Ethics commission finds non-willful violation in former North Las Vegas city manager’s post-employment contract

The Nevada Commission on Ethics on June 18 accepted a stipulated agreement finding that former City of North Las Vegas city manager Ryan Juden committed a non-willful violation of NRS 281.8410 by negotiating a post-employment consulting contract while still employed, Executive Director Ross Armstrong told commissioners at a meeting in Ely, Nevada.

The finding stems from a complaint the commission received in September 2024. Armstrong said investigators examined alleged violations across several ethics provisions but the review panel dismissed all alleged violations except for the claim tied to NRS 281.8410, which concerns seeking a contract for oneself while a public employee. The parties negotiated a stipulated agreement resolving the remaining allegation as a non-willful violation.

Armstrong told the commission the parties’ timeline is important: Juden began as North Las Vegas city manager in April 2018; in January 2024 he told the mayor and mayor pro tem he planned to leave the position and was asked to consider exercising a clause in his employment contract allowing post-employment consulting. Armstrong said Juden incorporated Edge Strategies on January 5, 2024, under his wife’s name and later entered the consulting agreement with the city. "There really is a timing issue with, a public employee negotiating their post employment contract while they're still employed," Armstrong said during his presentation.

Todd Kreher, attorney for the respondent, urged acceptance of the stipulation and described Juden as a longtime public servant. "Ryan Juden is a a faithful civil civil servant who was serving the citizens of the city of North Las Vegas," Kreher said, adding that Juden had followed the process he believed appropriate and had been transparent about exercising the contract clause.

Several commissioners expressed concern about the contract’s length and terms while acknowledging the commission’s limited statutory scope. "I'm reluctantly going to vote for this, but I think this is a I think the contract that was entered into is unconscionable," Commissioner Terry Reynolds said, adding he would have been comfortable with a much shorter consulting term. Commissioner Lowry said she agreed with Reynolds and would not have approved the negotiation.

Commission counsel Bassett explained the commission’s authority is limited to enforcement of the ethics statutes. "While we may not like the length of the contract or the amount of money involved, that's not necessarily a violation of the ethics code in in in of itself," Bassett said, clarifying the commission’s enforcement focus is timing and manner of negotiation under the statute.

Armstrong warned commissioners that if the commission finds a violation, the underlying contract can become voidable under the ethics law and that staff would notify the City of North Las Vegas so the city can decide its response. The commission voted to accept the stipulated agreement and directed commission counsel to finalize it in appropriate legal form; commissioners participating voted to approve the agreement unanimously.

The case record shows the review panel narrowed the investigation to the single remaining allegation tied to NRS 281.8410 and that the parties characterized the conduct as non-willful in the stipulation. The commission’s action resolves complaint number 24148C against Juden by way of the agreed stipulation.

The commission also noted that Vice Chair Walling, Commissioner Moran and Commissioner Smith were precluded from participating in the Juden matter because they had served on the review panel.