Meetings
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[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Thank you. So, today is 05/19/2026, and this is the committee of conference between Senate institutions and House Commission, House institutions and And today what we're going to do, we're gonna get an update from the House Committee on what we presented at our last meeting. We're going to hopefully hear from the commissioner of BGS about 110, Building 110. We're going to, this committee has received information from BGS that we will share with you and then we'll determine our next meeting. So,
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: we've been, my house congregates have been working and trying to put together a package. We've been reaching out to folks to Okay. Get further information. It could be folks, council, ADS, BGS. Trying to get some more background information that haven't been available or we've been available, which has been a problem. Yeah. So we need to do a little bit more digging. We've asked the questions of BGS of some items. We're really focusing in to create proportion of those moving pieces when we have the permit. When we don't have the permit, when you're out to bid, you're not out to bid, the money flow over to the year seven. And also the boiler in Newport. And we have some thoughts around that, but we're not we're not finished yet. And I'm figuring out our thoughts. So that's that's where we are. We need to get a little bit more information. Before we go any further, we did have a conversation about 1 10th State Street, and we heard that the from commissioner buildings in terms of the language to repeal the ability to put the building on the market for sale. So just tied in with the FEMA negotiations. So I thought it would be really helpful for the commissioner of BGS just to talk to the whole conference committee about moving pieces there. So I've asked her to come in and she's probably on her leg up now. So that's where we are. We've had a little crazy time in terms of our schedule because we have the bill on the floor, Parkinson's. So that's just all about it today because we want them. That's too near and dear.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Yeah, so that's why we're a little late starting this. We do have information about the permits. Permits for? The, I think it's right, the storm water permits.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: Oh, alright.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: That includes, so we had this is what we received from BGS. And then Alright. Senator Benson might wanna discuss this.
[John Benson (Member)]: It's three acres or or Newport.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Start with Newport, please, and then So go
[John Benson (Member)]: I believe when BGS met with you folk when you were putting together the capital bill, the stormwater ponds on that site, they did not have a solution for what they were going to how they were going to move those, which would hold up the entire project. By the time that they came in and met with us, they had come up with a solution for how they were going to deal with the ponds, and in fact, as you'll see here in notation from the commissioner, they expect the stormwater pond per hatches in June. So that basically took away the impediment to schedule that was put in front of you folk when it came to us. And so they really feel like they're in a position to move forward with that project. And also when you look at that project, you kinda have more or less three parts. You have the storm water issue, you have the building, and you have the boiler. The boiler is a long lead time item. And so what they were really looking for and the appropriation that they had asked for didn't get them to the full project but allowed them to get to the point where they could be getting the building and get the long lead time items ordered so that they would be in a position to finish the project in '27. My concern was if we don't move forward and get the long lead time items in the pipeline, we could potentially push the project out of at least six months maybe a year depending on the timing and of course when you push things out things always end up costing more and it's also more difficult I know from my own experience and being in the engineering world for almost fifty years, separating things and doing parts of projects is always very complicated and adds time and cost. So that's why we felt they were now in a position to be able to move forward and put that money back in.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: And we're still in conversations with PGS about this. We have some thoughts, but we just need to firm up a little bit more on the three acre piece with not so much the storm water ponds, but with other issues. So we need to finish our conversations, the three of us, the BGS, just to confirm that. Then we have some thoughts, but we we haven't formalized that with the three of us yet. Okay. For that.
[John Benson (Member)]: Think on the three acres, see in this response, the ones they have permits already for and which ones they expect to see some permits here very soon.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: And did they testify you folks that there's five years from the time to get the construction done? We're aware of that. Don't know. I
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: believe they I'm sorry. Yeah.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: It's creepy. Yeah. So we're just looking at trying to firm things up a little bit. But we're we're very committed to those connections with the stormwater ponds and the border. We don't wanna stop either one of those. We have some thoughts. I just haven't found that up yet. Put them on the table. Okay. So that's Grey's Wanda coming up.
[John Benson (Member)]: She's on her way over.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: It's hot. There's no I know. And I was air in here. I actually was bragging on the senate floor about how much work we just did, which they we did, and it was good work. But it's not But it's not working today. So I won't brag anymore.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: Better in here than it was was right here.
[John Benson (Member)]: Better in here than most
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: of time.
[John Benson (Member)]: It was
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: getting hot last year.
[John Benson (Member)]: No, the
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: floor is pretty bad.
[John Benson (Member)]: It's not good for your bargaining position.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: Is true.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Well, let's talk about next meeting. Actually, we need to get your package really before we can do more.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: Well, and we're working to get some folks because we wanna talk to EDS. They were not available. The person we need to talk to today is not available today. So we're gonna hook up with that person tomorrow. We also wanna get a little bit more information on the Strong Body Utilities and what person that we need to talk to is not available today is available tomorrow. So that's what we're running into.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Are you able to do any of that work in the morning because We are tomorrow. Okay, good. Tomorrow afternoon we can all be here. Thursday afternoon we have a conference.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: So when we've got those Tuesdays scheduled in the morning, right?
[John Benson (Member)]: New is coming in at eleven and we're still working on ADS.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: Okay. K. So it's just we've got Oh, it's
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: hard doing all these things in mind.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: So I think once the individual pieces that we those bigger pieces, I think everything may come together a little better. So
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: we might end up doing it on Friday.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: I hope we can't
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: do it. I hope not too. But hopefully tomorrow we could finish up.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: It'd be great. Even if we have to work later. Yeah, we're ready. I mean, we might be able if we can get some further answers on that three acre in the boiler. We might be able to at least get that off the table. Okay. We'd have to meet and deal with the conversation.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: We're we're here this afternoon. So Yes. Are. Just give us, like, a half hour notice. Yeah. Because we're we're not going to be on the floor.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: You're done for the day. Yeah. See, we're on a floor and we've got we have a big amendment. On a sec. On a hospital. Well, it's Senegal. That's pretty controversial.
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: Yeah. Like, we don't have any controversy.
[Robert Plunkett (Vice Chair)]: And she got some. And then I. Yeah. So right now we're just waiting for the commissioner. Do you want
[Wendy Harrison (Chair)]: to take a break until Sure. Okay. So we are adjourned.