Denis Cederburg, the longtime director of Clark County public works, submitted his resignation this month following a second internal investigation that criticized his handling of an employee’s potential conflict of interest, new records show.
In a two-sentence resignation letter to County Manager Kevin Schiller dated Sept. 14, Cederburg states that he plans to retire on Jan. 4 of next year.
Cederburg’s resignation was voluntary, according to county spokesperson Jennifer Cooper. He has been the director of public works since 2005 and with the department since 1980.
His resignation comes on the heels of an investigation that determined he “did not address the identified potential conflict of interest in a timely manner,” according to an investigation report obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as part of a public records request.
The department director was on paid administrative leave from July 22 through Aug. 24 during the investigation, as stipulated under state law, Cooper said.
Cederburg did not respond to a request for comment.
In a separate matter, the county fired public works manager Jimmy Floyd last year after investigators determined that he had shown preferential treatment to his wife’s firm, Rock Solid Project Solutions, the main subcontractor on a $10 million public works contract overseen by Floyd.
Cederburg also was investigated for his role in handling the matter, according to records that were obtained this year by the Review-Journal after it sued the county.
Although investigators determined that Cederburg had shown a “lack of oversight” over Floyd, he was not disciplined, the county said.
The matter investigated this summer involved the connection between a subcontractor on a public works project and a department employee involved in overseeing the project, according to a report on the investigation, which was conducted by principal human resources analyst Ed Capiral.
The names of the employee and the company are redacted in the report.
Cederburg ‘denied saying he was OK with it’
The employee assisted the company — owned by the employee’s father and operated by the employee’s brother — in obtaining its contractor license but reported not receiving compensation from the company, according to the report. The company performed work on a security gate for what the report describes as the county’s James Regional Sports Park project.
Cederburg had been aware since late 2025 of the relationship between the employee and the company, and of the potential for a conflict of interest, according to the report.
In January of this year, the employee submitted a notice of additional employment regarding the family company. Cederburg and the employee discussed the form, but Cederburg did not document specific direction regarding how potential conflicts were to be handled, the report states.
In May, there were conversations with Cederburg about how the company was a subcontractor on the county project. It’s unclear from the redacted document who was involved in these conversations. However, the report includes comments that because the employee did not have a financial interest in the company, Cederburg “said it would be OK” and “said he didn’t have any issues with it.”
Cederburg said he was not made aware of the work on the county project until it was completed, according to the report. He also “denied saying he was OK with it.”
Following an ethics training class, the employee or another individual – it is unclear because of the redactions – again raised concerns about the potential conflict of interest because of the family ties. Cederburg then said he would take the concerns to the district attorney.
On June 10, the district attorney’s office received the employee’s additional employment form that had been filed in January. On July 16, Clark County human resources received the form, which Cederburg had “disapproved” a day earlier.
“Based on these facts, the concern regarding Denis Cederburg’s handling of the potential conflict of interest is substantiated,” the report states. “His response did not ensure timely review, documentation, and resolution of the identified conflict-of-interest concern consistent with the Department Head responsibilities” under a county directive regarding ethical standards.
The report states that any corrective or disciplinary action would be at the discretion of the county manager.
Replacement has not been chosen
In a letter to Cederburg on Sept. 14, Schiller confirms the retirement date. The county manager’s letter also describes a transition plan in which Cederburg will “step back from the direct management of day-to-day operations” to support and guide Deputy County Manager Lisa Kremer and managers assuming increased responsibilities for operations.
The letter calls for Cederburg to “provide direct support” under the direction of Kremer “regarding changes in the Department focused on adhering to county policies,” specifically the county’s ethics directive and reporting on additional employment.
After the investigations into a potential conflict of interest involving Floyd, the county last year said it was putting in place measures to prevent conflicts of interest involving subcontractors.
Cederburg’s replacement has not been picked, Cooper said, “and the County is working through the next steps associated with the transition and recruitment.”
In a Sept. 17 email to public works employees, Kremer stated about Cederburg, “The changes the department and the community have gone through under his leadership are significant and it is hard to capture how truly impactful his service has been. Denis has been a mentor to me throughout my career, as well as to countless others in this community. It’s difficult to sufficiently express the appreciation and respect we all have for someone who’s contributed so much. … Thank you for all that you have done, your expertise and dedication is unmatched.”
Contact investigative reporter Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on X.
