Deal with Valley issues in Minden

For a long time, Douglas County was one of the few places in Nevada whose county commissioners were permitted to meet regularly in two locations.

One of those places is the county seat in Minden. The other is in Stateline.

The county was allowed to hold meetings in both Minden and Stateline after the Lake Tahoe community threatened to start its own city. It was a way for the county to show it was concerned about what happened at Tahoe and set a tradition followed by the county Parks & Recreation Commission and the Douglas County School Board of Trustees.

But a proviso in allowing commissioners to meet at the Lake was that business that pertained to Carson Valley would be discussed in Minden, where it was convenient for residents to attend.

We've noticed several issues lately, including the Minden garage most recently and the gaming hotel room ordinance, where Valley items were popping up on agendas at the Lake.

We understand the desire for efficiency which may have motivated placing some Valley issues on the Lake agenda. In the decade since commissioners started meeting twice a month and began in the afternoon, the time they've spent in session has decreased significantly.

We don't want to go back to the days when commissioners would meet three times a month, starting at 9 a.m. and often continuing until after 9 p.m.

However, we've heard several times that contentious Valley issues are being handled at Lake Tahoe to give commissioners political cover.

We're willing to give the county the benefit of the doubt but simply point out that what happens in the Valley should stay in the Valley.