Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Laundry Facility Replacement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vermont Veterans Home requests $420,000 to relocate and replace laundry equipment
Summary
Home officials requested $420,000 to relocate a laundry room and replace three washers and three dryers because the current second‑floor location over the boiler room cannot structurally support new, heavier commercial machines; officials provided vendor quotes and said they are working with Buildings and General Services.
The Vermont Veterans Home asked the Corrections & Institutions Committee on Feb. 5 for $420,000 to relocate and replace its laundry facilities because the current second‑floor laundry sits above the boiler room and cannot structurally support new commercial equipment.
"Our laundry equipment is at the end of its life and needs to be replaced. Our current laundry room sits on the Second Floor of our boiler room and due to the weight of, the new equipment, the structure that the laundry room is currently in will not, be structurally sound for the new equipment," Melissa Jackson, CEO of the Vermont Veterans Home, told the committee.
Home officials said the replacement would cover building upgrades to create a new laundry area and the purchase of energy‑efficient commercial washers and dryers with an expected functional life greater than 20 years. The request covers three washers and three dryers; staff said one washer and one dryer are already out of service, which strains operations. "We do have 1 washer and 1 dryer down, so it makes it very difficult to keep up with the laundry," Steven McClafferty, finance director, said.
Representative Morrissey read a vendor quote from Daniel's Equipment Company dated July of the prior year listing large commercial washers: two 90‑pound washers at about $26,000 each, one 135‑pound washer at about $35,000, and a 40‑pound washer at about $11,000, with the three larger washers and delivery totaling roughly $103,505.50; that quote did not include construction costs, he said. Home officials said dryer pricing and final construction bids remain to be finalized.
Committee members asked whether combo washer‑dryers could avoid structural work; officials said nursing‑home regulations require separate washing and drying and that the requirement reflects both state and federal rules. Home staff said they are working closely with Buildings and General Services (BGS) and that BGS-supplied estimates informed the $420,000 figure. The home agreed to provide photographs, rough drawings and square footage to help the committee assess scope and cost.
No funding decision was recorded during the Feb. 5 testimony. Officials said final costs will depend on formal bids for construction and equipment and that they will supply additional documentation to the committee for further review.
