Clark County's Public Works Director Since 2005 Will Retire After an Internal Investigation

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

On Sept. 14, Cederburg sent a two-sentence resignation letter to County Manager Kevin Schiller. In it, he said he plans to retire on Jan. 4 of next year. County spokesperson Jennifer Cooper told the Review-Journal the resignation was voluntary.

The letter came after an internal investigation this summer. During that review, Cederburg was on paid administrative leave from July 22 through Aug. 24. Cooper said state law required that leave. The investigation was run by Ed Capiral, a principal human resources analyst for the county.

Here is what the report looked at. A public works employee helped oversee a county project. A company tied to that employee's family worked as a subcontractor on that same project. According to the report, the company is owned by the employee's father and run by the employee's brother. The employee helped the company get its contractor license but reported not being paid by it. The company did work on a security gate for what the report calls the county's James Regional Sports Park project. The names of the employee and the company were blacked out.

The report says Cederburg knew about the family tie, and the chance of a conflict, since late 2025. In January 2026, the employee filed a notice of additional employment about the family company. Cederburg and the employee talked about the form, but the report says he did not write down clear directions on how to handle a possible conflict. In May, there were conversations about the company working as a subcontractor on the county job. The report includes comments that Cederburg said it would be OK because the employee had no money in the company. Cederburg told investigators he did not know about the work until it was finished, and he denied saying he was OK with it.

Later, after an ethics training class, the family-tie concern was raised again. Cederburg said he would take it to the district attorney. The district attorney's office got the January form on June 10. County human resources got it on July 16, one day after Cederburg marked it "disapproved." The report found the concern about his handling of the matter was substantiated, saying his response did not ensure timely review, documentation and resolution. It left any discipline up to the county manager.

Denis Cederburg speaking at a May 2026 Clark County media event about Boulder Highway safety, from the Las Vegas Review-Journal

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Most people never think about who runs Public Works. But this department touches your life every time you leave the house. According to Clark County, Public Works handles the design, construction, inspection and maintenance of roadways, bridges, traffic control devices, flood control facilities and trails. It also runs the Bruce Woodbury Beltway, better known as the 215, plus curbs, medians and sidewalks in the public right of way.

The department is broken into divisions you feel day to day. The Road Division handles paved and gravel roads, sidewalks, curbs, ADA ramps, street sweeping, graffiti removal and pavement ratings. Design Engineering works on capital projects, 215 Beltway improvements and flood control. Construction Management oversees big building projects and inspections. When you see orange cones on your street in unincorporated Clark County, there is a good chance this department planned the job.

The list of Road Division jobs on the county's site is longer than most people guess. Beyond paving, it includes bridges, flood control channels, weed abatement, pest abatement, trails and even homeless encampment cleanup in the public right of way. These are the small, steady services that keep a neighborhood looking cared for. They rarely make the news, but buyers notice them on every drive through a neighborhood, even if they do not realize it.

Where you live matters here. Clark County Public Works covers unincorporated Clark County. That includes big, busy areas like Spring Valley, Enterprise, Paradise and Summerlin South. If you live inside the city limits of Las Vegas, Henderson or North Las Vegas, your city handles your neighborhood streets. But the county still runs regional roads that almost everyone drives, like the 215. So even if your mailing address says Henderson, the county's work shows up on your commute.

There is also a trust piece. Public Works spends public money on public projects, and much of that work goes to contractors and subcontractors. When a report says a possible conflict sat for months without a clear decision, taxpayers have a fair reason to want tighter rules. That does not mean your street is unsafe or that projects were done badly. The report does not say that. It means the way the department checks for conflicts is under a brighter light, which is healthy.

For homeowners, roads and drainage are part of what holds a neighborhood's value over time. Smooth streets, working signals, storm drains that handle a monsoon, and new interchanges that cut drive times all make an area more appealing. Buyers notice those things, even if they never know which county office made them happen. A steady, well-run Public Works department is one of the quiet reasons the southwest valley keeps growing.

Background and History

This is not the first time Cederburg's oversight has come up. In a separate case last year, the county fired public works manager Jimmy Floyd. Investigators found Floyd had shown preferential treatment to his wife's firm, Rock Solid Project Solutions. That firm was the main subcontractor on a $10 million public works contract that Floyd oversaw. We covered that story back in July, and you can find it in the related links at the top of this page.

According to the Review-Journal, records the paper got this year after suing the county show Cederburg was also investigated over how he handled the Floyd matter. Investigators found he had shown a "lack of oversight" over Floyd. The county said he was not disciplined for it. After the Floyd investigations, the county said last year that it was putting new steps in place to prevent conflicts of interest involving subcontractors.

