Tuesday, May 8, 2018 | 2 a.m.
Mike Willden, chief of staff to Gov. Brian Sandoval and former director of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
Gov. Brian Sandoval’s chief of staff, Mike Willden, said he doesn’t plan to do any government consulting work after his retirement at the end of this year but would help with the transition as a new governor takes office.
Willden announced Friday on "Nevada Newsmakers" that he would retire at the end of Sandoval’s final term, which ends this year.
Willden has worked in Nevada government for 45 years. He is considered one of the most knowledgeable people in state government, with a deep understanding of the history, personnel and budgets of the departments that make up Nevada government.
Willden said he has ruled out working as a political consultant, even though his long relationships and inner knowledge of state government would probably be in high demand. “I don’t know what a consultant looks like,” he said.
Willden, however, offered his services to Nevada’s next governor to help with the transition.
“I am a proud Nevadan, and I would be more than happy to help with the transition,” he said. “But I am not looking to be a chief of staff for four more years again. I am committed to Gov. Sandoval and his administration, then I’ll probably retire and look to mow lawns.”
Willden’s first job with the state, as a student, was mowing lawns, doing repairs and supervising work crews at the state’s Caliente Youth Center for troubled teen girls. Later, he became a case worker in the Health and Human Services Department.
Before working as Sandoval’s right-hand man, Willden was director of the Department of Heath and Human Services, a job then-Gov. Kenny Guinn first appointed him to in 2001. It is the largest state agency, with more than 5,400 employees.
Willden was named as the governor’s chief of staff in 2014.
He said one of Sandoval’s priorities this year is presenting a solid transition plan to the next governor.
Sandoval’s recommended budget for the next governor will probably be as much as $500 million more than the current $8.2 billion General Fund budget, Willden said.
“We are going to continue to work hard and develop a budget that Gov. Sandoval would be prepared and pleased to present to the 2019 Legislature,” Willden said. “We will be prepared, that first week in November, whoever is governor, to start the positioning and handing off bill drafts, policies and procedures and things we are working on.”
“There is always a joke in the Governor’s Office that some governors leave you with a desk full of memos and with others, there’s nothing,” he said. “And so we believe we should be able to — almost like you are running a relay — be able to hand the baton to the next governor.”
