Reno Government_Watchdog
Monitoring corruption, arrogance, and stupidity in Reno's un-American government 10 Nov 1997
(Note: Although some of this may seem to be "dated" information, it isn't. Most of the city hall corruption
and/or incompetence reported here continues almost unabated... and in many cases has gotten worse.)
__________________________________________________________________
OLIVER McMILLAN CONTRACT CAN NOT HAVE FORCE OF LAW
Due process was not honored when the Reno City Council ... not including
Judy Herman ... awarded a multimillion-dollar redevelopment contract to
Oliver McMillan. By circumventing the open meeting law, Griffin and Gang
decided to give the contract to McMillan well before public discussion
and a window-dressing public vote. (They were actually stupid enough to
publicly admit their decision before going through the charade of sham
due process.)
We are informed that serial meetings are legal only for legal briefings
according to a ruling by the Nevada Supreme Court. Discussing and
deciding a major issue using backroom political tactics of any kind can
not be permitted; this is the antithesis of open, honest, democratic
government. Griffin and Gang must be held personally accountable ...
including payment of financial penalties to Oliver McMillan for having
entered into an illegal contract with him. Due process was laughed at.
The McMillan contract is NOT a done deal. It was and is an illegal deal
which must be declared null and void. If laws do not exist stipulating
prison time for this type of criminal activity, there is a serious flaw
in what should be a system of checks and balances having a sting strong
enough to make wheeler-dealer politicians take notice.
The arrogant disregard of due process by rogue politicians is just as
much a threat to our American way of life as would be an armed invasion
by an enemy military force. Either we enforce and preserve government
under law ... or we acquiesce to government under tyrants who make their
own rules to serve their own purposes. If we permit Griffin and Gang to
get away with the McMillan fiasco, they will make backroom politics the
norm in Reno (moreso than ever before).
COUNCILMEMBER AIAZZI: TAKE NOTICE
It would be appropriate for you to review the SNCAT tape of the November
3 Reno council meeting. Your comments to Sam Dehne following his
comments about the deaths of Rewana Farms residents demand a few
sessions with a mental health professional. Your hatred of Dehne
displays itself as bizarre, off-the-wall behavior. You obviously lack
emotional stability and are unfit for public service. Would you care to
"discuss" this (and backroom politics) on tape to be aired on SNCAT?
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
Monitoring corruption, arrogance, and stupidity in Reno's un-American government 3 Nov 1997
__________________________________________________________________
COUNCILMEMBERS AIAZZI AND HERNDON ARE GARBAGE POLITICIANS
An embarrassing and unacceptable episode at the Reno City Council
meeting of Oct. 28 is documented on video tape. Embarrassing in that
Dave Aiazzi and Tom Herndon demonstrated their ignorance of the term
"guilty" which the American Heritage Dictionary explains as "responsible
for a crime or wrongdoing." Unacceptable in that Aiazzi and Herndon
attempted to deny a citizen's right to practice free expression when
addressing his elected representatives.
When Sam Dehne, a Reno citizen, attempted to read a proposed resolution
relating to Mayor Griffin having a conflict of interest per a state
ethics commission ruling, Aiazzi and Herndon interrupted Dehne and tried
to silence him by taking the position that Griffin was not found guilty
of a crime. Dehne countered that "guilty" does not necessarily relate to
a crime. Aiazzi and Herndon continued their display of stupidity in an
obvious attempt to run out the clock for Dehne's presentation. What
Aiazzi and Herndon made very clear is their "so what" attitude toward
Griffin's conflict of interest. (There's a lot of "so what" going
around at city hall.)
At no point did City Attorney Patricia Lynch attempt to correct Aiazzi
and Herndon. She did not correct their contention that "guilty" relates
solely to a crime. She did not adamantly protect Dehne's First
Amendment right to free expression. She is thereby guilty of
non-feasance, i.e. failing to perform an act (defense of a citizen's
Constitutional rights) which she should have performed.
We can't have intelligent government without intelligent public
officials. A good measure of an individual's intelligence is his/her
command of language. Command of "babble" doesn't qualify. In Reno,
citizens have every right to expect that elected officials will display
a command of American English.
