School Board elects Mason president

Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 | 9:52 a.m.

The Clark County School Board elected three-term member Larry Mason as its president Thursday, with Ruth Johnson as vice president and Denise Brodsky as clerk.

Mason thanked his colleagues for their unanimous vote of confidence and said he was looking forward to the challenges of the coming year and legislative session.

"We have a lot of work to do and it's going to be a joint effort, a team effort," Mason said.

Susan Brager-Wellman, the outgoing president, wished the new officers well as she handed the gavel to Mason.

"This year has been an incredible experience," Brager-Wellman said. "It takes all of us together to be a board and I thank you for your support of that effort."

In other action, the School Board approved the hiring of Hector R. Garcia as the district's new police chief at an annual salary of $96,732. Garcia, a veteran of municipal and school law enforcement in south Florida, will oversee the district's 145-officer force effective Feb. 14. He replaces Elliot Phelps, who was fired in October for failing to obtain the state-required certification for the position.

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