Library district seeking lobbyists

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District began interviewing potential lobbyists Wednesday to protect its interests in the state Legislature and to help push through a legislative agenda it developed last year.

Though lobbyists have been used in the past, district spokesman Karen Bramwell said they were "pro bono," donating their time because of their concern for the library district. The library plans to spend up to $25,000 on a lobbyist this session.

Items the library district would like to see addressed in the Legislature include establishing a method to address boundary disputes for all library districts.

It also wants the state to be required to provide funding for all state-mandated programs.

At a meeting of the district's legislative committee Wednesday, two companies were interviewed -- R&R Advertising, one of the largest public relations and advertising companies in the state, and a two-man operation that includes a former legislator and a former chairman of the local library district.

The two-man firm includes Danny Lee, who headed the library board from 1983 to 1991, and Jack Vergiels, who spent 20 years in the state Legislature from 1972 to 1992.

The large firm, Walters noted, might not give the district as much attention as it feels it needs, but the small firm might not be able to give the district the number of contacts in the Legislature offered by the larger firm.

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