By Sean Whaley, Nevada News Bureau: A meeting of the State Apprenticeship Council was cancelled today because of a lack of a quorum, and the chairman of the panel said the appointed members will be surveyed to ensure they can commit to attending the quarterly meetings.
The council, which had a lengthy agenda published and noticed, with staff from the state Labor Commissioner present at the teleconferenced meeting between the capital and Las Vegas, had to adjourn without taking any action because two members representing the employer community on the seven-member panel, were not present.
Kevin Christensen, a Las Vegas attorney and chairman of the council representing the general public, said the meeting could have been rescheduled if members had advised him they would be unable to attend.
Rebecca Massingill with NV Energy and Dana Wiggins with the Las Vegas chapter of the Associated General Contractors were not present for the meeting. Neither could be reached for comment.
Minutes show Massingill did not attend the December 2011 Apprenticeship Council meeting either.
Christensen said that rules for the council require at least two of three appointees of both employers and employees be present to establish a quorum to conduct business. So even though there were five members of the council present, there was no quorum.
“We’ve struggled to establish a quorum a couple of times during the last year, and maybe two years, and I don’t know what the personal circumstances are of those who are not here today,” he said today before cancelling the meeting.
Christensen asked that the council members be surveyed by staff to ensure they can commit to attending the meetings, which are set in advance.
“And if they can’t make that commitment then we would ask the labor commissioner to replace,” he said. “I believe we have basis for replacement for cause for failure to appear if that’s a continuing issue, and it has been.
“Because this is a waste of public time and money,” he said. “Had we known there wouldn’t be a majority we could have cancelled this meeting and rescheduled to another date.”
The State Apprenticeship Council was established to administer the apprenticeship laws and regulations of the State of Nevada. The next meeting is set for May 10, when the items on today’s agenda will be taken up. The seven members are appointed by the state labor commissioner, and are paid $80 a meeting.
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Audio clips:
Apprenticeship Council Chairman Kevin Christensen says the meeting could have been rescheduled if members had indicated they could not attend:
032012Christensen1 :13 to another date.”
Christensen says council members will be surveyed to ensure they can attend the four meetings a year:
032012Christensen2 :38 it has been.”