We can't have honest government without officials being conscientiously
committed to delivering honest government. A "so what" attitude toward
conflict of interest is obvious proof that an official is not committed
to delivering honest government. Not giving a damn about delivering
honesty in government is very much a detestable form of corruption.
Dehne has discovered that it is folly to propose resolutions according
to city hall's laughable formal procedure. Any proposal which
challenges city hall's special-interest agenda or other improprieties is
conveniently lost for all intents and purposes. Dehne will therefore
present resolutions directly at table in future to bring them to public
attention. No doubt Griffin and Gang will make further assaults on the
First Amendment. American ideals are not alive and well in Reno
government. Aiazzi and Herndon are major parts of the problem. They
ARE garbage government! ###
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
Monitoring corruption, arrogance, and stupidity in Reno's un-American government 27 October 1997
__________________________________________________________________
LARRY, CURLY & MOE PICK ON JUDY
Councilmember Judy Herman recently commented during a council meeting
that Citizen Advisory Committee seats were already pledged at that
point in time. Mayor Griffin and Councilmember Hascheff, etc., took
affront at this ... evidently misperceiving such comment as an allusion
to backroom politics ... and attempted to squelch Mrs. Herman. Judy,
being the class act she is, took the antics of her colleagues in stride
with a smile on her face; we can understand her amusement and admire her
determination to bring sanity and integrity to a city council dominated
by wheeler-dealers and fools. Attention fools: Was a seat not
pledged to Ernie Martinelli by way of reappointment? Was a seat not
pledged to architect Barada by way of reappointment? Was a seat not
pledged to the Arts 2000 folks? Were two seats not pledged to the River
Corridor folks? Are Shelly Warner and John Metzger not "in line" for
appointments? Hang in there Judy; don't let the bastards get you down!
MOST RENO CITIZENS DON'T WANT THE DONE-DEAL THEATER FIASCO
Even the fools on the Reno City Council must realize by now that most
Reno citizens and taxpayers are strongly opposed to the downtown theater
project for which the council has already committed millions of public
dollars. The fools' position, however, is their usual "So what!"
According to the Declaration of Independence, "... governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the governed." Council fools are
abusing their powers and will be held accountable.
RESOLUTION 10-21-97 (Amended)
Whereas Mayor Griffin has been found guilty of conflict of interest by
the Nevada State Ethics Commission, and
Whereas Mayor Griffin also has been attacked in the press for inviting
the perception that he can't be trusted, and
Whereas Mayor Griffin should accept responsibility for seriously
injuring the public's trust in Reno government, and
Whereas the people of Reno deserve honest government and nothing less,
Be it therefore resolved that Mayor Griffin shall, to restore his public
standing and his self-respect, undergo a lie detector examination to
clarify and confirm the legality of his political and business dealings,
and
Be it further resolved that the Reno City Council shall demand Mayor
Griffin's resignation should he refuse to undergo such lie detector
examination prior to November 15, 1997.
Be it also resolved that to restore public trust in Reno government, all
members of the Reno City Council shall volunteer to undergo lie detector
examinations four times yearly (November, February, May, and August) to
affirm they are not involved in any illegal activities or conflicts of
interest and do not participate in communications of any kind which
predetermine outcomes of discussions and votes during formal and public
meetings of the council. ###
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
Monitoring corruption, arrogance, and stupidity in Reno's un-American government 20 October 1997
__________________________________________________________________
Proposed Resolution 10-11-97-A
Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is
sometimes suspended during meetings of the Reno City Council even though
no Reno official is justly empowered to do so, and
Whereas the City Attorney does not defend each citizen's First Amendment
rights when speaking before the Reno City Council, and
Whereas certain members of the Reno City Council have made it clear they
do not appreciate critical public comments and citizen initiatives, even
though these are vital elements of the traditional and legal American
democratic process, and
Whereas the Reno City Council often forces policies on the people of
Reno even though it is not justly empowered to do so in context that
governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,
and
Whereas the Reno City Council repeatedly invites the perception that it
is subservient to special interests at the expense of the common good
and at the expense of democratic principles, and
Whereas the Reno City Council promotes and supports counterfeit,
window-dressing democracy as a deliberate act of subterfuge, and
Whereas the Reno City Council automatically defends Reno police officers
who shoot and kill citizens in their homes, rather than ensuring
credible and impartial determination of facts and related guilt or
innocence, and
Whereas the Reno City Council generally disregards and condescends being
accountable to the people of Reno on a day-in and day-out basis ...
