Newest member says he’s thrilled to join council

Sito Negron

Wednesday, July 7, 2004 | 11:20 a.m.

Steve Wolfson was sworn in as a Las Vegas city councilman during a short ceremony this morning that included praise from his family and a playful exchange with Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Wolfson's wife, District Judge Jackie Glass, said that "the residents of Ward 2 are getting a representative who is honest, intelligent ... They should rest assured that he will do his very best."

His 17-year-old daughter Rachel also spoke a few words, introducing herself as "the shadow councilwoman," a line that garnered applause.

Wolfson won a special election June 22, beating out a field of 12 candidates who were vying to replace Lynette Boggs McDonald, who was appointed to fill a vacant Clark County Commission seat.

A lawyer, Wolfson said Tuesday that he no longer would take clients who have cases pending before Las Vegas Municipal Court.

"I met with (City Attorney) Brad Jerbic a couple of times and his advice is consistent with what I had already planned on doing, which is as of the day I was elected I have not accepted any new Municipal Court business," Wolfson said. However, he said, some of his clients must appear before court for status checks on cases already adjudicated, and in such situations he will arrange for another lawyer to take over.

Wolfson said that he has 10 to 15 cases pending in Municipal Court. He said those cases will be transferred to District Court, after which neither he nor "any of the lawyers in my firm will take on any new (Municipal Court) business."

When introduced this morning, Wolfson said he never imagined being on the council when the year started. "But things happen," he said. "This is a position I wanted. I'm thrilled to be here."

Wolfson got into a playful exchange with Goodman after noting his father was not able to attend because of illness.

"I understand I'll be able to send him a video if I pay $25 out of my own pocket ... isn't that right, mayor?" Wolfson joked, in a reference to one of the issues involved in the ethics complaint against Goodman, who had a city-owned collection of his taped media appearances in his office.

A moment later Goodman welcomed Wolfson and replayed a favorite line about how the job is like Monopoly, but with real money, and like Legos, but with real bricks and mortar, "and on occasion you'll be able to help your daughters."