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Two months after he said he was going to resign, city councilman Bryant Blake announced that this passed Tuesday’s meeting would be his last and officially handed in his letter of resignation.
Elected to his first term in 2008, Blake ran as a pro-business reformer and as teacher at the local elementary promised to be an independent vote on the city council dominated by Peppermill Casino employees.
Blake’s promises lasted less than half a year and came to a head the march after he won his seat with the vote over the Rusty Palms. Blake was the lone vote in favor of letting the now abandoned project open a small casino without having to build a 150 room hotel. While the issue was defeated the initial outcome was voided on a technicality and had to be re voted two weeks late.
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The ‘errant’ councilman reportedly came under intense pressure not only from his fellow city councilmen but also from their employer the Peppermill Corporation. When the vote was retaken Blake joined the majority and the issue failed on a unanimous 5-0 vote. Since that vote, Blake marched in lock step with the Peppermill majority for three years breaking ranks just once last November when he first upheld a Mayor’s veto over increasing dispatch fees to the local ambulance. Two weeks later however Blake put the item back on the agenda and that time voted to override the veto.
While Blake’s “turn to the dark side” was a source of constant irritation to Mayor Donnie Andersen the reason for his leaving may have been his last attempt at independence.
Two weeks ago sparks flew in the City Council meeting between Blake and Andersen over the issue of the city forcing police background checks of all bartenders before they can be allowed to work.
The council under the urging of West Wendover Police Chief Ron Supp first directed City Attorney Tom Coyle to prepare the ordinance earlier this year, despite the fact the idea was vigorously opposed by Andersen and by Councilman Izzy Gutierrez.
Since that initial okay there appears to have been a change of heart. Councilman Johnny Gorum said in the meeting that he had received almost exclusively negative comments on the idea from private individuals as well as businesses that would be affected by the proposed ordinance.
The draft ordinance would have required a background check of all persons employed as bartenders at the cost of $60 per employee. While Blake insisted that the charge was minimal for a company such as the Peppermill the amount could add up. With at least eight bars on there three Wendover properties, the company could be easily looking at a first time cost between $3,000 to $4,000 for the first year and depending on the rate of turnover or its employees a similar cost every year. If the ordinance was extended also to cocktail servers the cost would be increased dramatically.
Faced with those dollars and cents, the three councilmen employed by the Peppermill; Gorum, Emily Carter and Roy Briggs joined Gutierrez in voting to table the issue but not before Blake loudly announced he still supported the ordinance and Supp.
Blake also questioned Mayor Andersen’s position that there were enough safe guards on the industry and the Mayor’s original stance that the ordinance was an example of over regulation of the city’s businesses.
The testy exchange between the two was cut short when Andersen called for a vote and the proposed ordinance was tabled indefinitely on a 4-1 vote. Until that vote Blake allegedly had the nominal support of Carter, Briggs and Gorum to stay on the council as long as he wanted. The reason for that supportive attitude some speculated was to tie andersen’s hands in appointing a replacement.
For over three years Andersen has waged a losing effort against a veto proof four member majority on the council of which Blake was a member, along with councilwoman Emily Carter and councilmen Johnny Gorum and Roy Briggs.
While Andersen could pick 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.
Because this is an election year the remaining members of the now veto vulnerable majority might be more amenable to the Mayor’s suggestion simply to appeal to voters and not to appear obstructionists. While Blake is gone incumbent Johnny Gorum is still seeking reelection and Carter is running against Andersen for the mayoral position.
Both Carter and Gorum may be less inclined to put off potential voters by openly opposing his nomination especially if they feel his choice is well liked in the community.
If Blake’s replacement is from those who filed for office, he would have an automatic leg up on the competition come November running as a sitting councilman rather than a simple challenger.