Be it therefore resolved that the Reno City Council shall publicly
acknowledge that it is a disgrace to the American vision including
serving the will of the people and promoting liberty and justice for all
... and to the countless Americans who have fought and died in defense
of American liberties and ideals, and
Be it further resolved that the American Flag shall no longer be
displayed in or outside Reno's un-American city hall at any time under
any circumstances, and
Be it also resolved that it is hypocritical for members of the Reno City
Council to mouth the words of the Pledge of Allegiance when they are not
committed to practicing government which sounds and honors the will of
the people, and which does not actually promote and defend liberty and
justice for all in terms other than hollow rhetoric.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
Monitoring corruption, arrogance, and stupidity in Reno's un-American government 13 October 1997
__________________________________________________________________
True or False Quiz for Reno City Council Members: Number Four
1. The Declaration of Independence states that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.
2. When a majority of citizens do not consent to any proposed governmental policy, government is not justly empowered to force such policy on citizens or others.
3. Political officials who abuse their governmental powers by forcing policies on citizens
against majority consensus should be treated the same as persons who commit treason.
4. It is a clear responsibility of government officials to sound and honor the will of the
people on controversial issues.
5. The concept of representative democracy does not empower elected officials to ignore
and condescend the will of the people.
6. Elected representatives are obligated to represent the will of the people.
7. It is the obligation of government to properly and honestly inform citizens about pros and
cons of controversial issues.
8. Reno has a current budget of $680,000 for public relations/information.
9. In spite of its heavy PR budget, Reno government does not attempt to credibly and
consistently inform citizens about pros and cons of controversial issues.
10. At least one member of the Reno City Council, Tom Herndon, believes he is only
responsible to the people of Reno on election day and doesn't have to be concerned with
the consent of the governed on controversial issues between election days.
11. Many decisions made by Reno officials are nothing less than "un-American" due to city
hall's agenda which serves special interests while trashing "consent of the governed."
Reno council members are invited to respond to this quiz ... especially Tom Herndon, even thought he is challenged by logic and by standard use of the English language.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
6 October, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
True or False Quiz for Reno City Council Members: Number Three
[Note: Please "click" here to read a city council response to this quiz]
1. Many Reno citizens are totally disgusted with the character of Reno
government and refuse to have anything to do with it ... including turning out on
election day.
2. If Reno government consistently acted in ways to deserve public trust
and respect, a $680,000 raid on the public treasury for "public information" spin
doctoring, damage control, and propaganda would not be needed.
3. Jeff Griffin was elected mayor by fewer than 16 percent of Reno's
registered voters.
4. Public input at council meetings is a sham. Public input which
challenges the interests of Reno's ruling class is totally disregarded.
5. Most council members are lackeys of Reno's ruling class.
6. All council decisions which are discussed in serial meetings ...
prior to "window dressing" table discussions ... should be declared null and void.
7. Over the years, an unknown number of council decisions were made by
councils which were not legally constituted per Section 2.020.2 of the Reno City
Charter.
8. All council decisions ever made when the council was not legally
constituted per Sec. 2.020.2 should be declared null and void.
9. The Reno City Attorney is guilty of non-feasance for not enforcing
Sec. 2.020.2 and should be forced to resign for gross incompetence.
10. All council members who permit selective law enforcement within Reno
governmental operations are guilty of non-feasance.
11. Some council members are guilty of defrauding their constituents by
conspiring to not hold the city attorney responsible for gross incompetence.
Reno council members are invited to respond to this quiz ... especially
Tom Herndon. We seriously doubt that most Council members will want to
respond ... especially Tom Herndon.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance. 29 September, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
True or False Quiz for Reno City Council Members: Number Two
1. Reno government's foundational agenda is to be subservient to certain
gambling moguls and developers.
2. Key City of Reno committees, boards, and commissions are stacked with
representatives of powerful special interests.
3. Reno government can be fairly characterized as "counterfeit,
window-dressing democracy."
4. Community impact studies are not conducted on major proposed projects
by Reno government in that findings would often conflict with Reno City Hall's
agenda.
