UNLV science building is still not a priority

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The controversy over constructing a $75 million UNLV science and engineering building is now in the hands of Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Strong lobbying by Las Vegas members of the state Public Works Board on Thursday pushed the project to a higher priority on the state's construction list for the next two years.

But it still didn't make the A list.

The board will submit its recommended construction program to Guinn who will then present his plans to the 2003 Legislature, where the debate is expected to continue.

Guinn can change any of the board's recommendations.

Board members Renny Ashleman, Bob Weber and Jesse Paulk, all of Las Vegas, pushed for it to be among the top new construction projects to be funded by the 2003 Legislature.

But board chairman Sean Carnahan and members John Breternitz of Reno and state Budget Director Perry Comeaux said the design was not completed and would not be ready until January 2005.

Carnahan said the board had received a "black eye" in the construction of the Lied Library at UNLV, which was plagued by delays and cost overruns. He said the design and plans should be ready for the science and engineering building before the Legislature is asked for money.

The delay, he said, would be only six months in construction.

The 2001 Legislature appropriated $8.8 million to begin the design and do some infrastructure work. Carnahan said the design work was supposed to be completed by now, but it hasn't been finished.

Comeaux said the project was not ready for funding.

"They (UNLV) are trying to pound a round peg in a square hold. It will not be ready to build until January 2005," he said.

But Ashleman, Weber and Paulk argued other projects have been funded without the design being completed. Weber said there was no criteria that stated the design must be finished before the Legislature would be asked for money.

The debate lasted nearly two hours.

Finally Comeaux agreed with the three Las Vegas members in a compromise to move the project up a notch on the priority list. But it is still not high enough to get any funds within the $127 million budget available for construction.

Ashleman said it was now up to UNLV to carry the lobbying load.

The building is the top priority for the state Board of Regents. But the public works board, at its last meeting, dropped it to the C priority list, which is unlikely to get any money for construction in 2003.

The state uses 15 cents of the property tax to pay off bonds issued to finance the building program. Comeaux said it was possible that the governor and the Legislature could raise that to 16 cents, which would allow about $100 million in bonds to be issued.

UNLV is pledging to raise $25 million and is asking the state for $35 million.

Thomas Hagge, associate vice president for facilities, management and planning at UNLV, told the board there could be a delay of up to 18 months if the Legislature doesn't provide funding next year. He said every month of delay means an additional $165,000 in inflation.

Ashleman suggested a plan by which the university would put up its money and the board would delay construction of the $19.3 million health science building on the West Charleston Campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada, which is on the high priority list.

The top new construction project is a $32.2 million 150-bed psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas.

The priority list also includes:

The list also includes new a state Department of Motor Vehicles building in North Las Vegas for $9.4 million. That does not come from the state's general treasury but from highway taxes.