Lawsuit may further delay funding for weatherizing

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The feud between Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons over control of the federal stimulus delayed efforts by the state Housing Division to distribute $10.2 million to weatherize homes.

That dispute was resolved Monday, but a lawsuit could further delay release of the money.

The Nevada state AFL-CIO has served notice of a lawsuit to stop the Housing Division from distributing money on grounds that it has not followed state law.

Danny Thompson, director of the labor federation, said state law requires trained apprentices to be hired for the weatherization work. “They (the Housing Division) are ignoring the law,” Thompson said.

The labor group is seeking a temporary restraining order in District Court in Las Vegas to stop the release of the money to five nonprofit agencies, which would hire contractors to perform the work.

The conflict over who should perform the work came to a head Aug. 3, when the Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee on a party-line vote stopped the Housing Division from releasing the money. Democrats argued that the division wasn’t following the law regarding the training of the apprentices.

The committee reversed itself Monday, granting the division permission to release the money under the direction of Gibbons.

Housing Division Administrator Charles Horsey called the lawsuit “premature.” About $1.7 million has been transferred to the state Employment, Training and Rehabilitation Department to train apprentices, who could be ready when the state receives another $18 million for weatherization in September or October.

Plans to spend the $10.2 million were developed before the Legislature passed the law requiring the involvement of apprentices, according to Horsey.

Horsey said he has not been served with the AFL-CIO’s suit. “We are proceeding posthaste to get the money out,” he said.

Five nonprofit agencies have been designated to oversee weatherization projects and hire contractors. The agencies in Clark County are HELP of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas and Neighborhood Services in Henderson.

Thompson said the Housing Division should open up the bidding to more agencies.

Once released, this money would be used for installing insulation, energy-efficient windows and air conditioners in Southern Nevada. A family of two with an income of up to $29,140 could qualify for the assistance.