5. Reno officials use "serial meetings" to circumvent the open meeting law.
6. Reno's city attorney practices selective law enforcement. Section 2.020.2 of the city charter was not enforced for many years ... and is now "overlooked whenever public scrutiny permits. (Subject section outlaws council members having contracts, leases, or other agreements with the city.)
7. The city council's incompetence in overseeing the Reno Police Department permitted the needless death of Officer Keith Hashimoto in a parachuting accident. City policy should have prohibited parachute training; in this instance, Hashimoto woul still be alive.
8. When Reno police kill any citizen, it is city policy to automatically
back the police ... rather than ascertain full details and justification or
non-justification of such killing.
9. Councilman Herndon has revealed his view that rights of citizens to
criticize stupidity and corruption in government should be severely limited, if not totally
prohibited.
10. Herndon has refused to discuss his views regarding democracy and
local issues on talk radio with Lt. Col. Sam Dehne (USAF, Ret.), editor of The Reno
Citizen.
Reno council members are invited to respond to this quiz ... especially
Tom Herndon. We seriously doubt that most Council members will want to
respond ... especially Tom Herndon.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
22 September, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
True or False Quiz for Reno City Council Members
1. Elected representatives are supposed to represent the will of the
people.
2. Council members, including the mayor, are elected representatives
3. "Will of the people" equates with majority consensus opinion of
registered voters.
4. Elected representatives are obligated to sound the will of the people
on controversial issues.
5. Elected representatives who act contrary to the will of the people in
order to serve special interests should be treated as criminals.
6. Elected representatives who promote and vote for issues that benefit
their major campaign contributors have a clear conflict of interest.
7. It should be clearly illegal for elected representatives to promote
and vote for issues that benefit their major campaign contributors.
8. Reno's appointed airport trustees are subordinate to the Reno
council.
9. Reno's appointed airport trustees are subordinate to Mayor Jeff
Griffin.
10. Reno's appointed airport trustees recently voted to award a
substantial contract to Griffin's free-enterprise business.
11. It is a conflict of interest for political subordinates to award
business contracts to their political bosses.
12. In spite of clear public opinion against a theater complex being
built on the river, the Reno council intends to build such complex.
Reno council members are invited to respond to this quiz ... especially
Tom Herndon. We seriously doubt that most Council members will want to
respond ... especially Tom Herndon.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
15 September, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
Reno's corrupt city council deserves public contempt and ridicule
Are city officials testing citizens to see just how much crap they will
take before rioting in the streets? Once again, Griffin and Gang have
defecated on their constituents ... pretending to give a damn about the
will of the people regarding riverfront redevelopment and then carrying
through with their previously-determined plan which spits in the face of
public opinion. Griffin and Gang ... with the exception of Judy Herman
... are subservient to the casino moguls on the north end of the casino
district who (a) don't want any casino competition near the river, and
(b) hold the stupid notion that a theater complex will regularly pull
thousands of locals into their general neighborhood ... with a
bleed-over to their turkey tables. Griffin has more than once accused
one of Reno's leading citizen activists of being sarcastic when speaking
about local government. Jeff, you deserve far worse than sarcasm!
Councilman Herndon refuses to discuss issues and views with citizen activist
Stating that he's proud to be called a coward, Tom Herndon has refused
to accept an invitation to appear on talk radio to discuss his bizarre
ideas about democracy and local issues with "Citizen Sam" Dehne. In a
recent E-mail exchange between the two, Herndon revealed himself to be a
dimwit who has no business holding any position of public trust. In any
discussion with Dehne on the public airwaves, Herndon would be shot down
in flames.
Public trust in Reno government could be restored
This is a no-brainer. All the Reno council needs to do is to (a) begin
holding regular town meetings to let CITIZENS discuss growth, the future
of gambling in Reno, and other controversial subjects, and (b) let the
owners of government then decide such issues by binding public
referendums ... enabling legislation assumed. The system of government
we now have in Reno IS NOT WORKING! Clearly, the council is not
concerned with public trust and respect.
