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Committee hears request for urgent repairs to Vermont historical museum after 2023 flood
Summary
The committee discussed a request for about $700,000 in urgent repairs for a historical museum that stores state records, and noted the museum's larger $3 million capital plan and planned fundraising.
During the March 12 markup the House Corrections and Institutions committee reviewed a request for urgent repairs to a historical museum that holds Vermont state historical records.
A committee member said the museum is not state‑owned but stores a significant volume of state historical information. The speaker reported the building suffered water damage during the 2023 flooding, identifying drainage work, brick repointing and some roofing as likely repairs. The committee heard that a contractor is in place to complete the work this summer and fall and that the packet listed roughly $700,000 for urgent repairs.
Committee staff also described the museum’s broader capital plan: the total project was described in the packet as roughly $3,000,000, with the museum expecting to raise about $2,200,000 (potentially not until fiscal 2027). Members noted the distinction between urgent repairs needed now and the longer fundraising timeline for full capital work.
Committee members discussed whether to recall the presenter (Steve Perkins was mentioned) and agreed the repair request appeared urgent. Members asked staff to draft language to allow quicker action if FEMA or other flood processes require coordination; one member suggested modeling emergency decision processes on prior examples (Irene, COVID) and using Joint Fiscal Committee chairs for interim decisions if necessary.
Direction: staff were asked to add language asking the Agency of Transportation’s BTS team to coordinate with the local flood commission during FEMA processes and to draft emergency‑response procedural language in the capital bill consistent with past practice.
Ending: Committee members said they were prepared to include the urgent repairs in the markup with follow-up language to coordinate agency action; no formal vote was taken during the session.
