Thursday, August 21, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Council OKs giving portion of alley to lawyer despite Moncrief's objections

The Las Vegas City Council approved giving about 500 square feet of a downtown alleyway to a politically connected attorney Wednesday, over the objections of freshman Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, who represents the area.

Voting 5-2, with Moncrief and Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald dissenting, the council approved deeding to attorney John Moran Jr. the city's half of an alley, which runs along the back of Moran's law office on Fourth Street at Garces Avenue.

The agreement to deed the land to Moran originally was worked out when the city decided to vacate the alley in order to build a high-rise parking garage next door.

The city abandoned the plan for a garage in April. But Moran continued to seek the city's half of the vacated alley because, he said, without it he would be unable to enter and exit his parking lot. The 25-year-old building lost its street parking when the city made Fourth Street a one-way thoroughfare.

Though a seemingly mundane item, the proposal had in recent days drawn the attention of columnists, who saw it as an early test of Moncrief's political savvy, and activists, who said it was a giveaway to an influential attorney.

An automated phone bank dialed thousands of residents on Monday and Tuesday, alerting them to the proposal and encouraging them to voice their opposition at Wednesday's meeting. Only former City Council candidate Peter "Chris" Christoff attempted to, though he didn't get the chance.

As the mercurial political gadfly rose to speak, Mayor Oscar Goodman indicated he would grant a few minutes for his comments despite the item not being open to public hearing.

Christoff said he represented the taxpayers, prompting the mayor to have marshals remove Christoff from council chambers.

As Christoff was escorted out the mayor added, "I don't want you calling my office pretending you're some kind of Oriental person."

Christoff responded, "You're a shyster lawyer; you're a phony shyster."

"Go ahead and kiss his ass," Christoff added, referring to Moran.

Heated comments also occurred between Moran, a supporter of former Councilman Michael McDonald, and Moncrief, who unseated McDonald two months ago.

Moncrief argued Las Vegas shouldn't surrender the property because the city, since scuttling the parking garage project, was still uncertain of its plan for the parcel. She was also concerned taxpayers would bear the cost of relocating utilities that run beneath the alley when the city decides to build.

She also said she thought it was wrong for the city to give away land, which she valued at $57 per square foot based on two other city land sales downtown.

"If the land has no value, I'd like staff to find other land and my constituents can come pick up their free pieces of land," she said.

Moran said Moncrief's comparison was invalid because she was comparing an alley with property that fronted on Fourth Street and had tenants. He added that developers are typically responsible for paying to relocate utilities.

"I don't know who prepared Janet's speech," he said.

Later, directing himself to the councilwoman he added, "I'm not going to get in the gutter, you have too much experience down there."

Moran told the council he doesn't intend to build on the property. "I need it to get in and out of my parking lot."

The attorney said he plans to wall in the area to protect his property from future development on the city's land and from people who "come down the alley and break into cars."

Members of the council who supported deeding the property to Moran cited the city's initial agreements with him and their desire to encourage business to stay downtown.

Councilman Michael Mack compared the situation to other concessions given to downtown developers.

Goodman said Moran had "put his money where his heart is" in keeping his office downtown.

"That's what redevelopment is all about," the mayor said.