Silver Dollar and Wooden Nickel

The Nevada Appeal's regular "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" honors recognize positive achievements from the Capital region and, when warranted, point out others that missed the mark.

Wooden nickel: The developing tug-of-war between the governor and the nominating committee charged with recommending candidates for the open state tourism director's position: This situation may deserve several wooden nickels before the dust settles.

Frustrated by the time the state tourism commission has taken to recommend a replacement for former director Tim Maland, who resigned in September, Gov. Jim Gibbons appointed Kirk Montero as tourism director on Christmas Eve. However, before the wrapping could be removed from that early Christmas present, the attorney general stepped in and notified Gov. Gibbons the appointment violated Nevada statutes, which require that the governor make his choice from a list of three names submitted by the tourism commission.

Despite the governor's frustrations, the commission still is reviewing 67 applications for the director's job. Gibbons, in a pointed letter last week to the commission chairman " who happens to be fellow Republican and current Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki "demanded that Montero be one of the final three recommendations.

Krolicki, on advisement of the assistant attorney general, noted that would require re-opening the entire selection process because Montero didn't submit his application by the deadline. The commission met last week and refused to add Montero, whose application was received 10 days late, to the list of finalists for the $117,000-a-year job. Gibbons claims that Montero's application wasn't late, that one of his staff delivered it "long before the application deadline."

Further compounding this brouhaha is Krolicki's revelation that, at Gibbons' direction, the lieutenant governor, along with both tourism and economic development officials, met Dec. 26 with the budget office to discuss how to combine those two commissions into one and save money by eliminating the tourism director's position.

The state Capitol does not seem to be that big of a building to prevent the state's top two public officials from addressing much of these issues before they bubbled over into the now ongoing, and very public, controversy.

Silver dollar: Similar to this week's "wooden nickel" recognition, multiple silver dollars are due as we note the transition of several Carson City public officials.

- After nearly three decades in state government, Nevada Archivist Guy Rocha announced his retirement effective next month. Guy debunked many historical myths that creeped into popular state lore. He also has staunchly opposed deep cuts into state services, including his own department, that he believes would cause too much harm to state agencies and leave the public without many vital programs and facilities.

- Another outspoken figure, longtime school board member John McKenna, is leaving the district board after 16 years due to term limits. His financial acumen will be missed.

- Last, but certainly not least, the new year marks the end to Carson City Mayor Marv Teixeira's run as the city's top public official. Teixeira just completed his third four-year term, with the last term interrupted by the eight years served by former Mayor Ray Masako. The two faced off four years ago and Teixeira won in a close race.

Teixeira's inimitable style provided a charismatic touch to his three terms in office that, as one might expect, included both controversy and achievements during his 12-year tenure. A roast for "Mayor Marv," hosted by the Carson City Rotary Club, is scheduled Jan. 9 at the Carson Nugget. Call 315-0141 for ticket reservations.

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