Sheriff reverses on jail, throws support behind delay

By Jeff Pope

Friday, May 1, 2009 | 8:09 p.m.

Sheriff Doug Gillespie said today the county should delay the opening of a new jail until it can be staffed properly.

Once an ardent defender that the jail open on schedule in December, Gillespie told county commissioners that with a projected $126 million shortfall in the next fiscal year, staffing for the low-level offender facility could not be maintained.

“I don’t want to hire people over the summer that in the spring of next year would have to be laid off,” he said.

Delaying the opening of the 1,085-bed facility one year would save the county $13.1 million, according to county figures reported in March.

The county would still pay the $11.3 million yearly lease on the 200,000-square-foot complex, located at 4900 N. Sloan Lane, near Nellis Air Force Base.

The county's shortfall grew by $12 million when property taxes fell short of expectations.

At the end of March, the county was expecting a 2.6 percent decline in property tax revenue for next year. A few days later, updated numbers from the state showed the county will have 4.8 percent less in which to operate.

“Trying to project revenue in the current economic climate is quite a moving target,” county Chief Financial Officer George Stevens said.

Gillespie was one of six department heads to address the commission about the effect that the economic downturn and possible legislative actions could have on the ability to provide public safety, medical and welfare services.

Demand for social services is up 30 percent from the same point last year, said Nancy McClane, director of the Social Services Department.

“We have extended office hours two weeks a month and have seen many hundreds of people every week as a result of that,” she said.

Department of Family Services Assistant Director Lisa Ruiz-Lee said Gov. Jim Gibbons’ proposed budget cuts would eliminate 64 positions and undo the improvements the department has made in the past three years.

The department has reduced caseloads from 39 to 26 per case worker on average and added 148 licensed foster homes. Some of the services offered are mandated, Ruiz-Lee said.

“So when the state asked us for budget cuts, what they’re really asking for is cuts to areas of personnel,” she said.

Kathy Silver, CEO of University Medical Center, said the county-run hospital already has taken cost-containment measures and retooled its inventory procedures, but now is looking for ways to increase revenue.

Changes in the hospital’s accounting system have reduced the delinquency bill pay rate by 90 percent, Chief Operating Officer Brian Brannman said.

“It was 30 to 40 percent -- it’s down to the low teens,” he said.

No decisions were made but Commissioner Lawrence Weekly said the commissioners, which serve as the UMC Hospital Board of Trustees, should take a more hands-on approach with governance of the hospital.

“The entire board is going to have to be extremely more engaged as it relates to what’s going to happen with the hospital,” he said. “Business as usual with UMC … is not going to be able to continue.”

The commissioners will renew their budget discussion at the May 19 meeting.