NLV assistant city manager promoted

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

Kurt Fritsch, assistant city manager in North Las Vegas for the last four months, has been appointed to fill the position being vacated by City Manager Pat Importuna in July.

Fritsch was chosen from five applicants, both from in-state and out-of-state, Mayor Michael Montandon said Wednesday.

Although Importuna's last official day will be July 11, he will leave the city starting May 18 and use accrued vacation time and sick leave. Fritsch will take over the position July 11.

Montandon said that since Importuna's announcement, Fritsch has had a "chance to shine," taking over Importuna's role during recent council meetings.

The search for a new city manager was not without its debate. In March a majority of council members agreed that the best way to conduct a search would be to establish an outside committee to review the applications and make recommendations.

But after confusion over how the proposed committee would operate and whether it would intimidate applicants, the council decided at its March 15 meeting to designate the mayor and City Attorney Sean McGowan to take over the selection process and make a recommendation to the council.

The council agreed that a change was needed from the "head-hunter" approach of a national search. In 1998 the city spent $20,000 to recruit a city manager, only to hire Importuna, who was already deputy city manager.

"This was a much quicker process," Montandon said. "It gave the council the opportunity to get more involved."

The appointment is subject to final contract negotiations.

Fritsch served as the deputy director of the Colorado River Commission in Las Vegas in 1998 until he went to work for North Las Vegas.

Diana Sahagun covers North Las Vegas for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2320 or by e-mail at diana@lasvegassun.com