Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Council approves former police chief as Henderson lobbyist

Revised deal with Richard Perkins set for one year at $10,000 a month

Click to enlarge photo

Richard Perkins

The Henderson City Council approved a one-year lobbyist contract Tuesday with former Nevada Assembly Speaker and Henderson Police Chief Richard Perkins by a 4-1 vote.

Councilman Steve Kirk cast the dissenting vote, saying that with the city's dire financial situation, it was just too much money.

"I think Richard Perkins has a terrific record in the Legislature, and I think he will serve the city well," Kirk said. "I don't think it would have made a difference who it was. The cost is just too much for us right now."

The contract will pay Perkins $10,000 a month from January through December 2009, and give City Manager Mary Kay Peck the ability to extend it for another year at her discretion.

As originally worked out, the contract would have been for two years, but Mayor James B. Gibson said Perkins recommended it be changed to just one year to start out.

"I would expect that the city manager would conduct an analysis of our then-needed lobbying, and further, an analysis of our then-fiscal condition and extend the contract only if it is warranted in every way," Gibson said.

Perkins served in the Nevada Assembly from 1992 to 2006, acting as speaker during the past six years. He joined the Henderson Police Department in 1984 and was appointed chief in July 2006. He served in that capacity for a little more than two years, until his retirement in September.

Perkins' salary is similar to what Las Vegas pays its outside lobbyists. Las Vegas spokesman Jace Radke said Las Vegas structures its outside lobbyist contracts differently, but that it works out to $222,000 over a two-year period.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or [email protected].

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy