Reilly receives 10 percent raise

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Clark County Manager Thom Reilly was awarded a 10 percent raise Tuesday after he received glowing reviews from his peers, employees, customers and commissioners.

Board members vanished behind closed doors Tuesday and emerged with a unanimous vote to up his salary to $176,000 a year.

"Mr. Reilly's creativity and commitment to people in this community is unmatched in my time," Commissioner Myrna Williams said. "It's unfortunate we're facing the fiscal times we're facing because we're getting a bargain."

When Reilly was hired a year ago, commissioners vowed to review his performance after six months and consider a raise. But after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the county's budget was too tight. His raise puts him in line with other government leaders in Southern Nevada. Henderson's city manager makes $178,957 a year and the Las Vegas city manager earned $167,747 when she resigned.

"Some of us feel like he should earn more," Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey said. "I feel like we're getting the blue-light special because we're getting a lot more than what we're paying for."

Reilly was hired amid controversy last summer when then-County Manager Dale Askew resigned, giving into a months-long push from Commissioners Dario Herrera and Erin Kenny.

Fellow commissioners believed Herrera and Kenny handpicked Reilly as a replacement before Askew left office.

Reilly was praised Tuesday even by Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, an ardent Askew supporter and one of the biggest critics of the selection process after Askew resigned.