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Think of how many homeless mothers are on the streets of downtown Vegas not one mile from where those eggheads fritter away the public dollar. What a waste.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

8/11/08 at 12:10 a.m.

Suggest removal

We are limited by the "Carson City Clowns" on how many requests we can make? And our County Commissioners have to wait for permission from a "clerk" before they vote?

BEGEEZUS! GOD HELP US ALL!

Somebody, ANYBODY, explain to the people in Carson City that since 72% of the population of Nevada that Carson City can tell us what we can do 28% of the time - and there's a deadline!

And cut the "clerks" power back a little will ya?