City attorney gives board refresher on Nevada open meeting law

Adrian Villesca, a deputy city attorney for North Las Vegas, gave the Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Culture Advisory Board a refresher on Nevada's open meeting law at its Sept. 9 meeting, covering what triggers the law, how to avoid inadvertent violations and the penalties for noncompliance.

Villesca told board members the statute is grounded in transparency and that “the keyword is open,” urging members to keep deliberations in public meetings rather than in emails or serial communications that can create a constructive quorum.

The training reviewed when the law applies: whenever a quorum of a public body — for this board, four members — is present and members deliberate toward a decision about matters within the board’s jurisdiction. Villesca warned that a series of separate…