State lists multi-site repairs and tight maintenance fund; Coolidge Homestead project set at $1 million
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Summary
Division for Historic Preservation told the committee it has redirected FY25 maintenance funds to a $1 million Coolidge Homestead renovation and faces a projected FY27 shortfall; staff described FEMA and National Park Service grants that will fund some Morrill and other projects but warned the maintenance buffer will be nearly exhausted.
Jamie Duggan, director of preservation, told the House Corrections and Institutions Committee that unanticipated HVAC and boiler work cost the historic-sites maintenance fund roughly $124,000 last year and has pressured project sequencing. He said the division dedicated a large share of FY25 maintenance funding to move a major Coolidge Homestead renovation forward after three rounds of bidding and higher-than-expected proposals.
Duggan described the Coolidge scope as foundation repairs, drainage installation and replacement of gravel pathways with a hardened, stone-impregnated surface to improve durability and accessibility. He said the accepted bid puts the project at about $1,000,000 and that 100% of the FY25 maintenance allocation has been committed to the work; as a result, the division expects a FY27 shortfall that staff plan to manage by staggering remaining projects and drawing on admissions/gift-shop special funds where necessary.
Committee members asked about procurement and vendor qualifications; Duggan said remote sites, contractor availability and historic-preservation skill requirements contributed to multiple bid attempts. He also described grant-funded activities: a Save America's Treasures grant and FEMA public-assistance funds to address flood damage at some sites; one project must meet National Park Service approval and faces a September grant closeout timeline.
Duggan added that an emergency supplemental National Park Service grant of approximately $867,000, plus a private $500,000 donation, will stabilize another homestead and largely cover restoration work. The division aims to complete Coolidge and Old Constitution House work using FY27 monies but cautioned that fund balances will be minimal and that unexpected repairs at other sites could force delays or closures.