Ethics complaint dismissed

Thursday, April 5, 2001 | 3:20 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Ethics Commission's review panel ruled today it will not proceed with an investigation of two Clark County officials accused of campaigning on county time with government equipment.

The panel cited insufficient evidence in its decision not to have the full commission conduct a hearing on the complaints against Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid and parks police chief Chester Broderick.

A spokeswoman for the commission said today the complaint, filed in February by former Clark County employee Gene Smith, was vague.

"I knew there was nothing to it. I'm naturally very happy that they did dismiss it," said Kincaid, who was in Carson City.

The full ethics commission has yet to determine whether to pursue a complaint that its own two-member review panel recommended against Kincaid and her friend, former facilities boss Bill Barrett.

Polly Hamilton, executive director of the commission, said today she couldn't comment on the status of that complaint.

"I wouldn't be able to confirm or deny," Hamilton said.

The two complaints filed by Smith -- one of six he has filed with the Ethics Commission in a four-month period -- allege Kincaid knew Barrett and his crew helped with her campaign during work hours and that Broderick worked for Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny's campaign during his shift.

Smith said he was a member of a campaign crew that picked up election signs from Kincaid's home and that Barrett was in his county vehicle at the time.

Barrett's role in Kincaid's campaigns is what triggered the interest of the review panel, which at the time was looking into Smith's first ethics complaint against Kenny.

Smith's complaint against Kenny says the commissioner tried to convince him and another county employee to break into the County Government Center to steal documents damning to Kincaid's 2000 campaign.

At the time, Kenny's best friend Stephanie Smith was Kincaid's most threatening opponent. Gene Smith alleges Kenny wanted documents that proved not only that Kincaid used county workers on her campaign but facilities employees also helped move her flower shop.

The full commission is set to hear Kenny's case April 19.

Gene Smith also bulked Broderick into campaign wrongdoing and filed an ethics complaint against him in February when he filed against Kincaid.

He claims Broderick was initially hired as a painter in the facilities division, but his primary task was to dig up dirt on Kenny's opponents. In exchange for his campaign work, Gene Smith alleges, Broderick -- a former Boston police detective -- was promised a promotion.

Listed as witnesses having additional information to submit are County Commissioner Erin Kenny, county worker Bradd Banaszak and Service Employees International Union representative Maryanne Dawicki.

Ethics complaints filed against General Services Director Earl Hawkes, Barrett