Board approves funds for Gibbons portrait

The Board of Examiners on Wednesday approved the request for $20,000 to commission Gov. Jim Gibbons' official portrait.

The governor's portrait, mandated by statute for each outgoing governor, is normally funded by a legislative action half way through the governor's second term in office.

This time, however, it was put on the special board agenda after Gibbons' defeat in the June 8 primary election. As one administration official put it, there was no way they were going to predict Gibbons' defeat and propose funding for the portrait before the primary.

Chief of Staff Robin Reedy said that, in fact, no one thought of it until afterward.

"Maybe I should abstain from this," Gibbons joked as he presented the item.

"That depends on how good a picture you want," quipped Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. "We could allocate $5,000."

Gibbons decided, in that case, he could support the item, which passed unanimously.

Also because of the primary results, the Department of Cultural Affairs has a much shorter time frame to commission the painting and get it completed than the 18 months they normally have. Director Michael Fisher said he is moving as quickly as possible to find and contract with an artist for the oil painting which, when completed, will hand in the entry hall of the Capitol next to those of other recent governors.

The $20,000 amount is the same as the state paid for the portrait of Kenny Guinn four years ago. The recommendation will be voted on by the Interim Finance Committee Thursday.

The board consisting of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state also approved a recommendation to put $112,998 into the office which manages incoming stimulus funding for the state. Director of Administration Andrew Clinger said much of the office's funding comes from assessments against those funds as they arrive and that, if assessments raise more than needed, state money would be returned to the IFC contingency fund. He said the state has so far received $2.3 billion in ARRA money.

That item, too, must receive IFC approval on Thursday.