Latest movement to oust Askew fizzles fast

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Nov. 5, 1999 | 11:21 a.m.

Less than three months after a failed attempt to oust Clark County Manager Dale Askew, talk of renewing the effort spread through the sixth floor of the Government Center last week, county sources said.

This time, however, the rumblings were quickly extinguished.

Commissioner Lance Malone admitted that he heard last week second-hand discussions about reviving a coup attempt first launched last summer by board members Erin Kenny and Dario Herrera.

But Malone, who was reluctant to discuss the issue, said he ignored the overtures.

Malone said he doesn't know who started the talk about putting pressure on Askew to resign. And while board chairman Bruce Woodbury didn't deny there were further discussions in the commissioners' office, he said he had not personally been contacted by anyone.

"I don't know how far it got," Woodbury said. "My impression is there is nothing happening in that regard."

Woodbury scheduled meetings between the disgruntled commissioners and Askew last August after Kenny and Herrera publicly announced their displeasure with the county manager. Askew was on vacation at the time.

The two commissioners had complained that Askew lacks the energy and innovation to lead the county. Herrera also said Askew is a poor communicator.

But Woodbury said Thursday that since the series of talks last summer, communication between board members and administrators had improved. He added that rifts don't fade away immediately.

"Any county manager is going to face that sort of thing," Woodbury said. "If anything happens on a specific issue and a particular commissioner didn't hear about it ahead of time, immediately the county manager is on the spot."

Woodbury, as he did during the last attempted coup, proclaimed his support for the man who has been a county administrator for nearly 15 years.

Herrera said Thursday that he was not involved in the most recent discussions about Askew. He said he made his feelings toward the county manager public last summer, the two have worked on improving their relationship.

"My opinions and feelings about Dale's leadership are very well established," Herrera said. "We've been able to work together productively to start addressing some of the issues I was concerned about."

Askew was surprised the topic would come up again so soon after the last attempt because he has been making an effort to work closely with the commissioners.

"From time to time it may be talked about again," Askew said. "But I think I still enjoy the support of at least five commissioners."

Askew said there is no reason to want him out -- the county's bond rating was improved by two firms and the county just approved its first long-range park master plan.

"Things are improving and on the move," he said. "I feel pretty good about the way things are going. If this is going on again, I'd be surprised."