Williams fired from LV city job today

Dan Kulin and Mary Manning

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.

Las Vegas officials told Assemblyman Wendell Williams on Tuesday that he was fired from his city job effective today for allegedly violating policies and an agreement that gave him a last chance to stay.

In a letter from F. Claudette Enus, the city human resources director, Williams was told he had continued to violate the sick leave policy, annual leave policy and policies regarding city equipment, including cell phones -- all things he had previously been accused of doing.

Enus ran down a slate of charges against Williams and the actions that followed, including several meetings between Williams, his attorney and city officials. The letter said Williams was insubordinate by failing to follow "management directives," such as filing weekly status reports or keeping his supervisors posted on his actions.

"... as an 'at-will' appointive employee you may be separated from city employment at any time such separation is deemed in the best interest of the city," Enus said in the letter. "At this time, please be advised that the decision has now been made to separate you from employment with the city of Las Vegas."

The decision comes following months of turmoil revolving around the city's handling of findings that Williams, an employee of the Neighborhood Services Department, billed the city for hours he didn't work while he was serving in the Legislature.

Two city investigations also found that Sharon Segerblom, Williams' boss, did not properly supervise Williams. The investigations were challenged by lawyers for Segerblom and Williams.

Williams had also been reprimanded, and agreed to pay back $1,844.38 in personal phone calls on his city-issued cell phone. He also had agreed to pay back $6,765.27 in time he claimed that he didn't work.

The city letter said it still expected Williams to pay back the outstanding balance.

Williams' attorney, Larry Semenza, said the city's action was not unexpected, but it could be considered "rather draconian."

"I'm not sure where we're headed at this moment," Semenza said Tuesday night. "I don't have an opinion yet."

Semenza said he and Williams were to meet today to discuss the matter.

Williams did not immediately return phone calls.

Williams has denied the charges against him and has said he worked for the city during the legislative session. In an interview Oct. 9 on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston," on Las Vegas ONE, channels 1 and 19 on Cox Cable, Williams said he "absolutely" worked during the session "and I came home and I did it one weekends."

He also denied that he owed the city any money for alleged overbilling. He said he changed his time cards at the request of his supervisor to show that he worked fewer hours than he claimed because he's a "team player."

Before a special session of the City Council last week, Williams said he had turned in sick time during the 2001 Legislature because "that's the way it was done."

He also said the city had asked him to monitor legislation during the session.

The city's letter said Williams violated the "last-chance" agreement of Sept. 26 in which terms were laid out for his continued employment. Williams also did not file "timely or adequate weekly activity reports," or give "advance notice, as you were required to, of meetings you were attending outside City Hall," the letter said.

Also, according to the letter, Williams violated leave policies, work rules for the Neighborhood Services Department, and he did not make "full and timely reimbursement of personal cell phone charges." The letter said there was another $392 in personal cell phone charges "identified by the City Auditor."

On Sept. 23, Williams agreed to pay $70 a paycheck toward his cell phone bill and $290 toward the time he charged that he didn't work.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said Tuesday night that he had not been notified of the termination of Williams.

"I have not been advised of that," Goodman said. "I would hope I would be advised tomorrow (Wednesday). Hopefully, I will be briefed on that (Wednesday) morning."

City Councilman Gary Reese said Tuesday night that although he had heard of the firing only through news reports, he was hopeful the firing will end the weeks of turmoil surrounding the situation.

Reese said he thought Williams should be fired for taking pay from the city for hours he didn't work while the Legislature was in session.

"I've always thought when you do something wrong you have to pay the consequences," Reese said. "And this double-dipping is wrong."

Asked for a comment on the termination, Assemblyman Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, who was fired in October after Clark County determined he had received pay for work and sick leave on days he worked in the Legislature, said, "I'm sorry, I don't have any comment on that."

Atkinson and Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, D-Las Vegas were both county employees. McClain was also fired for the same thing.

Atkinson received a total of $17,738, including payment for 90 sick days, after he lost his $67,358-a-year job as a management analyst for the county's parks department. McClain received $7,638, including payment for 31 sick days. She made an annual salary of $69,501, also working for the parks department.

The city letter to Williams did not specifically mention the double-dipping accusations.