Thursday, September 15, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Chancellor satisfied with how board bills construction projects

CARSON CITY -- University system chancellor Jim Rogers said Wednesday he is satisfied with how the state Public Works Board figures its charges to manage and inspect construction projects.

"Our meetings have been very productive," Rogers said by telephone. "We are going to receive detailed bills on their charges. The proof is going to be on how we are charged on our next project."

Two weeks ago, Rogers expressed anger over the $600,000 assessed by the Public Works Board to review, manage and inspect the construction of the $17.5 million law school at UNLV. He demanded a full accounting from Public Works Board Manager Dan O'Brien and said the university system should be allowed to manage its own construction projects.

O'Brien said at Wednesday's Public Works Board meeting that he met with Rogers and explained his agency recently changed how it figures its charges.

"We will continue to inform him," O'Brien said. "I came away from the meeting feeling very well."

Rogers said the Public Works Board has used a set formula for its supervision of construction work that had nothing to do with the time its staff spent on a project.

Now, he said, the university system and other agencies will be billed hourly rates to cover the actual time Public Works Board staff members stay on the job.

"He said, 'We bill $65 per hour for some people and $109 per hour for others,' " Rogers said. "I have no trouble with that."

But Rogers said he still fears it takes too long for the Public Works Board to check plans and supervise construction of state buildings.

University counsel Dan Klaich asked the Public Works Board on Wednesday to allow work to proceed on the Greenspun Building at UNLV without final state approval of construction documents. Members did not grant his request, but agreed to hold a special meeting in three weeks to talk about his proposal.

O'Brien said he can understand that the university system "wants to control its own destiny."

But he noted the Legislature has given his agency control over all state construction projects. In some states, the university system manages its own construction program.

"The Legislature made us responsible," he said. "If they want to go to the Legislature and request projects directly be given to them, we won't object. The Legislature gave us the money, and we are the ones that have to explain when something goes wrong."