Valley residents regular contributors at meetings

Three to five minutes may not seem like a long time, but for city councils, school boards and planning commissions those minutes can feel like they last a lifetime.

Between three and five minutes is the standard allotment given to people wishing to speak during the public comment periods at valley meetings, and like a neighborhood bar, the comment periods often have regulars.

Michael Winne, a 40-year-old regular at North Las Vegas City Council meetings, takes full advantage of his five-minute allotment, often launching into fiery diatribes about his city's police department.

After his name was called by Mayor Mike Montandon at a recent meeting, Winne walked to the microphone and then let it rip, calling for an investigation into an alleged police department cover-up.

Some would call Winne a gadfly or radical, while others would say he is a concerned citizen.

Whatever the perception, Winne and other vocal valley residents can be counted on to make themselves heard -- by the various councils, the people in the audience and, when in top form, possibly by those down the street and around the corner.

"People call me a radical, and I don't know why," Winne, a 14-year North Las Vegas resident, said. "All I've done is found something wrong and try to tell everyone about it.

"I step up and redress issues at council meetings the way it's outlined in the Constitution. If using your freedom is radical, then I guess I'm radical. But to me a radical is someone who blows up buildings or tries to cover something up."

Louis Overstreet, a retired civil engineer, shares Winne's sentiment about speaking out to try to right the wrongs he sees, and can often be found questioning bids and payments every other Thursday night at Clark County School Board meetings.

Overstreet, who applied for several jobs with the district without success and in one case filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission, is now a member of the School Board's bond oversight committee.

As a spectator at regular meetings, Overstreet, 57, hunts for what he believes are wasteful expenditures and takes his beefs to the board. But some say he went too far at two recent board meetings.

At the March 25 meeting Overstreet claimed that a member of the School Board was racist and had abused power. At the April 8 meeting, he and Assistant Superintendent Sidney Franklin, the district's highest-ranking African-American, exchanged harsh words outside the board room.

The confrontation will likely serve to alienate Overstreet from the board, district spokesman Ray Willis said.

"Personal attacks are inappropriate here," Willis said after the meeting.

Overstreet says he makes no apologies for his remarks unless he has made a mistake, and he is not afraid of taking a strong stance on what he believes to be true.

"I have no trouble sleeping at night," Overstreet said. "If I make a mistake then I apologize. But I'd rather be up there and take the chance of making a mistake if it means catching some problems."

Winne also goes to bed with a clear conscience despite his accusations against the North Las Vegas police department.

At a recent meeting Winne produced flow charts and signs labeled "FBI" and "cover-up" as he explained that he believed the police department had tried to hide an incident involving an officer reporting to work after drinking.

Winne knows his emotional comments can rub people the wrong way, but that's not his main concern.

"I'm not up there to complain, and my neighbors know that and respect what I'm saying" Winne said. "When I go up there I have good solid issues, and I don't care what council is thinking, because they work for me.

"I don't chase every issue, but I do call them on the police department and sometimes I get very passionate about it."

North Las Vegas Councilman John Rhodes has listened to Winne's comments about the department before and knows he probably will again, but chalks it up as part of his job.

"One of the first things I learned on this job is that an awful lot of patience is required," Rhodes, a second-term councilman, said. "We have to listen to what the citizens have to say even though we may not agree with it.

"Sometimes it can be irritating, but that's the nature of the beast."

If a speaker wants to get the council's attention, Rhodes said, it's best to stay away from yelling and taking pot shots.

"The best way to go about it is to remember courtesy, respect and that you can catch more flies with honey," Rhodes said. "Taking pot shots will also limit effectiveness. I don't have a problem with someone embarrassing me all they want in my office, but they have to remember that the council members are people too."

Overstreet and Winne say they are not out to win friends when they step up to the microphone to address problems.

"I'm sure there are those that would label me a gadfly, but after being involved for so many years, I let it roll off my back," Overstreet said. "I used to want everyone to love and respect me, but now I don't care about that. Now I have good friends and good enemies."

The gadfly label is something that Rhodes feels hurts speakers' credibility, even if they don't see it.

"When people are labeled gadflys it can minimize their effectiveness," Rhodes said. "By talking about too many issues and constantly speaking, there is going to be a greater chance that they get tuned out."

Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro says it can be tough to stay tuned in, but it's important to remain responsive.

At council meetings, any topic is open to speakers, though he does try to steer them away from personal attacks.

In the last council meeting, one man informed Ferraro and the council that he believed the proliferation of golf courses in Boulder City would soon change the city's climate.

"We have no idea what someone is going to say in public comment, but the people of Boulder City are very issue-conscious," Ferraro said. "You can bet that they will be at the council meetings, and when it's time for public comment they'll be up.

"As a public official I feel that you need to be responsive, no matter who is speaking, and if you're not, then you shouldn't be in this business."

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