Embattled assemblyman returns to city job

Sito Negron

Monday, Oct. 13, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.

Assemblyman Wendell Williams returned to his Las Vegas city job this morning after weeks of controversy over excessive city cell phone use, collecting pay for weeks of time he did not work, and a relationship with a young woman who has applied for whistle-blower status with the Community College of Southern Nevada.

He has not talked to the Sun since September, but on Thursday he appeared on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston," which airs on Las Vegas ONE, Cox Cable channels 1 and 39. He spoke extensively of his problems and said he was looking forward to getting back to work.

"I don't think they're going to fire me," the North Las Vegas Democrat said Thursday during the show's taping. "I do too good work."

Williams has not been at his nearly $90,000 Las Vegas Neighborhood Services job for two weeks. Sources have said he was suspended, but city officials would not state the nature of his punishment, which stemmed from cell phone use for which he agreed to pay the city $1,844.

He also went over time cards reflecting time he worked for the city when he was serving in the state Legislature in the spring and summer with his supervisor, Sharon Segerblom, and ended up revising the sheets and agreeing to pay back $6,700.

Segerblom had been on vacation the past week, and today was her first day back at City Hall.

City Manager Doug Selby said expects to sit down with Williams and Segerblom to ascertain whether either one of them needs to be held more accountable for what happened.

Selby, who is looking into the allegations, said the issue is internal, and he had not yet reached the point where "we need somebody independent to look at it ... I'm not at that point yet."

Williams said Thursday he was being a "team player" and that he acquiesced to requests to revise his time cards. He said he did so because he wants to stay tied to programs that are important to him, specifically a child-care initiative and a program that helps nonviolent ex-convicts get jobs.

"So sometimes you have to do things to keep looking at the big picture, and to me the big picture is the programs," Williams said during the show.

Other issues that have dogged Williams in the last few months included:

Jones fought for her job and was reinstated by university system Chancellor Jane Nichols, who recommended her for whistle-blower protection.