West Wendover Mayor Donnie Andersen scored his first political victory Tuesday when his choice for the newest member of the city council, Mike Miera, won confirmation.
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A long time veteran of local politics Miera put his hat into the ring to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Bryant Blake last month.
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With two councilmen Izzy Gutierrez and Roy Briggs attending the meeting via telephone Andersen successfully out maneuvered Councilman Johnny Gorum’s bid to put Jerry Andersen on the council by winning a key defection from Councilwoman Emily Carter.
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Carter, Gorum and Briggs along with Blake made up a veto proof coalition that successfully thwarted virtually every initiative Andersen tried in the last three years.
In picking Miera Andersen avoiding choosing any of the five candidates running for Blake’s or Gorum’s seat in the upcoming November election.
A former city councilman Miera established a strong pro-business reputation. While critics charged that he was only strongly pro his own business, Miera countered growth was good for everyone and as a councilman he continually voted against what he called overly burdensome anti growth initiatives such as the 150 hotel room ordinance.
While the mayor won the vote a large portion of the credit especially in getting Carter’s vote must go to Miera himself.
In an interview Wednesday miera said he had a long chat with the councilwoman who is also challenging andersen for the mayor this fall.
“I explained why I wanted the seat and why I was the best choice to fill out the five months left on the term.” He said. “I also said that the last thing the city needed right now was another ugly fight between the mayor and the council.”
While Andersen could have picked from the list of five council candidates now on the ballot or indeed anyone from the community, but the council could reject the appointment. On the other hand Andersen could veto any candidate nominated by the council.
With Blake gone, Andersen’s veto changes from a symbolic protest by the Mayor to a potentially powerful political tool. Andersen with the help of Izzy Gutierrez, his only ally on the could threaten to bring the city government to a standstill by veto. According to the city’s bylaws a veto can be overridden only on a four fifths vote. Three votes out of four is simply not enough for a veto override vote to be successful.
The only problem with that scenario according to Andersen is that the mayor according to city by laws the mayor cannot veto an appointment to the city council.
“I spent all morning with lawyers and they said I couldn’t use the veto for council appointments,” Andersen said Tuesday morning before the vote.
Andersen added he was not going to broadcast that fact to the council.
Miera current presence on the council could also give him a leg up if carter wins the mayor’s race and must resign her seat. If he is appointed to that vacancy instead of serving five months another two years could be added to his term.