Subcommittee Meeting of September 2, 2009 Synopsis

The subcommittee reviewed two items during it meeting of September 2, 2009. The first item was the impact of the 2011 budget cuts of $445,000 to the maintenance program for the Capitol and the Capitol facilities. Bruce Whittington of DFCM explained that within the budget are certain fixed costs that must be paid. These fixed costs include water, power, elevator maintenance and other critical elements. Bruce explained that after those are deducted there are not enough funds to provide the basic maintenance service. That the preventative maintenance would be sacrificed and that over very short time failures would occur that would cost more to repair than had been saved due to the budget cuts. The executive director presented three options for the subcommittee to discuss:
1. Request full funding of the maintenance program to $3,600,000 which is were the rate committee feels the services should be.
2. Request the same funding as this past year (FY 2010) as ongoing funding, then in FY2012 budget year request the additional funds to get back up to $3,600,000.
3. Use one-time-money from the saving generated by the Capitol Restoration. Funds available may be as much as $460,000. This will get the Maintenance program through the soft money year and then address the ongoing issues in FY2012 budget.
The subcommittee felt it was better to provide the saving to the general fund and let Executive Appropriations determine the use and then ask for ongoing funding to the FY2010 level to keep the program stable. The executive director will build the budget around that recommendation.

The subcommittee also reviewed the fees the board charges for the use of the Rotunda and other facilities on Capitol Hill. The executive director put forth two proposals:
1. Proposal one was a slight modification and clean up of the fees that the legislature approved in FY2010 budget. This proposal also included a modification of fees during the legislative session. The proposal was to continue to charge a fee but one that would be greatly reduced.
2. Proposal two was a major shift away from the previous proposal in that it recognized the use of the rotunda and the frustration that has developed around the rental rates for both the rotunda and other spaces on Capitol Hill. The proposal provides the majority of spaces other than the rotunda for no charge. It also suggests that during the legislature all spaces as a public service be provided at not charge. However there are time limitations to the use of the spaces.
The subcommittee felt that the second proposal was the better over all direction and suggested some minor modifications that improved the proposal. They recognized that in order to achieve this new direction that an reduction in dedicated credits of $60,000 will need to be made and an increase in the General Fund of $60,000 will be required. One can not exist without the other.
The executive director will prepare the proposal for the full board meeting that will occur towards the end of the month. The executive director will also need to have this item presented on the executive appropriations committee agenda so that it can be in effect come January.