Board committee authorizes application for $10 million CDBG-DR grant to develop Johnson campus resilience center

The Vermont State Colleges executive committee authorized the chancellor to apply for a Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant up to $10 million to redevelop the Martinetti Building on the Johnson campus into a community resilience center. General Counsel Patty Turley and Sharon Scott, the system—0s chief financial officer, described the proposal as a way to respond to repeated severe flooding in the town and village of Johnson by relocating municipal and community services to high ground on campus. Turley said the proposal would allow the college to "relocate their town and village offices, a community center, a senior center and a health center, and potentially even work with the United States Post Office to relocate those facilities up to the campus at the Vermont State University." The resolution asked the board to authorize the chancellor to submit the CDBG-DR application, which is due by Sept. 30. Turley and Sharon Scott said the request is being made now because the application deadline is imminent; normally, the system would route such a request through the finance and facilities committee and then the full board. The committee also discussed Policy 426 implications: Turley said approving the grant application does not waive or substitute for any future approvals that might be required under Policy 426 (for example, long-term leases or property dispositions), and that any such actions would return to the full board. Trustee Mark Mahali moved the resolution; Trustee David Silverman seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote. Durfee and system staff said local legislative representatives and county officials had been invited to a public hearing on the project scheduled for Sept. 16 at Stearns Performance Space on the Johnson campus. Committee members praised the concept as a multi-benefit disaster-recovery strategy for Johnson; trustees asked staff to coordinate any requested letters of support from local and state representatives in the coming days.