55°F
weather icon Clear

City Council puts finding of meeting law violation into record; disagrees with attorney general’s report

At its meeting Tuesday evening, City Council formally entered into record the Nevada attorney general’s recent findings that it had violated the open meeting law last year.

Councilman Duncan McCoy was the only council member who spoke about the issue.

“It strikes most of us as more than passing, strange that none of us were interviewed,” he said. “It’s odd to me beyond measure.”

City Attorney Dave Olsen said that he and City Clerk Lorene Krumm had advised council members before the Sept. 21, 2016, incident that this type of gathering was not a meeting according to the law.

“If you, members of the council, gather at a social function and take no action with their duties as City Council members, it does not qualify as a meeting under the law,” he said. “Not one member of the council knowingly violated the law.”

Olsen added that it’s somewhat concerning that not one member of the City Council was interviewed or asked what happened at the meeting by the attorney general’s office during its investigation.

McCoy agreed that no action was taken and what he remembered about the breakfast was that he had a nice omelet and asked Kim if he had sold his snow blower or if he knew one of McCoy’s acquaintances in Wyoming.

The Nevada attorney general disagreed and required the council to place its finding on its next meeting agenda. Olsen said the next meeting was the April 5 budget workshop, and in order to have more members of the public present and able to comment the matter was moved to Tuesday’s meeting.

Presenting the findings of fact was not an admission of wrongdoing.

“We’re complying with the law,” said Olsen. “We’re not saying we agree with the attorney general’s report.” The Nevada attorney general’s office released its report March 20 after investigating a complaint by Boulder City resident Joseph Kranyac III, who alleged the City Council violated the Nevada Open Meeting Law on Sept. 21, 2016.

According to the findings, the City Council’s private breakfast at the Boulder Dam Hotel to meet Hyun Kim, the new finance director, constituted an official meeting. There was a quorum of council members present, but no evidence that they engaged in any deliberations or took any action.

Prior to the breakfast meeting, Kim had already been given a conditional offer for the job, which was then confirmed at the next official City Council meeting on Oct. 11, 2016.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council:

■ Certified the results of the recent primary election in which Warran Harhay, Kiernan McManus, John Milburn and Cam Walker moved on to the municipal election in June.

■ Introduced a water conservation plan for Boulder City, which includes no watering on Sunday from May to August.

■ Approved an amendment to the 2017 fiscal year budget for the Police More Cops fund, as revenues increased by $140,000, and expenditures increased by $131,184.62 for one additional police officer position. Kim said that salary reflected an officer at the top of the pay scale.

■ Received a $2,000 grant from the Southern Nevada Chapter of the International Code Council to provide free swimming lessons at the Boulder City Pool to toddlers 4 years old and younger.

Mayor Rod Woodbury was absent from the meeting, as he and his family were on vacation for spring break. Mayor Pro Tem Cam Walker conducted the meeting in his place.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
City gets finance award

Boulder City received the prestigious Enterprise Risk Management Excellence Program Award (ERMEP) during the Oct. 22 city council meeting.

Question: Golf courses$8.4 million in the hole?

Near the beginning of last week’s city council meeting, frequent-flyer public commentor Fred Voltz (whose views on the proposed addition of up to $9 million to the $25 million or so already earmarked to replace the city’s pool you can read on Page 4) made a pretty surprising allegation about the finances of the city’s two golf courses.

Ram Cam celebrates first year

It may sound a bit odd to pay tribute to the one-year anniversary of a camera. But when that camera has helped bring thousands to town, and with it as many smiles, it’s worth it.

BC feted for historic preservation projects

Two projects aimed at maintaining the historic character of Boulder City have resulted in the city being the recipient of an award named for the person who designed the city in the first place, Saco Reink DeBoer.

Boulder Dam Hotel one stop on Home Tour

For nearly a half century the Boulder City chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW) has played host to a Home Tour, which raises money for scholarships for local college students.

Asst. chief discusses hurricane devastation

As the assistant fire chief for the Boulder City Fire department, Josh Barrone has seen his fair share of tragedies and destruction during his career.

City agrees to purchase vehicle barriers

It’s been talked about that thing called a “consent agenda” before. It’s the part of a city council meeting when multiple issues are addressed with a single up or down vote with no discussion of the individual items on the list.

Author’s journey from Boulder City to Ukraine

Twenty years ago, Bill McCormick made a decision and since then has never looked back as he’s turned what is a hobby for some into a full-time profession.