Wayne Workman
A review panel of the Nevada Commission on Ethics on Thursday dismissed an ethics complaint against former Lyon County School District Superintendent Wayne Workman regarding allegations of conduct as a public officer.
Workman confirmed with the Appeal that KRNV reporter Joe Hart filed the complaint in October prompting an NCE investigation after he had been employed by the LCSD for its newly-created employee relations administrator position in June 2024.
“That complaint was thoroughly investigated with the information I supplied,” Workman told the Appeal. “The commission interviewed multiple staff members at the school district and they investigated the facts of the matter. There was a report from the commission, and I received a letter just today (Thursday) and it was completely dismissed. There was no evidence that showed any inappropriate inactivity.”
Workman submitted his resignation as superintendent in October 2023 to allow LCSD’s Board of Trustees to conduct a search for its top position. He announced June 30, 2024, as his last day and used accrued leave time but applied for the new district position and was offered an interview.
LCSD hired him as an employee relations administrator before June 30.
The complaint alleged Workman was in violation of Nevada Revised Statute 281A.400(2) and (10) and any associated implications of it as it is referred to as the “Ethics Law.” The statute lists general requirements that a public officer or employee shall not use his or her position in government to secure unwarranted privileges or seek other employment or contracts for the public officer or employee to whom he or she is committed in a private capacity in their official capacity.
Workman’s hiring was conducted using the district’s conventional process, current Superintendent Tim Logan confirmed with the Appeal.
“We’ve used the same hiring process to all the candidates, the nature of it being a committee, made up of different groups,” Logan said. “I personally was not on his committee.”
The NCE review panel released a letter Thursday concluding the facts “do not establish credible evidence that Subject (Workman) failed to comply with the requirements of NRS 281A.400(2) and (10), and the facts and evidence do not support a determination that just and sufficient cause exists for the matter to be referred to the Commission to render an opinion.”
The NCE is an eight-member board appointed by the governor and Legislative Commission. It establishes public policy of conduct and investigates public complaints by public officers and employees, among several of its functions.
Workman said he hoped the investigation and the panel’s dismissal would prove his hiring and career have been ethical.
“I put in my application, I interviewed for it and I went through the process that any other employee would go through,” Workman said.
Logan was glad to see the complaint against Workman dismissed given his experience. Workman’s career as an educator spans from teaching in health and sports medicine in Utah to serving as assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent and superintendent for Lyon County.
“It has been frustrating there’s been this witch hunt regarding former Superintendent Wayne Workman, serving Lyon County School District for 18-plus years and has experience and expertise,” Logan said. “He should not be questioned as to why he’s been hired to serve Lyon County students.”
Logan said the district’s hiring in the end was fair.
“I think it proves that the process that we followed was ethical and proper and so, yes, I’m excited for way it played out and for district for that matter.”