In an effort to boost peoples faith in county government and process, the county commission recently updated and strengthened the ethics laws and policies that apply to county employees and elected officials.

The commission and Clark County Manager Thom Reilly appointed community leaders and experts from the local private, public and non-profit sectors to an ethics task force. In an open statement, the county manager thanked the task force members for their participation and charged them with reviewing the existing ethics laws and policies with special focus on the cooling-off period, conflicts of interest and sanctions for violations. The ten-member task force convened in May 2003, met four times and held public hearings. The task force then presented its recommendations to the commission on Nov. 18, 2003.

Following its endorsement of the task force recommendations, the commission approved an amendatory resolution.  The commissioners also requested that Clark County staff work on specific ordinances, resolutions and policies that would implement the new laws and policies and also noted that other elements of the plan will require changes in state law.