Moore may get deal to ‘pay as he goes’

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, June 14, 2001 | 11:18 a.m.

Nevada State College President Richard Moore, whose job is not funded past June 30, may be given one shot at saving his position through a contract clause that forces him to either raise the money or go without.

The so-called "pay as you go" arrangement is an option that is expected to be presented to Moore at a Board of Regents meeting Friday in Reno.

Moore's contract, along with those of Orlando Sandoval, his vice president of administration, and two other staff members, expire June 30 and are on the agenda.

Since the college did not receive $1 million in funding from the Legislature to cover the first-year startup costs, which pay those salaries, it will likely be written into Moore's contract that he must raise that money, state higher education officials said.

"The contracts can be written with that provision," Jane Nichols, Nevada's higher education chancellor, said. "If the money is not there, you're out of work."

Regents had bandied about the idea of using money from a $75 million portion of the estate tax fund, but that option has lost momentum, Regent Steve Sisolak said.

"I talked to the chancellor and I don't think there's an appetite on the board to go to the estate tax money or any other source," he said.

Moore says he's already a quarter of the way there, having "secured" $230,000 in private contributions. That money, however, is not a new commitment, but rather the last installment of a $400,000 pledge that LandWell Co. made a year ago at the start of the project.

"This isn't new money, but in fact we're honoring our commitment that we made originally," said Dan Stewart, president and chief executive of the land holding company for Basic Management Inc., which serves the Henderson industrial plants.

The company has already doled out $130,000 to the college to pay for an architectural contest and other expenses. The remaining balance will be paid out in $20,000 increments over 11 months, Stewart said.

The college would temporarily survive on that stipend, along with $50,000 in the Nevada State College Foundation account. That is barely enough to cover roughly $33,000 in monthly salaries at the state college.

"It's real simple," Regent Mark Alden said. "He'll raise the $1 million without a problem. If the money is not available from fund-raising, it just doesn't get spent."

There is one slim chance of getting the money from the Legislature.

The assembly bill that would have allocated $1 million in startup funding to pay for state college salaries was never heard before the close of the session, and Gov. Kenny Guinn vowed that only bills that had been passed between midnight and 1 a.m. Tuesday would be reconsidered during today's special session.

But, Guinn's proclamation Wednesday calling today's session says that, besides reapportionment and the bills listed, lawmakers could consider "other legislative business as the Governor may call to the attention of the Legislature while in Session."

The state has already committed $13.4 million of public money, but won't release that until another $10 million in private funding comes through.

Before regents decide to renew Moore's contract, they will review his performance in closed session. His fund-raising efforts will be among the performance issues they will examine closely, aside from his planning of the state college, Nichols said.

Moore was charged with the task one year ago of raising $10 million in private donations to help pay for construction costs of the college's first building. That money has not materialized to the satisfaction of several of the regents.

"He's had a year now," Regent Tom Kirkpatrick said. "Part of that year was supposed to be involved with fund-raising. A couple of the regents have asked what has he done. I don't know what he's got lined up, if anything."

Fund-raising efforts have been ongoing, Selma Bartlett, treasurer of the Nevada State College Foundation, said.

"We've certainly talked about (fund-raising)," she said. "We've lined people up."

In an interview early Wednesday, Moore would not disclose how much money was in foundation accounts, where donations were coming from and how far along in the process they were.

"I work for the Board of Regents," Moore said five times. "I will make my report to the Board of Regents at the appropriate time."