Airport's murder of Rewana Farms an example of government at its worst
The assassination of the Rewana Farms neighborhood is a textbook case of
governmental abuse of power. Government's credibility is no greater
than its insult of pretending that airport officials are buying land
"only from willing sellers." When you hold a gun to a victim's head,
that victim is not a willing seller. Reno's council shares heavily in
this criminal endeavor; it controls four of the eight airport trustees
... and gave them no direction to leave Rewanians alone. We are
informed that a memorial service is being planned for Rewanians who died
during the assault on their homes ... including Dora Bath, age 93, who
passed within a few hours after learning she would definitely lose her home.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
8 September, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
Reno City Council should ask constituents for direction.
Reno government panders to special interests and to individuals having
strong political juice. The agenda at city hall gives low priority to
sounding and honoring the will of the people.
Following are questions which should be asked of Reno voters and
taxpayers in a scientifically valid and reliable way. Survey results
should then be honored by the council without equivocation.
* Is representative democracy working the way it should in Reno?
* Should Reno government commit itself to sounding and honoring the will
of the people by holding regular town meetings to let citizens (not Reno
officials) discuss major issues?
* Should Reno government put controversial issues to public votes for
binding decisions? (Enabling legislation at state level assumed)
* Should members of the Reno City Council be permitted to promote and
vote on issues that benefit their major campaign contributors?
* Should Reno officials be obligated to answer questions raised by
citizens?
* Should Mayor Griffin be permitted to disregard conflict of interest
regulations in the city charter and in Nevada Revised Statutes?
* Should community impact studies be conducted on major developments
such as the Double Diamond Ranch prior to their being approved or
disapproved?
* Should a citizens' police review board be established to monitor law
enforcement activities in Washoe County?
* Should the citizens of Reno be permitted to vote to approve or
disapprove the city's budget?
* Should the City of Reno be spending $680,000 on a "public relations"
program?
* Should cleared land near the river be used for green space and special
events ... or for theaters?
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
1 September, 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
Mayor Griffin's violation of the public trust rates removal from office.
The stereotypical crooked politician abuses his powers for personal gain; Mayor
Griffin has done precisely this. By seeking and accepting a Washoe County airport
contract for his company, he has revealed a character flaw which is an assault on
the foundations of good government. And Griffin has the gall to publicly proclaim,
"there is no conflict of interest."
Four of the eight airport trustees, who awarded a $27,500 free trade zone contract
to Griffin, are appointed by the Reno City Council of which Griffin is ring leader.
Four of the eight trustees are the mayor's political subordinates; they serve on the
airport board at the Reno council's pleasure.
Section 2.020.2 of the Reno City Charter clearly states that council members "shall
not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any lease, contract or other
agreement entered into with the city." By appointing four of eight trustees to the
airport board, the airport is an extension of the Reno City Council's jurisdiction
and operations ... although idiots on the council are fond of saying they have no
control over airport management. When you appoint representatives who serve at your
pleasure, you are free to give strict direction to such representatives ... and to
fire such representatives if they do not follow your direction; what is it about
this scenario that council idiots do not understand?
The Reno City Attorney, Patricia Lynch, will now reveal her integrity or lack of
same in dealing with Reno's outlaw mayor. Council members Herndon, Hascheff,
Pearce, Newburg, Herman, and Aiazzi will now reveal whether they are on the side of
corruption or clean government in dealing with Griffin. If Griffin is permitted to
remain in office ... despite his demonstrated failure to honor the city charter ...
citizens will be forced to take necessary steps against all of Griffin's supporters.
Some persons are taking the position that all Griffin needs to do is to abstain from
voting on airport issues. Section 2.020.2 doesn't speak to abstaining from votes
having to do with conflict of interest. No person with any degree of intelligence
can read 2.020.2 and interpret it as permitting abstaining on conflict issues.
Either we hold our elected leaders accountable for integrity in their political
activities or we don't. Jeff Griffin can not be trusted. He must be removed from
office.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
25 August 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
Mayor Griffin to receive public dollars for his business (Part II). The
Mayor has come under attack from several directions for
receiving/accepting a $27,500 airport contract for his business. To
quote citizen activist Sam Dehne, "The Mayor has been caught with both
hands in the cookie jar. He should resign in shame." Griffin, along with
other members of the Reno City Council, appoints 4 of 8 airport
trustees who serve at the council's pleasure. These same trustees gave
the subject contract to Griffin. Conflict of interest is sometimes
difficult to discern. In this instance, it is crystal clear that Griffin
is being given money by political subordinates. Griffin is displaying a
value system which deserves public outrage; he has betrayed the public
trust and should leave public service immediately.
