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StumbleLOOKING IN ON: CARSON CITY:
Prisons chief claims abuse of sick leave
He says more guards call in on holiday weekends, leaving staffs short
Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Howard Skolnik
The head of the state prison system is accusing correctional officers of abusing their sick leave, further complicating staffing problems at Nevada’s lockups.
State Prison System Director Howard Skolnik said guards are calling in sick in greater numbers on holiday weekends. State employees are to use sick leave only when they are ill.
Skolnik cited for the Prison Board the number of correctional officers who called in sick during recent holiday weekends:
• On the Memorial Day weekend officers took 369 hours of sick leave the day before holiday, 62 hours on Memorial Day and 800 hours the day after the holiday.
• Officers took 397 hours of sick time the day before Presidents Day, 63 sick hours on the holiday and 883 hours the day after.
• Officers took 126 hours of sick leave on July 3, 285 hours on July 4 and 424 hours on July 5.
Skolnik said the prison system is staffed at 85 percent and the extra absences make operating the prisons difficult.
“We have staff abuse and it’s not fair to all staff,” he told the board.
Skolnik said he is developing a regulation to address the absences and will present it at the next board meeting.
Some prison employees criticized the proposed regulations.
Daniel Shoup, an officer at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, said there may be a problem with certain individuals misusing sick leave, but said they should be dealt with individually instead of the entire staff having to deal with new regulations. He called the regulation a “slap in the face” to the staff.
“You’re breaking down morale on the staff,” Shoup said. “It cannot get much lower.”
•••
Skolnik also told the Prison Board he has taken steps to cut expenses so prison correctional officers aren’t required to take monthly furloughs.
The 2009 Legislature ordered the one-day-a-month furloughs for state workers in an attempt to save money. The state Board of Examiners has given the prison an exception until November. To avoid furloughs the system must come up with another way to save $315,000 a month.
To cut costs, Skolnik said he has reduced overtime so far this fiscal year from $258,000 to $30,000. He has closed units 10 and 12 at the High Desert State Prison in Southern Nevada, and he has instituted a “rolling lockdown”— unannounced, periodic lockdowns to handle the shortage of officers — at another prison.
Skolnik said he is considering cancelling the extra 5 percent pay given to officers at prisons in Ely and Lovelock. Also being considered is charging rent to inmates for use of gyms.
Forcing officers to take a one-day furlough jeopardizes the safety of the staff and inmates, he said.
•••
Tonya Brown showed up at the meeting of the state Board of Prison Commissioners on Tuesday carrying a container with the ashes of her brother, Nolan Klein, a former state prison inmate who died Sept. 21.
Klein was convicted of a 1988 sexual assault and robbery in Sparks. But Brown has long maintained the innocence of her brother and is continuing a court battle to prove it.
She accused the prison system of denying the rights of inmates to practice their religion and she asked the prison board to release Klein’s personal property, which must be held for 40 days after death, according to Nevada law.
She joined with others who advocated creation of an oversight committee for every prison.
The board did not take any action.
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I guess Skolnik doesn't understand that on the day of a holiday you don't call in sick because you are off that day. What a joke he is. Let's see some comparison to any other given day and a day before a holiday.
Tonya Brown has obtained proof that her brother was innocent and that information was withheld by the DA's and never turned over to his attorney. For many years the AG's office (and currently Cortez-Masto) could have given the innocent man relief and allowed him to get the medical care he needed. He was not given a life sentence but the State made sure he did not live to see his exoneration. His blood is on the hands of all those elected officials that have ignored and or withheld the evidence of his innocence all these years. I hope they are haunted every day and night by their actions.
And of course, the board did not take any action. They never do. They sit there like bumps on a log waiting for the rain.
