Closing part of NSP proposed in prison cuts

Plans to close at least part of Nevada State Prison were resurrected Wednesday as part of Director Howard Skolnik's options to meet budget reductions without furloughs for his officers.

Director of Administration Andrew Clinger has advised the Board of Examiners and Skolnik that the state has

$4 million in the fund to cover all furlough exemptions, and Department of Corrections exemptions alone would

cost $7.6 million over the biennium.

He asked Skolnik what other savings he can find.

"We don't have a lot of options left to us," Skolnik told the board consisting of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

The Nevada Legislature, trying to close a massive budget deficit, required state workers to take one day off a month without pay, starting in July.

The move was designed to save the state about $330 million over the two-year budget cycle that ends June 30, 2011.

Skolnik, arguing that guard furloughs would create unsafe conditions, won a temporary exemption from the mandate.

Skolnik said shutting down Housing Unit 3 at NSP would have the least impact on his staff, would eliminate 18 positions and save about

$1 million. Those 18 people, he said, could be moved to other positions he needs to fill so there would be no layoffs in Carson City.

In exchange, he said he could open two housing units at High Desert Correctional Center in Southern Nevada. Those units would only require three added officers to staff because their design is much more modern and efficient than NSP.

Other options on his list, he said, are to eliminate the 5 percent pay boost now received by staffers assigned to remote rural prisons. Skolnik said with the recession, he is no longer having the problems the department once had in filling and retaining workers in those positions. Eliminating the extra pay would save about $2 million.

Also on the list is charging rent to the canteens that sell candy, toiletries and other goods to inmates - worth an estimated $600,000.

Another possibility, he said, is to shut two of the state's conservation camps.

"But obviously, the closure of any camp will leave that location without first response," he told the board.

Those camps, particularly in rural areas, handle much of the wildland firefighting duties as well as community clean-ups and other civic projects. Their proposed closure was hard fought during the 2009 Legislature by counties and cities.

Potentially the biggest piece of the puzzle, however, is the idea of leasing out the closed Southern Desert Correctional Center. He said Pennsylvania is looking at a possible contract with the state to put inmates at SDCC, which would bring in a substantial amount of revenue every year.

"Those are horrible options, putting public safety against the budget," said Secretary of State Ross Miller.

"It's my belief the direct furlough plan that was legislated is unworkable," said Gov. Jim Gibbons, who chairs the board. He suggested giving Skolnik an exemption from furloughs for another two months while he works out the legal issues involving the 5 percent pay cut and the rent to canteens.

The board voted unanimously to release the $630,000 that two months of exemptions will cost and directed Skolnik to return with a solid recommendation in November.