Clark County picks ex-parks and rec director to fill Assembly seat

Clark County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously picked Glenn Trowbridge to fill the Assembly District 37 seat vacated by Wesley Duncan.

Trowbridge, a retired county parks and recreation director, was picked from a dozen applicants for the opening. He’ll serve the remainder of Duncan’s term, which runs out in November 2016. Duncan resigned to become the chief assistant of Attorney General-elect Adam Laxalt.

Trowbridge worked for Clark County from 1979 to 2001, spending the first five years as director of human resources before becoming director of the county’s parks and recreation department.

In an interview, Trowbridge described himself as a “pragmatist” who is quiet and prefers focusing on goals that are realistic.

“It promises to be a very challenging legislative session,” Trowbridge said.

Trowbridge said he brings a variety of experiences to the Assembly. For example, he was involved in labor negotiations as the county’s human resources director, and he also has served on the county’s Board of Equalization, which hears property tax appeals.

But he’s not one to spend a lot of time talking about himself.

“I’m a quiet guy — low-key,” Trowbridge said.

After retiring from the county, Trowbridge worked for two years in management at Safe Nest, a nonprofit for victims of domestic violence.

Trowbridge also was executive director of government relations for the Labor Management Cooperation Committee from 2005 to 2008, when big construction projects dried up for the electrical workers he represented.

His resume also has other government experience: he’s a former member of the Metropolitan Police Department Policy Review Board and has served on the Las Vegas Planning Commission.

The Assembly district falls within County Commissioner Larry Brown’s district. Brown, who made the recommendation, said it was an “extremely difficult” choice because there were several applicants that stood out.

“Glenn had a lot of citizen support,” Brown said after the meeting. “He has been out there for 25-plus years.”

Trowbridge said he’s not sure yet if he’ll run in the 2016 election. Trowbridge ran for a Las Vegas City Council seat in 2009, losing by a slim margin to Stavros Anthony.

It’s the second time the County Commission has appointed a new legislator this month. Commissioners two weeks ago appointed former state Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli to fill the state Senate District 6 vacancy created by Mark Hutchison’s election as Nevada lieutenant governor in November.

Trowbridge had also applied for the Senate seat, which is in a district that overlaps with Assembly District 37.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.