It helps to know how county projects get built. The county usually hires a main contractor. That contractor then hires smaller subcontractors to do pieces of the job, like a security gate. That setup is normal and legal. The concern comes up when someone who oversees a project has a family or personal tie to a company doing the work. County rules ask employees to report outside jobs, and they ask department heads to make sure those reports get reviewed and settled.

Think of a notice of additional employment as a heads-up form. An employee tells the county about outside work or business ties, so a manager can decide whether it creates a problem with their county job. If it might, the manager can set ground rules, like keeping that employee away from any project the outside company touches. The report's concern was not that the form existed. It was that clear directions were not written down and the form was not acted on quickly.

Line up the dates and the report's main point is easy to see. The family link was known in late 2025. The outside job form came in January 2026. The subcontractor question came up in May. The form reached the district attorney in June and county human resources in July. Then came the paid leave, and then the resignation letter in September. The finding is about time. Months passed between when the possible conflict was known and when it was fully handled on paper.

It is also fair to remember the length of this career. Cederburg joined the department in 1980, when the Las Vegas Valley was a much smaller place. He became director in 2005, right in the middle of one of the fastest growth stretches the valley has ever seen. A lot of the roads and flood control that newer residents take for granted were built during his time there.

What Happens Next

Cederburg is not leaving right away. In his own Sept. 14 letter, Schiller confirmed the Jan. 4 retirement date and laid out a transition plan. Under that plan, Cederburg will step back from running day-to-day operations. He will support Deputy County Manager Lisa Kremer and the managers who are taking on more of the operations work.

The letter also asks Cederburg to help, under Kremer's direction, with changes in the department focused on following county policy. That includes the county's ethics directive and the rules for reporting additional employment. In plain words, the same kind of paperwork at the center of this investigation is now part of the handoff work.

No replacement has been named. Cooper told the Review-Journal the county is working through the next steps for the transition and recruitment. There is no public timeline yet. Inside the department, the tone has been thankful. In a Sept. 17 email to staff reported by the Review-Journal, Kremer called Cederburg a mentor to her and to many others in the community, and thanked him for his years of service.

Here is what I would watch over the next three months. First, whether the county hires from inside the department or searches outside. Second, whether the county shares any updates to its conflict-of-interest rules for subcontractors. Third, whether big road and drainage projects keep moving on their normal schedules. Crews, engineers and inspectors keep working through a leadership change, so I do not expect your local projects to stop.

Ryan's Take

I drive this valley every day for work, from Summerlin to the southwest to Henderson. The roads, the signals and the newer interchanges are a big part of why people want to live here. So when the department behind them gets a new leader, I pay attention. I am not here to judge anyone. Cederburg gave more than four decades to the county, and the people who worked with him clearly respect him. The finding was about how a possible conflict was documented and resolved, not a criminal case.

At the same time, it is a good sign when a county follows its own ethics rules and acts on what a report finds. Clear rules protect honest contractors, protect employees and protect taxpayers. For homeowners, I do not see this changing your home value in the short run. What I would watch is who takes over and how they set priorities for road upkeep in fast-growing areas like Enterprise and the southwest. Roads have to keep up with new homes, and that is where a steady Public Works leader really shows.

What You Can Do

You do not need to be a policy expert to stay on top of this. Start by following the hiring. Clark County posts news and Board of County Commissioners agendas on its website. When the county names a new Public Works director, take a few minutes to read who it is and what they plan to focus on. Trusted local news, like the Review-Journal, will likely follow the transition too.

Next, use the tools the department already offers. Clark County Public Works posts notices of road construction on its website, so you can see what work is planned near you. If you live in unincorporated Clark County and spot a pothole, a broken streetlight or a damaged sidewalk, you can report it to the county. Small reports add up and help crews know where to go.

Finally, speak up if you care about how this is handled. County Commission meetings include time for public comment, and you can reach out to your county commissioner directly. If you have thoughts on contractor oversight, ethics rules or which roads in your area need work first, share them. Keep it respectful and stick to the facts. And if you are buying or selling a home, ask about planned road and drainage projects nearby. They can shape traffic, noise and convenience for years.

Here is a simple habit I share with buyers. Before you write an offer, drive the main roads around the home at rush hour and on a rainy day if you can. Look up the county's road construction notices for that area. Check whether a big project is planned nearby, like a widening or a new interchange. Short-term construction can be a pain, but the finished road can make a neighborhood easier to live in for decades. Knowing what is coming helps you buy with your eyes open, and it is a great question to bring to me before you tour.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com