Layoffs should hit ‘poorly run’ department, Collins says

By Joe Schoenmann

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Now that the push for budget cuts is coming to shove, layoffs look more likely for some permanent, full-time Clark County employees. Department heads have, in effect, punted the decision about who should be in line for pink slips to the county manager and county commissioners.

At least one Clark County commissioner has one department sussed out as ripe for trimming.

Which commissioner and which department?

Tom Collins. When asked where he thought more cuts, including layoffs, might occur, he said: “Probably parks and recreation mostly.”

Why parks and rec?

“Because it’s poorly run, there are some inefficiencies, and it has a few too many supervisors for the productivity they have,” Collins said.

He added that he wants to look closely at administrative services, which acts as a consulting service for commissioners on public policy and organizational issues and coordinates strategic planning. Animal control, emergency management, Laughlin Town Hall, policy and analysis, public response and town liaison services are all listed as administrative services areas.

Collins also said he thinks more cuts could be made in the building department and development services.

Don’t get him wrong, though, Collins is by no means relishing the prospect of laying people off. “It all sucks,” he said.

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The Prive nightclub scandal appears to have subsided for now, but the County Commission is about to raise questions about another type of club: strip clubs (as opposed to Strip clubs).

The nudie bars are once again being alleged to be dens of iniquity and ill repute?

Some of those allegations are about to be laid bare, so to speak. On the agenda for the commission meeting this week is a topic that Commissioner Susan Brager said was brought to her attention by Metro Police. When the strip club owners get cited, those tickets tend to result in fines. But when club employees are caught violating ordinances, police aren’t as satisfied with the outcomes.

How are strippers allegedly breaking the rules?

By touching customers in ways that are not permitted under county ordinances, for example.

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What are these rumblings about yet another bitter fight brewing over a construction contract bid?

McCarthy Building Cos. Inc., a Henderson construction firm, has filed a protest with the county over the rejection of McCarthy’s bid to handle an estimated $55 million Water Reclamation District project that was time-stamped 2:01:24 p.m. The deadline was 2 p.m. that day, so McCarthy was disqualified for submitting its bid 1 minute and 24 seconds late.

According to a bid protest, McCarthy employees Cam Walker and Don Dyer were finalizing their bid for a good 30 minutes, just beyond the counter where bids are filed.

Their appeal, which is to be heard by county commissioners Oct. 20, goes on to say that “as 2 p.m. approached ... Walker sealed the bid envelope and (the two) approached the bid counter to find that no one was there to receive the bid.” The two say they waved and shouted but got no one’s attention.

Staff members said that at the 2 p.m. deadline, they left the counter.

Someone from the back of the office, the appeal goes on, finally hurried to the counter and stamped the bid.

So, McCarthy argues that government workers failing to be at their posts at the critical time are to blame, not the construction company.

McCarthy also contends it has the lowest bid, so other bidders might not look kindly upon itb eing let into the process.

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County Quote of the Week

“You can’t keep cutting on a chicken; pretty soon it’s going to die. Wait. Make that a cow. You can’t keep cutting on a cow.”

— Commissioner Tom Collins, summing up his belief that although he expects layoffs of full-time employees, many county departments can’t withstand many more budget reductions.