Commission slapped with meeting-law violation

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Friday, April 27, 2001 | 10:45 a.m.

Cy Ryan

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office has filed a lawsuit charging that the Storey County Commission held secret meetings, one of them outside the county, to discuss contracting to replace the Mustang Bridge.

Filed in District Court in Carson City, the suit asks that the decision of the board to hire a contractor to temporarily repair the bridge be voided.

The civil complaint said Commissioners Charles Haynes, Greg Hess and Robert Kershaw met at a casino in Sparks, along with some county officials. They discussed the repair or the replacement of the bridge.

They then re-convened later that day on Dec. 18, 2000, at the bridge and decided to go forward with the repairs, the suit says.

There was no agenda posted, and the public was never given notice.

County Public Works Director Tom Green told the commission they were violating the open-meeting law, but they ignored the advice.

The complaint also said the commissioners violated the open meeting law on March 6, 2001, by convening behind closed doors, to allegedly discuss general business without posting notice.