Clark County’s top administrator gets praise with nearly $17K bonus

Clark County Manager Yolanda King received high praise Tuesday from policymakers who unanimously agreed to give the top administrator a 6 percent bonus during her annual review.

King has served as county manager since Dec. 2, 2016, following her appointment by county commissioners. After three full years on the job, she was rewarded Tuesday with a nearly $17,000 one-time payday by the county commission.

It was the highest bonus King could receive under a county cap. She made $327,435 in 2019, according to county spokesman Erik Pappa. That figure includes $279,365 in base pay, which is used to calculate the bonus she’ll receive this year, and $48,070 in longevity pay. Longevity pay, since eliminated for new employees, is a yearly benefit provided to eligible workers who have accumulated a certain number of years of service.

“I wanted to do balloons and parties because I think that Yolanda, Mrs. King, has surrounded herself with an amazing team and the staff itself has moved the needle on the county, on what we do,” Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick said.

But noting that King is more focused on the work than celebrations, Kirkpatrick deferred to highlights in 2019 under the county manager’s watch: Preserving Medicaid funding at University Medical Center, purchasing the North Valley Detention Center, expediting initial court appearances, negotiating three collective bargaining deals, adding 189 new staff and reducing energy consumption costs by about $1 million.

The county also earmarked up to $12 million in marijuana business license fees to homelessness programs, developed affordable housing, established workforce training and truancy prevention initiatives and modernized an ethics policy governing the conduct of public officials, among other moves.

“Your support with me being in this position is very much appreciated and I obviously cannot do what I do without your support and without the support of our senior management and our employees,” King told the commission.

Commissioner Michael Naft said King was among the first people he called when appointed to the board a year ago.

“And from that moment forward you’ve been over and beyond helpful to me and how you manage not only the seven members of this board but the (county’s) 10,000 employees,” he said.

King joined the county in 1986 and served as the chief financial officer prior to her appointment as county manager.

Contact Shea Johnson at sjohnson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ on Twitter.

A previous version of this story incorrectly reported how much money Clark County Manager Yolanda King makes per year. King was paid $327,434.80 in 2019.