Board gets schooled on meeting law

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006 | 11:24 a.m.

Former District Judge John Mendoza showed up at last week's School Board meeting to share his thoughts on the superintendent search and ended up delivering a quick lesson on the state's open meeting law.

Prior to calling the first speaker, School Board President Ruth Johnson reminded the audience of the usual two-minute time limit for public comment. Subsequently several people were "buzzed" when their time ex-pired and asked to summarize their remarks.

When his name was called, Mendoza politely informed the board members that he would be taking as long as he needed to say his piece.

"Remember, the 'two minutes' is your rule - not what the statute says," Mendoza said.

"You're right," Johnson replied, and the former judge spoke for about five minutes.

However, it was a courtesy. Nevada law requires public meetings to include an opportunity for comment, but it leaves the question of time limits up to individual panels.

Some School Board observers pronounced themselves disappointed that New York City educator Eric Nadelstern dropped out of the hunt, but not because they thought he was the best candidate for the job.

Rather, some insiders were looking forward to seeing Nadelstern, who is a staunch opponent of standardized testing as the central means of evaluating student achievement, take on Nevada's education establishment.

However if Nadelstern, who withdrew his name Wednesday, couldn't hold out until the School Board meeting the following day, he probably wouldn't have the stamina for the 2007 legislative session, some observers said. Many of the state's most powerful lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, have resisted attempts to create more flexible high school graduation requirements and called for more - not less - rigorous standardized testing.

"Nadelstern wouldn't last five minutes," one longtime district administrator said. "New Yorker or no New Yorker, Raggio would eat him alive."

When Walt Rulffes and Agustin Orci were named interim and co-interim superintendents of the district in June, the two friends playfully dubbed their temporary partnership "Wauggie Productions." The phrase cropped up occasionally when the men made joint presentations to the School Board and they even had a logo - a cartoon sketch of the two men riding in a golf cart.

With Rulffes set to take over as the district's new chief executive, Orci said he is preparing to return to his former position as deputy superintendent of instruction. But Orci has informed the School Board he is looking for work outside the district, as his contract requires him to do.

Does this mean the end of Wauggie Productions?

"We had a good run," Orci said.

On Monday's edition of "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable channel 19, the School Board's choice of superintendent was dubbed "Walt by Default."

Ralston congratulated Rulffes and then asked, "Is that the right word, 'Congratulations?'"

Rulffes responded with a smile.

"I think so," but, he noted, "some (people) are sending me condolences."

Emily Richmond can be reached at 259-8829 or at emily@lasvegassun.com.