Return to Sender: The Curious Case of the Bikini Photo, the Restraining Order, and the Comeback Kid of Washoe County

The ‘unknown’ photo that was very ‘known’ via a Federal Court case. Note the exhibit sticker.

Back in April 2021, then-Washoe County Assessor (now Commissioner) Mike Clark stumbled upon a manila envelope mysteriously left on his office chair. Inside? A hodgepodge of public documents involving elected officials, lobbyists, and one particularly eye-catching photo: a bikini-clad assistant county manager lounging poolside, back tattoo and all, marked as a federal court exhibit. Naturally, Clark thought the envelope was compelling enough to share—so he mailed copies to roughly 160 of Washoe County’s “movers and shakers.”

That’s when things blew up.

The woman in the photo—an assistant county manager and direct report to County Manager Eric Brown—was reportedly stunned when she saw the image of herself circulating. She claimed she'd never seen the photo before, didn’t know how it ended up in Clark’s hands, and feared for her safety. (And let’s be honest: if someone sent out a bikini photo of us without warning, we’d be a little rattled too.)

Authorities were called. Surveillance footage showed that it was indeed Clark who mailed the envelopes. At her request, the District Attorney’s office secured a temporary restraining order that barred Clark from stepping foot on county property unless supervised. Which, given his role as County Assessor, made doing his job rather... inconvenient.

But here’s where the plot twist comes in.

At a hearing on June 30, 2021—while being sworn in—this same assistant county manager admitted under oath that she did know where the photo came from, had already seen it, and had even sent it herself to a City of Reno colleague. That’s how it became part of a federal court case. So the restraining order? Based entirely on a false claim—one backed and filed by the District Attorney’s office, not the employee herself.

Fast forward to today. County Manager Eric Brown is retiring, and the Washoe County Commission is deciding who should step in as interim manager during the search for his replacement. Enter Agenda Item 10. And guess who Commissioner Alexis Hill wants to appoint as acting county manager?

Washoe County Commission Agenda Item 10 - June 17, 2025.

You guessed it: the same person whose misleading statements led to Mike Clark being banned from his own office.

Now here’s the head-scratcher: if this assistant county manager was once so “fearful” of Clark that she had him legally restrained, how is she now suddenly okay working alongside him? Even more curious: County Manager Brown had previously taken special care to keep the two separated—at her reported request.

So, what changed? Why the sudden about-face? And how is Clark supposed to work effectively with someone who once triggered a legal restraining order based on a false narrative?

We don’t know either. But if you're scratching your head, you're not alone.

In the world of Washoe County politics, it seems the only thing more surprising than what shows up in your mailbox… is who ends up in charge.