Washoe County Judge Brent Adams order DA Dick Gammick to turn overthe DNA test along with the entire file in Nolan's case. On June 10, 2009 the file was turned over. In the file it showed that ADA Ron Rachow had made notes NOT TO TURN OVER ANY OF THE EVIDENCE THAT WAS FAVORABLE TO NOLAN. THAT INCLUDED THAT THE THEORY OF THE SPARKS POLICE DEPT. WAS THAT ANOTHER MAN, ZARSKY, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME FOR WHICH MY INNOCENT BROTHER WAS CONVICTED OF, it included other victims from other crimes who had cleared Nolan, however, these crimes were believed to have been committed by Zarsky too. On June 24, 2009 the Pardons Board, which consist of the Goverorn, AG Masto, and all of the NV Supreme Court Justices received this information showing what Rachow had done. I presented this information again at the Board of Prison Commissioners Meetin on Tuesday along with other docs. that was given to DAG Steven Quinn on Sept. 4 that supports Nolan's claims that is now before the 9th circuit court of appeals that Masto is trying to have dismissed along with three other cases Nolan now has pending. ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PARDONS HAVE CONDONED THE ACTIONS OF THE WASHOE COUNTY DA'S OFFICE OF WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE AND VIOLATING BRADY V MARYLAND, because, if they did not condone the illegal actions of the DA's office for the past 21 years, they would have placed Nolan on the upcoming November's Pardons Board and exonerate him. They did not. This means that our attorney's will continue on and will be filing a Petition for Exoneration. Eventually, Nolan will be cleared and the taxpayer's are going to incurr even more costs when this is said and done. Do you want want these members of the Pardons Board to represents us? I think not! 4 are running for re-election I say vote them out! Justicefornolanklein.com
Also, Nolan Klein died an innocent man in prison. The day I received the call from the NDOC's Chaplain that Nolan had passed away. I had immediately called his attorney's who were in the process of filing that day a Motion for Bail and a MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL BASED ON NEWLY DISCOVERED EVIDNECE THAT RON RACHOW HAD WITHHELD THE EVIDENCE THAT CLEARED NOLAN KLEIN OF THE CRIME. OUR STATE WANT'S THIS TO ALL GO AWAY. SO THEY ARE FILING MOTIONS TO THE ALL OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS ARGUING THAT NOLAN HAS DIED AND HIS CASES SHOULD BE DISMISSED. CALL YOUR REPRESETATIVE AND TELL THEM TO STOP THE COVERUP. WE MUST PROTECT THE INNOCENT!
Thank you, Tonja Brown
WE WILL BE FILING A SUIT AGAINST NDOC FOR WRONGFUL DEATH. NDOC DID NOT TREAT NOLAN FOR A LIFE THREATNENING DISEASE, HEMOCHROMATOSIS, THAT IS A PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE DISEASE IF TREATED. THEY WAITED 20 MONTHS AFTER HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH IT. HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY AND OUTSIDE THE PRISON WALLS IF THEY HAD TREATED HIM. THE BOARD OF PRISON COMMISSIONERS WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS FACT TOO.
About the money?
The prison commissioners could order two simple solutions to take the pressure off this percolating volcano.
1) Release the low level offenders to do community service.
2) Release prisoners on their release dates for a change.
Ice queen Attorney General Cortez-Masto doesn't seem to mind whether Nevada prisoners are innocent, like Klein, or whether they stay years beyond release dates, or how many prisoners are hungry or take their lives or how frustrated corrections officers are.
And why are prisoner cases being sealed from public view? So much for transparency!
Our rubber stamping, uninformed, plastic commissioners continue to fiddle while Rome burns.
You know this for sure... any one of us can end up in prison in Nevada, fodder for this hungry machine.
When we're on bread lines because of this do nothing administration (who will walk away with millions for themselves) we'll have time to think about why most of us were silent to this utterly foul public servant abuse.
The Nevada prison director and commissioners have no qualms about biting the hands that feed them.
What a moron, you all work for the system and you expect anything less. Get real, you are a public employee and for the most part public employees are the laziest group of society outside of career democrats. There are a select few who actually work though they are few and far between, they do exist. For those who read this, you know who you are, kudos to you.
