City Hall undergoes personnel shakeup

Erin Neff

Monday, Jan. 10, 2000 | 11:27 a.m.

A new year is bringing fresh blood to City Hall's 10th floor, and not just to serve the two new councilmen.

A personnel shuffle is sending some longtime staffers to the private sector, and others are moving on up to different positions.

Most notably, longtime communications staffer Darcy Hayes has decided to become one of Councilman Larry Brown's ward liaisons, while Brown's other staffer, Patrick Smith, has opted to move to the private sector.

"I'm so thrilled," said Hayes, who lives in Brown's Ward 4 and will start her new job today. "It's a wonderful opportunity."

Even as Hayes leaves the communications office, another new public information officer was to start today.

Andrea Reitan, the chief of staff and communications director for Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, has resigned her position to work for the city.

"Unfortunately, city jobs pay more than state jobs," Reitan said.

She will make $55,000 in her new post.

Smith, who has worked for Brown since he took office in 1997, will leave Jan. 31 to become vice president of client services at Terry Murphy's Strategic Solutions.

"It was kind of a bittersweet decision," Smith said. "I hope I can return sometime."

With new Councilmen Lawrence Weekly and Michael Mack taking office last week, newly created positions to fill their staffs have caused a scramble for reassigned spaces in the parking garage at City Hall.

Ward liaison jobs, which start at $36,000 a year, bring employees close to politicians and can serve as a launching pad to public service.

Mack has opted to go outside the building for his liaisons, hiring Planning Commissioner Leni Skaar to serve part time. She has resigned from the Planning Commission but will keep her job as a cocktail waitress. Her part-time city job pays $18,000 a year.

"He'll eventually hire a full-time employee," Rick Anderson, the city's human resources director, said. "He wanted to get a better sense of areas he'll need help in before he takes that step."

Weekly also has tapped the private sector, hiring former Nevada Business Services staffer Ricki Barlow as one of his ward liaisons. Maria Marinch is his other ward liaison.

Each will make $36,000 a year.

Councilman Gary Reese lost one of his ward liaisons when Weekly had to resign that post to become a councilman last week. Reese has interviewed one city staffer who has declined the position.