Retirement or Retreat?
County Manager Eric Brown as he announces his ‘retirement’ from Washoe County Government after 5.5 years … is that new math, he started on November 25, 2019.
As Washoe County Manager Eric Brown prepares to step down on June 30, 2025, a growing chorus of questions is beginning to echo across county hallways—and among local taxpayers. Is this a planned retirement… or a quiet retreat ahead of legal, ethical, and administrative scrutiny?
Brown, who took the reins in November 2019, leaves not just a high-paying position—with an annual salary reportedly over $330,000—but also a storm of controversy in his wake.
In December 2023, the Board of County Commissioners (Commissioner Mike Clark was the only no vote) approved a 10% lump-sum bonus and extended his contract to November 21, 2025, with an increase in severance pay from six months to one year. These actions suggest a favorable financial arrangement for Brown upon his retirement.
In May 2025, Brown and his wife were spotted at the PERS office in Carson City, suggesting potential discussions about his retirement benefits. It's unclear whether he utilized vacation or sick leave to get to his five years of service.
Before his retirement, Brown took medical leave in late 2024, during which Assistant County Manager Dave Solaro served as acting manager. Brown was on leave during the 2024 general election. Unknown to most residents Assistant County Manager Kate Thomas, bestie of Commission Chair Alexis Hill, was placed in charge of the Registrar of Voters office - at Hill’s direction in September 2024 - which was exposed in the Cari-Ann Burgess lawsuit.
Earlier this year concerns were raised about the remote work arrangements of other county employees, such as the IT Director, who reportedly works limited days in the office and doesn’t live in Washoe County - all approved by Brown. The county will not release public records regarding how many remote employees have Brown’s approval.
Brown is leaving the county with a lot of legal baggage. Two high-profile lawsuits are still hanging over Washoe County—and both involve Brown directly.
Amber Howell, the former Human Services Agency director, filed a claim alleging retaliation and a toxic work environment under Brown’s leadership.
Cari-Ann Burgess, the interim Registrar of Voters, also filed a lawsuit, citing improper treatment, interference, and mismanagement tied to Brown’s oversight.
Both cases remain unresolved, and some insiders speculate that the mounting legal pressure may have influenced Brown’s decision to exit stage left before the heat intensifies - but the bigger problem might be - Sober 24 and all that federal scrutiny.
The county's Sober 24 program—a sobriety monitoring initiative—has drawn federal attention, with an investigation underway into its operations, finances, or both. While details remain under wraps, sources indicate the probe touches multiple levels of county leadership. Brown, as County Manager, ultimately oversees all departments and Assistant County Manager Kate Thomas directly oversaw the program with Jason Roper as a direct report. If Sober 24 has compliance issues, it may fall under his administrative watch.
Rumors are swirling that Brown is preparing to return to his old stomping grounds in the telehealth industry—bolstered by a taxpayer-funded retirement from Washoe County. And he may not be leaving alone. County insiders contact us off the record today that his inner circle—like the Information Technology Director who reportedly resides outside Nevada—may also be eyeing the county exit doors.
When the dust settles, what will taxpayers be left with? An executive team potentially scattered, two major lawsuits underway, and a federal investigation looming?
For a leader who promised modernization and transparency in 2019, the legacy might instead be marked by secrecy and damage control.