Candidates' flap over hiring amounts to little

A minor flap erupted, and died, last week after one of the candidates for Ward 3 supervisor presented a plan for adding up to 20 new city employees.

Charles Kuhn, after talking to virtually all of the city's department heads, compiled a "wish list" that calls for the hiring of five more deputies, three or six firefighters, five library workers, three public health nurses or one nurse-practitioner and two public guardian employees. The hiring would take place over four years.

Kuhn estimated that it would cost slightly more than $1 million to do so, based on what the department heads told him, he said.

He seeks to pay for the added personnel through such means as landfill fee increases, for example.

Incumbent Pete Livermore, however, refuted the plan and said it would more likely cost $1.8 million. He obtained his information from Tom Minton, the city's finance director.

Another candidate for Ward 3, Neil Weaver, suggested Livermore used inside information to obtain his information, after watching both men talk about the issue on a local television show.

"It just doesn't seem right," Weaver said of Livermore's rebuttal information.

Livermore said he has done nothing wrong, and Minton said there was no ethics violation.

"The information is available to anyone who asks for it," he said.

Ethics charges haven't been filed against Livermore, according to the secretary of state's office. And the Nevada Commission on Ethics won't comment on whether a complaint has been filed until a specific matter is scheduled for hearing, said Caren Jenkins, interim commission chairwoman.

State rules regarding ethical standards for public officers and employees, Chap. 281, sect. 481, spell out these standards and focus on access and privileges an officeholder might have above those afforded other residents. It also stipulates that the officeholder cannot try to obtain monetary gain through inquiries or actions.

Differences could come from employees' experience levels - one source looking at hiring beginners while the other seeks people who are highly experienced - and whether ancillary costs are included in the total, such as retirement contributions, training and equipment expenses, said Nick Providenti, the city's senior accounting manager.

"Any proposal is worth looking at," said Joe Eiben, another Ward 3 candidate. He hadn't seen the specific plan, though he said he saw merit in hiring more deputies, fire and library personnel during the next four years.

"When I make it through the primary, I'll ask the department heads what they need, what they want and what's practical," Eiben said.

Eiben, Weaver and Livermore all would like to better examine the funding sources and the plan itself, each said.

The plan "isn't grabbed from thin air," Kuhn emphasized.

A forum for the Ward 3 candidates will be at 6 p.m. today in the courtyard at Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson St.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.

If you go

What: Ward 3 supervisor

candidates forum

When: 6 p.m. today

Where: Comma Coffee courtyard, 312 S. Carson St.

Information: 883-0883

On the net

Nevada Revised Statute on ethical standards for officeholders:

www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-281.html#NRS281Sec481