MARK WAITE / PVT A closed sign along with a padlock and chain mark the entrance to the Pahrump Valley Museum at 401 E. Basin Ave. Advertisement

The Pahrump Valley Museum has been closed since June 11.

According to a source, the closure was due to a lawsuit filed by former employee George John Weisser.

A few members of the Pahrump Valley Museum and Historical Society Board were meeting with an attorney for Nye County's insurance carrier, a co-defendant in the case, at presstime.

The suit names the Pahrump Valley Museum and Historical Society, a non-profit corporation, former treasurer Phil Huff, who is now vice-president of the museum board, and Nye County.

Weisser sued for unlawful termination, denial of due process rights, publication of false statements regarding his work performance and interference with his contractual relationship with Nye County.

Weisser said he was hired as a part-time clerk typist Nov. 16, 2005, with benefits like the state retirement system, health insurance, paid vacation and sick time.

On May 17, 2006, Harry Ford resigned from the museum board of directors and appointed Gordon Scott as Weisser's supervisor, the suit claims.

Weisser claims Huff was given authority to supervise his performance.

On July 26, 2006, the Pahrump Museum Board of Directors approved an increase in Weisser's work hours to eight hours per day, but Weisser claims Huff contacted Nye County Commissioner Gary Hollis to remove the item from the Aug. 22, 2006, commission agenda, an interference with his contractual relationship.

The suit claims Weisser made several complaints regarding Huff's conduct to Shane Laura, who works for the Nye County personnel department. The suit claims Huff harrassed and intimidated Weisser, including incidents where Huff screamed at Weisser in front of others. Weisser claims the harrassment continued after Weisser had heart surgery.

On Feb. 22, 2007, Weisser claims Huff assaulted and defamed him at the Pahrump Walmart store. On Feb. 28, 2007, Weisser said he received a written reprimand from Huff listing 31 policy infractions.

Weisser was terminated May 23, 2007. The suit claims he was coerced to sign an acknowledgment of his termination due to a personal conflict with one of the museum board of directors.

Weisser wants to receive county medical and retirement benefits, due process with regard to his termination, attorney's fee and costs, along with reinstatement as a Nye County employee.

Weisser, in his fifth cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress, claims the actions caused him to be hospitalized and on sick leave for over four weeks.

The lawsuit claims the Pahrump Valley Museum and Historical Society had an obligation to supervise Huff's conduct. Nye County is faulted for providing negligent training and failing to ensure Weisser's grievances against museum board members were investigated.

When contacted by telephone Monday, Huff said he was told not to comment on the suit or the museum closure.

Pahrump Valley Museum founder Harry Ford was unavailable for comment.

Ironically, the museum closure comes after Nye County commissioners voted April 7 to accept a $38,697 bid from Vincent Development of Henderson for an addition to the museum. Commissioners last December authorized money for a 50-by-95-foot metal building out of $439,000 in a Nye County Downtown Revitalization Grant first awarded in August 2005.

When funding for the addition was approved last December, museum officials said it would house a display from former Pahrump resident, the late U.S. Army Col. (ret.) Bill Byrns, a Paiute Indian exhibit and paintings, as well as include space for storage and restoring artifacts.

The Pahrump Museum and Historical Society, an idea of Chuck and Marilynn Gallivan, was incorporated in 1992. That same year, Harry Ford, a Pahrump resident since 1944, and his wife, Mary Ford, donated the land and water rights.

The museum opened in 1997 in the old Raycroft building, composed of railroad ties from the old Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. A manufactured building was dedicated as the new museum location on Oct. 31, 2003. Among the exhibits is a large display on President Lincoln, who was president when Nevada became a state on Oct. 31, 1864.

Eventually museum officials hope to create a "Main Street" in back of the museum, where there is an old Pahrump general store, the old red school house, an old silo, buildings from the Bowman Ranch, a water tower and part of the Binion vault.