Reno government can not be trusted and should be overhauled.
Representative democracy is just not working in Reno. Certain members of
the Reno City Council do not understand that elected municipal
representatives are supposed to represent the will of the People.
Instead, such members see themselves as having been given election day
mandates to function as grand poobahs, thumbing their arrogant noses at
majority consensus on public issues. Major issues such as growth and
less-complicated issues such as the parking meter flap are too-often
treated by the council in a manner which can be fairly characterized as
"damn the People and public direction." At the council meeting of 19
August, Councilman Herndon commented that a public survey on an issue
under discussion is not needed because he was elected to make decisions.
Herndon just doesn't understand the basic tenet that he is supposed to
facilitate the will of the People; he doesn't represent Reno citizens
when he disregards the will of the People. An upcoming book of
resolutions to overhaul Reno government will include a primary
resolution to let the People of Reno decide controversial issues by
public votes. This will end rule by grand poobahs such as Herndon.
Government officials can be judged by the questions they refuse to
answer. Reno government officials have a bad habit of not answering
questions when such questions are raised by angry citizens. The de
facto attitude of Reno officials is: Citizens should not become angry
when Reno government lies, cheats, and steals from the owners of
government. In place of giving straight, honest answers to citizens'
questions, the city now has a $680,000 "public information" program.
Obviously, a public information program which will not answer questions
is inherently corrupt ... at any price. Obviously, a public information
program which will not answer questions is something other than a
trustworthy public information program. Obviously, a city council which
commits big bucks to not answering citizens' questions is a white-collar
gang of crooks which deserves only public scorn and contempt.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
18 August 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
Mayor Griffin delivers distorted "State of the City" address. "Griffin,
of course, put the best possible spin on the issues that faced the city
this past year. He neglected to mention (a number of serious, problem
issues)" according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. Wingfield Park on
Thursday, August 14, was the site of another demonstration that Reno
government can not be trusted to tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth. Reno officials have much to be ashamed of, much
to hide from public attention. Healthy democracy can not exist without a
well-informed electorate. Reno officials are notorious for not wanting
the public to be informed about the poor health of democracy in Reno.
Griffin was elected by less than 16% of registered voters for his
present and first term; he will not be re-elected. To his credit,
citizen activist Sam Dehne attended the fraudulent State of the City
presentation and distributed flyers noting problems which Griffin didn't
have the integrity to mention.
Mayor Griffin to receive public dollars for his business. "Powers that
be" have approved public funding of Free Trade Zone status for a
business owned by Griffin. Griffin and Reno City Attorney Pat Lynch
would like the public to believe this is not a conflict of interest ...
but it most clearly is. Griffin is a member of the Reno City Council.
The council appoints four of eight members of the Airport Board of
Trustees who serve at the council's pleasure. Such trustees are "the
powers that be" that approved public subsidization of Griffin's business.
Who speaks for the City of Reno? A secretary at Reno City Hall has taken
it upon herself to challenge criticisms of Reno government. She uses
city time, resources, and E-mail system to present "flapdoodle"
arguments which make little or no sense. She recently attempted an
explanation of "time certain" for city council meeting agendas which
reveals the city's imbecilic use of the English language. According to
the secretary and, apparently, the City of Reno, time certain does not
mean that a certain time is assured when a citizen requests agenda
placement to speak before the council. Larry, Curly, and Moe are alive
and well at Reno City Hall.
Council members fail to answer questions raised by this newsletter. The
"Reno Government WATCHDOG" of August 11 asked eight questions of each
member of the Reno City Council. As of press time for this issue, no
member of the council has attempted any response. Elected officials who
are non-responsive to concerned citizens deserve zero respect and zero
confidence. Such officials are the justification for this newsletter.
