The long torturous search for a new West Wendover City Chief Financial officer took two more twists this week with the majority city council opting for a  less qualified local candidate over a more qualified out of state candidate and Mayor Donnie Andersen’s veto of the decision.

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In a special session Tuesday West Wendover Councilmen Emily Carter, Roy Briggs, Johnny Gorum and Bryant Blake voted to offer the CFO position to the local applicant over an out of state candidate, despite the fact that the other applicant for the post was more qualified according to the lone dissenting councilman Ismael Gutierrez.

“I looked at the information everyone else looked at,” Gutierrez said Tuesday. “The local had no experience in public government the other guy did. Not only that but what he did in his current position when faced with budget cuts like our city was and is was praised by everyone there. He was able to fix the budget without any furloughs or layoffs.”

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In an earlier interview Andersen agreed with Gutierrez’ assessment and added that it appeared the majority on the council was going against its reasoning behind searching for the best candidate.

The four councilmen who for the CFO usually vote in lock step with each other and often in opposition to Andersen.

“It made no sense to me then and makes even less sense to me now,” Andersen said early Tuesday morning. “We spent $24,000 with a head hunter group to find a new CFO on a nationwide search, then we upped the salary and then the council votes to hire someone in town with fewer qualifications than the other candidate but at the same high salary. Just what is going on? I know they will override my veto but this is ridiculous. I don’t think they realize how bad this looks.”

The most recent clash was over the decision to increase the salary offered for the CFO’s position, a vote Andersen also vetoed and was overridden this August.

The same majority of the West Wendover City Council overrode 4-1 Mayor Donnie Andersen’s veto and perhaps more importantly disregarded appeals from the city employees union to increase the starting pay of the now vacant Chief Financial officer position by 15 percent in an emergency meeting Tuesday

According to city records the previous CFO, Sondra Schmidt, had been making about $90,000 a year in salary and benefits. When faced with a 10 to 15 pay cut earlier this year, Schmidt resigned and took a post as the Chief Financial Officer for Humboldt County in Winnemucca.

Shortly after she left, the West Wendover city council approved spending $24,000 to a professional employment search agency to recruit her replacement.

Representatives from both the City Employees’ Union and the Policemen’s Union argued strenuously against the raise. Union reps told the council that the raise was grossly unfair considering the fact that the entire West Wendover workforce was forced to take a 10 to 15 percent pay cut just last month.

While it was almost a foregone conclusion that the council would override the Mayor’s veto the confrontation between the majority council and the city employees was a first.

Until the August showdown the city employees unions and the majority on the council were allies in local politics. In last year’s election city employee support was crucial to the reelection of Emily Carter and Roy Briggs who make up half of the veto proof majority along with Johnny Gorum and Bryant Blake.

Six months after the election when faced with the choice of either raising taxes or cutting salaries the council chose the pay cuts without any tax hike.

A reason for the total reliance on pay cuts could have been because of the influence of the Peppermill Corporation who employs three of the four veto proof majority; Carter, Briggs and Gorum.

Allegations of cronyism could even increase, the newly hired yet vetoed CFO is said to be another employee of the Peppermill Corporation or its sister property the Montego Bay.

13 thoughts on “BREAKING NEWS: West Wendover Mayor Explains Veto, Council Choice Not Most Qualified”
  1. Should this paper also be talking about the alleged scandal involving Bryant Blake and the teacher? let’s talk about the family values of these crooked politicians.

  2. I would venture to guess that “Anonymous” must have some far deeper issues with Mr. Blake! IF there is some kind of “scandal” going on, as “Anonymous” suggests, perhaps he/she would be better served by taking are of it personally, instead of trying to tarnish the reputation of a dang good teacher! Unless you have PROOF he is doing something illegal that may harm a child he comes in contact with or his performance as a city councilman, accusing a man of a scandal just to make yourself look good or feel better is ABSOLUTELY UNCALLED FOR!

  3. I agree with Lucca what has Mr. Blake done that is illegal, then say so.

    But on the other hand I find it funny that no one ever says anything about our grand mayor.
    I ask has anyone else see our mayor out at the bars (especially the same two establishment)? ANd yet he and his friends never seem to pay a dime for their drinks. They tip the waitresses but that’s all.

    And last time I checked that is illegal to accept those kinds of gratuities.

