Gibbons, Miller face off over prison closure

The chief of staff to Gov. Jim Gibbons said Tuesday that not only does it not make sense for the Board of Prison Commissioners to try to block closure of Nevada State Prison, it lacks the authority to do so.

"We are transferring prisoners for the protection of the prisoners and of the people who watch them," said Robin Reedy.

She said the move will save money at a time when the state badly needs to save any and all public funds.

Secretary of State Ross Miller has called for a special meeting of the board today to stop the process of shuttering the 100-year-old institution on 5th Street.

"Everybody wants to make this out to be a big ego game," Reedy said. "Why would we do this if it wasn't for the good of the taxpayer?"

Prisons Director Howard Skolnik says closing NSP would save a minimum of $3 million a year immediately and more in the future.

The governor and his director of corrections have the authority to close institutions if they deem it necessary, Reedy said, adding that two of Skolnik's predecessors have shut down institutions in the past - without any challenge by lawmakers or the other members of the Board of Prison Commissioners.

Skolnik, Ron Angelone and Bob Bayer all closed Southern Nevada Correctional Center at different times, and Skolnik two years ago closed down Silver Springs Conservation Camp east of Carson City.

"The final authority is the expertise of the director," Reedy said.

Miller said the Nevada Constitution gives the board - consisting of himself, the governor and Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto - the power to oversee operation of the prison system. He said when he called for today's special meeting that Skolnik has never presented any data supporting closure of NSP or proving it would save any money.

Skolnik, however, has testified at more than one legislative hearing the prison is more expensive to operate because its antiquated design requires more officers than new institutions.

Miller also said the Nevada Legislature has rejected the idea of closing NSP more than once.

But Reedy said there has never been a vote by the Legislature to keep NSP open, only committee consideration of the issue.

Corrections union officials have protested any closure because of the lost jobs. But Skolnik said last week he doesn't intend layoffs, that he would move most of the officers now at NSP to the other two institutions in Carson City, Warm Springs and Northern Nevada Correctional Center, to cover the furloughs his officers must begin taking in July.

He said his goal is no layoffs.

The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the Capitol Annex.