North Las Vegas city manager gets blanket spending OK for jail

The North Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to give its city manager blanket authority to spend millions on reopening the city’s jail.

Under the measure, City Manager Ryann Juden can spend up to $4 million on contracts and other purchases for the project.

Chief of Staff Delen Goldberg said the money would be spent on improving the facility, which closed in 2012 to save the city money.

The jail project — which includes an adjacent building that will house administration and storage — is being fast-tracked to reopen next summer, she said.

Goldberg said the goal is to streamline the process and avoid spending time bringing items in front of the City Council.

Typically, expenditures of $50,000 or more require council approval.

Council members will continue to receive regular updates on the progress of the jail but will not have formal input in how Juden spends the money.

He will get to spend the money on the jail project only.

North Las Vegas provided notice over the summer to exit an agreement with Las Vegas to house inmates at the Las Vegas Detention Center.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.