The new year brings a new Chairman of the Washoe County Commission. At their first regularly scheduled meeting of 2012, Washoe County Commissioners unanimously elected their chairman and vice-chairman for the 2012 year.

Commissioner Bob Larkin, who represents District 4, was elected Chairman. Chairman Larkin was first elected to the Washoe County Commission in 2005 and began serving his most recent four-year term in 2009. Larkin has previously served as chair and vice-chair for the Board of County Commissioners. Dr. Larkin is a fifth generation Nevadan and currently serves as the Campus Director for the Reno campus of the University of Phoenix.

The Commissioners commended former Chairman John Breternitz who had served as the Chairman for the past year for his great leadership and service to the County.

Commissioner Bonnie Weber, who represents District 5, was re-elected vice chairwoman. Vice-Chair Weber is currently serving her third term and was first elected to the Washoe County Commission in 2004. She too has an impressive record of public service both as a volunteer and as an elected official. Ms. Weber has previously served as the County Commission’s chair and vice-chair.

The Commissioners also recommended the appointment of Al Rogers as Acting Regional Parks & Open Space Director due to the retirement of Director Doug Doolittle in December of 2011. Due to the impending creation of a Community Services Department (CSD), which would bring Public Works, Water Resources, Regional Parks and Open Space, Community Development and Building and Safety into a single agency, permanent appointments to these positions will not be made until the decisions have been made about the structure of the new agency.

In other business today, the Commissioners approved the audit committee appointment of Ms. Elaine Alexander to serve on the Washoe County Audit Committee for a two year term beginning in January of this year. Ms Alexander is a highly qualified practicing Certified Public Accountant in Nevada since 1989.