Industrial park proposed to employ prison inmates

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 | 9:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Department of Corrections has received approval to buy 22 1/2 acres near Indian Springs to turn it into an industrial park to employ up to 1,000 prison inmates.

The state Board of Examiners Tuesday allowed the department to spend $124,000 to buy the land from the Bureau of Land Management. The property is adjacent to the High Desert State Prison, about 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas off U.S. 95.

The buildings on the property would be built and operated by private industry in partnership with the prison.

Glen Whorton, assistant director of the Corrections Department, said no private companies have signed up so far but he expects the project to attract "more suitable, more stable industry."

He said the money for the purchase will come from the prison industries fund. Medium security inmates would be employed at the park.

"We would employ them without a security risk," Whorton told the board.

The Examiners Board also approved a proposal for the state prison at Jean to lease part of its property to the Ivanpah Energy Center that wants to build a pre-fab sewage treatment plant for the prison.

The energy center would use the treated effluent to cool a gas fired electrical generating plant being constructed.

The state would have the option to buy up to 25 percent of the energy produced, under the agreement. The lease is for 30 years with an annual rental payment equal to one-tenth of the fair market value as established by an independent appraisal.

Ivanpah Energy Center would lease about 80,000 square feet at the prison.

The Examiners Board also approved a modification of the contract between the state and Corrections Corp. of America that now operates the state women's prison in North Las Vegas.

The state will be taking over the medical care of prisoners. It is now paying Corrections Corp. $47.79 per day per inmate and that will drop to $33.08 per inmate per day starting March 1 when the state assumes the medical care.

Gov. Kenny Guinn, chairman of the Examiners Board, noted after the meeting that the contract with Corrections Corp. ends in October for operation of the prison. He said there are options for how the prison will be run in the future. He said the state could put the prison operation out to bid for a private company again or the state could take it over.

Guinn said the state could also put the prison out to bid for a private company to include the medical services.

No decision has been made yet, he said.

The Examiners Board also approved a settlement for $100,000 for Sondra Schwartz of Las Vegas, who tripped and fell on a raised portion of sidewalk at Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City.

The 74-year-old Schwartz fractured both wrists and has spent $84,000 on medical bills. The edge of the raised sidewalk was painted red. But maintenance records do not reflect whether this was done before or after Schwartz fell.

An attorney for Schwartz sought $50,000 for her and $50,000 for her husband, who had both legs amputated during World War II. The couple were attending a memorial service at the cemetery.