State official may get paid while living in Spain

Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller says he is considering allowing his $76,221-a-year deputy for elections to keep her job after she moves to Spain.

Susan Bilyeu is leaving the state with her husband, who will be chief of staff for the U.S. Ambassador in Spain.

The state Personnel Department says it knows of no agency that employs persons out of state unless the location requires it. For instance, tax examiners are based outside Nevada as they conduct audits of out-of-state firms to determine if they are paying the correct taxes.

Having Bilyeu work for Nevada from Spain has been discussed, Heller said, but no decision has been made.

"We've discussed it, trying to figure out with all this new federal legislation and all the information coming through elections, in the middle of a legislative session, how we go from one deputy in elections to another," Heller said.

"We certainly hate to lose the kind of knowledge and background that she has on these issues."

Bilyeu has been in her position since January 2000.

Asked how that kind of commute might work, Heller said, "With the world of technology that we are in today -- you know testimony through e-mail and so forth. I think the job could actually be done.

"Frankly at this point I'm not comfortable with it and it's only under discussion."

He said his office has contacted "the National Association of Election Directors and posted (a job announcement) and see if we can get somebody to come into this state that maybe has a background in this federal legislation so we are not starting at ground zero."

Jeanne Greene, director of the Personnel Department, said there is nothing in the rules governing classified employees from working outside the state.

"The regulations are silent," she said.

Greene said she is not aware of anybody who is working out of state or in a foreign country in a job that could be performed in Nevada. The exceptions are the tax auditors and others who must examine the books of companies based outside Nevada.

She noted the rules governing classified employees. Bilyeu is an unclassified employee and Heller has the discretion to appoint anybody he wants.

In another development:

Heller briefed the Assembly Ways and Means Friday on the requirements of the new federal voting legislation. He said the state has to develop a plan by this spring that must be certified by the federal government.

He has a 13-member committee working on the plan to "assure minorities and the disabled access" to the polls.

The state will receive $5 million from the federal government "with no strings attached," Heller said. But he said the other $20 million allocated to Nevada must be matched by $1 million.

Assemblyman Morse Arberry, D-Las Vegas, the chairman of the committee, asked Heller what will happen when the federal money is exhausted. Heller said he would have to ask for state money to continue.

"That's not a good answer," said Arberry. Heller replied, "That's the real answer."