Tribune file/Debra Reid - The state ethics committee has eliminated Sparks City Councilman Mike Carrigan from future council votes on the Lazy 8 Casino project proposed for Spanish Springs.
Carrigan was issued a verbal opinion from the Nevada Commission on Ethics in April, telling him that his potential ethical conflicts were too much for the commission’s tastes. Fellow councilman Phil Salerno was issued a matching verbal opinion shortly before Carrigan’s. According to the commission, both men are barred from voting on the Lazy 8 project.
Carrigan filed suit over the commission’s April decision on June 26. His suit says that the councilman is not satisfied with the commission’s opinion and that he wants further explanation as well as the ability to vote on Lazy 8.
On Wednesday, the commission put its April verbal opinion into writing, formally stating that their minds had not changed on the issue.
As of Thursday, the court had not issued an opinion. According to Adriana Fralick, general counsel for the ethics commission, the court releases its opinions on Thursdays, meaning Carrigan might have to wait another week for final word.
If the court decides to side with the ethics commission, the final city of Sparks vote on Lazy 8 will be decided by three council members.
In a May 11 vote on a land use change for the proposed casino in Spanish Springs, the council approved the project 2-1, with Councilwoman Julia Ratti casting the lone no vote.
Both Carrigan and Salerno abstained from voting at that meeting because of the ethics commission’s rulings.
Carrigan’s ethical dilemma, according to the commission’s ruling, is a product of his relationship with Carlos Vasquez. Vasquez works for Red Hawk Land Co., the Lazy 8 casino’s developer. Vasquez is also Carrigan’s close friend and managed the councilman’s most recent reelection campaign.
Carrigan argues that he should be able to vote on the project because Vasquez is no longer doing work on the Lazy 8 casino project. Carrigan also argues in the suit that since he is not currently running for reelection his business relationship with Vasquez has disappeared.
Salerno’s ethics commission dilemma, however, is tied to his permanent business.
In July 2008, Salerno was slapped with a $5,000 fine from the commission for voting on the Lazy 8 project without disclosing that he did business with one of the project’s biggest opponents, John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
Salerno is the owner of Nevada Printing and Forms, which received more than 12 percent of its business from John Ascuaga’s Nugget over the past eight years. The Nugget is in the midst of a court battle with the developer of Lazy 8, Red Hawk Land Co., fighting the proposed casino.
The court was asked in Carrigan’s suit to deliver their ruling before the council’s July 27 meeting.
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