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BGS details FY27 general fund request to House Corrections and Institutions Committee
Summary
Deputy Commissioner Emily and BGS staff told legislators the FY27 general fund request would increase operating spending about 5.5% over FY26, driven by salary steps, insurance and COLA costs, while raising concerns about 22 vacancies and several program pressure points including fee‑for‑space, information centers and postal services.
Deputy Commissioner Emily, speaking for the Department of Buildings and General Services, told the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Feb. 10 that BGS's FY27 general fund request would increase roughly 5.5% from FY26 and is intended to sustain core services across the state.
"Our mission is to provide space and general services that support state government," Emily said, emphasizing BGS's work beyond custodial duties to include lease management, security, environmental health and a statewide operations footprint. She added that BGS aims at "serving those who serve Vermont," describing the department as a hub that helps other agencies deliver services.
Committee members pressed staff on several budget drivers. Emily and the new financial director, Stephanie Fuller, said the upward pressure in the recommended budget largely reflects employee steps, insurance and the negotiated cost‑of‑living adjustments. Emily clarified that COLAs apply to salary components rather than the entire operating budget, and that some COLA increases are staggered across fiscal years.
Lawmakers also focused on staffing and hiring challenges. Emily said BGS currently counts 348 full‑time equivalent positions and has 22 vacancies. She identified a particular recruitment problem for skilled trades roles — master plumber, master electrician and HVAC specialists — and said BGS pursued a market factor adjustment through the Department of Human Resources and the Secretary of Administration to make those salaries more competitive.
Funding sources and accounting drew sustained attention. Emily described the department's internal services fund (the fee‑for‑space program) that covers much of BGS's work and said rental/lease payments by tenant agencies can flow either through the general fund or property management funds depending on circumstances. She noted an approximately $3.9 million architectural and engineering charge that has shifted in and out of capital versus operating budgets in past years.
Committee members asked for follow‑up details on several operational programs covered in the presentation. Emily described the information centers program (28 FTEs, with five sites staffed under contracts with local chambers) and said the Montpelier visitor center remains closed following the 2023 floods without a replacement plan yet identified. On postal services, she said the state's centralized postal center (9 FTEs) is monitoring unreliable USPS pickups and deliveries that have affected time‑sensitive agency mail and asked the committee for permission to follow up with more granular data on metrics that have declined since COVID.
The committee scheduled a follow‑up session for early next week to give members time to review the requested supplemental information before the committee finalizes its recommendation to House Appropriations. The hearing remains open for more detailed budget questions on procurement, fleet and other operational line items.
Ending: The committee paused for a short break and agreed to reconvene to gather the additional data members requested and to complete its deliberations before submitting recommendations to House Appropriations.
