Tarkanian civil lawsuit ready for trial

Monday, Feb. 8, 1999 | 11:06 a.m.

In the civil action, Tarkanian is accused of overstepping the boundaries of a school board member by interfering with the hiring and placement of district employees, delaying budget items to further personal agendas and cronyism.

It's a lawsuit Tarkanian has labeled a vendetta, prompted not by inappropriate behavior on her part, but by her constant questioning of the way the district's business is handled.

"I know I'll prevail in this," Tarkanian said Friday. "This lawsuit is semidisguised harassment by the administrators union."

When the lawsuit was filed in 1996, it included all seven trustees on the board at the time. Former school board attorney Johnnie Rawlinson, now a federal judge, and Superintendent Brian Cram also were included. Tarkanian is the only one who remains in the lawsuit. Trustee Susan Brager was the last to settle, signing an agreement last week.

No such settlement is expected between Tarkanian, who represents northwest District E, and the Clark County Association of School Administrators.

"Dr. Tarkanian has done nothing wrong for which a settlement should be made in this case," said Lynn Hansen, her attorney.

Union Executive Director Allin Chandler said his association initiated the lawsuit - the first in its history - when trustees asked Rawlinson to conduct an investigation into inappropriate practices by special-education administrators. The union accused the board of trying to circumvent open meeting laws and usurp the authority of Cram and his staff, whom Chandler said should have conducted such an investigation.

But the lawsuit has escalated far beyond its initial allegations. Months of discovery and depositions from district staff and trustees have uncovered numerous questionable acts by Tarkanian, Chandler said.

In the latest motion filed by union attorney Marty Kravitz, several episodes are detailed in which Tarkanian is alleged to have acted illegally or unethically. They include interfering with hiring a new principal for Cimarron-Memorial High School and making improper requests to have two principals transferred from Wasden Elementary School.

A counter-motion filed by Hansen asserts the union deliberately ignores important information and testimony that doesn't support its claims.