The Nevada Attorney General's Office has rejected a Nevada Open Records Act request filed by the Pahrump Valley Times for the names of applicants for the vacant Nye County Commission District 5 seat vacated by Peter Liakopoulos.

Christopher G. Nielsen, general counsel to Gov. Jim Gibbons, in a letter to the PVT dated Jan. 12, said the documents requested are not subject to disclosure under the Nevada Public Records Law.

The response was referred to Stephens Media legal counsel Mark Hinuber.

Nye County commissioners asked Gibbons to delay his appointment until after the application deadline Jan. 15.

Liakopoulos announced Nov. 24 he would resign effective Dec. 31 with two years left on his term.

Several people reported to be interested in the vacancy have confirmed they turned in their applications to the governor's office.

They include former District 5 County Commissioner Patricia Cox; Nye County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Fely Quitevis; Pahrump Public Lands Advisory Board member Marvin Minnick; Pahrump Regional Planning Commission member Dan Schinhofen; Pahrump Republican Women's Club President Lilian Donohue and Symphony's Restaurant manager Pat Garlough, who lost a close primary race to Liakopoulos in 2006.

Dr. Michael Reiner confirmed reports he is also a candidate.

"I put my name in the hat," Reiner said Wednesday.

Asked whether he could find the time amid his busy practice at Specialty Medical Center, Reiner said, "It's not that hard to make up a day in the office."

Reiner led a group of Pahrump residents in taking over management of Lake View Executive Golf Course. His wife Melanie Reiner served a term on the Nye County School Board. Reiner said he was formerly on a town board in Colorado, where he also served on a homeowner's association.

"My theory is there needs to be a little bit of a commonsense approach to running the politics of the community. I don't have any particular ax to grind, I don't have any particular issues. I think I'm a little disappointed with how things run, and I think there's a lot of special interests," Reiner said.

He added, "I'd like to see the county be more responsible with some of its spending, some of the projects and some of the things they waste their money on."

Reiner said county residents don't receive anywhere near the services they deserve for the taxes they pay.