Ethics panel vote clears Hawkes

Jeffrey Libby

Friday, Aug. 17, 2001 | 10:32 a.m.

The state Ethics Commission dismissed allegations Thursday that a retired Clark County administrator had ordered county workers on county time to install a county-owned air-conditioning compressor in his home.

Charges against Earl Hawkes, formerly the director of the county's General Services Department, were dismissed in a 5-1 vote.

"The commission found the evidence did not show that Mr. Hawkes knew the air-conditioning compressor was county property," Polly Hamilton, executive director of the commission, said.

Fired county facilities employee Gene Smith filed the complaint six months ago, alleging that in June 1996 Hawkes directed county workers to install a county-owned air-conditioning compressor during county work hours. At the time, Hawkes served as Clark County director of general services and was the boss of the worker who completed the home repair.

Smith, who has filed five ethics complaints against elected officials and administrators, did not attend the hearing.

County employee Richard Schottmuller, who completed the repair, testified that Hawkes paid him $550 for the job, including $190 for the compressor.

A separate investigation in 1997 determined conclusively that the compressor belonged to the county, Hamilton said. The commission on Thursday had to decide whether Hawkes knew that when the repair was made.

Commissioner William Flangas, who cast the dissenting vote, said state ethics law prohibits government employees from benefitting personally or financially in a way that creates an appearance of impropriety.