Laurayne Murray Don Rust Advertisement

Town board member Don Rust refused to take part in a closed session that occurred during the March 11 meeting.

According to the agenda, the session was "to discuss labor settlement terms."

Rust told Laurayne Murray she should recuse herself from the closed session and if she didn't, he would not attend it.

Murray responded by reading a disclosure statement in the open meeting.

"I am related to the person who is making a presentation at the closed session," she said, referring to her husband, Tim Murray.

He is president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local No. 4068, which represents the Pahrump Valley Fire-Rescue Service.

"However, there is no resulting benefit or detriment regarding my interest or the interest of the other people with whom I have a commitment in a private capacity," Laurayne Murray continued. "Therefore, I will be attending the closed session."

Rust, who opposed the motion to go into a closed session, kept his promise and remained in the main seating area of the Bob Ruud Community Center for the entire length of time the secret session was going on.

When the remaining three board members (Nicole Shupp absent) emerged from behind closed doors, they took no action on anything discussed in the meeting.

Laurayne Murray asked the Nevada Commission on Ethics in March 2006 to issue an opinion that would guide her participation and voting on matters relating to the fire department that came before the town board.

The commission recommended Laurayne Murray abstain from participating in closed meetings with the firefighters union and from labor negotiations entirely.

The chairman said she called Town Counsel Carl Joerger prior to Tuesday's meeting (also a recommendation by the commission) who advised her she could attend the session and not be in conflict with the ethics board's recommendations.

"There was nothing to do with contracts in this session or anything that would benefit my husband or I," Murray said. "I read the disclosure statement like I was supposed to."

"As a member of the town board, Ms. Murray is a public officer who must commit herself to avoid conflicts between her private interest and those of the general public whom she serves," the opinion states. "Ms. Murray's disclosure, which must be made at the time a matter is being considered, is required whenever her actions would 'reasonably' be affected by her commitment to her husband."

In the previous ruling, the ethics commission also ruled that Murray should abstain from board actions that could benefit her husband more than a member of the general public, specifically if her judgment would be 'materially' affected by her relationship to Tim Murray.

"Therefore, if a matter is before the town board and the resulting benefit or detriment accruing to Ms. Murray or Mr. Murray is not greater than that accruing to any other member of the profession, occupation, or group, Ms. Murray would need not abstain but she would still have to disclose her interest," the opinion states.

In July 2005, while Laurayne Murray was serving on the previous town board, her actions while conducting the town manager's evaluation resulted in that board unanimously approving a motion to file a complaint with the state ethics commission.

Murray had submitted evaluation forms to former town board members, allegedly without informing the rest of the sitting board that she was doing so.