Ethics panel clears three LV councilmen

The Nevada Ethics Commission has cleared three members of the Las Vegas City Council of charges that they acted unethically when they voted against allowing a restaurant to be built on West Sahara Avenue.

The complaint filed by former City Councilman Steve Miller alleged that the City Council violated state ethics laws because they voted to deny an application for Nick's Fish Market after receiving campaign contributions from the Boyd Group. Members of the Boyd Group had opposed the project.

The Ethics Commission took the action Friday during a meeting in Reno.

Councilmen Michael McDonald, Arnie Adamsen and Larry Brown all maintain that Boyd Group had no effect on their votes.

"I can't say that I am surprised by this decision," Councilman Larry Brown said. "I don't think it changes what issues we can or cannot vote on. I think that will be an issue the Nevada Legislature will need to take up in 1999."

The Ethics Commission dismissed the same charge against Mayor Jan Laverty Jones and Councilman Gary Reese at its Aug. 14 meeting in Las Vegas.

"I appreciate the findings of the Ethics Commission since there was no merit to this complaint," McDonald said. "However, I understand the Ethics Commission has a job to do and I was happy to testify before them."

Adamsen agreed saying, "I believe that it was appropriate that the Ethics Commission dismissed this charge since there was no basis to it and clearly it was politically motivated."

Miller said he was happy with the commission's decision as well. He said after he learned the size of some of the contributions, he asked the commission to not consider the matter. But he said it opted to move forward and dismiss the complaint instead.

Thursday the commission dismissed another charge filed by Miller against Jones concerning a trip she made to Detroit last year to speak on gaming. The commission fined Miller $2,500 for filing a complaint that lacked merit.

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