Sups' new year begins with swearing-in

The Yuma County government officials elected on Nov. 6 were formally sworn into office Monday.

Lenore Lorona Stuart, Russell McCloud, Greg Ferguson and Tony Reyes took their oaths when they returned to their board of supervisors seats, joined for the first time by Russ Clark. In other offices, for incumbents there were County Attorney Jon Smith, Superior Court judges Mark Wayne Reeves and Maria Elena Cruz, Assessor Joe Wehrle, Schools Superintendent Tom Tyree and Recorder Robyn Stallworth Pouquette.

For the newly elected, there were Sheriff Leon Wilmot — whose formal change of command ceremony was just before the New Year — and Treasurer Angela Pancrazi Moreno. Newly installed Superior Court Judge Jim Clark was in a court hearing at the time.

Supervisor Clark said it was a pleasant morning of ceremony, but he's already been on the ground for weeks now, occupying his office and getting up to speed on local issues. He said his constituents in District 3, which includes the Foothills and points east, have already come to fill him in on outstanding concerns — for example, persistent flooding in the Yuma East subdivision, a neighborhood off Fortuna Boulevard that was built decades ago under old codes that are now no longer sufficient for the aftermath of rainstorms.

“I think, because I'm the new guy, a lot of people are going to go after the issues that weren't resolved,” he said.

Clark also said that he's long known the rest of his fellow supervisors and is working well with the group. “The position is new, but the relationships aren't.”

Internal supervisors leadership this year will also remain familiar, with Ferguson again serving as chairman and McCloud sticking with the vice chairman slot. All of the supervisors' assorted outside committee assignments largely stayed the same, with Clark picking up most of the seats held by his now-retired predecessor, Casey Prochaska.

Clark will represent the supervisors on the Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee, the Military Base Support Committee, the Chamber Military Affairs Committee, the Yuma Area Resource Water Management Group and as the alternate for the San Luis II Good Neighbor Program. McCloud will take Prochaska's assignment on the Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization executive board, noted County Administrator Robert Pickels.

The supervisors meet next on Jan. 22, a Tuesday rather than a Monday because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Hillary Davis can be reached at hdavis@yumasun.com or 539-6857. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSHillaryDavis or on Twitter at @YSHillaryDavis.