Letter: Special interest groups desperately trying to protect their pot of gold

This letter is in response to the letter written by Property Manager Kevin Kjer. Mr. Kjer has been making a substantial sum of money renting homes in purely residential neighborhoods to people who don’t care about the community, abuse their neighbors, and regularly trespass on neighbors’ land and HOA’s docks and beaches.

Mr. Kjer is part of the wealthy and powerful who put money over the health, safety, and quiet enjoyment of a person’s home. He is a Vacation Home Rental (VHR) property manager, who has joined other property managers, realtors, casino owners, and VHR homeowners who will say and do anything to keep their pot of gold.

Mr. Kjer has continually lied to the public. Contrary to his assertions, there have been many complaints about his renters. Nine residents of Glenbrook sent emails to the Board of County Commissioners before our last meeting outlining the violations. In fact, one of the homes Mr. Kjer rents sits on a cliff with no beach or dock access. As a result, his renters regularly trespass on neighbors’ land and illegally use the private docks and beaches.

Mr. Kjer asserts that the people complaining about his renters are only part-time residents of Glenbrook, as if that precludes them from enjoying the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their home. Nevertheless, EVERY client of Mr. Kjer’s is a part-time owner or a pure investor. They want to make a small fortune when they don’t live there.

I am against VHRs in residential neighborhoods that are not near tourist attractions. For three years, I made the commonsense proposal to allocate most of the VHRs next to the casino and ski resort corridor. The homeowners in these areas were aware of the transient activity when they bought their homes. As you move further away from the ski resorts and casinos, and away from most public beaches, restaurants, and hotels, VHRs would be banned. In between, VHRs would be limited based on the health, safety, and fire considerations as analyzed by the VHR Director.

Two years ago, I requested my proposal to be placed on the Board's agenda as provided for in the Board’s Norms and Procedures. In violation of the Board's procedures, Chairman Gardner and County Manager Cates refused to put it on the agenda until a pro-VHR board member was replaced with an anti-VHR board member. If this action was not illegal, it certainly was unethical, and should shock and outrage everyone.

Instead of quitting, or throwing a tantrum like Mr. Kjer, I looked at every opportunity to get my proposal on the agenda and for it to be successful. I shared this information with a concerned and affected constituent and homeowner in Glenbrook.

This is what a commissioner should do. Stand up and fight against special interest groups trying to make a fortune at the expense of people who have no voice or power. I am a fighter. I don’t give up. I win some and lose some, but I am proud of my actions.

Last year, the first two parts of my proposal passed the Board and are now part of the Ordinance. The first part substantially increased the number of VHRs. The second part eliminated 13 VHRs. Mr. Kjer and his cohorts never complained about the proposal that increased VHRs but now claim nefarious conduct for the part that reduces them. What is their true motivation?

- Commissioner Danny Tarkanian