Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

County OKs settlement to end two lawsuits by Health District

A 3-year-old legal dispute between Clark County and the Southern Nevada Health District is nearing an end after county commissioners today approved a settlement agreement.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposal, which would resolve two lawsuits the Health District filed against the county in June 2011.

The first lawsuit stems from the Health District’s claim that the county was thwarting its attempt to acquire property for a new building to replace its outdated space on Shadow Lane, which was closed in 2012. The county contended the Health District couldn’t own property under statute, a view upheld by a District Court judge and later appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The second lawsuit involved a claim by the Health District that it was shorted $15.9 million in property tax revenue withheld by the county in the midst of steep budget cuts. The county eventually paid the money to the Health District after the lawsuit was filed, but the district maintained it was owed an additional $3.1 million in interest.

The settlement approved today calls for the Health District to drop its claim to the $3.1 million, while the county will drop its contention that the Health District cannot own property. The decision effectively clears the way for the Health District to acquire a new building for its headquarters after several years of renting office space on Valley View Boulevard.

The Health District’s board is scheduled to vote on the settlement at its March 27 meeting.

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