Yuma County elected officials take oath of office

Yuma County's newly elected and re-elected officials are officially on the job after a swearing in ceremony Monday morning, with Andrew Gould, presiding Superior Court judge, administering the oath of office after being sworn in himself.

"We're looking forward to the challenges of 2009," said Greg Ferguson, chairman of the Yuma County Board of Supervisors. "We have a new president, a new governor, a new Legislature and many new county officials."

Gould administered the oath of office to newly elected officials Maria Elena Cruz, Superior Court judge Division 6; David Egeberg, the new county treasurer; and Robyn Stallworth Pouquette, new county recorder. They joined re-elected officials Mark Wayne Reeves, Superior Court judge Division 1; Jon R. Smith, county attorney; Ralph E. Ogden, sheriff; and Joe Wehrle, assessor. Thomas "Tom" Tyree, school superintendent, was not present.

Re-elected supervisors Lenore Lorona Stuart, District 1; Russell McCloud, District 2; Casey Prochaska, District 3; Marco "Tony" Reyes, District 4; and Ferguson, District 5, also took the oath of office.

Following the ceremony and a reception, Ferguson was re-elected chairman of the board by his fellow supervisors and McCloud was selected as the vice-chairman.

In other business, McCloud noted that the Yuma County Free Library District has received several thousand dollars from private sources to fund programs and the purchase of books and other materials.

"I want to recognize them for their giving to support the libraries," he said.

The private donations recognized by the supervisors Monday include:

• $5,000 from Pepsi to support the library's summer reading program.

• $3,500 from Target for the summer reading program.

• $3,656.60 from the Arizona Community Foundation - the Janice Fike Yuma Fund - to purchase large-print books.

• $14,372 from the Ruth E. Miller Trust to purchase books and program materials.

• $28,019 from the Arizona Community Foundation - the Gertrude J. Moody and Robert C. Moody library fund - to purchase books, literary programs and equipment for the visually impaired.

• $6,000 from the Yuma Community Foundation to support the summer reading program.

• $7,000 from the Yuma Library Foundation to purchase items for the new Main Library.

In addition, the supervisors approved the appointment of Michael Henry to the Yuma County Planning and Zoning Commission and the reappointment of Marie Barnett.

Two vacancies on the Yuma County Flood Control District were filled with the appointment of Elston Grubaugh, manager of the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, and Gerald Jones. That leaves two positions still vacant. One is for a representative of the city of Yuma and the other is for a representative of Yuma, Somerton, San Luis or Wellton. Ferguson appealed to the public for citizens who would be willing to serve on that board.

The next Yuma County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Jan. 21 as the next regularly scheduled meeting would fall on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

---

Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.