Corrections exempt from furloughs through June
Corrections exempt from furloughs through JuneBy GEOFF DORNAN gdornan@nevadaappeal.com Correctional officers on Tuesday won an exemption through this fiscal year to the furloughs other state workers must take.The Board of Examiners approved the exemption even though it drains the money set aside for all agencies that might need exemptions, leaving just $180,000 in the account.The board consisting of the governor, secretary of state and attorney general had already approved month-by-month exemptions for the Department of Corrections through this month, eating up $1.6 million of the $4 million available.The remaining $2.4 million won't cover the entire cost of exempting correctional officers for the year. Director Howard Skolnik said that will take another $3.58 million.Gov. Jim Gibbons made the motion to approve the exemptions through the end of June 2010 and then look at other options to cover the cost in Fiscal Year 2011.Skolnik said he could generate $578,732 by charging rent for the canteens within the system and another $218,120 by charging the inma