Joint Committee Committee on Capital Development (01/08/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

Date:	01/08/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	07:31 AM to 08:54 AM	Becker K.	X
		Kefalas	X
Place:	SCR 356	Sonnenberg	X
		Szabo	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Baumgardner	X
	Representative Vigil	Vigil	X

This Report was prepared by
	Matt Becker
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Fort Lewis College 15-16 Capital Request Human Services 15-16 Capital Requests		Two-Year Cash List Approved Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

07:32 AM

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present.

Dr. Dene Kay Thomas, President, and Mr. Steven Schwartz, Vice President for Finance and Administration, both representing Fort Lewis College, came to the table to introduce themselves. Dr. Thomas discussed the mission and role of the college. Committee members received a Report to the Colorado Capital Development Committee prepared by the college (Attachment A). Dr. Thomas discussed the college's fee-for-service award as second lowest in the state. She also stated the college's student loan default rate is less than seven percent and discussed the college's retention and graduation rates as near the top among Colorado regional colleges. She then discussed the college's business school, its teaching program, the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, and the chemistry program. Dr. Thomas said the engineering program has doubled in size in the last few years. She then discussed the need for the college's FY 2015-16 budget request, Berndt Hall Reconstruction - Geosciences, Physics, and Engineering. The committee received a cover page for the college and a summary of the project, prepared by Legislative Council Staff (LCS) (Attachment B).

150108 AttachA.pdf

150108 AttachB.pdf

07:41 AM

In response to a committee question regarding welding programs, Dr. Thomas responded that the welding programs are provided by the local community college. The committee also received an updated two-year projection of cash need (Attachment C) and a five-year projection of need (Attachment D), both prepared by LCS.

150108 AttachC.pdf

150108 AttachD.pdf


BILL:	Fort Lewis College
TIME:	07:42:48 AM
MOVED:	Baumgardner
MOTION:	Approve the project listed on the Fort Lewis College two-year projection of cash need. The motion passed on a vote of 6-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Sonnenberg	Yes
	Szabo	Yes
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Vigil	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

07:45 AM -- Human Services 15-16 Capital Requests

Mr. Reggie Bicha, Executive Director, and Ms. Jennifer Corrigan, Legislative Liaison, Department of Human Services (DHS), came to the table to introduce their FY 2015-16 budget requests. The committee received a copy of the department's presentation (Attachment E). Mr. Bicha described DHS' 2014-15 goals, mission, and facilities. Mr. Bicha said the department manages its own physical assets, including buildings and vehicles. He also described the properties leased by the department. Of the 344 total buildings owned or operated by the department, 285 are occupied, including 2 state mental health hospitals, 3 regional centers, 40 group homes, 12 youth service center facilities, and 5 veteran community living centers. Mr. Bicha described the locations of DHS facilities across the state and the capital construction appropriations for DHS over the past 15 years.

150108 AttachE.pdf

07:53 AM

In a response to a committee question regarding managing assets, Mr. Bicha responded that the state does not have a long-term plan in place for the department. He said the department would like state assistance in developing a master plan for its capital investments. Mr. Bicha began to discuss the department's FY 2015-16 capital budget requests. The committee received a cover page and summaries of its ten budget requests, prepared by LCS (Attachment F). Mr. Bicha discussed the Departmental Master Plan and Centralized Headquarters Building Facility Program Plan project. He explained that the department has shifted its focus to in-community services, and therefore, it would also like to align its capital projects to the new approach. He also discussed the needs assessments for the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), the Colorado Veterans Community Living Centers, the Division of Youth Corrections (DYC), and the Regional Centers. He discussed the master plan goals of consolidation, program alignment, and fiscal responsibility. He also discussed the Grand Junction Regional Center (GJRC). He said the GJRC serves 26 clients with a budget of $1.5 million. In a response to a committee question regarding master plans, Ms. Kori Donaldson, LCS, said funding program plans and master plans are under the purview of the committee.

