Clearer policies sought for hiring of firefighters

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 | 11:05 a.m.

Concerned about perceptions that nepotism and outside influences affect the Clark County Fire Department's hiring process, County Manager Thom Reilly has requested that clearer policies be developed.

"I'm looking for ideas on ways to make the hiring decisions as rational and as objective as possible," Reilly wrote in a Feb. 13 memo to Chief Earl Greene.

The perceptions not only stem from the fact that sons of veteran firefighters were hired, but also because Clark County commissioners have contacted Greene with their own recommendations.

Clark County Commission Chairman Dario Herrera, who has publicly questioned Greene's leadership ability and lobbied for his removal, urged the chief to choose five firefighter candidates for the most recent rookie school.

Herrera said it is "common practice" for commissioners -- Greene's bosses -- to submit candidate recommendations for the highly competitive rookie school.

"We all do it; those are plum jobs as you know," Herrera said.

The starting salary for Clark County firefighters is about $39,000.

Herrera wrote a letter to Greene in June 2000 to "restate my recommendation" on behalf of a young candidate who was Herrera's neighbor.

Greene said Thursday that Herrera asked him to consider hiring specific candidates, but said he couldn't recall the commission chairman's "exact verbage." Greene couldn't recall how many of the candidates Herrera recommended were hired, but said he considers hiring only those who are truly qualified.

"I hired all the ones that were a good fit," Greene said. "Anybody who meets the final list are all qualified."

Candidates must pass a human resources exam, an agility test and oral interviews to make a list of candidates for firefighter rookie school. The list is typically 200 names long; with the construction of new fire stations in the valley, 20 to 30 new positions open each year.

Commissioners Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Bruce Woodbury said they have never made recommendations to the chief. Woodbury said he has only made inquiries regarding where a particular candidate stands in the process.

"I felt uncomfortable about it, but I made an inquiry," Woodbury said. "I always say the decision is (Greene's)."

Board member Myrna Williams recalls making one recommendation, but said she does not believe her input would have influenced Greene, giving one candidate an unfair advantage over another.

"I don't think so," Williams said. "I don't think they select anybody who doesn't go through all the heavy testing and background checks."

The county manager reiterated that his memo was not prompted by commissioners' involvement in the hiring process. However, Reilly directed Greene to develop a policy to stop unsolicited advice that might compromise the process.

"While this advice is no doubt offered with good intentions, receiving recommendations from individuals during the selection process may lead to a perception that some candidates receive special treatment," Reilly wrote.

Craig Walton, an ethics professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said the rookie school is extremely competitive -- as many as 3,000 candidates apply each year -- and the selection practices were controversial before Greene's hire in 1996.

"This has been an unseemly and dubious process for many, many years," Walton said. "You take tests and get certain scores, and if you're in the top bunch it doesn't mean you'll get in. If you want to be a firefighter, you better have some juice."

Walton likened commissioners' recommendations to Greene to their participation in the application process for disadvantaged business licenses at McCarran International Airport three years ago.

Commissioners Lance Malone and Atkinson Gates were brought before the Nevada Ethics Commission for giving Aviation Director Randy Walker the names of prospects for the lucrative business contracts.

A county-assembled ethics task force, which included Walton, eventually prohibited commissioners from participating in the process. Walton said the county should consider the same policy for the fire department's process.

"How would a county commissioner know the difference between candidate one or candidate two as far as qualification for firefighters is concerned?" he said. "I can't come up with an argument that would justify this special status."

Reilly said he simply wants to give all qualified candidates the same opportunity. If some prospects have an "edge" over others, he said he wants to know why so that the criteria can be distributed to all candidates.

Reilly emphasized that he has no doubt all hires are well qualified, but he became concerned when he learned that three sons of deputy chiefs were hired.

Reilly and county commissioners said there might be a perception of favoritism because many firefighters are related.

"I don't think our fire department is any different than any other fire department in the United States," Atkinson Gates said. "You breed firefighters within families. How many firefighters in the same family were killed in New York City?"

Reilly said he expects Greene to submit new policy proposals early next month.