Where are the checks and balances in government?

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. This forum was the August meeting of the county planning commission, and the funny things once again involved north county (what else?) and the latest issue, the proposed Beverly Hillbillies casino. I decided to ask my friend Bo the Builder what he thought of the latest gambits.

"Government involvement in north county development gets curiouser and curiouser, doesn't it?" Bo asked. "I read in the The Record-Courier sparks flew at the August planning commission meeting where the commissioners refused to approve the minutes. Bet that happens about once in 10,000 meetings."

"Well, Bo," I replied. "Not every meeting's minutes include disputes over a casino and retail development involving as much taxpayer money as this one does. You're not surprised that money arouses passions, are you?" I asked jokingly, knowing his strong opinion on the subject. Bo's an honest sort.

"Before we get off the subject of those minutes," Bo said. "If they were so inaccurate they didn't even include the names of planning commissioners attending and departed from the way they've been written since the commission was formed, as I heard, why would any of the commissioners vote to accept them?"

"Now there's a $64,000 question," I commented.

"Not $64,000," Bo quipped, "I thought it was a $24.7 million question, you know, that money the county tossed into an unaccountable slush fund to defray the costs of north county infrastructure."

"You jest, Bo." I laughed. "Don't you remember? After adding all the water and waste treatment and road contributions by the county, it's closer to a $40 million question."

"Speaking of money," Bo interjected. "Since you're so passionate on internal control, doesn't state or county law provide some checks and balances for something so important as reporting what was said and decided in government meetings? Me, I'd want to have an independent government function recording and issuing those minutes. Not just for commissioners, but the general public has a right to minutes of meetings setting out what every commissioner decided and why."

"Hey Bo," I laughed. "Now you're getting passionate. But to answer your question, you're right, we elect a county clerk to be that independent body, and the county gives the clerk a budget for doing it. Probably that's one reason state law calls the elected position clerk."

"But," Bo protested, "you saw the clerk's comments in the Nevada Appeal, about not having time or budget to keep doing the minutes the way they've been done the past few decades."

I replied, "Looks like a constitutional crisis, doesn't it, just like they have sometimes in Washington D.C.? Maybe the public will get lucky and all the players will remember they were voted into office to provide the essentials of good government and to respect the public's money and it's right to know what's going on."

"To do that" Bo mused, "seems to me three planning commissioners, some county commissioners, and the county clerk need to make some public explanations of what sure seems like inexplicable actions. Not to mention the new north county development revenue-cost impact analysis you're badgering county management for."

"Nice dream but don't hold your breath, Bo, wouldn't want you to be asphyxiated. Maybe everyone needs an injection of Dale Carnegie's 'Power of Positive Thinking.'"

-- Jack Van Dien is a Gardnerville resident. Bo the Builder is a fictional construct.