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North Las Vegas acting city attorney resigns
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Jul. 8, 2011 | 8:00 a.m.
Nicholas Vaskov, North Las Vegas' acting city attorney, resigned Thursday, citing the city's "current political environment."
In a three-sentence resignation letter, Vaskov said he could "no longer effectively serve and defend the interests of the city and its citizens" because of that environment.
He declined to comment further when reached at home Thursday evening.
Vaskov began working as a deputy city attorney in North Las Vegas seven years ago and was named acting city attorney in September 2009.
"Nick Vaskov has done a good job of representing the city during these unprecedented times," said Maryann Ustick, acting city manager. "He has been a valuable member of the team."
Vaskov supervised a staff of 19 and was managing several high-profile legal battles on behalf of the struggling city, which in recent years has gone through several rounds of budget cuts, layoffs and often contentious contract concession talks with its employee labor unions.
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Re: “Lawyer,” present company excluded, I honestly believe the vast majority of people in the U.S. would almost assuredly agree that every city everywhere would be significantly better off with fewer attorneys!
Vaskov's problem was that he never sought outside help. He was asked to advise the mayor on all sorts of complicated matters--the City was considering bankruptcy--he should have called Gordon Silver, the BK gurus, instead of trying to understand something as complicated as a municipal BK. He was in way over his head, and should have fired a few deputies and used the money to retain private lawyers for the complex issues of water law, employment, and compliance with federal programs. He failed to do so, instead he kept a large staff of overpaid deputies and NLV'S legal woes simply became worse. I never met the prior CA, I only do creditor BK work, but if half of what is said about her is true, Las Vegas is better off w/out her.
LOL.....the acting city mgr says he did a good job.....what a crock....ya know it is a cow pie when they give the ole "he was a valuable part of the team" accolade....hmmmm lets see he approved the contract for the absentee director who was living in south carolina so the good ole boy could get paid out on his leave banks, he approved and continued to approve the misappropiation of more cops tax funding, the city is embroiled in so much litigation they need their own court, now he suddenly can't work in the "political atmosphere". Yea ok.....
Plastron: I heard the CA before Vaskov (CT) went back East and took a job with Littler Mendelson in Beantown because she "fell in love".
YES, I do believe I was correct when I surmised he was giving the Mayor bad legal advice. In my opinion he was the 'puppet master' for the puppet mayor. That became clear to me when the mayor read the script (most certainly from the CA's office) regarding the misappropriation (I call it "theft") of money from the More Cops Fund. And who was the one doing all the "legalize" when it came to the "executive retirement" program - where under the guise of it they got rid of people that should have been fired? My guess, the CA's office under the direction of the acting CA. My guess that the REAL reason he resigned: BUSTED! And the CA before that, Mayor Buck just really praised her for her job. But three months before she left (to go back East) I was told the City was trying to get rid of her because, and I quote, "She's so stupid." And the mayor at that time informed me, prior to that, that she looked to the CA for legal advice. Who oh WHO is Shari going to have write script for her now. Hmm, maybe the entire CA's office should be "outsourced" to save the city money (along with the entire police department).
Never met the man, but did not envy his position. The City has been taking some crazy positions in court and before the EMRB and getting smeared. I suspect he was being instructed by the powers that be to take these positions, and found that it was better to maintain his integrity and resign rather than continue to have his name associated with idiocy.
Can we say, "rats jumping ship?"
wow, i wonder what is going to happen in nlv. now the nlv police are suing for breach of contract. tsk... tsk.
Jump ship! Everybody off the boat! lol
Henderson's City Attorney should take notes here. When you're in trouble do us all a favor and resign.