Las Vegas City Commission Minutes, November 20, 1957 to December 2, 1959, lvc000011-408

Commissioner Sharp asked Mrs. Mormon if, when this notice was served she threatened the Child Welfare Officer, Mrs. Schnaer, and she replied that she did not. At this point Mayor Baker asked Mrs. Mormon if she had any other statement to make and she replied only that what she had said was the truth and that she operated her establishment to the best of her ability. Then His Honor asked the Chairman of the Child Welfare Board to make a statement. Jack Pursel; Chairman of the Child Welfare Board, stated that he would like to defer to Mrs. Schnaer; Child Welfare Officer, on this matter and, when asked, replied that he was informed in this case as various reports had been brought to the attention of their Board. Mayor Baker asked him as Chairman of the Child Welfare Board as to whether or not in investigating child welfare nurseries there had been any conflict or objections to compliance with City Ordinance governing child welfare nurseries and if this was a case where there had been a lack of compliance with the ordinance or the administration of his board as indicted or a lack of appreciation of what this board is trying to do in providing working parents with competent nurseries to care for their children while they are working. Mr. Pursel replied that there have been other instances of violations from time to time in nurseries in this community but that in general they are rare and cooperation on the part of the operator when a violation is noted and suggestion is made has been to comply fully. He added that in this particular case, on the basis of evidence brought before the Board, it appears certain violations have been made as outlined in report before the Board of City Commissioners. He concluded that that was about all he could say about the situation other than notice was served on Mrs. Mormon to prevent further spread of a contagious disease and also this show cause hearing was being held so that these matters might be straightened out. Mayor Baker asked that as far as Mr. Pursel knew and from the Child Welfare Board's observance that there had been nafcase in which operators involved have refused to go along with in­structions and in most cases did not fail to comply with the suggestions of the Board. Mr. Pursel replied that the Board's interest is to protect the children and see that City Ordinance and regulations are complied with. The Mayor asked if the same regulations apply to all nurseries and Mr. Pursel replied they are equal as far as they are able to make it. Jeane Boman, member of the Child Welfare Board spoke stating that she was present with Mrs. Terrell Evans, another Board member and the Child Welfare Officer on March 30, 1959 at the Las Vegas Children's Nursery when it was suggested that the child with the chicken pox be removed from the nursery as she was in a stage of contagion, and that Mrs. Mormon said she had been informed by Dr. Ryan that the child was not in a stage of contagion. Also that they had observed a child under the age of 2 years, that there were cases of no records or incomplete records, and that Debbie Quam was being taken back and forth from Happy House. She added that they do feel that Mrs. Mormon had been uncooperative with their Board. Commissioner Whipple repeated this information that three of our representatives had gone to the nursery and asked Mrs. Mormon about this child and that she stated that she had contacted Dr. Ryan and he informed her once the scabs appeared the chicken pox was no longer contagious. At this time Mrs. Terrell Evans, member of the Child Welfare Board, spoke substantiating Mrs. Boman's statement. Diane Schnaer, Child Welfare Officer also confirmed that these were the statements made by Mrs. Mormon. Mrs. Mormon spoke stating that this was a misunderstanding of what she had said and that her statement was that her doctor had told her that the contagious stage is two days before the child breaks out and after that she had said Br. Ryan was the child's doctor. She stated that she had contacted no doctor in this particular case. Mrs. Glenn Anderson presented her child from the audience and asked if this was the child in question who was supposedly under 2 years of age. Hettie Winterman stated from the audience that she has a 9 year old son that goes to Mrs. Mormon's nursery school and that he is very small for his age and that these ladies had stated that he was under two years of age. Mrs. Audry Strange spoke informing the Board that she was Connie Mormon's housekeeper and had been employed by her since the second week in January and that she was on duty when Diane Schnaer and the doctor she had with her (Dr. George, member of the Child Welfare Board) visited the nursery in regard to their statement that this child was being transported back and forth and she could transport the germs, she said that the child had not been out of the isolation room and that Diane knew she had made this statement. Mrs. Evans pointed out that when they made their visit to Happy House the girl on duty told them that Vicky and Debbie were being brought there every night. His Honor Mayor Baker stated that it is the inclination of the Commission to give primary consideration to the recommendation of the Child Welfare Board and the Child Welfare Officer whom this Commission has appointed. He stated that the prime purpose of these people is to provide proper nursery schools for working parents add any discrimination or arbitrary tactics by any operator is a serious matter and if Mrs. Mormon had not violated the rules or had not been uncooperative with the Child Welfare Board that she would not be appearing at this show cause hearing. He stated that he thought it was a matter of Mrs. Mormon getting along with all governing agencies, and that if she felt that she was being persecuted and not being treated the same as anyone else, that is what the remarks should be confined to. Commissioner Fountain asked Mrs. Mormon if she did feel that she was being persecuted and she answered that she did not. Commissioner Fountain stated that the statement from the three ladies of the Child Welfare conflict with Mrs. Mormon's statement regarding the transporting of these children. Mrs. Mormon stated that they were being transported back and forth to Happy House but that no children were being kept there other than Debbie and Vicky, and that they were being transported back and forth prior to the time they were ill. Commissioner Fountain stated that in view of Mrs. Mormon's attitude toward the Child Welfare Board he wondered what her attitude might be toward the children she takes care of in her nurseries. Mrs. Mormon replied that her children could speak for themselves when they gave her their good-morning and good-night kisses. 4-15-59