Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Panel confirms violation by March
But Henderson mayor given light punishment
Henderson Mayor Debra March violated Nevada law, but the ethics commission is giving her a slap on the wrist that could expunge the finding.
The three-member Commission on Ethics unanimously found “sufficient credible evidence” that March didn’t disclose her relationship with the Henderson Community Foundation during City Council votes related to the foundation.
March will be given training as punishment.
Commission Executive Director Yvonne Nevarez-Goodson and March will propose a training plan to the panel for approval. If March declines to enter into the agreement, the commission may conduct a hearing to determine other “corrective action.”
In a statement Thursday, March said, “The commission has dismissed one of the two allegations against me and is offering to dismiss the second one without a finding that I violated any part of the state ethics code.”
March said she will work with the commission on ethics training.
The unanimous decision comes almost five months after the ethics complaint was filed by former Henderson City Council candidate Thomas Wagner.
“It’s nice to see the board take action against this behavior and hopefully she will think about her actions when things come in front of her,” Wagner said in a text message.
The panel dismissed the allegation that March was required to abstain from voting. It also dismissed the complaint against Councilwoman Gerri Schroder regarding her ties with the foundation.
Campaign finance records show that Schroder’s campaign donated more than $7,500 to the Henderson Community Foundation, while March’s campaign donated $1,650.