Construction program would shift state prisoners around to save $200 million

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 | 3:24 p.m.

CARSON CITY – A plan to shuffle inmates among the state prisons in Clark County could save the state $200 million.

The proposal is a part of the $888.5 million construction program proposed by Gus Nunez, executive director of the state Public Works Board. Of that amount, $606 million would come from the state and the rest from other sources.

The board will meet later to vote on the plan and forward it to Gov. Jim Gibbons for inclusion in his budget. Agencies had asked for $1.4 billion in construction projects.

The top recommendation of Nunez is building a new 1,500 inmate prison at Indian Springs in Southern Nevada at a cost of $225.4 million that would include an execution chamber for death row inmates.

Nunez and Howard Skolnik, the director of the state Department of Corrections, have hit on a plan to re-open the Southern Nevada Correctional Center at Jean. The state had been trying to get the U.S. government or another government to lease the facility. They want to spend $3.8 million for the design of two housing units and one 240-bed dormitory at Jean.

When the $69 million in construction is completed, the female inmates who are housed in prison in North Las Vegas would be transferred to Jean.

The North Las Vegas prison would then be used for elderly inmates.

The plan calls for building a new prison for women in Southern Nevada but delaying construction of an additional men’s prison. Skolnik said the women would be moved out of Jean and the men would be transferred back into the Jean prison.

A proposal for an additional men’s prison in Southern Nevada would be cancelled for the time being.

Skolnik said this will keep the female inmates from Clark Count in Southern Nevada, will provide an intake center for men and a prison for elderly inmates and save the state lots of money.

The only dissenting note at the meeting of the public works board was raised by Dan Klaich, assistant chancellor of the Nevada System for Higher Education. He complained that Nunez had failed to recommend money for construction of a building for the hotel college at UNLV. Klaich said Harrah’s has donated $25 million or half of the construction cost. And the university could lose that if the state fails to come up with money next year for development of the structure.

Nunez has recommended $168 million in construction projects for the university system. He said he wants to spend money to complete some projects, address ADA problems on the campuses and refurbish existing buildings.

Klaich said the hotel college was high on the list of priorities for the university board of regents. If the state doesn’t come up with its share, it will “destroy” the university’s attempt to raise private money. “This would send a message to donors that the state will not step up,” he told the board.

The board told Nunez and Klaich to get together again to see if they could work out a solution.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By geezelouise

9/10/08 at 8:34 p.m.

Suggest removal

Does Skolnik have a clue what he is doing?

First he needs more money to build more prisons. Then he closes prisons but builds more. Now he wants to reopen the closed prison, and build more.

I am so confused. Do we need more prisons or do we really need more housing for the mentally ill, more drug courts?

Can we just treat the cause of the problems and stop wasting money on the effect?
By xie

9/10/08 at 10:21 p.m.

Suggest removal

Seriously. Locking Skolnik up may save us billions.
By ben

9/11/08 at 9:52 a.m.

Suggest removal

NO money for Education but they have money for PRISON...what kind of Legislature do we have? calling the ways and means comm? just use the existing Prison for now ..they have Jean that is Empty..the idea is good but no construction now...no money. use what we have FIRST.
By moblyw

9/11/08 at 5:55 p.m.

Suggest removal

NONE OF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL! PRISONS ARE THE NUMBER TWO INDUSTRY IN NEVADA. KEEP THROWING POOR FOLKS IN THERE, THAT ARE BROKE, AND HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE, THAT DEFENDS NO ONE. THEY ALSO THROW OUT A ONE PARAGRAPH APPEAL FOR POOR FOLKS, WITHOUT EVEN CONSULTING THEM FIRST. THATS WHY MORE PRISONS ARE NEEDED. KEEP THE INDUSTRY GOING, AND POOR FOLKS INSIDE ALL OF THE OVERCROWDED CELLS.