State prioritizes Newport courthouse planning; committee seeks written accounting of prior appropriations for Barre and Newport
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Summary
BGS told committee Newport is the near‑term priority and recommended additional bonded and cash funds; members asked for a written account of past Act 69 appropriations, reallocations (including a $750,000 cash reallocation) and current balances before mark up of the capital bill.
The committee heard an update on state‑owned courthouses and funding options, with Buildings & General Services (BGS) saying Newport is the priority for a new or renovated courthouse while work on Barre (transcript: "Barrie/Barry") remains under study.
Joe Adia, director of design and construction with BGS, told the committee some previously appropriated cash would be reallocated to focus on Newport; BGS described a proposal that would add roughly $1.7 million in bonded funds plus a cash component (as presented in the meeting) to the Newport project, on top of past appropriations. Members and counsel asked for a single, written summary showing Act 69 (2023) appropriations, the cash reallocation of about $750,000, any expenditures to date and remaining balances so the committee could reconcile moving pieces before markup.
Adia described constraints at the historic Barre courthouse: elevator shafts and internal circulation limit renovations, and the building's historic status makes additions difficult. He said a prior study considered an addition but that the elevator and different floor elevations would require multiple new lifts; ADA compliance remains unresolved for that facility.
Adia also described riverbank instability at the Washington County courthouse site and BGS's plan to return for an additional $1.6 million in bonded funds for riprap/rip‑wrap stabilization after bids exceeded prior estimates. The department said geotechnical options that used tiebacks were impractical because a sewer line runs through the back lot and could be compromised.
Emily, deputy commissioner of Buildings and Ground Services, said BGS has been meeting with Newport Downtown Development Corp. and the city to identify downtown sites and expects clearer direction in the coming weeks to months. She said negotiations are at an early stage and that a decision on a viable site could be expected before the committee's markup schedule.
Committee counsel John Gray said he would pull the legislative language and prior appropriation details so members could see the prior language that authorized land acquisition and design uses in Act 69 and confirm how much cash and bonded money remain from earlier actions.
Next steps: BGS will provide the committee with written accounting of prior appropriations, expenditures and balances for Barre/Barre courthouse and Newport planning; BGS will refine cost information that will guide mark up of the capital bill.
