Housing chief dodges ethics complaint

Adrienne Packer

Monday, Feb. 25, 2002 | 11:07 a.m.

Las Vegas Housing Authority Executive Director Frederick Brown, already the focus of a complaint filed with the FBI, will avoid an ethics claim filed with the city of Las Vegas late last week.

City Clerk Roni Ronemus said the city cannot act on the ethics complaint filed by Amelia Coulston, a public housing resident, because the city has no jurisdiction over Brown. The housing authority is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Coulston said she filed the complaint after learning of a public relations contract Brown gave to Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera without the housing authority board's approval. Brown has maintained he did not need board approval.

"I just think somebody needs to investigate this and put an end to it," Coulston, 69, said. "Whether it's true (that the board did not need to approve the contract) or not true, we need to put a cap on it."

Coulston did not say whether she will file her complaint with another body.

Brown, a member of Herrera's exploratory team in his bid for Congress, said last week that Tribeca Media was initially awarded the $84,000 contract. However, because Tribeca has little experience in government affairs consulting, Brown suggested Herrera's company, Herrera Communications Group, split the contract.

Brown said Tribeca answered a request for proposals for the contract and was the best fit. Herrera did not submit a bid, Brown said. The contract was signed in November.

Coulston's complaint claims Brown violated the federal Hatch Act, a law that prohibits directors of some public agencies from engaging in partisan politics. The question is whether serving on a candidate's exploratory committee is considered active involvement in a campaign.

Her claim came a week after housing authority board member Dewain Steadman filed a complaint with the FBI, also arguing that Brown violated the Hatch Act.

Coulston said whether or not a federal law was broken, she agreed with housing authority board members who say the agency does not need to spend nearly $100,000 a year on public relations.

"That is a waste of money," said Coulston, who added she regularly attends board meetings and listens to administrators complain about a lack of funding. "The best public relations for a housing authority is your tenants. If you keep things clean and safe and your tenants happy, that's your public relations right there."