County manager receives raise and thanks

Commissioner Danny Tarkanian said he felt sometimes he overwhelmed Cates with requests, but that he felt well served.

“I feel for a guy that’s running the whole county just to respond to all my different requests is overwhelming, and I appreciate the time and effort you put into that,” Tarkanian said.

On Thursday commissioners voted 5-0 to approve Cates' raise. Last year, commissioners denied the raise by a 3-2 vote, with Tarkanian and Wes Rice in the minority.

“Mr. Cates, in my opinion, has been incredible,” Rice said on Thursday. “This county without you would have been in such bad condition coming through the pandemic. We came out of it in better condition than we went into it. I credit you and your staff and the people you’ve surrounded yourself with for that fact.”

Rice said that as state Republican Rural Caucus Chairman he has visited all 15 rural counties, and that each of them would be happy to have Cates.

“Any problem I’ve come to you with, I’ve seen it resolved,” Rice said. “What happened last year was abhorrent. It was a slap in the face to you and everyone who works for you.”

Chairman Mark Gardner, who voted last year with the majority, said he voted based on Cates salary level compared with other jurisdictions.

“I’ve come to understand and realize that although I thought I had a lot of balls in the air, I’ve come to understand and realize yours are four times greater than mine.”

Citing inflation and difficulties recruiting, Douglas County commissioners approved moving up a 2-percent cost of living adjustment for all county workers from July 1 to April 2.

A 7-percent across the board pay raise was approved with the tentative budget for county workers amounting to $2.7 million will take effect July 1, if the final budget is approved next month.

The pay raise will be the first Cates will receive since he took the job in 2019. In 2020, he refused a raise.

Before the raise, Cates made $208,333. The former state director of administration was hired in March 2019 with a five-year contract set to expire June 30, 2024.

In Nevada governmental chief executives are required to be evaluated in public and those evaluations are subject to public comment.