GOP Leader Says School Board Members Should Be Replaced

Four members of the Washoe County Board of Trustees are up for re-election, next November, and the Chairman of the Washoe County Republican Party says they need to be defeated.  The Board of Trustees has been under the microscope since the summer of 2014, when they voted to fire Pedro Martinez as superintendent. The group violated Nevada's open meeting laws in the process.

"It's been plagued by bad decisions and it's time we just overturn those people and have people in the community step up, who want to see students put first, again," Khan said.

 Martinez eventually had his contract bought out. That process, along with legal fees cost taxpayers about $650,000.  There was more public outcry, last month, when the board approved a salary of $238,000 for new superintendent Traci Davis, along with bonuses and a car allowance.

"In the past, the GOP has stayed out of these types of races but it's something where we can't just stand idly by and watch these people throw our students under the bus," Khan said.

Trustees say Davis' contract is below the national average and argue that she should be paid a competitive wage.  Nick Smith voted against the contract but says he approves of the board's decision.

"I stand by my colleagues," Smith said. "They voted the way they voted. We are a good team. We work well together. Ultimately, it's up to the voters to decide who they want to support in elections and who they don't want to support in elections."

 Khan took his stance on behalf of the Washoe County GOP, but the issue was never discussed at their meetings.  Many republicans disagree with him, and the fact that he wrote a letter rubbed some the wrong way.

"If he's going to make a blanket statement like that, then he needs to at least talk to the executive committee, if not the entire membership of the Washoe County Central Committee," Vicky Maltman, Washoe County Republican Central Committee member said.

"The news release, he sent out to the members of the party, frankly is fraught with errors and that's unfortunate," Smith said. "Adam Khan should have done his homework."