At 88, former county commissioner still stands her ground

"Just keep moving," Thalia Dondero said firmly.

She wasn't dodging bullets or pushing me out of the way. The former Clark County commissioner and former university regent was sharing the philosophy that keeps her spry at 88.

The first woman to serve on the Clark County Commission is a lady and dresses the part, usually in suits, always with interesting jewelry and accessories reflecting her artistic eye.

But she cannot forget when she joined the County Commission how the male commissioners wanted her to take notes at a closed personnel meeting. A news account at the time quoted her saying, "I'm not taking notes, other than my own."

She recalled telling the other commissioners, "I've got the same votes you have."

That was 1975. She knew she had to stand her ground. She did. And it made national news. After 34 years in public office, nobody asks her to take notes.

Dondero spent 20 years on the County Commission until she was defeated in a Democratic primary in 1994 by Myrna Williams, whose campaign strategy included a pitch that Dondero was too old.

Dondero's age didn't stop voters from electing her to the Board of Regents in 1996 or re-electing her until she was term limited out in 2008.

Not holding office doesn't mean she is not involved. She chaired the most recent Las Vegas Old Timers Dinner and is working on the next one.

She is active with the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary Foundation Board, the Las Vegas Ice Age Park Foundation, the International Women's Forum and Junior League.

Parks have been a passion, even before she was executive director of Girl Scouts of Frontier Council or on the Nevada Parks Commission.

"We did all these things like they were nothing," Dondero said. "If we were trying to do it today, we'd still be doing the environmental impact statements."

She shared a story revealing the nasty side of German actress Vera Krupp, who owned the Spring Mountain Ranch between 1955 and 1967, as well as the Krupp diamond now owned by Liz Taylor.

Dondero took Brownies out to the ranch for day camping, and Krupp ordered the Brownies off her property. When Dondero refused to leave, Krupp sent a bull into the area. But he just stood around, so the Brownies named him Lonesome George and kept on camping.

After that incident, the Bureau of Land Management made peace by taking Dondero "canyon shopping." She selected Calico Basin, still the site for the Girl Scouts' day camp.

There's a reason the Women's Research Institute of Nevada is honoring her Feb. 25 for her mentoring and leadership.

Not being an elected official any more does have one positive, Dondero said. "You are freer to speak and say things you want to say."

With a knowing smile, Dondero spoke of how she and other environmentalists finagled the state to buy the Spring Mountain Ranch and make it a state park. State Sen. Floyd Lamb, head of the state Senate Finance Committee, nixed it, saying the state couldn't afford the cost.

"We named a park after him, and the money was found," she said.

Tule Springs is now named Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, despite Lamb's federal conviction.

Dondero is still working to bring parks to Nevada. As vice president of the Las Vegas Ice Age Park Foundation, she is working with others committed to creating a new fossil park near Tule Springs. "It's going to happen," she said confidently.

Even if she has to cater to someone's ego, it's worth it for a ladylike feminist and environmentalist, who knows how to cut a deal without selling her soul.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.