Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2004 | 11:05 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- The state Public Works Board is recommending that taxpayers, rather than private donors, contribute $9 million to the construction of the first classroom building at the Nevada State College in Henderson.
The suggestion was part of a proposed $342 million state buildings program adopted by the board Wednesday. But only about $250 million in state money is expected to be available for buildings in the next biennium.
The board's recommendations now go to Gov. Kenny Guinn, who makes the final decision on how much to spend and on what projects.
Some of the major recommendations of the board include a $23.1 million military readiness center in Las Vegas with $13.1 million coming from the federal government, and the $37.2 million Greenspun College of Urban Affairs at UNLV, which has already received a commitment of up to $16 million from the Greenspun family of Las Vegas.
The board, which oversees the state construction projects, suggested an additional $5.9 million be allocated by the state to build the fourth wing of the 150-bed Southern Nevada Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas. The state has already appropriated the money for the hospital. Construction is slated to start early next year and the fourth pod would be built to coincide with the original plans.
The Legislature previously approved $23 million for the classroom building for the Nevada State College with the provision that $10 million had to be raised from private sources. The supporters of the college had pledged to come up with the matching funds but they have been able to collect only $1 million so far.
The University and Community College System of Nevada Board of Regents agreed to ask the Legislature to fund the entire project, except for the $1 million already pledged. By approving the request, the public works board has given Nevada State College hope that it can convince lawmakers to agree to the request, said Jim Rogers, interim chancellor of the system, and Patricia Miltenberger, interim president of Nevada State College.
"It's still a long journey," Miltenberger said, "but the public works board today honored the regents' priorities and that is an important step for Nevada State College and for eventually getting the funding from the Legislature."
Rogers has made securing the funding for the college's liberal arts building a priority for the 2005 Legislative session.
The public works board also recommended that $10.1 million be set aside by the state for replacement of tile that has been falling off the exterior of the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas. There is a dispute between the state, contractors and architects as to who is responsible for the problem. Dan O'Brien, general manager of the public works board, said the $10.1 million is "the worst case scenario" and he added. "It's a hard pill to swallow." The board also recommended $13.6 million to pay for the furniture, equipment and possible cost overruns on the engineering and science building to be constructed next year at UNLV.
Regarding the Greenspun building, O'Brien said the family agreed to advance $3 million to begin design early. The state will be working with UNLV and the Greenspuns to select a design. And the 2005 Legislature will be asked to allocate $9.9 million in state money for the project.
Included in the recommendations is $65.6 million for life safety and critical maintenance projects at state buildings and prisons. Those projects include fire sprinkler systems, removal of asbestos, installation of emergency generators and to reduce arsenic in the drinking water at two prison honor camps, where prisoners work on conservation projects.
The Legislative Interim Finance Committee at its last meeting suggested the public works board concentrate more on advance planning rather than including the planning and construction money in one pot.
The board agreed to recommend $1.2 million for advance planning for construction of a 250-bed re-entry center in North Las Vegas for women inmates. This would be similar to the Casa Grande center being built for men in unincorporated Clark County. These types of centers provide a place for inmates to live when they are on the verge of being released and give them a chance to get a job so that they can be self-sufficient when they are released by the state.
The women's re-entry center is expected to cost $20 million, which would be requested from the 2007 Legislature. The board also agreed to spend more than $3 million for advance planning for a new prison in Southern Nevada, near the present High Desert State Prison.
Jackie Crawford, director of the state Department of Corrections, said the last estimate was that the prison system did not need any more beds. But subsequently, "we experienced a spike," she said.
A new prison would cost $80 million to $100 million, but under the public works board plan, the construction money would not be allocated until 2007.
"I know we're expensive. Crime and public safety are expensive," Crawford told the board.
She noted that a recent report of the state Division of Public Safety showed a 9 percent increase in crimes in 2003.
"This is not a scare tactic," Crawford said. "We're just showing what our needs are."
A new projection of future prison population by a private company is due to be presented to the state within the next two months. She expects the firm making those projections to conclude there will be a need for more beds.
The prison system also wanted money to plan for an inmate work center at the Indian Springs Prison and a regional medical center and reception facility at the High Desert State Prison in Clark County. But state Budget Director Perry Comeaux said those two projects should be scrapped because the money won't be available for those projects in 2007.
The state, after all, is expected to commit to spending money on the architectural designs and preparatory work (soil testing, for example) for the re-entry center for women inmates and the new prison that would mean the 2007 Legislature already is set to be asked for about $100 million in construction, Comeaux said.
There is also $1.2 million recommended for the planning of a new building in Las Vegas for the state Parole and Probation Division.
The public works board agreed to recommend $1.1 million for a central dining room at the Veteran's Home in Boulder City with $589,731 coming from the federal government.
Board members asked Comeaux how much he expected to be available to spend for construction projects in the 2005 Legislature. He said there would be up to $200 million in bonds "at the absolute maximum" and the state "would be lucky if we had $50 million" in cash to add to the bonding total.
The board, however, recommended projects totaling $478.7 million with $342 million to come from the state.
archive