150108 AttachF.pdf

08:03 AM

In response to a committee question regarding the ability of GJRC clients to be integrated with the local community, Mr. Bicha responded the clients at GJRC have been determined to need institutional housing. In response to a committee question regarding the Fort Logan campus and a new headquarters building, Mr. Bicha responded the request for the master plan is for the first phase of three. The first phase would study the department's current assets in the Denver metro area and compare it to the needs in the area. The master plan will recommend alternatives for the department's facilities. He also discussed the Fort Logan campus, located in the south Denver metro area.

08:12 AM

In response to a committee question regarding the size of the Fort Logan campus, Mr. Bicha said the campus is 221 acres and three-quarters of a mile in length. He also discussed the expectation of the department to request additional funding for the master plan in a few years for phases two and three. He also discussed some initial findings of a report regarding the GJRC recently conducted by a consultant hired by the department. He said the department expects the client number to decease on the campus. He discussed the three alternatives analyzed by the report. In response to a committee question regarding the clients at the GJRC, Mr. Bicha responded that 70 percent of the clients in the Grand Junction region, including at group homes, are from the Front Range. Mr. Larry Friedberg, State Architect, came to the table to discuss the relation of the department's master plan with the Capitol Complex Master Plan. He also discussed recent controlled maintenance requests from the GJRC. In response to a committee question regarding the value of the campus, Mr. Bicha stated that it was $1 to $2 per square foot. In response to a committee question the ultimate decision regarding capital investment at GJRC and capital planning for the state, Mr. Friedberg responded that discussions are on-going with the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) regarding statewide capital planning. Mr. Bicha responded that ultimately, only the General Assembly has the authority to sell property. He said the executive branch does not have that authority. He also discussed the task-force established to analyze the regional centers. He said the department will likely request guidance from the committee.

08:29 AM

In response to a committee question regarding operational funds being utilized for master plans, Mr. Bicha said the department is not able to absorb the $5.1 million cost for the master plan in its operating budget like it was with the GJRC analysis, which cost $90,000. Mr. Bicha then discussed the two capital improvements project requests for group homes at the Wheat Ridge Regional Center and the Pueblo Regional Center. In response to a committee question regarding the walls to be constructed for the Kipling Security Fence project, Mr. Brad Membel responded that the walls and pillars would be six to eight feet high. Mr. Bicha then discussed the budget request for the Replace Deteriorated Campus Infrastructure System capital renewal project at the Colorado Mental Health Institute (CMHI) at Fort Logan.

08:38 AM

Mr. Bicha discussed the budget request for Suicide Risk Mitigation. He said the project will provide for renovations to reduce the risk of suicide at the CMHI facilities at Fort Logan and Pueblo. He also discussed the budget request to replace the Adams County Youth Services Center. He stated that the facility was originally planned to be replaced five or six years ago, before the economic downturn. In response to a committee question regarding concrete beds, Mr. Bicha responded that concrete beds could be considered unsafe for clients. In response to a committee question regarding the location of the facility, Mr. Bicha responded that the department owns property in Brighton and has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place with Adams County regarding the disposition of the land where the existing facility is located. Mr. Bicha then discussed the request for the Facility Refurbishment for Safety, Risk Mitigation, and Modernization project for DYC. In response to a committee question regarding recent updates to fixtures, Mr. Bicha said that in many cases, fixtures are original to the facilities. Mr. Bicha then discussed the Resident Safety Accessibility Improvements project for the Colorado Veterans Community Living Centers.

08:49 AM

In response to a committee question regarding operating budget impacts with a capital component, Ms. Donaldson responded that there are two supplemental requests and one regular budget request currently under consideration by the JBC. In response to a question regarding why the requests were submitted separately to the JBC, Mr. Bicha responded it is the department's understanding they fell under the definition of capital outlay and thus belong in the operating budget. He said the department would be willing to resubmit the requests to the Capital Development Committee (CDC). Ms. Donaldson added that JBC staff have indicated it may be more appropriate for the supplemental requests be heard by the CDC. Representative Vigil thanked the department for their presentation and mentioned the dates of upcoming meetings.

08:54 AM

The meeting was adjourned.