By Dave Maxwell
MCIN
Having items removed from the planned agenda and without the advance knowledge of all three members of the board of county commissioners is a practice commissioner Christine Hoferer believed needed to be stopped.
In the Sept. 2 meeting, “while other counties may do this, since I have been on the board, it has never been discussed or is something I agreed upon.”
She cited Nevada Revised Statutes NRS 241-020 that states that it has to be the public body in its entirety that can remove items from the agenda not one individual.
“We need to decide as a whole board if we are going to take something off,” she said. That’s not how it has been and for the record my items were taken off the last time.
District Attorney Sean Rowe that the past practice of the county commission does allow the chairman to remove an item.
He said in his term as District Attorney this has never been an issue.
Hoferer said she was aware of the past practice, but did not understand or agree with it. She said she doesn’t like when her items have been removed “with no notice, no discussion, nothing to me. That’s when it’s not okay.”
She felt the board should follow the law as set forth in NRS 241-020. “I’m not in favor of anyone taking off an item as has been.”
Commissioner Garth Price said in his first year on the board, there were certain issues that were constantly being repeated, and voted to have certain items removed.
Hoferer said she has heard complaints from the public about the practice. “I think there is a better way to handle it and I don’t like that just one person takes it off. I don’t.”
She felt that discussion about a reason given for removing an item should be addressed. “That’s exactly the way it should be at every meeting, not just pulling stuff off.”
After further discussion, Commissioner Price moved that “If there is something the board wants to remove from the agenda that it be done during the meeting and that no one person has the responsibility of removing the item.”
The motion passed by unanimous vote.
