One-road access a concern for high-security juvenile facility

When state officials decided three years ago to build a high-security juvenile facility in Las Vegas, they probably never considered that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein might hinder their plans.

But Hussein's name was brought up more than once Wednesday when Clark County commissioners argued with Nellis Air Force Base officials over who has rights to the planned facility's main access road.

"Mr. Hussein was mentioned to us before as the reason they want to shut down this road," Henry Rawlings, representing the correctional facility, said.

Military Road -- also known as Range Road -- is the only access street for businesses on that road. But it is also a road that continues straight through the Air Force Base.

Air Force Col. Russell Bolt said Nellis has plans to install gates at each end of Military Road so that during high-security times, guards can be assigned to allow only authorized vehicles near the base.

Bolt said Nellis is currently on Alpha alert -- one step up from its normal status -- because of the recent military action in the Persian Gulf. If Nellis increased its security, he said, it would prefer to have gates on all access roads.

Commissioners, who on Wednesday postponed consideration of a use permit for the 200-bed, state-funded facility, emphasized the importance of the project and encouraged Nellis to work with the juvenile facility.

"It's important for us to understand your concern and responsibility to the Air Force," Commissioner Myrna Williams said. "I hope you understand our concern and responsibility to this state and this community."

For years, state officials searched the Las Vegas area for a site to build Nevada's first high-security jail to house sex offenders and violent juvenile prisoners.

Because Nevada has no such facility, teens have been shipped to Texas and Tennessee to serve their sentences. Not only does that cost taxpayers about $100,000 per year per youth, but some state lawmakers felt that being far from home impeded the juvenile's ability to rehabilitate.

"We couldn't keep a handle on the cost; it was simply skyrocketing," Larry Spitler, a state assemblyman from 1991 to 1995, said. "We also felt the kids would do better close to home. Quite often these children are from poor homes and they had no way to keep in close contact with family."

Williams, also a former assemblywoman, said it took the county a long time to find a location that satisfied everybody involved in the process, most importantly, neighbors.

"Many locations were looked at," Williams said. "Neighborhoods and business people didn't want it here and they didn't want it there. Finally, we found a location everybody agreed to and it's a great location."

The juvenile facility, which could be finished in a year, will be located just south of El Campo Grande Avenue, east of Military Road.

Bolt said Nellis maintains the road and the impact of construction vehicles and heavy equipment, along with the additional motorists, would damage the street. He suggested the county build another access route from Military Road, to Ann Road to Hollywood Boulevard.

But commissioners said Military Road would only be used for two years.

When the Las Vegas Beltway is completed, it will provide a second access road. The board directed Nellis and representatives for the facility to work out an agreement and return to the commission in six months.

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