Thursday, May 29, 2003 | 11:01 a.m.
Age: 43.
Occupation: Registered nurse who works at University Medical Center. Also the director of the Trinidad Surgery Center.
Endorsements: Las Vegas Review-Journal.
"The big dogs are scary," Moncrief said as several canines rushed to the doors of Ward 1 homes she was visiting on a recent evening.
Knocking on voters' doors has been Moncrief's nightly ritual since February, when she signed up to run against Councilman Michael McDonald. The walking paid off in the primary election when she won 48 percent of the vote while McDonald pulled 44 percent. Now she hopes that she can again outpoll McDonald in Tuesday's general election so that she can replace him on the council.
She credits her door-to-door approach, along with apathy among McDonald supporters, for her successful primary lead. Moncrief's showing elevated her from a political unknown to the leading contender to represent Ward 1 on the council.
"(McDonald) has done some good things for the ward but he's neglecting certain areas," Moncrief said. "They feel it, and they are angry."
Some of those people live in the area near Palace Station. Though McDonald's camp says it has held numerous neighborhood meetings in the area, several residents told Moncrief as she walked through the neighborhood that they have never met McDonald.
"I have met you and you got my vote," Cynthia Bacon told Moncrief.
Another resident even asked Moncrief who it was that she was running against.
"Oh right, I've watched him on the city channel," said Harry Kimbler, 40. "I don't know much about him, but I don't think he's doing what's good for our area. At first I saw a change, but I guess he's gotten comfortable."
Moncrief grew up in Moline, Ill., where she was always active, her 72-year-old mother, Ruby Wilson, said.
Moncrief was a cheerleader and got good grades in school, Wilson said.
"She didn't have to work as hard" as other students did, Wilson said. "She was really good in history."
Wilson said she believes Moncrief decided to become a nurse because Wilson had wanted to be one.
"I think me talking about wanting to be one and never going through with it, she just kind of filled my shoes," Wilson said.
Moncrief was 19 when she graduated from Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing. She followed that with a Bachelor of Science and Nursing from the University of Illinois. She has been a registered nurse for 24 years.
Moncrief left Illinois when she was 26 and worked in hospitals in Florida and Atlanta. Then, about 13 years ago, she decided to move to Las Vegas, where she began working at University Medical Center as a recovery room nurse. She currently works weekends at UMC and also manages the Trinidad Surgery Center, which caters to uninsured patients. Moncrief said she helps with surgeries such as gallbladder removals for a mostly Hispanic clientele after-hours.
"We do everything to keep the costs down," Moncrief said. "When we're not doing surgeries we don't have the doors open. "
Dr. Frank Silver, father of judicial candidate Abbi Silver, co-owns the Trinidad Surgery Center and says he was shocked when Moncrief first told him she was going to run.
"Obviously Janet shocked a lot of people by deciding to try this," Silver said. "It takes a lot of fortitude for someone to go up against a two-time incumbent with lots of money. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the primary results."
Moncrief has taken a lot of heat for her sudden interest in politics, particularly for not having registered to vote until just prior to running for office.
"I've been busy being a nurse and raising a 22-year-old daughter," Moncrief said. "And when I moved here I felt that it was a crooked system."
Moncrief has also shown a limited knowledge of city issues. When asked in a Sun editorial board meeting about her knowledge of land planning and zoning matters, a significant part of a council members's duties, Moncrief drew a blank. Moncrief has also alleged that McDonald has done nothing to curb the number of massage parlors popping up in Ward 1; however, McDonald has sponsored numerous ordinances since early last year related to stopping massage parlors.
Moncrief says she'll get up to speed on the issues.
"I'm a quick learn," she said. "I can't believe the knowledge I've acquired in four weeks.
"(Councilman) Gary Reese is a barber, (Councilman) Michael Mack was a pawnshop owner and (McDonald) was a cop."
Reese and Mack each spent several years on the city Planning Commission before becoming councilmen, however.
Reese said coming on the council cold could be a tough experience for a political novice and said his two years on the zoning board followed by four years on the Planning Commission taught him a lot about the process.
"I spent many, many, many days with Bob Genzer (director of planning and development for the city) and (others) who spent many hours helping me understand what's was going on," Reese said. "That gave a me a big step when I got into office."
However, Michael Green, a professor of history at the Community College of Southern Nevada, said if Moncrief aligns herself with the right people, she will do just fine.
"If she's not too shrewd right now then hanging around City Hall will make you that way really fast," Green said. "And if she votes against the wishes of the ward she will hear about it."
Moncrief said she is looking forward to hearing from her constituents if she is elected. But she also said she'll have no regrets if she loses.
"Win or lose I made a difference because I gave people a choice," Moncrief said.
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