Corrections & Institutions Committee reviews Veterans Home capital projects, staff ask for flexibility to move funds

The Corrections & Institutions Committee heard detailed updates March 14 on capital projects at the State Veterans Home, including plans for air‑handler replacements, a laundry renovation, generator and boiler‑plant replacement, elevator upgrades and a proposed reallocation of design funds to a heavily damaged wing.

Melissa, a Veterans Home staff member, told the committee the home is finishing an RFP for air handlers and expects to place purchase orders “within the next month or two,” and said the goal is to have units installed “before the winter.” The home’s preliminary counts include about 55 larger air handlers (estimated at $8,000–$10,000 each) and about 25 smaller units (estimated at $6,500–$7,000 each), a per‑unit breakdown the home said will be finalized in the RFP.

The laundry renovation also moved forward in discussion: Greg, a Veterans Home staff member, said the project shifted from several very large washers to a three‑machine configuration (25‑, 40‑ and 70‑pound capacities). The new washers and dryers together were quoted at about $85,000, down from roughly $153,000 on an earlier quote; staff said that change would save approximately $85,000 compared…