Jim Seebock named Henderson mayor pro-tem amid state ethics violation

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Henderson City Council named Jim Seebock its mayor pro-tem Tuesday in a 4-1 vote, even as the Ward 1 councilman faces a state ethics violation for appearing in campaign material wearing his police uniform.

The mayor pro-tem stands in for the sitting mayor, currently Michelle Romero, when she cannot attend council meetings, recuses herself from an agenda item, or is otherwise unable to tend to official business.

It is a position of power some critics who spoke at the meeting said is unbecoming of Seebock because of the ethics investigation, especially in light of the “Exceptional Governance Policy & Protocol” the council recently adopted. That protocol requires the council to be “above reproach” in both its official conduct and private affairs.

Seebock, who retired in July 2023 as a deputy sheriff and 30-year-veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, joined the council a few months prior after winning the city’s first-ever special election.

Last June, the Nevada Commission on Ethics unanimously concluded that the facts surrounding the allegations that Seebock improperly used campaign material with his picture were “sufficient cause” to render an opinion after an investigation. No date is set for a hearing in Seebock’s case.

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“I don’t think that promoting someone that has a current ethics complaint that’s out there is good policy,” Lisa Mayo-Deriso, a resident of Ward 2, said. at public comment.

Jeff Crampton, another Henderson resident who is openly critical of the council also spoke at public comment.

“Elevating his position on the council by appointing him mayor pro-tem under these circumstances is unjustifiable and far from exceptional,” Crampton said, pointing to Henderson’s newly adopted governance protocol.

Similarly, Don Gibson of Henderson criticized the council and the governance protocol.

“If there’s integrity behind the self-governance policy and those that sit on this council, agenda item 31 will be voted down unanimously,” Gibson said prior to the council’s vote on the matter.

After the brief but scathing public comment session, Romero asked the city’s attorney, Nicholas Vaskov, whether he had “concerns” related to Seebok’s being named mayor pro-tem. He did not.

“There’s nothing that would disqualify anybody from being mayor pro-tem whether they’re under investigation for an ethics violation or whether they’ve even committed one,” Vaskov said, explaining that it was within the council’s discretion to vote on the topic.

An email to Seebock seeking comment or an on-camera interview went unanswered as of the publishing of this article. Seebok asked during the hearing whether he should vote on the matter or abstain from doing so.

“You’re absolutely allowed to vote on this,” Vaskov answered. “In fact, it is your duty to vote on this, all of you, no matter who the nominee is.”

As currently constituted, the council uses a numerical approach to naming the mayor pro-tem. For instance, Seebock, in Ward 1, replaces Councilman Dan Shaw in Ward 4. And when the next mayor pro-tem is discussed, the Ward 2 councilperson would be considered.

That Ward 2 seat is currently occupied by Dan Shaw. Shaw has been sued four times in recent years amidst allegations that his payday loan company, Green Arrow Solutions, hides behind a federal tribe to avoid predatory lending statutes.

Carrie Cox, the councilwoman from Ward 3, says the numerical rotation would exclude her from being able to serve as mayor pro-tem.

“It’s nobody’s fault, the way the rotation is,” Cox said at the hearing. “I’m just saying the way it is rotating, I would suggest it is going to have a strong possibility putting me at a disadvantage.” Cox was the council’s one “no” vote in Tuesday’s selection of Seebock as mayor pro-tem.

A spokeswoman from the city sent a statement in response to the 8 News Now Investigator’s questions about the city’s process in selecting a mayor pro-tem and Seebock in particular.

“The Councilmember designated as Mayor Pro Tempore rotates numerically by Ward to ensure that each Councilmember serves at least once during his or her four-year term,” the statement said. “The Mayor Pro Tempore term from March 5, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, is scheduled for the Councilmember representing Ward I. A full schedule is available in the backup documentation of the agenda item, found here.”

With regard to the investigation into Seebok’s ethics investigation, the statement said:

“The City of Henderson does not comment on Councilmembers’ private or personal business matters.”

The city gave a similar statement in previous requests for interviews regarding Shaw’s federal predatory lending lawsuits, most of which have been settled out of court.

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