City names new auditor

Erin Neff

Tuesday, April 18, 2000 | 11:09 a.m.

The lengthy search for a Las Vegas city auditor should end tomorrow when the City Council agrees to offer the position to a proven municipal watchdog from Shreveport, La.

The Audit Oversight Committee this morning voted to offer the job to Radford K. Snelding over acting city auditor Philip Cheng.

"Perhaps a tougher attitude has to come into City Hall than has been exhibited by Mr. Cheng," Mayor Oscar Goodman said.

Cheng has served as acting city auditor since the March 1998 firing of City Auditor Susan Toohey.

Toohey, who was fired without explanation, has a scheduled court date in July related to her $4.8 million wrongful termination suit against the city.

Snelding is a certified public accountant and certified internal auditor. He was selected by three of the five-member committee.

City Councilman Michael McDonald and former City Councilman Scott Higginson did not attend this morning's meeting. McDonald favored Cheng for the position, and Higginson reportedly had no preference.

"I think the thing we have with Mr. Snelding is the CPA and nine additional years (more than Cheng) of supervisory experience," said committee chairman William Martin, chief executive of Nevada State Bank.

Snelding has served as Shreveport auditor since 1991 and even had cause to testify in court against one of the city councilman there. He also has been an accounting supervisor and auditor for Wichita, Kan., public schools.

"I think that you've been a fine public servant," Goodman told Cheng immediately after the committee voted to recommend Snelding to the full council. "I just think there's a different emphasis on what we're doing in City Hall."