Lexington Attorney Files Open Meetings Complaint Against Murray State Board of Regents

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Jim Deckard

A Lexington-based attorney with a history representing former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher has sent a complaint to Murray State’s Board of Regents Chair alleging a violation of Kentucky’s Open Meeting law.

Jim Deckard sent the complaint to Dr. Constantine Curris Thursday. Deckard, referencing media reports, says a quorum of regents gathered at regent Sharon Green’s home and discussed board business the night before the board’s quarterly meeting.

At that meeting Curris entertained a motion to vote on whether or not to extend President Randy Dunn’s contract. The discussion wasn’t listed on the board meeting agenda. It was brought up under the guise of “other business.”  The motion to extend Dunn a new four year contract failed by a margin of 7 to 4.

Deckard made the following request in his letter:

I am requesting that the Board discuss at a future meeting, in an open and public session, those matters that were discussed at the meeting on March 14, 2013 at the home of Board Regent Sharon Green. Any action taken by the Board as a result of that unlawful meeting must be declared null and void. In accord With KRS 61.846, a response to this Complaint indicating whether you will correct this violation is required within three (3) business days. If you deny that a violation of Kentucky’s Open Meetings Act occurred, you must state in writing the Kentucky statute that authorized your actions and the reasoning behind why the meeting of March 14, 2013 at the home of Board Regent Sharon Green Was lawful.

Deckard represented former Governor Fletcher in a 2006 lawsuit, when the then hopeful regent Sharon Green, and two other hopefuls alleged Fletcher’s appointment of Court of Appeals Judge Jeff Taylor was unlawful. Three years later, in 2009, Taylor resigned his post after a judicial ethics ruling found a conflict of interest of him serving on the board and serving as an appeals judge.