Commission to consider ballot question on brothels

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

The Lyon County Commission is scheduled to consider whether to pace an advisory question on the November ballot to rescind the county’s brothel ordinance and end legalized prostitution in the county.

The item before the Commission, on Thursday’s agenda, is:

18.a. For Possible Action: To provide staff with direction to develop an Advisory question for the 2018 general election asking the voters to determine whether or not Title 5 Chapter 3 should be rescinded in order to end legalized prostitution in Lyon County.

County Manager Jeff Page said this will be an advisory question for the November 2018 election. This question allows voters to decide if they want or don’t want legal brothels in Lyon County.

A petition being circulated by a group of county residents, backed by members of a group called No Little Girl, would place a referendum on the November Ballot either eliminates the brothel ordinance or requires a vote of the people to change the ordinance.

Page said this is problematic in the event the Board of Commissioners needs to change the ordinance to address public health and safety issues. The Board would have to either fund a special election or wait until the next general election.

This issue has been raised since the petition was filed with the Lyon County Clerk on April 4.

Commissioner Bob Hastings requested this item at the May 3 Board of Commissioners meeting to facilitate discussion and action to provide the voters with a better understood question.

Page said if the Board approves this agenda item, staff will begin the process to place an advisory question on the November 2018 ballot. The current County Code regulating brothels can be found at: http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=536. The agenda and supporting material for the May 17, 2018 Board of Commissioners meeting can be found at: http://lyon-county.org/Agendacenter.