This is a breaking news story and will be updated after Washoe County commissioners take action this afternoon.
Should Washoe County employees be provided legal and public relations help if they are disparaged?
That’s a proposal on Tuesday’s agenda for the board of commissioners.
It would authorize the county manager to spend up to $150,000 per fiscal year, “with any expenditures above that amount requiring specific approval by the Board of County Commissioners.”
Public comment was strongly against this proposal, calling it a slush fund and worse.
“You want to give these people that make over $100,000 a stipend for legal fees when they screw up?” said Kenji Otto, who ran and came in second in the Republican primary for county clerk. “Give me a break. You people are disgusting.”
Many commenters seemed to think the proposal would apply to elected officials.
County manager Eric Brown spoke up during the meeting to clarify that it “pertains to employees only.”
“What we’re trying to do is make sure that the rights of our employees are protected,” he said. “We've seen situations where the public discourse has gotten increasingly hostile. We have had situations where county employees – not elected officials – have received death threats, have received malicious and fictitious claims made against them. Some of this has been extremely hurtful to their families.”
He said the county has a responsibility as an employer to make sure it's supporting its employees.
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