Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Officials want water czar Pat Mulroy to get regular job reviews

Board wants to establish evaluations for Water District chief

KSNV coverage of Las Vegas Valley Water District proposal to establish regular evaluations for district chief Pat Mulroy, Oct. 4, 2011.

Though Pat Mulroy's employment contract as the region's water czar has already been automatically renewed through 2014, the Las Vegas Valley Water District's board of directors wants to begin evaluating her performance to avoid potential legal issues.

Hired as the districts chief in 1999, Mulroy has never had a performance review.

Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, who is also president of the Water District board, called for a review to avoid the kind of legal problems that cost the city of Henderson $1.3 million earlier this year.

After Henderson fired its city manager in 2009, an arbitrator sided with her after she noted that during her 18 months as manager, she never received a performance review; she was never formally told she was doing a poor job.

Every board member agreed except County Commissioner Tom Collins, who likened good managers to good horses and said that you stay on a winning horse.

"As far as I'm concerned Pat's won the Triple Crown and all the other derbies as well," Collins said.

Board member Chris Giunchigliani, however, said she doesn't believe in automatic contract rollovers.

"I'm a firm believer in evaluations," she said. "This is not about Pat. It should not be. The intent is whether or not our contracts do what is in the best interest of the government and the people we're here to serve."

Mulroy's contract automatically renews for two years if it isn't acted upon 90 days before the end of the contract, which is in December. Even so, the board is likely to vote in November to establish an evaluation committee to review her job performance.

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