Mike Clark Soothsayer?

Yes, Mike Clark can predict the future, he just proved it when Picon took a look at Appointed Commissioner Clara Andriola’s latest Nevada Secretary of State Contribution and Expense Report, filed on April 15, 2024, it shows an ‘In Kind’ donation from Lamar Companies of $6,843.75 for a digital billboard. Plus, Andriola spent an additional $14,895.50 to buy more billboard advertising from Lamar. What is Andriola running for Governor?

Back on December 12, 2023, the Washoe County Commissioners had Lamar Companies as Agenda Item 12. A billboard lease had expired, and Lamar Companies was asking Washoe County for a new lease. Lamar was asking for a 36-month term, with an option to renew for an additional 24-months and will pay Washoe County $1,750.00 per month - $21,000 annually.

This is an existing billboard in the city of Reno, on county owned property, the billboard is a legal non-conforming sign, the lease was originally between Lamar and a private property owner. The City of Reno purchased that property and was assigned the lease, and subsequently that property was transferred from the City of Reno to Washoe County – this billboard is on the property known as Nevada Cares Campus.

Clark read off a list of elected officials who have accepted “In Kind” contributions from Lamar, Neoma Jardon, Stavros Anthony, Hillary Schieve, and Devon Reese. He questioned with the upcoming 2024 elections if either of the two commissioners would be buying billboards from Lamar.

Scenic Nevada sent a letter on November 27, 2023, asking Washoe County to deny the staff recommendation for a billboard lease on the county owned land. There was a first reading of this lease at the November 28, 2023, commission meeting and then was brought back on December 12, 2023. Commissioner Mike Clark went on the record he had never seen an agenda item returned to quickly to the agenda.

Scenic Nevada wrote, “We hope you uphold the twenty plus years of prohibiting billboards in Washoe County and respect the wishes of county residents, including in Reno where almost 60% of the registered voters banned new billboard construction and new permits.”

Commissioner Andriola hung her hat on a ‘yes’ vote in support of the revenue, the annual $21,000 that Lamar Companies will be paying annually to Washoe County. Scenic Nevada made a comment in their letter that the lease income is “$21,000 a year is a drop in the county’s revenue bucket.” 

We certainly understand her expense buying billboards, but Picon questions the “In Kind” on Andriola’s C&E report. Her pal Commissioner Mariluz Garcia spent $9,922 on 7/22/2022 with Larmar for advertising, but there was no “In Kind” listed.

Andriola’s acceptance of an “In-Kind” donation after her vote in December to grant Lamar the billboard lease is at the very least tacky.

Mike Clark was the only no vote and said on the dais, “Nay, I stand with Scenic Nevada.”