Reno government gives little more than lip service to public
initiatives. Just ask Sam Dehne. In recent weeks, he has proposed a
number of resolutions for consideration by the Reno council. One such
was "lost" ... as was Sam's application for Reno City Ombudsman just a
few months back. Another ... an expose of the parking meter fiasco ...
was delayed for four weeks, apparently to give city mechanics snail time
to prepare damage control. Now he's being told that resolutions may be
handled "administratively." We judge this to mean that Sam's resolutions
would rock city hall's agenda which panders to special interests ... and
that such resolutions will never see the light of day at a council
meeting. Watch for an upcoming book of resolutions which, if enacted,
would clean up Reno government and make it responsive to Reno's citizens
... the owners of government.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Reno Government_Watchdog
The price of liberty ... and good government ... is eternal vigilance
11 August 1997
_________________________________________________________________________
The City of Reno has announced a $680,000 budget for public relations.
There is no doubt that taxpayers would deny this insult to the public
treasury if given the opportunity to do so. Simply telling the plain
facts about happenings at city hall could not possibly justify more than
a very liberal $100,000. Obviously, the decision makers at city hall
are not concerned with representing majority consensus of Reno citizens.
The overriding agenda at city hall is pandering to the gambling and
growth industries. As important as these industries are, the common
good and the will of the people are more important.
Critics of Reno government are not appreciated by key persons at city
hall. A clear example of this is the case of Sam Dehne, a tireless
citizen advocate and retired Air Force officer ... whose First Amendment
right to free expression has more than once been suspended by Mayor
Griffin during council meetings. One of Sam's current concerns with
city hall antics is the downtown parking meter fiasco. Figures on the
reverse (at bottom) of this page reveal the city's recent changes in parking meter
fees and regulations would have translated into a potential
400-percent-plus increase in meter revenues. Prior to this newsletter
summarizing the meter fiasco in an upcoming issue, the following
questions are herewith asked of each member of the Reno City Council.
Will any member reply?
1. Did any member of the Reno council reveal, in any documentable way,
concern over the new parking meter regulations before Sam Dehne raised
such concern at a council meeting?
2. Did any member of the council formally request council agenda time
to discuss the new parking meter regulations before Sam raised related
concern?
3. Did any person other than Sam present hundreds of signatures of
persons opposed to the new parking meter regulations?
4. Did any person other than Sam propose a resolution for council
consideration regarding modification of the new parking meter
regulations?
5. Was Sam promised a time-certain slot to discuss the new parking
meter regulations at the council meeting of August 5, 1997 ... by Kris
Forest, a Reno office staff employee?
6. Did Mayor Griffin emphatically state at the council meeting of
August 5 that Sam had not been assigned a time-certain slot to address
the council?
7. Why does the City of Reno NOT have ONE person assigned to
monitoring and coordinating ALL facets of parking meter operations?
(According to the City Clerk's office, questions regarding parking
meters must be directed to at least THREE city departments.)
8. Why could no Reno official at the August 5 council meeting answer
the fundamental question: Why was the hourly parking meter fee raised
from 25-cents to 50-cents?
Correspondence should be addressed to:
G. P. Felton, Editor, Reno Government Watchdog, Box 50093, Reno, NV 89513
Simplification of potential meter revenues under old system:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday ........................54 hrs. weekly
52 weeks yearly .............................................................2808 hrs. yearly
Potential revenue per machine at 25-cents per hour .........$702 yearly
Times 1500 meters ......................................................................$1,053,000 yearly
Simplification of potential meter revenues per blooper proposal:
8 a.m. to Midnight, Seven days weekly ............................112 hrs. weekly
52 weeks yearly .............................................................................5824 hrs. yearly
Potential revenue per machine at 50-cents per hour ............$2,912 yearly
Times 1500 meters .......................................................................$4,368,000 yearly
The potential meter revenue increase: Over 400 percent !!!
4,368,000 divided by 1,053,000 = 4.148
Variables which must be considered include:
* Number of meters at various locations
* Rate at which meters are changed from old system to new system
* Actual hours of operation and enforcement
* Days when meters are not in operation (holidays)
* Somewhat-reduced use of meters due to public anger
* Weather
* Special events
* Fines collected as result of overtime parking
* Increase in overtime parking fines due to shorter time limits
* Cost of staff time to manage meters including repair costs
* Cost of purchasing new meters or upgrades
* Etcetera
For more interesting Reno stories, "Click" here.
The Lord has not forgotten Reno. "Click" here.