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By Conor Shine (contact) 
Monday, July 18, 2011 | 7:12 p.m.
Wade Wagner
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More than a month after besting Richard Cherchio in the general election by a single vote, Wade Wagner was sworn in Monday night as the North Las Vegas Ward 4 City Council member.
Surrounded by friends and family, Wagner took the oath of office at 6:30 p.m. in a brief ceremony at City Council chambers.
“It’s been a long haul,” said Wagner, a dentist. “I’m glad to be here and am ready to get to work … to see if we can’t turn this ship around.”
The race for the Ward 4 seat has been mired in controversy. Wagner and incumbent Cherchio held different views on how to address the city’s steep budget deficits, and Cherchio was the target of fierce attacks from the city’s public safety unions.
With only a single vote separating the two, the results entered the court system after it was found an illegal ballot was cast in the election.
A temporary restraining order was issued to prevent Wagner from being sworn in, but the injunction was lifted Monday afternoon.
Wagner said he found out the court order had been lifted at 3 p.m. when he was volunteering at a youth camp on Mount Charleston.
“Once I heard I had to come down and get dressed,” he said.
Wagner’s first meeting will be Wednesday, when the council will be faced with several important items, including appointing an acting city attorney and approving a new round of concessions from local firefighters.
Cherchio has indicated he plans to request a recount, and has until Wednesday to file.
Half the voters in the recent Ward IV have been completely disenfranchised by Judge Gonzalez's decision. What if the recount results in a win for Mr. Cherchio? Dr. Wagner should not have been sworn in until the recount was completed. And by the way...earth to Dr. Wagner, you're going to have a very difficult time turning around a sinking ship. Your blind support for Shari Buck is going to be an albatross around your neck. Let's hope you grow a pair sooner rather than later.
Finally, it's about time! Although I'm sure the next lawsuit is all written up and ready to be filed.
another union shill in NLV. The city has no chance.
I cannot express how happy it makes me when the good guys win. Congratulations to Dr. Wade Wagner for finally taking the seat he was voted into by the people of North Las Vegas. Shame on you Richard Cherchio for making a stink over your LOSS. I have always believed that elected officials should be the "the best men or women" for the job. Dr. Wagner is well educated, a business owner, and a resident of North Las Vegas. Richard Cherchio has a high school diploma, many foreclosed properties, and is a retired postal worker, and an advocate of privatizing every function of the public sector paving the way for his campaign contributors like AMR, Medic West, and Correction Corporation of America. Funny how much he despises the unions yet collects a check from a one every month, an organization that is in financial trouble, the USPS....Did he stop collecting his pension or take a voluntary pay cut to help his former employer???? Nope. Well Dick now you can join the HUNDREDS of employees you voted to lay off in the unemployment line.
Wagner as the new City Councilman may not be considered ideal for some of the voters in ward 4. Nonetheless, we must give him our support and evaluate his effectiveness. If he is another false hope, voters will have an opportunity to select a more suitable candidate in 4 years or sooner, if Chercio's request for a re-count of votes is favorable.
It's time to focus upon our City's financial situation and monitor decisions of Mayor Buck and the City Council members. New elections are forthcoming, voters have the power to demand accountability of those paid with our tax monies.
Every NLV citizens should ensure that all eligible household members are registered to vote and use that power to influence good and solvent government.
It is truly pathetic that a recount has not yet been scheduled.
Dont worry he has until tomorrow to schedule the recount, but unfortunately voting is done by a CPU these days and the recount will show Wagner wins by one vote....Just like the first count did.
So much for honesty in the voting process huh? It seems a simple matter - if one loses by one vote and that one vote is illegal then it's safe to assume they were legally TIED for the position - so what next? Do we have a run-off or another election or what? I don't know the answer but what I think I DO know is that if 2 people are TIED then one cannot (or at least SHOULD NOT) be sworn in as the winner. This is corrupt government at its' best (or would that be at its' worst?)