And now you have the audacity to whine and complain about your colleagues. You're just another career politician looking to make a name for yourself trying to be proactive. You're a typical career politician being reactive to their world; they've been doing this since inception and your whining isn't going to change it. Either work within the system or get out. If you can change it, patent whatever is you've invented and sell it to all other public bodies; you'd be the next Bill Gates.
To All Nevada Taxpayers:
This article reads like a comic strip. Skolnut is saving money for the taxpayers by trying to reduce staff (guards) pay by 5%. This is a man who took, just recently, a $30,000.00 a year pay increase. Does hypocrite have a meaning here?
Ice Queen, A.G. Mastos, needs to get kicked to the curb, just like the rest of the prison commissioners. Additionally, Supreme Court James Hardesty shouldn't be left out. He makes testimony, and then, rules on it. (Making testimony is something never heard at time of trial, nor in any transcripts, but is his way of denying appeals.) Nevada, you have scum leading this state. When you vote--kick them to the curb...
Now, here comes along an APPOINTED Director of Prisons, Howard Skolnut, who makes laws governing prisons, and gets the foolish Prison Commissioners to rule in his favor--without public comment or input, much is despised by his own prison guards. What asinine leadership did we elect in this state?
Skolnut, a prison caseworker from another state comes to Nevada. His home state prisoners shove a gun in his mouth for being so stupid and ruthless, my opinion, so he must be good at one thing: Sucking gun barrels--they didn't kill him.
Back to A. G. Mastos who was elected because the choice was between -0 Vs. -00. She's also a victims rights advocate with a title of president, or something. She doesn't need to be on a prison commission ruling on prisoner's lives. Conflict of interest = maybe? However, the defense of the paid parasites involved in the illegal confinement, and death of Nolan Klein, is beyond disgraceful--it is putrid.
And, defended vigorously by A. G. Mastos. How inappropriate, but very Nevada!
Then, we have the accused rapist, Governor Gibbons, trying to pass himself off as knowing what's best for the state. He APPOINTED Skolnut as Director of Prisons--which even upsets the guards and administrators working the prisons.
Well done, Gov!
Most Nevadan's recognize we have fools running this prison department, and the state, but why is E.K. McDaniels, warden at Ely State Prison--still employed? This 500# to 600# blob of poly-saturated fat is sadistic and it is well known. He has costs many deaths at Ely Prison, and is costing millions of dollars to the state for his continuing law suits filed against him, and defended by A.G. Mastos, for his inhumane treatment of prisoners.
Ask yourselves: "What's going on here? Am I really this big of a sucker to not recognize, as a Taxpayer--I'm being suckered by fools..."?
That's my opinions--do you have one?
yet another case of the public being held hostage to public employee unions. it's corruption via labor contracts plain and simple. the "public servants" are serving themselves at public expense. they are turning all of us into anarchist. will the greed and corruption ever end? not with this government. so much for our leaders.
Howard Skolnik is the biggest hypocrite in the state. Gibbons is a flat out sex offender running loose, and E.K. McDaniel just spends, spends, spends on lawsuits that he himself creates. But Skolnik is a hypocrite. He whines about cost while letting his sick bloated bureaucrats make decisions that are costing the state millions. How many Nevada attorney generals does it take to defend against a lawsuit for denial of medical treatment? SIX!!!! Skolnik must go along with the rest of his over-fed-sucking-at-the-public-trough minions.
People need to blow up pictures of all the inmates killed in Nevada prisons by deliberate indifference or corruption and post them on every telephone pole in Las Vegas and Reno so the tourists can know what kind of state they are throwing their money to.
xie,
Now, that is a great idea
xie:
Where did you come from? I like your idea, will you help post them? That's the best damned idea I've heard of in some time. However, nothing embarrasses this state's government, especially, Gibbon & Mastos. Two really good examples of what not to have running a government--unless it is to run it into the ground.
That being the case--they have accomplished their goal...
I will help post them. I think it would be easy to find photos of the more recent victims of Skolnik. I will be in Reno in about a month, enough time to get it done. I'm happy to help.
