Askew emerging as pick for new county manager

Jeff Schweers

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A former assistant county manager who took a job in the private sector six months ago has emerged as the front-runner to replace departing County Manager Pat Shalmy.

Dale Askew, who left after 12 years in the county's second-highest job, has the leading edge over Randy Walker, the former finance director who moved into Askew's job when he went to work for Mercy Ambulance.

Three commissioners support Askew, with a fourth leaning toward him, while two other commissioners who at one point supported Askew are now pushing Walker.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there's going to be a unanimous decision on anyone," said Commissioner Mary Kincaid, who will cast the swing vote and whose delayed decision has brought a lot of pressure on her from the Walker camp.

Kincaid said she wanted to have a weekend in peace to think it over before making a decision this week, but was leaning toward Askew because Walker told her he really doesn't want the job and wants to return to McCarran International Airport.

"It's difficult to convince me that he wants the job, when I have heard him say so many times he doesn't want the job," Kincaid said. "He'd be the logical choice to replace Bob Broadbent as director of aviation."

While it has been rumored for months that the retirement of Broadbent, 71, is imminent, he has not formally declared his intent. He has acknowledged, however, inquiring about his retirement benefits.

Askew said he views his candidacy seriously and said he would accept an appointment.

After running the nation's fastest-growing county for almost 13 years, Shalmy decided to step down and let a new board choose a new manager.

The board has since split into two camps over Shalmy's replacement. Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Commissioners Myrna Williams and Lance Malone support Askew.

Commissioners Bruce Woodbury, Erin Kenny and Lorraine Hunt, who lost her bid for chairmanship to Gates, are pushing for Walker -- who was brought over from the airport by Shalmy a year ago to replace Guy Hobbs as finance director. Hobbs was forced out because he had advocated more controls over the county's professional services contracts, especially for bond underwriters.

Hunt and Woodbury have grumbled that Shalmy was forced out by Gates so she could micromanage the county government.

Gates scoffed at such accusations.

"I'm not interested in running the day-to-day operation," Gates said. "I don't have the time, I'm not paid enough and it's not what we want to do."

Clark County runs under a council-management form of government, where an elected board sets policy and a hired manager runs the daily operations. Under that arrangement, Shalmy gained a strong hand by aligning himself with former Commissioners Jay Bingham, Paul Christensen and Thalia Dondero, as well as Woodbury, Hunt and Kenny.

Shalmy is still exerting what influence he can over the board, advising several commissioners on their choice for manager.

"I'm not being an advocate or anything else," Shalmy said. "If a commissioner asks me about it, I talk to them. Mary has talked to me about all the candidates; Lorraine, Erin and Bruce have sought my advice."

Askew emerged as a compromise between Hobbs, who was the first choice of Gates and Williams, and Henderson City Manager Phil Speight, Woodbury's candidate. At one point, at least six commissioners said they could support Askew as manager but Woodbury and Hunt began to worry that Askew's appointment would trigger the departure of several members of Shalmy's management team.

"There is some concern if Dale is appointed some of that fallout might occur," Shalmy said.

The few top Shalmy loyalists rumored to be on their way out have said they aren't planning to go anywhere, no matter who is ultimately appointed.

"I don't have the sense that Dale's appointment would cause a panic," Kincaid said. "I heard from Pat and everyone that the county team is committed to good government and loyal to the county."

Williams said whether people leave should not even be a consideration in choosing the next county manager.

"Frankly, if someone's allegiance is going to be to one person and not this organization or the county and they feel they have to leave because of that, I guess they have to leave," Williams said.

Askew said if he is selected, he would plan to sit down individually with managers and discuss whether they have a problem with him. "If they did, then we would have to work out some other arrangement," Askew said.

Both candidates have deep community roots and years of experience in government finances.

Walker has served at several governmental levels, including the city of Las Vegas, Metro Police and McCarran. He also has shown himself to be a quick study as the county's finance director and assistant county manager, commissioners said.

But Walker also has the perception of being tied to a strong political alliance that has run the county for decades.

Askew has the institutional knowledge and experience to hit the ground running, as well as a respect at the Legislature he forged from years running the county's lobbying team.

Significantly for Gates and Williams, Askew also has a reputation for being independent of any political ties and fair to all commissioners.

"Dale has always been apolitical," Williams said. "I couldn't tell you what his politics are. He just does his job and takes care of business."