Big chunk of suspected drug money to boost Boulder City police efforts

Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 2 a.m.

In January, folks in the parking lot of a Boulder City automotive store watched in amazement as wads of cash blew around them after a motorist, apparently trying to do some repair work, accidentally punctured a spare tire stuffed with about $539,000.

He took off in his Jeep Commander after the money explosion but didn’t get far before police caught up to him. The police confiscated what they said was drug money. The driver pleaded ignorance.

Now, thanks to federal law, the city will reap some of the windfall.

The money was turned over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which, not surprisingly, could not locate its rightful owners.

So the DEA gets 20 percent of it and Boulder City gets the rest.

That comes to $431,171, which the city can use for one-time purposes, such as police equipment and training. It cannot use the money for ongoing expenses, such as salaries.

The department plans to use some of the cash to add a second drug enforcement dog to use along U.S. 93, the main route from Las Vegas to Phoenix. Police figure there’s a lot of drug running on that road, which cuts through Boulder City.

The department will also use the money to pay officers overtime for additional patrol of the road.

The 49-year-old man from Mexico who had been driving the Jeep was not charged in connection with the incident. He didn’t own the vehicle and he swore that he had no idea there was a fortune riding with him.

• • •

Quick, what’s the biggest conflict among suburban neighbors?

Few things cause more neighborhood strife than barking dogs.

So Henderson has updated its noise ordinance in an attempt to make it more enforceable in court.

City officials say it’s almost impossible to determine when a yapping mutt crosses the line into criminal behavior. But they are trying to make that line a little less vague. The amendment makes it clear that noise does not depend on the sensitivities of one person, especially a “supersensitive or hypercritical person.”

“One person may be annoyed by the neighbor’s dog barking once or twice,” said Ron Sailon, an assistant city attorney who revised the ordinance. “Another person might listen to it 23 hours a day and not be annoyed.”

The new wording, approved unanimously by the City Council, says that a citation can be issued only when the barking is unreasonably loud to a person with ordinary sensitivity. Other factors can be considered, including the time, duration or consistency of the barking.

This is the similar to the wording of laws across the country, Sailon said.

Owners of animals barking at a fire or burglar cannot be cited. That would, of course, be good barking.

• • •

Boulder City is again considering the annexation of more than 400 acres, including several industrial businesses, in the Eldorado Valley, to keep it free of residential development.

The area is west of U.S. 95 and south of Railroad Pass.

The city plans to seek comment from the owners of about 10 parcels. City officials think owners of the parcels would be open to annexation.

If the property owners are interested in joining Boulder City, the city plans to research infrastructure needs in the area as well as potential property tax revenues from the businesses, including quarries.

The city has long feared Clark County could approve residential development in Eldorado Valley, jeopardizing Boulder City’s sense of intimacy.

In recent years, developers have proposed plans for about 3,500 homes on 700 acres in the area. Clark County has not approved housing development.

By annexing the land, Boulder City would effectively bar growth south of the Henderson border.