County leaning toward Valentine

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 | 7:28 a.m.

By Tony Cook

Clark County commissioners plan to name Assistant County Manager Virginia Valentine to the county's top job next week, sources said.

Valentine's is expected be the sole name on commission's July 18 agenda to replace outgoing County Manager Thom Reilly. A majority of commissioners have said they would support her appointment.

"I think she would be an excellent county manager. I think she has proven herself at the city and county," said Reilly, who is taking a job with the Nevada System of Higher Education.

He recommended three of his senior managers: Valentine; Don Burnette, the county's chief administrative officer; and George Stevens, the county's finance director.

Commissioners said Reilly's recommendations carry a lot of weight, especially since most commissioners said they prefer a local candidate familiar with the county's issues.

Valentine, 49, declined to comment.

Some commissioners preferred her because she has more top-level experience.

A former Las Vegas city manager, she currently oversees 10 county departments, including air quality, comprehensive planning and public works.

Unlike Reilly, who has a background in social work, Valentine will bring an engineering background to the county's top post. She worked for several engineering firms before becoming the Regional Flood Control District's first chief engineer and general manager in 1986.

She served as Las Vegas city manager from 1998 to 2002, then as a senior lobbyist for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce during the 2002 special legislative session. Reilly named her as assistant county manager in November 2002.

Commissioners have not decided on a salary for the new manager. Valentine earns about $160,000 a year. Reilly earns about $200,000.

Assuming commissioners vote her into the position, Valentine will administer a $5 billion budget and manage more than 11,000 employees in 38 departments, including McCarran International Airport and the University Medical Center.

Reilly accepted a $250,000-a-year position last month as vice chancellor and chief operating officer of the University of Nevada Health Sciences Center.

As vice chancellor of the new center, Reilly will coordinate efforts among the University of Nevada School of Medicine, the UNLV School of Dental Medicine, UNR and UNLV's schools of public health, the state's nursing programs and other related health fields.

The center's goal will be to increase the number of health professionals graduating from the system, to expand medical research and to improve access to health care for Nevadans.