Fourth department chief leaves within year

Dan Kulin

Friday, July 23, 2004 | 8:44 a.m.

North Las Vegas lost another department head on Thursday.

Vincent Zamora, Human Resources Director since February 2002, "is no longer employed with the city effective today," city spokeswoman Brenda Johnson said.

Johnson and City Manager Gregory Rose would not say whether Zamora was fired or quit or explain the circumstances around his departure, but Zamora called his exit a "mutual decision."

"My experience there was very rewarding," Zamora said, noting that he has yet to line up another job.

Zamora is the fourth city department head to leave the city's employment since Rose took over as acting city manager a year ago, when he replaced former City Manager Kurt Fritsch. Fritsch was pushed out by the council. Rose was named city manager in October.

Other department heads who have left the city's employ since Rose replaced Fritsch were:

Ellingson was put on leave after investigators determined hundreds of thousands of dollars had been stolen from inmate accounts at the city jail. Ellingson was not a suspect, another former jail employee has been charged with the thefts, but the former chief was held partially responsible for the thefts.

Rose said the city has 16 department heads and he doesn't think losing a quarter of those in a year is a lot.

"It doesn't concern me," Rose said. "What concerns me is that we continue to provide a high level of service."

Marqueta Welton was named acting director of Human Resources, Rose said, adding he wasn't sure whether Welton was likely to get the permanent position or if there would be a search for a new director.

Welton has been with the city since May 2000, when she was the attorney for personnel issues in the city attorney's office. Her most recent job title was employee relations manager in the Human Resources Department.

Zamora could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon; his annual salary was $108,871.