Five interviewed for ethics post

Friday, Nov. 3, 2000 | 10:34 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Five people, including two from Las Vegas, were interviewed Thursday by the state Ethics Commission for the $71,500-a-year job of executive director.

The commission agreed to do further background checking and plans to meet in a week or two to make an appointment.

Those interviewed were Beth Turrietta, who works for the Taxicab Authority in Las Vegas; Ron Meyers, an attorney who was commissioner of the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission but has since moved to Las Vegas; Polly Hamilton of the state Public Utilities Commission in Carson City; former Sparks Mayor Jim Spoo, now in private law practice in Washoe County and Jeffrey Richter, a retired military officer who lives at Incline Village.

Nancy Varnum, counsel to the Ethics Commission, said it would probably hold a telephone conference call to narrow the list and make a final selection.

Varnum, who has been acting executive director since the resignation of Kenneth Rohrs, said two of the applicants withdrew and did not go through the interviews.

The commission has the power to issue opinions on the conduct of public officials and can order them disciplined if they violated ethical codes.