Democrats take over county commission

Keith Shimada / Special to the Home News

County commissioners Larry Brown, left, and Steve Sisolak pose for a portrait after Monday’s swearing in ceremony at the Government Center in Las Vegas.

By Sun Staff (contact)

Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 | 11:08 a.m.

Keith Shimada / Special to the Home News

Chief Judge Art Ritchie, left, of 8th Judicial Court, swears in county commissioners (left to right) Tom Collins, Lawrence Weekly, Steve Sisolak and Larry Brown on Monday at the Government Center in Las Vegas.

Clark County now has its first all-Democratic county commission in 40 years.

Larry Brown and Steve Sisolak were sworn in Monday morning. Brown represents District C, which includes much of the northwest part of the county, and Sisolak represents District A in southeast Clark County. Sisolak replaces Bruce Woodbury, who served on the commission for 28 years.

Commissioners selected Rory Reid to continue serving as chairman and Susan Brager was selected to be the vice chair of the commission for the next two years.

Reid is the first commissioner to serve as chairman for three consecutive terms in almost 50 years, and the fourth to do so in Clark County history, the county said.

Commissioners Tom Collins and Lawrence Weekly won election in November as the commissioners for Districts B and D, respectively.

The commissioners today also decided who will chair or represent them on various boards:

- Las Vegas Valley Water District board: Reid, president; Sisolak, vice president;

- Southern Nevada Health District board: Chris Giunchigliani and Weekly, members, with Collins as the alternate;

- Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission and Regional Flood Control District: Giunchigliani and Brown, members;

- Metropolitan Police Committee on Fiscal Affairs: Brown and Sisolak, members; and

- Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority: Collins and Weekly, members.