Appropriations committee advances state capital projects, approves funding route from LSRA to CIPA

The Wyoming House Appropriations Committee on Monday advanced a slate of state capital construction requests, approved an amendment to add a temporary AWAC position tied to the Law Enforcement Academy firearm range, and voted to transfer funds directly from the legislative savings account (LSRA) to the CIPA account to finance the projects.

Committee members said the votes were part of the committee’s effort to complete the state capital construction bill and to protect the state’s long-term fiscal position. Chairman Bair opened the meeting by pointing members to a posted committee document summarizing the committee’s focus on state fiscal soundness and thanking LSO analyst Wendy Madsen for preparing the display.

The most contested action came when Representative Harrelson moved to reopen Unit 8041 and add one temporary AWAC position to support construction of the Law Enforcement Academy firearm range and related driving facility; Representative Angelos seconded the motion and it passed 4–3. The committee then proceeded through multiple community college renovation requests, a Sheridan College science building request with online testimony from Sheridan College leadership, and two Department of Corrections projects.

Sheridan College President Trebleeg told the committee the governor’s recommendation, which omitted roughly $12 million in general funds from the college’s request, would not allow the college to complete the full renovation the college intended. "That would not allow us to do what we were intending to do with the building," Trebleeg said, adding that while elements such as ADA compliance and fire suppression could be handled with local funds, doing a partial project now and returning later would be wasteful.

Dale McComie, Director of the State Construction Department, described the age and condition of several campus and state buildings, saying many date to the 1970s and suffer from reactive aggregate concrete problems that require ongoing repairs. "Most of these buildings I believe are in the seventies era," McComie said, describing visible spalling and exposed rebar on some sites.

On a procedural and budgetary question, committee staff summarized several options for covering the agreed projects’ costs: appropriate entirely from the general fund; appropriate from LSRA directly; or transfer LSRA funds to the general fund or the CIPA account and appropriate from there. The committee adopted a motion to transfer funds directly from the LSRA to the CIPA account and appropriate from CIPA, a step proponents said would streamline the process; Representative Sherwood seconded that motion and members voted in favor.

Votes at a glance: Unit 8041 (amendment to add 1 temporary AWAC position for Law Enforcement Academy firearm range/driving facility) — amendment passed (4 ayes, 3 noes); Unit 8071 (Central Wyoming Community College, industrial maintenance renovation, 100% local funds) — approved (7 ayes); Unit 8081 (Laramie County Community College, auto tech renovation, shared state/local funds) — approved (7 ayes); Unit 8091 (LCCC Science Center renovation) — approved (7 ayes); Unit 8101 (LCCC Crossroads building renovation) — approved (7 ayes); Unit 8111 (LCCC community college center renovation) — approved (7 ayes); Unit 8121 (Northwest College at Sheridan, Science Building) — approved as presented (7 ayes); Unit 8131 (Department of Corrections, electronic security system integration) — approved (5 ayes, 2 noes); Unit 8141 (Wyoming State Penitentiary HVAC replacement) — approved (7 ayes); Motion to transfer funds directly from the LSRA to the CIPA account — approved (motion carries; seconded by Representative Sherwood).

The committee also received detailed staff figures on design funding needs for a multi-phased construction request and on construction and demolition costs for the Campbell County Transportation Facility; staff said an additional $4,380,121 in design funds would reduce the construction request by the same amount if the committee chose that approach. Committee staff reported that, so far in these motions, members had approved $165,771,697 from an as-yet-unspecified account and approximately $25,706,953 in private or local resources, numbers staff said would be finalized as the bill drafting proceeds.

The committee chair said staff would have draft bill language available early next week, and members could amend the draft when it returns to them as a standing committee after introduction on the floor. The meeting ended with the chair adjourning the session.

Ending details: The committee completed votes on the capital construction units covered during the session and instructed staff to prepare bill drafts for the approved items and the chosen LSRA-to-CIPA funding route; members were expected to receive drafts by Monday or Tuesday of the following week.