Murray State Board of Regents Chairman Constantine Curris says, through a letter from Murray State’s legal counsel that he will discuss, at the board’s next meeting, what transpired at a social gathering for some regents the night before the board’s March meeting, but he won't nullify any votes cast by the board on the following day.
Lexington attorney Jim Deckard filed a complaint with Curris claiming the social gathering fit the profile of an illegal meeting. The social gathering at the home of Regent Sharon Green occurred the night before the board voted in open session 7 to 4 against renewing President Randy Dunn’s contract.
Curris denied Deckard’s request that all votes from the board’s quarterly meeting be declared null and void. In the response Curris said the board didn’t violate the law and no action was taken at the board meeting resulting from talks at the social gathering. Deckard says he plans to appeal the response with the Kentucky Attorney General. Upon filing the complaint the Attorney General will have 10 days to respond.
The following is an excerpt from Kentucky's open meetings law.
(2) If a complaining party wishes the Attorney General to review a public agency’s denial, the complaining party shall forward to the Attorney General a copy of the written complaint and a copy of the written denial within sixty (60) days from receipt by that party of the written denial. If the public agency refuses to provide a written denial, a complaining party shall provide a copy of the written complaint within sixty (60) days from the date the written complaint was submitted to the presiding officer of the public agency. The Attorney General shall review the complaint and denial and issue within ten (10) days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, a written decision which states whether the agency violated the provisions of KRS 61.805 to 61.850. In arriving at the decision, the Attorney General may request additional documentation from the agency. On the day that the Attorney General renders his decision, he shall mail a copy to the agency and a copy to the person who filed the complaint