    Go Figure!

  4. What does any of these comments have to do with the above article? Stop trying to turn the focus from the issues to the drama!!!!

  5. Last I checked, Donnie has always gone to bars far before he was mayor (I would know), Wendover voted him in so if you dont like it dont vote for him next time, and finally im pretty sure youve broken laws too, I have. im sure everyone in your family has, im sure you think higher of someone whos done worse then go to a bar and drink with friends he’s had before he was the mayor. and I agree with his Veto, why the hell does the council want to higher some local for the same amount of salary as someone who does this for a living and has experience? sounds corrupted if you ask me. Wendover is controlled by the casinos not the people.

  6. To Lucca- Bryant Blake is harming these children with what he is going/ has done, he is supposed to be a role modle right?

    To Beavis- This whole thing about the Mayor getting drinks for free is getting really old, it has been talked about before. He got them for free before he was mayor also like PVT Smith said. People know this. Its called comped, and he doesn’t always just go to the two establishments that you suggested, he goes to the other 3 as well. You go into great details in your comment, almost as if you are sitting at the same table as the mayor, hmmmm interesting.

    Now for the issue- Why raise the sallery of the CFO posistion to just hire someone under qualified?
    Why pay this company $24,000 to find us someone for this position and turn around to hire someone local and under qualified?
    Why spit on the mayor when he suggested training the girls, already working in the office for the position and then turn around and hire someone that has absolutly no experience and now these girls will have to train her.

    THESE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS PEOPLE, BEING WAISTED BY THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KEEP VOTING BACK INTO CITY COUNCIL. OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!

  7. This is hilarious!!!!!!

    We have too people railroading against politicians!!!

    We have Emily C and Anonymous throwing Blake under the bus for something that sounds like a rumor since no one can be really sure, that’s how rumors work. Also if he was really doing something illegal wouldn’t he have been arrested? THIS TOWN IS ONE BIG RUMOR MILL, so either put up or shut up.

    As for Beavis (also like Butthead chiming in, made me chuckle) I agree with Smith you knew what you were getting and the people voted him in despite this fact. As for getting comped drinks, who really cares.

    The mayor is who he is and is trying to make the best decisions that he feels is right for the town. As I am sure the council is doing the sane. Just because two sides disagree doesn’t mean they don’t have honorable intentions, that’s just politics.
    I am glad we have differing opinions, we have the mayor and one council member on on side and the rest of the council on the other side.

    Like PVT SMITH alluded to, if you don’t like it vote them out.

    If you don’t like the mayors and and the other council members politics, then DON’t VOTE for them.

    If you don’t like the gang of 4, then DON’T VOTE for them.

    THAT’S POLITICS!!!!!

    and to those who are taking shots a people online anonymously, why don’t you man up and say it to their face. That’s right because your talking about rumors and stuff people really don’t care about.

    Stick to the issue, what are your thoughts about the pending issue.

    My thing is we have the logic as to why they were against the CFO selection, but no mention as to why they selected who they did.

    I think it’s kind of hard as a citizen to make an informed decision about this issue because only one side had been presented. Remember there is always two sides of a coin. We heard one side, the side of Gutierrez and the mayor, but we didn’t hear the other side. How come they are never interviewed? Just curious

    Those are my thoughts

  8. I agree completly Lol, love your name by the way, and I also agree with Emily C. If you dont like how things are going take it within yor power and your responsbility as a civilain to change it. By the people for the people right? If you let it be crap, it’ll be crap for you.

  9. If Mr. Blake has done something illegal, then lay it on the table, instead of following the rumor mill…call the cops…have him investigated! Until then, leave the man alone! Mr. Blake is a role model and great teacher…if he is doing something to harm the children he comes in contact with, come out with it! His personal life is that…personal! I am sure none of you have the PERFECT life and there are people who can point out and list faults of yours! Besides, what in the heck does any of this have to do with who is being hired! It is just an ignorant shot at Mr. Blake by someone who obviously has PERSONAL issues with him, but does not have the guts to confront him or, if he has truly done something wrong, the guts to turn him in!

  10. The FACT of the matter is, if you don’t like what is going on show up for the meeting and support your thought and opinions. The problem with Wendover is it is ran by the casino’s not the people. I don’t care who you vote or don’t vote in as long as they have their clutches it’s there way.

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