Douglas County commissioners and dozens of local advisory board members attended a pair of legal‑ethics trainings the board scheduled into the morning meeting.

Ross Armstrong, Executive Director of the Nevada Commission on Ethics, gave a presentation on Nevada’s ethics law. Armstrong walked the group through the law’s “three main buckets”: improper benefits (gifts, use of government property, contracts and conflicts of interest), disclosure and abstention when votes affect private commitments, and cooling‑off rules that restrict post‑employment lobbying and vendor work. Armstrong emphasized the statutory standard that “a public office is a public trust” and described the advisory‑opinion and complaint processes the Commission provides.

Armstrong noted that Nevada has no single dollar cap for gifts under the ethics statute; instead, the test is whether a gift or benefit would “tend to improperly influence a reasonable person to depart from the faithful and impartial discharge of duties.” He encouraged commissioners to consult agency legal counsel and to seek advisory opinions for recurring or unclear conflicts.

Deputy District Attorney Doug Ritchie presented open‑meeting law guidance, focusing on what constitutes a meeting and what constitutes deliberation and action. Ritchie described “walking quorums” and serial electronic communications as common pitfalls: a series of private conversations among a quorum can create a public‑meeting violation even if the quorum did not formally gather. He also explained exemptions — for example, attorney‑client “non‑meetings” for litigation — and the steps the board should take to “cure” inadvertent violations (reconvene, disclose on the record and re‑vote if needed).

Ritchie reviewed posting requirements (agendas must be posted at least three business days in advance), public‑comment rights and permissible chair actions during a disruptive public comment period. He emphasized that members can individually brief staff but must avoid relaying staff briefings among a quorum in ways that become a deliberate decision outside public view.

Both trainers urged staff and officials to use available advisory services: the Nevada Commission on Ethics offers confidential advisory opinions and an online learning system; the Attorney General’s Office maintains an open‑meeting manual. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about confidentiality of ethics complaints, timing for financial disclosure forms and practical steps to avoid inadvertent e‑mail “reply‑all” traps.

Armstrong offered a concise legislative declaration as a framing line: “a public office is a public trust and shall be held for the sole benefit of the people.” Ritchie closed with practical remedies and cautions for public‑meeting practice.