Editorial: Let the watchdogs in

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 | 9:08 a.m.

One reason why the Economic Opportunity Board's finances and programs became so troubled is that the agency is not specifically covered under Nevada's open-meeting law. Even though most of its $60 million annual budget comes from state and federal tax money, the EOB declares itself to be a private, nonprofit agency. As such, it is not required to post notice of its meetings or to hold them in full view of the public and media. With the power to arbitrarily close its meetings whenever it wishes without having to justify the closures under the open-meeting law, it's been easier for the EOB to avoid accountability.

Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval says he plans to ask the 2005 Legislature to clarify certain aspects of the open-meeting law, including whether it should cover nonprofit groups that receive public money. We believe the Legislature should make it very clear that nonprofit groups whose budgets include taxpayer money must abide by the open-meeting law. The current problems at the EOB are good examples of what can happen when no one is watching.

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