Sparks Gets Time to Vote on Lazy 8

As reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal: "The Nevada attorney general's staff said Thursday it would give the Sparks City Council time to schedule a public vote on the Lazy 8 casino settlement before asking a judge to rule the city violated the state open meeting law.

"A deputy attorney general previously said the office would file suit against the council by today. The office says the city violated the state open meeting law by voting in private last Friday to authorize City Attorney Chet Adams to settle a $100 million lawsuit brought by developers Harvey Whittemore and Peppermill Casinos after the council rejected its proposal to build a neighborhood casino on Pyramid Highway.

"The settlement, announced Friday after the private meeting, essentially reverses the council's public 3-2 vote Aug. 24 against the controversial Lazy 8 casino.

"'We had a meaningful conversation with Mr. Adams, and he is supposed to touch base Tuesday on where he is with his clients on the open meeting law issue,' Senior Deputy Attorney General Neil Rombardo said.

"If the council decides to vote on the settlement, 'it would be an admission that what they did was wrong and in violation of the open-meeting law, and under the law means the previous signature is no longer valid,' Rombardo said..."

"....The council meets Monday. If a public vote is placed on the Sept. 18 meeting agenda, that will satisfy the attorney general, Rombardo said..."

2006-09-11