The Clark County council’s Tuesday meeting followed a variation on a now-familiar pattern: a lengthy debate, a series of disgruntled public commenters and, finally, a divided vote showing that in its fourth month, the new board remains at political odds.
By a vote of 3-2, the Clark County council approved a spring supplemental budget that increased new spending in excess of new revenue. The councilors approved about $20.3 million in new expenditures and $13.4 million in new revenue to and from various county funds.
The decision represents an overall reduction in county funds for the 2015-16 budget of about $6.9 million. The county’s overall budget is about $916 million.
Council Chair Marc Boldt, no party preference, and Republican Councilors Julie Olson and Jeanne Stewart voted to support the budget. Councilors David Madore and Tom Mielke, both Republican, voted against it.
“I have a real heartburn for some of the things we’ve been funding,” Mielke said, accusing staff of inserting items in the budget without adequately preparing the council.
The council had a work session on the supplemental budget about a month ago. Stewart, Olson and Boldt all said they felt that was plenty of time to research the details of Tuesday’s decision, which included budget requests from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, public works department and community development department.
“I’ve called several people, emailed them for questions,” Boldt said. “I’ve done my diligence in contacting people.”
Specifics on spending
The council spent a large portion of Tuesday’s five-hour meeting debating a $265,000 request from the sheriff’s office for additional overtime, as well as a $220,000 request from public works to fund park ambassadors through the end of the year.
“There’s no question that the sheriff’s office is in desperate need for more overtime,” Deputy County Manager Bob Stevens said.
Madore and Mielke eventually voted against both requests — though Madore added in both instances that his vote should not be taken to mean he doesn’t support those departments.
Olson later criticized Madore for saying he supported parks and the sheriff’s office but declined to vote for their budget requests.
Madore and Mielke were not the only ones with angst over Tuesday’s budget decision.
Margaret Tweet, a regular at Clark County council meetings, told the board she was concerned about money allocated to the Tri-Mountain Golf Course.
Madore has scrutinized the golf course’s budget in recent weeks, and the course reported an increase in both revenue and expenses thanks to good weather in the past year. The course brought in $254,000 above expected revenue, and asked to spend $75,000 of that on additional operating costs.
Pauline Warren expressed outrage over the budget, particularly over the county’s support of the golf course, which she said the poor cannot afford to use.
“Staff runs this place and it’s going down,” Warren said. “We the people … have been left out in the cold.”
“I am listening, and I am upset,” she continued, screaming at the council.
