AG upholds meeting violations by Board of Regents

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office said Wednesday it would not withdraw its findings that the university Board of Regents twice violated Nevada's open meeting law on issues involving Richard Moore, the newly appointed president of the proposed state college in Henderson.

Deputy Attorney General Victoria T. Oldenburg rejected the request from Tom Ray, counsel for the University and Community College System, who suggested there were no violations.

Ray, acting on the direction of Regent Chairwoman Jill Derby, had asked that the conclusions -- which resulted in a warning to the board -- be scrapped by the attorney general's office.

At one meeting Dec. 1 last year, the regents discussed the appointment of Moore as president. Oldenburg said the law was violated because the agenda did not state action was going to be taken and what school was involved. The board took a vote to dispense with a search committee and appoint Moore. That motion failed.

After the meeting, Regent Tom Kirkpatrick of Las Vegas filed a complaint stating the law had been violated.

At the second meeting, Feb. 10 of this year, the board talked about Moore calling Regent Steve Sisolak an enemy of the Henderson school. Oldenburg said the discussion went beyond the personnel matters of Moore and the regents talked about the conduct of Sisolak and a code of conduct for the regents. And the agenda did not properly list the item.

Sisolak filed the complaint with the attorney general's office.

Oldenburg said these were close calls and that's the reason why the attorney general's office issued a warning instead of filing suit.

"While some issues are close and subject to debate, the fact is that the board has once again operated in a gray area leading even its own members to disagreement on whether the spirit and intent of the open meeting law is being adhered to by the board," she said.

"Based upon the foregoing, it is the decision of the office of the attorney general that the determinations on the complaints filed by Regent Kirkpatrick and Regent Sisolak will not be withdrawn," Oldenburg said.