
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) – Protecting you and your wallet is one of the ways we fight for local residents, so when the Badlands were front and center at the Dec. 18 City Council meeting, we were watching closely.
But the staggering amount of money facing us now – taxpayers – was not the only issue that was in question.
Inappropriate politics and protocol were also on display and those who were unable to speak caused further public concern.
Darcey Spears: The Badlands debacle was built on allegations of political corruption.
City Councilwoman Victoria Seaman: correct.
Darcey Spears: Do we still see politics at play to this day?
Victoria Seaman: Certainly we see politics at play. I think the audience is tired of it.
The city left taxpayers with a $636 million hole when elected officials illegally seized developer Johan Lowe’s land in 2017. They effectively blocked residential development of the defunct Badlands Golf Course, even though the land near Alta and Rampart was set aside for that purpose.
It’s a story that 13 investigators have reported widely for more than five years.
“I think this is something they should be teaching all municipalities about land use,” Seaman said. “This should never happen again to anyone.”
Lowe’s sued and won in every court, and after seven years of fighting, the city and Lowe’s reached the settlement that was presented to the council at its Dec. 18 meeting to vote on non-binding terms.
“Faced with the financial impact of the settlement before you today, I think it’s fair to say that every public employee in this building wishes some events and court decisions would have turned out differently, but they did not,” City Attorney Jeff Dorocak told the council. Before putting the agenda item to a vote.
“Protocol is that it be delivered to the ward,” said Councilwoman Seaman, who represents Ward 2, where the Badlands is located.
However, Seaman was not allowed to speak or make a motion on the issue. Instead, Mayor Berkeley gave the floor to Mayor Pro Tem Brian Knudsen, who said: “For the city employees who have had to listen to this and fight through it, I want to appreciate you. And for the constituents who have been asking us daily for years now, ‘When will a resolution be reached?’ “I want to say that this council has been actively working toward a resolution the whole time.”
But just two months ago, Knudsen voted to file another appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court, which had already ruled against the city in another nearly identical Badlands case.
The battle over bad terrain returns to the Nevada Supreme Court
At the council meeting on September 4, before casting his vote, Knudsen said: “Our job is to defend the city, and this is what we do is defend the city at all costs.”
At the time, only Seaman and Nancy Brun voted against continuing the court battle.
“I worked for months with the developer, and with the attorneys, to make sure we got a settlement,” Seaman said.
We asked Seaman why she believed the mayor and mayor violated protocol and did not allow her to speak during the Dec. 18 agenda item on the settlement.
I think they wanted to take credit for the work I did. And I think the mayor wanted to put out a statement that he was trying to – or wanted to settle the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here’s how it all went down
sailor: I’d like to have a minute because it’s my ward and if you don’t mind if I can read and make a suggestion on ward 2.
Mayor of Berkeley: Well, I think the motion has already been made, but if you would like to make a brief statement, I would welcome that now.
sailor: Do we have a proposal on the ground, city attorney?
Knudsen: I’ll move to agree.
Berkeley: Mayor Pro Tem moved to approve. I would like to call a vote on the motion.
sailor: Well, thank you for taking my word for it.
She was not the only one to express her concern.
Las Vegas resident Patricia Reed addressed Mayor Berkeley during public comment:
Madam Mayor, I have to bring this to your attention because I don’t want this to develop into anything worse than what you saw. When you were getting ready to take the vote in the Badlands and Councilwoman Seaman asked if she could speak, you wouldn’t let her speak. But, I saw you before some of those other voters turned around and asked everyone if they had anything to say, and I let them. So, Madam Mayor, I’m just explaining that to you. I don’t want to see anything develop here. I thought it was very rude not to ask her to talk, especially since that was her territory.
“I appreciate the contribution,” Berkeley replied.
Seaman then rose from her seat and took the public comment microphone herself.
“Since the mayor would not allow me to speak as a council member on the most important issue my ward has ever faced, and after spending five and a half years working diligently on a settlement, I will once again address council as a Ward 2 resident.”
At the end of the meeting, Mayor Berkeley apologized for not allowing Seaman to speak.
“As you all know, this is my second meeting, and I’m just learning how to run a meeting. I don’t think it’s appropriate for any city council member to go to the well for me to speak, and I apologize for that and it won’t happen again.”
After the meeting, Seaman said, “I think this is not the right way to be mayor and behave. You’ve been in Congress. You know the protocol exactly. (Anyway), I accepted her apology.” “I hope we can move forward cohesively because I’m not going anywhere.”
Seaman has two years remaining on her term on council and can decide whether to run for re-election.
As for the Badlands, land sale/development contracts were signed between the cities of Johann Lowe and Greystone, Nevada, this week. A final vote on the lawsuit settlement is scheduled for the City Council on February 5.