Ethics Task Force

Ethics Task Force

The ethics task force included ten members:

Richard J. Morgan, Dean, UNLV Boyd School of Law (Chair)

E. Lee Bernick, Chairman, UNLV School of Public Administration

Deborah Campbell, Vice President, St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation

Craig Walton, Professor, UNLV Ethics & Policy Studies

Randy Capurro, Brown & Brown Insurance

David Griego, Vice President, Nevada Energy Buyers Network

John Hiatt, Chairman, Enterprise Town Advisory Board

Betty Pardo, League of Women Voters

Mujahid Ramadon, Principal, MR Consulting

Danny Thompson, Executive Secretary/Treasurer, Nevada State AFL-CIO

The ethics task force was asked to focus specifically on the following questions and issues:

When does a conflict of interest exist?

What should be done when there is a conflict?

Should "manufactured conflicts" those that arise because of a deliberate decision of a third party to create a conflict of interest by employing the law or other firm of a Commissioner of other senior official disqualify the public official from acting in the matter?

Should the previous 1999 ethics guidelines, regarding the "cooling off period" the time during which a former official is prohibited from representing others before Clark County government be modified?

What sanctions ought to be available for violations?

The ethics task force was convened in May 2003 and met on June 12, 24, Aug. 6 and Sept. 9, 2003 to discuss the above questions and issues in public sessions.

The ethics task force concluded its work and presented its recommendations to the commission on Nov. 18, 2003.