Panel to review county operation

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 | 11:24 a.m.

A committee composed of six politically active members is being charged with streamlining county government.

Clark County commissioners are expected to give their blessing to the 90-day reorganization review process Tuesday.

The project comes just weeks after the end of a legislative session during which lawmakers repeatedly eyed Clark County coffers to help bandage shortfalls at the state level.

"The perception is the county is sitting fat with taxpayer dollars," said Commission Chairman Dario Herrera, who initially requested the study before the board hired new county manager Thom Reilly.

"Are we operating as efficiently as we can? Once we've done this we can position ourselves to say, 'Yes, we are doing the best we can with taxpayers' dollars.' "

The committee will explore various county departments to determine whether divisions can be combined or separated to improve customer service. Some managerial positions might remain vacant so that other jobs can be filled.

"In private business we do this once a year to make sure we're as lean and mean as we can be," Commissioner Chip Maxfield said.

Board members gave Reilly the freedom to appoint six members to the reorganization committee, and the new manager whipped together a task force composed of influential and politically involved community members.

Terry Murphy chairs the volunteer committee. Murphy is a board member for the nonprofit company overseeing the controversial Las Vegas Strip monorail project and is also a public relations consultant.

Murphy is helping Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack wade through a public relations nightmare that has dogged Mack since a lawsuit was filed against him seeking his removal from office. Part of her strategy was to keep Mack well shielded from questioning by the press.

Murphy, former county finance director and county lobbyist Guy Hobbs, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce President Bob Forbuss and lobbyist Rose McKinney-James were Reilly's first picks. Reilly worked with Murphy and Hobbs when he served as the county's administrative services director between 1997 and 1999.

Herrera recommended a friend, Jeremy Aguero, who is an analyst with Hobb, Ong and Associates. Murphy brought on Dale Erquiaga, former deputy secretary of state and a public relations specialist with R&R Advertising.

Reilly said he opted for people who had experience in government affairs and were familiar with Clark County's operation rather than professionals who have no connection to the Government Center.

"These are people who have knowledge of government and at the same time have private sector experience," Reilly said.

Reilly said the process is important to him because it will help clarify each department's purpose and therefore guide him when hiring people to fill vacancies.

For example, over the years the Parks and Recreation Department has not only filled its traditional role of offering leisure activities but has become involved in park design and maintenance, as well. The committee will decide whether the new director should specialize in design or recreation, or whether the division should be split in two.

Reilly and his supportive commissioners shied away from discussing downsizing and are reluctant to call the process an efficiency review, concerned that they may be suggesting the county has not been fiscally efficient.

But each agreed the county's hiring freeze will continue and there likely will be some tightening of the budget.

"We have a $3.2 billion budget," Reilly said. "To suggest we can't trim something is ludicrous."

Murphy said her committee is responsible for creating a structure, but the review process by county officials will continue after the 90-day study period. Her group will look at departments' organization, performance and financing.

The six members will meet weekly in closed meetings. Reilly emphasized the importance of keeping members of the public and media out so department heads can speak freely about their ideas, needs and concerns.

And to ease the jitters that could come as a result of a new county manager who is speaking about reorganization during his first week, Reilly promised to keep division heads involved in the process.

"We wanted to create a process where we had open honesty; we want it to be a partnership," Reilly said. "We want it to be as inclusive a process as possible. We're not going to wait 90 days and spring this on them."

The final recommendations will ultimately be reviewed by Reilly and presented to Clark County commissioners.

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