Silver dollars and wooden nickels for Feb. 15

The Nevada Appeal's Silver Dollar and Wooden Nickel feature recognizes positive achievements from the Capital region and, when warranted, points out others that missed the mark.

Wooden nickel: For the situation involving the Carson City School Board and Trustee Joe Enge, who was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving a few weeks ago. In response to his arrest, board members unanimously called for his resignation at their meeting Tuesday. The board has no power to remove a member, but the vote requested that Enge voluntarily step down.

Enge called the process "inappropriate."

"It's an unprecedented reach by the board into matters private to a trustee," Enge countered.

The latest incident follows a 2005 arrest for suspicion of drunken driving that was eventually dismissed and two earlier DUI convictions from 1997. Under Nevada law, a person must have two DUI convictions within a seven-year period in order for the third offense to be considered a felony.

We disagree that the board took an inappropriate action in rebuking Enge, who is an elected public official on a board that sets policy for the city's school system. Like it or not, the personal conduct of public officials matters to voters.

As one board member said, Enge's recent arrest made the issue public.

Expecting that an elected official behave responsibly and set a good example is not unprecedented or inappropriate. This is even truer for those in a position to directly influence policies regulating student conduct.

Although Enge did not resign, following his recent arrest Enge admitted he has a "problem" and promised to seek treatment. He owes it to those who voted him into office, his board colleagues and, perhaps most importantly, the district's youth to respond to this incident responsibly. The board he is a member of would expect nothing less from a district student or employee.

Silver dollar: To the response, and donations, Carson City resident Don Lamb has received from area residents since an account was established to accept funds to cover the cost of eye surgery.

Lamb, who is losing his eyesight to glaucoma, needs a $5,000 procedure that could save some of the remaining sight in his left eye. So far, people have donated $3,400 and he's hopeful he will get enough money to have the surgery.

The former sports book worker at the Carson Nugget quit his job after Super Bowl Sunday and planned to move out of the area to live with family. However, the outpouring of support has prompted a change.

"I wasn't going to stay here, but I am (now)... that so many people have helped," Lamb said. "There are a lot of different people out there that care. I didn't know that."

- Editor's note: Do you have a suggestion for a Silver Dollar or Wooden Nickel award? Send your idea to editor@nevadaappeal.com