Henderson swears in new mayor, council member

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

City Clerk Monica Simmons administers the oath of office to incoming Mayor Andy Hafen Tuesday during a swearing-in ceremony at the Henderson City Council meeting.

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | 11:38 p.m.

Hafen/Boutin swearing in

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Former Henderson mayor joining The Greenspun Corporation (6-16-2009)

Hafen victorious in see-saw battle for Henderson mayor (6-2-2009)
Boutin handily wins Henderson City Council race (6-2-2009)
Tight mayoral race now a battle in Henderson (5-29-2009)
Henderson mayoral candidates set spending record (5-27-2009)
Mayoral candidates similar, even compliment each other (5-22-2009)
Henderson City Council candidates stress experience (5-14-2009)
Mayoral candidates try to differentiate themselves (5-13-2009)
Boutin, Rosenfield advance in race for Ward 3 Henderson City Council (4-8-2009)
Hafen, Kirk advance to eight-week battle (4-7-2009)
Henderson mayoral candidates talk budget cuts at forum (3-19-2009)

Andy Hafen made one of the biggest moves of his life Tuesday night, though physically it was only about six feet.

Hafen vacated the Henderson City Council seat he has held for 22 years to be sworn in as mayor, while Kathleen Boutin took her oath of office to represent Ward 3.

After taking his oath, Hafen quoted former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who after he was inaugurated, said: “I will do my best. That is all I can do.”

“So in these trying economic times, when our community needs healing, that is my message to you. I will do my best,” Hafen said.

Hafen replaces former Mayor James B. Gibson, who held the office for 12 years. Gibson announced Tuesday that he is going to work for The Greenspun Corporation, parent company of the Las Vegas Sun.

Boutin briefly thanked those who endorsed her campaign and those who voted for her before recognizing her children, Alex and Aurora, in the audience.

“Thank you for inspiring me,” she said. “I love you with all my heart.”

Each candidate had friends, family and city employees on hand to witness the event, along with at least one special guest.

For Hafen, it was his 90-year old father, who made the trip from Southern Utah, despite being ill, to witness the event.

Hafen said he didn’t know his father would be there and his voice cracked with emotion when he presented his “special surprise” to the audience.

For Boutin, it was a handful of teenagers who have been helped by her Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. To motivate a couple of the teen girls that came, Boutin introduced them to Henderson Police Chief Jutta Chambers.

“They were just in awe of her,” Boutin said. “It was neat that they were there and could see the whole local government process and be into it.”

After the ceremony, the council went to work. Foremost among the items on the new council’s first agenda was a decision regarding how the remaining two years of Hafen’s vacant Ward 2 City Council seat would be filled.

The Council voted 3-1 to appoint a replacement instead of conducting a special election or a mail-only election under a new law that the Nevada Legislature passed this year.

City Clerk Monica Simmons said the special election would cost as much as $180,000, while the mail-only election would cost as much as $145,000.

The appointment process will cost about $800, she said.

Boutin cast the dissenting vote, saying the city has contracts with consultants and public relations firms that it could eliminate to cover the cost of an election.

“I don’t think it would be hard for us to find the money to give voters the chance to choose,” Boutin said. Other council members, however, said the city had to make financial considerations the main factor in the decision.

Application packets for those interested in the seat will be available on the city’s Web site, cityofhenderson.com, and at the city clerk’s office beginning Thursday.

They are due by June 29; the appointment is expected to be made in a special City Council meeting on July 8.

To be eligible, an applicant must be an eligible voter and have lived in Henderson for at least one year and in Ward II for at least 30 days.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By DogsWorld

6/17/09 at 5:15 a.m.

Suggest removal

That Boutin lady is going to be trouble for everyone.
By afveteran

6/17/09 at 11:16 a.m.

Suggest removal

The new councilwoman is bringing in her agenda and it spells trouble for the average Henderson resident.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

6/17/09 at 12:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

Congratulatons to both Andy and Kathleen! In this time when so many politicians shamefully misbehave and abuse the trust of the people - I am fully confident that Mayor Hafen and Councilwoman Boutin will not disappoint us!

It's so important to be able to point to, at least, a few fine examples of publicly elected servant/leaders and be able to say, "None of them are perfect, but there are still some that are serving with respect for the rule of law, dignity, honor and integrity!"

And KUDOS to Kathleen for having the courage to disagree and dissent - the people of Henderson Ward 2 should decide who fills the vacant seat - saving money is not as important as the right of the people to vote and choose their leaders democratically!
By nednougat

6/17/09 at 2:57 p.m.

Suggest removal

Well, they blew it at Lake Las Vegas. Now they want an Air and Space Museum. Plus they want to continue wasting taxpayer money on downtown Tijuana, oops Henderson. Career pols out of control. Well, at least Kathy is a cutie....
By aruinedsoul

6/17/09 at 3:42 p.m.

Suggest removal

Yes, Kathleen is a cutie but she is a dingy blonde. Let's hope Hafen can keep his head where it belongs and lead the city.
By LookeyLou

6/18/09 at 2:28 p.m.

Comment removed by staff.
By LookeyLou

6/18/09 at 5:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

Thank you for removing my comments. They were and are true. Censorship at its best.
By aruinedsoul

6/19/09 at 6:13 a.m.

Suggest removal

Lookeylou, maybe your comments get removed becuz you don't post any, other than your wierd obsession with Kathleens romances. I'm not a big fan of Boutins, but I read some of your postings and you are a wierdo. No one deserves the psychoness of you. Besides, only someone who is married can have an affair. Isn't our new councilwoman single? If not, are you suggesting that she cheated on her husband? For all you know, that could have been me. And if she didn't, and what you write is true, blame the man who was married and his wife for not tending to him. That too is a Sin. They are the ones who broke their vows.

You probably gained 30 pounds and your spouse cheated on you because you were mean all the time and your jealous of dingy hot blondes.