Segerblom enters School Board race

Tuesday, May 4, 2004 | 10:11 a.m.

Local attorney Richard Segerblom, who has represented dozens of teachers, administrators and support employees in lawsuits against the Clark County School District, will challenge incumbent Shirley Barber for her seat on the Clark County School Board.

"I've made a lot of other lawyers rich by litigating against the School District, but I haven't had much success in getting them to change their policies and procedures," Segerblom said Monday. "Maybe if I'm on the inside, I could make more of a difference."

Segerblom, 56, is making his first run at public office. From 1990 to 1994 he served as chairman of the state's Democratic Party.

Segerblom graduated from Boulder City High School where his mother taught government for 20 years. His daughter graduated from Clark High School in 1998 and his son followed in 2001.

Barber, a retired principal with more than 40 years' experience in education, is seeking her third term on the seven-member board. A third candidate, Merietta Oviatt, has also filed for the District C seat. Oviatt could not be reached for comment Monday.

Segerblom said he currently has three wrongful termination lawsuits pending against the district as well as 20 to 30 open cases involving School District employees. If elected to the School Board, Segerblom said he would give up that aspect of his law practice.

"There would be no conflict of interest," Segerblom said.

Two other Clark County School Board seats will be on the ballot: District E, represented by Denise Brodsky, and District B, represented by Ruth Johnson. Brodsky was first elected in 2000 and Johnson in 1996.

So far, no one has filed to take on either Brodsky or Johnson, although several people have vowed publicly at past School Board meetings to do so.

The School Board oversees the nation's sixth-largest school district with an operating budget approaching $1.6 billion and more than 30,000 employees.

School Board members receive $80 per meeting while the president and clerk each receives $85. Candidates have until 5 p.m. on May 14 to file with the Clark County Election Department.

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