Commissioner to step down
Scow surprises her colleagues with announcement
Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow abruptly announced on Tuesday that she will resign her seat this month.
In the midst of her second term as District G commissioner, Scow said at the close of Tuesday’s commission meeting that she will resign after Gov. Brian Sandoval appoints her replacement, but not later than June 30.
Holding back tears, Scow said she wants to spend more time with her family, which includes nine children, 37 grandchildren and her 89-year-old mother.
“This does not mean I will completely abandon involvement in our community,” Scow, 64, said during the meeting. “I’ll always be an active and passionate participant in the activities and issues of Nevada and will continue — how and when I can — to serve the people of this community I love.”
Scow, a Democrat, declined an interview after the meeting.
A Denver native, Scow moved to Las Vegas in 1977. Before joining the county commission, she served three terms on the Clark County School District’s Board of Trustees and served on many other education-related boards.
Scow was first elected to the commission in 2010. She was reelected in 2014 and could have run for a final four-year term next year.
Scow’s fellow commissioners were shocked by her resignation.
“None of us knew that this was coming,” Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani said. “It has to do with her mom’s health.”
Commissioner Larry Brown said Scow’s departure would open a “huge void” on the commission.
“There’s been a great balance here. She’s been a voice of moderation, a voice of reason,” Brown said. “We have a lot of work to do to even begin to identify someone who can begin to fill her shoes.”
Scow’s appointed replacement must live in District G and be from the same political party. District G covers Henderson and other parts of the southeastern Las Vegas Valley.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, Sandoval had not named any potential appointments.
Former Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson said he has submitted a letter of interest to Sandoval for the seat.
No official announcements for the seat have been made, but state Sen. Joe Hardy, R-boulder City, said Tuesday he may put his name on the 2018 ballot. Hardy said he planned to run for re-election to the state Senate because he didn’t want to run against Scow.