Kincaid-Chauncey close to a decision

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003 | 11:10 a.m.

Clark County Commission Chairwoman Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, indicted last week in a federal corruption probe, is moving closer to stepping down from her leadership position on the board.

A public announcement of her resignation as chairwoman -- though not from the commission itself -- could come as soon as Wednesday, according to sources at the county and on the commission. Commissioners, according to a number of sources, are united. They want Kincaid-Chauncey to step down, and some are now publicly saying she should make the move.

"I am giving it prayerful consideration," Kincaid-Chauncey said today. "I am talking to my family and making a prayer."

Kincaid-Chauncey said she has scheduled an 11:15 a.m. press conference to let the public know of her decision. Before that conference, she said she will meet with her attorney, Richard Wright.

Wright initially opposed her stepping down from the position, Kincaid-Chauncey said.

"He said, 'You are innocent. Why should you step down?' "

Stepping down would be a reversal of a position she has taken before and after last week's unveiling of the federal indictment. Kincaid-Chauncey stressed that stepping down as chairwoman does not signal any admission of wrongdoing.

"I hope people will not judge me by what they read in the media," she said. "I do believe in our justice system, and I believe our justice system will find me innocent because I am."

County commissioners and staff members have said they do not want corruption charges hanging over the chairwoman, whose position requires her to be the public face of the county.

If Kincaid-Chauncey does not voluntarily step down, commissioners are prepared to change the rules to oust her from the position. The county staff have prepared an agenda item that would change the rules at the Nov. 18 commission meeting. A vote to finally remove her from the chairmanship could occur two weeks later.

Kincaid-Chauncey was indicted on 19 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud and extortion by federal prosecutors who relied largely on wiretaps associated with their probe of strip club operator Michael Galardi.

Along with Kincaid-Chauncey, former Commissioners Dario Herrera and Lance Malone were indicted in the probe. Former Commissioner Erin Kenny and Galardi have agreed to plead guilty to charges.

Kincaid-Chauncey did not return phone calls Monday, but has said on numerous occasions that she is innocent of taking thousands of dollars from Galardi in return for votes that benefited his strip club.

Commissioner Bruce Woodbury noted that Kincaid-Chauncey has "another full day to think about" what she will do. The county commission agenda which, absent a resignation, would include the item to change the rules will be released Wednesday morning.

"I understand there were some conversations between her and some other commissioners," Woodbury said Monday. "We're waiting to see what she will do."

But if she does not resign, he said, "We need to seriously consider taking some action."

Kincaid-Chauncey said changing the rules of procedure to allow commissioners to oust a mid-term chairman would be a bad idea, not just for her but for future commissions.

"I think it would put the chairmanship in a really difficult position if the commission could change the chairman at will," she said. "In general I think that puts the chairman in a bad position, because commissioners could change chairmans if they disagreed with what he or she did. So I'm really not in favor of that."

County Manager Thom Reilly said the other six commissioners have let Kincaid-Chauncey know of their wishes. Kincaid-Chauncey, he said, told him that she is considering all her options.

Next in line for the job of chairman, which does not bring with it any extra pay but does allow the commission to guide debate from the dais, would be Commission Vice-Chairman Chip Maxfield.

Maxfield said he does not know if Kincaid-Chauncey will step aside, but said if he becomes chairman his job would be to keep the commission and county work going.

"The priority would be to keep the direction and focus of the board on the business of Clark County and on the business of the people of Clark County," he said Monday.