Friday, June 18, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.
A big pay raise and the chance to run one of the country's biggest county governments wasn't enough to persuade Thom Reilly to leave his post as Clark County manager.
Reilly turned down an offer from the Orange County Board of Supervisors to become "county executive officer" there for substantially more money than he makes now, he said. He would have replaced James Ruth, a former Anaheim city manager who was hired as interim county executive officer in January 2003.
The Clark County Commission selected Reilly, a former Clark County and state of Nevada administrator with a doctorate in public administration, as county manager in 2001.
Since taking the post, Reilly has overseen the county's response to a financial crisis in the University Medical Center health system and fiscal problems at the county generally, the county's expanded responsibilities for environmental protection, the local impact of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, a period of discord with unionized county workers and a multitude of other challenges.
Clark County Commission Chairman Chip Maxfield was one of three commissioners who initially had concerns about Reilly. The block, which also included commissioners Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Bruce Woodbury, said at the time they felt the decision had been forced upon them.
Reilly's relationship with all the county commissioners is now, to all appearances and by Reilly's account, good.
Maxfield said he has come to value Reilly's leadership.
"I look forward to working with Thom for many years," he said. "He's been a great county manager. I'm grateful that he's decided to stay here in Las Vegas, here in Clark County, and make Clark County a better place to be.
"He's shown a great deal of leadership. He's been able to take on the issues facing the county."
Reilly said the decision to stay was a difficult one, and not only because the Orange County Board of Supervisors offered him more money.
"I love Southern California, but I've been here since 1987 in Nevada," Reilly said. "Nevada has been great to me.
"It was a very generous offer, but it wasn't about the money. I've got a very supportive board and a great organization. In the end, I weighed what I have here."
A government "headhunter" first contacted Reilly about a year ago, at which time Clark County was struggling with the hospital's bleak fiscal situation. Reilly said he declined at that time.
The California county contacted him again this year, and offered him the position earlier this week, Reilly said. He said he turned down the offer, which he characterized Thursday as well above his Clark County salary of $179,000.
Orange County last October raised then-interim County Executive Officer Ruth to the top position, but gave him only a one-year contract. His base salary was $200,000 a year.
Ruth was the fifth top manager in the last decade at the county, which like much of California, including the state government, has experienced significant financial problems. Orange County has a $5 billion annual budget and 17,000 employees.
Clark County's total budget for the coming year is $4.5 billion and the county employs about 9,300. Unlike Clark County, Orange County has dozens of political subdivisions, including many cities and towns that provide their own services.
Reilly's contract with the county renewed automatically in January, giving him a three-year extension.
Reilly's annual performance evaluation comes next month. He said he would ask the commission for a 2.5 percent increase in his salary, to mirror the increase in the local cost of living.
County employees received a 3 percent cost of living increase this year. --
Chip Maxfield
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
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