County manager: Grand jury report 'won't sit on shelf'

Interim Douglas County Manager T. Michael Brown said Friday county staff will take a close look at recommendations contained in the grand jury report with a goal toward implementing the panel's suggestions.

In their 41-page report released Thursday, the grand jury also found that former County Manager Dan Holler, fearing a "bidding war" with Carson City, rushed into an agreement with Riverwood LLC in the county's redevelopment district in favor of the developer.

Jurors also recommended that the county examine and improve equipment in the emergency communications department as well as review the performance of director Dick Mirgon.

"The county will be providing a comprehensive response to the report very soon that will include discussion on each area of the Douglas County government that they (jurors) investigated, and our plans to implement their recommendations or, if not possible, a full explanation as to why we may not be able to implement all of the recommendations," Brown said.

Jurors had been critical that recommendations from prior Douglas County grand juries weren't implemented.

Brown said the 2007-08 report won't sit on a shelf.

"It's not because we feel forced to," he said. "The recommendations they provided are very good. We believe that in implementing them, the county will do a better job."

Brown said staff already was reviewing the county's redevelopment policies and the emergency management systems including 911 operation.

Grand jurors said the emergency communications equipment, in some cases, was outdated and unreliable.

"We were taking a close look at doing a full analysis of the redevelopment agency and its ability to make payments," Brown said.

The grand jury recommended he continue to work closely with Carson City on regional economic matters.

Brown was appointed interim county manager after Holler resigned in March to accept a job as city administrator in Grass Valley, Calif.

"I met with (Carson City Manager) Larry Werner shortly after I was appointed," Brown said. "I walked up there with an olive branch. We talked very openly about how both communities would be better off if we took a regional approach.

"Right now, we're working together on a joint plan for north Douglas County and south Carson City on what's best from a community planning perspective," Brown said.

Brown said he and the commissioners appreciated the grand jury's year-long look at county government.

"County government is a complex system of formal and informal policies and practices, laws, rules, regulations with interrelationships with numerous public and private agencies, groups and individuals.

"The grand jury's report is a great testament to the time and energy each member invested to learn about our government and apply that knowledge toward improving the quality of services we provide to the community," Brown said.