Columnist Jeff German: Redefining homeland security

Tuesday, May 18, 2004 | 11:02 a.m.

This probably should not come as a surprise.

The Nevada Homeland Security Commission hasn't even been in existence for a year, but it's already headed for an "extreme makeover."

The goal is to make the cumbersome 23-member commission more manageable and more responsive during an emergency.

For some time those intimately involved in the homeland security process privately have been complaining that the commission had gotten too big to conduct business in a meaningful manner. Word eventually filtered back to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Among those voicing concern behind the scenes was Jerry Bussell, whose resignation Friday as both Guinn's homeland security adviser and chairman of the commission is paving the way for the makeover.

"We've learned a lot the past few months," Guinn said Monday. "We think the commission can be more efficient."

One way to do that, Guinn said, is to pare down the panel to 12 to 15 members.

But the commission -- which includes law enforcement officers, medical emergency personnel, elected officials and regular citizens -- also needs more fundamental changes recommended by Bussell and other commission members.

Guinn said Bussell, who steps down at the end of the month, "wore himself out" being both homeland security adviser and chairman of the commission.

So the governor said he will replace Bussell with two people -- one who will serve as the commission's executive director and the other as its chairman. The executive director would bring the governor's anti-terrorism policies to the commission and its chairman for approval.

Making the commission more efficient also means bolstering its staff with experienced middle managers capable of dealing with top law enforcement officials in the trenches of the terrorism fight.

Right now Bussell has only three staffers. All three are considered clerical workers not qualified to carry out this kind of regular high-level interaction. If Bussell ever is out of pocket, the panel has no one to fill his shoes, which is not what you want in an emergency.

Bussell's resignation, it turns out, was in the works for some time. He said he informed Guinn back in February that he wanted to leave and pursue other interests.

It had become increasingly difficult for Bussell, with such a small and inexperienced staff, to maintain control over a commission that had so many members from so many different backgrounds.

"This was just a good time for me to go," Bussell said. "I sat down with my wife and looked at things and said, 'I've done what I came to do.' "

What Bussell did was ensure that Southern Nevada, which faces the biggest terrorism threat in the state, receives the majority of federal anti-terrorism funds distributed by the state.

That was no small feat in the competitive North vs. South political environment in Nevada.