Candidates begin filing for spring municipal elections

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2001 | 10:59 a.m.

Las Vegas and Henderson city council incumbents are looking to sweep easily into new terms on April 3 as elected officials in North Las Vegas and Boulder City face more hurdles.

In Las Vegas, only Councilman Lawrence Weekly has competition so far, on the second day of the candidate filing period, which ends Feb. 2. Bob Nolen, a former city councilman and constable, filed to run against Weekly for his Ward 5 seat Tuesday morning.

Lynette Boggs McDonald, Larry Brown and Michael Mack joined Weekly in filing for office Tuesday, with no competition. Mack, the Ward 6 councilman, faces potential competition from activist Louise Helton, who has yet to decide whether to run.

Voters will get their first chance to have a say about three of the city's council members as Boggs McDonald, Mack and Weekly were all appointed to their current positions.

Nolen, 59, the general manager at the Olympic Garden topless club, said he decided to run after residents and business owners told him they needed his help.

Ward 5 resident Charles Schneider also filed.

Weekly, 36, is a local radio host. Brown, 43, is a former professional baseball player who works for the Las Vegas Stars. Boggs McDonald, 37, a former Miss Oregon, is president of Thomas Puckett Advertising. Mack, 37, owns several pawn and gift stores.

The four sitting Municipal Court judges up for election, Elizabeth Kolkoski, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Cedric Kerns and Jessie Walsh, all filed Tuesday with no competition.

In Henderson, only Councilman Jack Clark has opposition so far.

Political newcomer Jesse Horne filed his candidacy for Henderson's Ward 3 councilman at 8:05 a.m., five minutes after official filing opened for municipal elections statewide.

"Just that moment, signing your name on the ballot ... it was exciting," Horne said.

Horne, 30, a Henderson native and computer systems analyst, could prove to be the lone challenger in three local re-election races led by incumbents with a proven ability to run well-financed campaigns.

Clark, a Metro Police detective who will be running for a third, four-year term, has not yet filed for re-election.

Municipal Court Judge Ken Proctor filed for a third, four-year term shortly after Horne.

Mayor Jim Gibson, an attorney, filed for a second, four-year term as mayor later in the day.

In North Las Vegas, two incumbents and three political newcomers plunked down $150 to file for office on the first day of filing.

Mayor Michael Montandon and Municipal Judge Warren VanLandschoot both filed for re-election to second, four-year terms.

Land surveyor Mark Crabtree filed to run against Montandon.

Planning Commissioner Anita Wood and Mark Kincaid filed to run against incumbent Councilwoman Stephanie Smith, for the Ward 3 seat.

In Boulder City, three challengers filed Tuesday for two open seats. Candidates run at-large, and not from a specific ward.

Councilman Mike Pacini, a grocery clerk, is seeking a second term. Councilman Bill Smith, a retired travel agent, is not seeking re-election.

Ned Morang, 60, a retired city electrician, will run a second campaign for a seat on the council. He made an unsuccessful bid in 1998.

Two political newcomers also will run for a seat on the council. Andrea Anderson, 56, an administrator for Community College Southern Nevada at the Boulder City center and part-time real estate agent, plans to start her campaign today with a meeting of supporters at her home.

John Barlow, 37, vice-principal at Foothill High School, also filed. Letters announcing his intention to run were also scheduled to arrive in mailboxes Tuesday, he said. And 400 yard signs, along with a dozen larger signs at a total cost of $3,400 are on order, he said.