Commission expected to OK county reorganization plan

Adrienne Packer

Monday, March 4, 2002 | 10:58 a.m.

Three major elements of Clark County's reorganization plan, including pay raise schedules and the merging of departments, are expected to be approved by commissioners Tuesday.

The changes stem from the Organizational and Resources Review Project, during which a six-member committee assembled in August reviewed the structure of county government and submitted a list of recommendations.

County Manager Thom Reilly said he is confident he has smoothed over the most controversial aspect of the plan -- the elimination of longevity pay for department managers.

Longevity pay -- annual increases given to managers after five years of service -- will no longer be offered to new supervisors, Reilly said. Last fiscal year the county spent $2.6 million on longevity pay for managers.

Current managers will be grandfathered in and will continue to collect annual increases based on years of service, unless they have been disciplined or suspended. In those cases, a percentage of the increase will be taken from those managers. The rate of raises for managers will be based on cost of living and merit; automatic cost of living increases will cease.

Reilly said that although managers were leery of the idea, they ultimately are eligible for higher pay raises. Rather than, for example, receiving a 4 percent raise, managers will be eligible for up to a 9 percent raise and a 3 percent, one-time cash bonus.

Under the new system, which allows employees in lower and higher positions as well as managers' peers to review them, the chances of managers receiving only a 2 percent raise are slim.

Reilly said the new guidelines are "cost-neutral," meaning departments will have a cap and must stay within their budget. Two other elements of the reorganization plan address department structure.

One proposal involves the creation of a new development services division, which would combine the Public Works Department's land use staff, Current Planning employees and the Building Department.

Another is the conversion of the county's Equal Employment Opportunity office to the "office of diversity."

Reilly said the county will be more proactive in its attempt to resolve employee complaints and more aggressive in developing a more ethnically diverse work force.

According to the Human Resources Department, between August and October 49 employees filed complaints -- a 53 percent reduction.

Reilly said the office is also looking at the ethnic demographics of the Las Vegas Valley's labor work force, hoping to bring the demographics of departments closer to that of the work force.

Creating a new "one-stop" department for developers is likely the most popular element of the reorganization plan. The county is cross-training employees in planning, land use and building so that residents no longer have to visit three separate offices. It also reduces the risk that developers will get varying answers, delaying their projects.

"It's not that this will be perfect," said Clark County Commissioner Chip Maxfield, founder of Southwest Engineering. "But it will be a huge building block from which to build upon."

Reilly said Phil Rosenquist, former assistant director of the comprehensive planning division, will oversee the department.