The Douglas County School Board has had 18 Open Meeting Law violations since 2023 and they will have to acknowledge two more during the school board meeting scheduled for Thursday at Whittell High School.

Six of those violations resulted in Finding of Facts and Conclusions of Law issued by the Office of Attorney General, including;Lehmann v. Douglas County School District on June 7, 2024, Hokenson v. Douglas County School District on April 16, 2025, Hiatt V. Douglas County School District on June 23, 2025, and McGuffin V. Douglas County School District on July 23, 2025.

More recently, The Office of Attorney General issued Findings of Facts and Conclusion of Law in complaints filed by Minden resident Adrienne Sawyer and Gardnerville resident Jennifer Wilson.

Sawyer filed a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General regarding events that happened between the July 19, 2023, and Aug. 8, 2023, school board meetings. The complaint alleges that the Board approved a contract with Joey Gilbert Law at its July 19, 2023, meeting, but the contract signed by the board in early August was materially different.

According to the complaint, the approval and execution process for the Board’s contract with Joey Gilbert Law did not follow proper open meeting law procedures. The board allegedly approved changes to the contract without further discussion by the board, which was a violation.

The legislative intent of the law does not prohibit every private discussion, but it does intend to prohibit collective deliberations where a quorum is present and action is taken outside of a public meeting. According to Wilson’s complaint at least four board members discussed the termination of previous superintendent, Keith Lewis. Lewis ended up resigning Oct. 23, 2023.

The Office of Attorney General found that the complaints were in violation of Open Meeting Laws and the board must acknowledge the findings at their next board meeting on Thursday.