While I'm on the subject of wasted tax-dollars: Review Journal won't permit me to post a comment on this Officer death for reckless speeding--so let me go with it here.
Where in the world is the pomp and pageantry going to next--if we, as tax-payers, let this farce of Law Enforcement continue?
Died in the line of duty speeding to the next doughnut shop for free coffee; Hero for what nonsense; and a warrior? Gillespie are you off your rocker? Get a life and quit your foolishness, by resigning. You're found out and the jig is up.
QUIT...Spare the sane in this state your insane stupidity, and all those rouges that attended this funeral from around this country. What a waste of taxpayer's money.
Are you going to put the spin on his speeding ticket--you know, the one you're going to squash?
POMP & PAGEANTRY has a place, but not in this town for Metro ignorance and stupidity--to hero worship a man speeding his way to nowhere! Calling him A WARRIOR is an insult to all taxpayers and the officer himself! Chasing a doughnut is what Metro calls a Warrior?
Gillespie this foolishness had better come out of your precious budget, because I'll never vote for another raise in your budget, nor will I ever agree with the county commissioners for your budget increase. You are over the line...
However, all said and done a life was lost. Never a good thing, and I do feel for the family. Hopefully, this man will rest in peace.
But, I just can't let go the murder of a 16 year old boy by your Warriors, and the death of an Ice Cream lady in Henderson by Henderson's Warriors, and many more Metro Warrior deaths in this county. Where was your POMP & PAGEANTRY for them? I place much more value on them than a man paid to take chances--while testing his driving skills...
I picture the posters like this: On top a big photo of the person killed, injured or wrongly imprisoned by Nevada, and on the bottom their name and the category. For example: PATRICK CAVANAUGH: MURDERED BY NDOC'S MEDICAL NEGLECT. NOLAN KLEIN: MURDERED BY CORRUPT PROSECUTORS AND NDOC'S MEDICAL NEGLECT. How does that sound?
xie:
I can be contacted at spartacusproject@yahoo.com.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Spartacus
xie:
Sounds good to me.
S
Judges, prosecutors, commissioners, board members and all other corrupt public officials who KNOW of the wrongdoings within the justice system and look the other way or engage in cover-ups, it is called RATIFICATION.
In my opinion, many of these public servants are members of the largest criminal enterprise in the state of Nevada.
I too like the idea of posting signs of those persons wrongfully convicted.
Tonja, I am truly sorry that Nolan passed away because of the negligence of the NDOC. He should have never been there in the first place. Withholding medical treatment for such a serious blood disorder is guaranteed to quiet Nolan. It is my belief that withholding treatment was intentional and deliberate. The cost of treating this disease is minimal - next to nothing.
That being said, I am glad Nolan was in attendance at this meeting - outside of the walls of prison.
Karen, Thank you very much. Nolan is at last free from the pain, but, not from the wrongful conviction. We will be filing a Petition for Exoneration in Washoe County. All the member's of the Pardons Board were made aware of what Ron Rachow and several other DA's and ADA's have done over the years. The Pardons Board members are no better than what these DA's have done. I made it known at this Board of Prison Commissioners hearing that all the documents that were given to them the Pardons Board will be turned over to their opponents. Then they can run with the corruption of our State Officials. The Gov, AG and all of the Supreme Court Justice are telling us the taxpayers that they condone the actions of the Washoe County DA's office when they refused to place Nolan for exoneration on the upcoming November's Pardons Board Agenda. Instead they would rather WASTE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY TO DEFEND A LOSING FIGHT. END THE END, NOLAN WILL BE EXONERATED!
I would like to comment on Director Skolnik statement, "State employees are to use sick leave only when they are ill".
Does this include calling off sick to take your cat to the vet? The kicker is, so said employee does not have enough sick leave (because of sick leave abuse), so then it's allowed by high level managers to allow the use Annual Leave. How does this work? Are your policies good for everyone? Or when an employee makes statement's like, "Skolnik has my back", then we know your policies do not pertain to them.