County commissioners to revisit issue of horse roping

By Conor Shine

Monday, Aug. 19, 2013 | 7:15 p.m.

Two weeks after commissioners voted down changes to a Clark County ordinance governing horse roping at rodeos, the issue remains undecided and a new pair of competing proposals will be up for consideration. The commissioners will also discuss buying and selling some property and receive an update on the juvenile justice system when they hold their regularly scheduled meeting at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy.

Horsing around

Commissioners voted 6 to 1 at their meeting earlier this month not to change the county’s horse-roping ordinance, which currently prohibits roping or tripping of the animals in all cases.

The move was hailed by animal-rights activists, but upset many members of the Hispanic community, where charreada rodeo events are used to celebrate their cultural heritage.

In the events, horses are roped and then released without tripping.

The state recently passed a law permitting the catch-and-release horse roping, provided the event has a permit from the relevant local government, but commissioners have been reluctant to change their existing, stricter ordinance.

After voting down a proposal two weeks ago, the commission will take up a pair of competing bills — one proposed by Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani and the other from Commissioner Tom Collins.

Collins’ bill simply allows for “unintentional tripping,” including catching the animal by the legs and then releasing it, at horse roping events.

Giunchigliani’s adds more caveats, allowing roping and release at rodeos so long as the event is permitted and is staffed by a licensed large animal veterinarian, among other requirements.

Both bills will be introduced Tuesday, but neither will be eligible for adoption until later in September.

The final vote might not come soon enough for the World Series of Charreria, which is scheduled to take place starting Sept. 26 at the South Point and would be affected by any changes to the horse roping ordinance.

In a separate item proposed by Giunchigliani, the commissioners will consider suspending the relevant parts of its code to allow the event to take place.

Buying and selling

Since moving into their new headquarters on 13.7 acres on Martin Luther King Boulevard near downtown Las Vegas in 2011, Metro Police have been paying about $12 million per year for its lease.

On Tuesday, commissioners will consider whether to begin the process that could end with the county spending at least $167 million to purchase outright the trio of buildings that make up the campus.

With the commission’s approval, staff will begin an appraising the property and negotiating the sale. The county will be able to back out of the deal anytime prior to closing without penalty, but it wouldn’t have the option to purchase the building again until 2019.

In a separate item, the county will set an auction date for the former courthouse building at 200 S. Third St. that has been vacant since 2005 after the Regional Justice Center was opened.

The county previously tried to sell the building in 2002, but didn’t receive any bids to its liking.

This time around it will hold a public auction on Oct. 1 with the minimum bid starting at $10 million. Interested buyers can tour the courthouse on Sept. 3 and Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fall on Strip costs county

Commissioners will consider whether to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who tripped, fell and broke her ankle while walking on the Strip last year.

The lawsuit, filed in October 2012, alleges that Karen Heap incurred $11,000 in medical bills after breaking her ankle in a hole in the pavement at Las Vegas Boulevard and Caesars Palace Drive.

The hole was created when the county public works department was installing a traffic loop, but it was never correctly filled after the work was completed, according to the county.

Commissioners will vote on a proposed $30,000 settlement with Heap on Tuesday, potentially avoiding costly future litigation. The settlement is listed as part of the commission’s consent agenda, meaning it will likely pass without discussion.