Senate Institutions panel hears BGS warn funding cut will delay prison door‑control upgrades

Montpelier — Buildings and General Services (BGS) told the Senate Institutions Committee on April 10 that cuts in the House’s version of H.952 leave a multi‑facility door‑control retrofit underfunded and likely to be delayed.

"Some of the doors — we have to weld some of the locks. We searched eBay to get parts," said Joe Agent, director of design and construction for BGS, describing operational workaround measures at correctional sites. Agent told the committee the door‑control program covering several prisons is estimated at about $9.5 million; the administration requested $2.7 million in cash for a statewide door‑control line, but the House reallocated funds and left roughly $700,000 in the cash line, creating a funding gap.

The shortfall, Agent said, means BGS would be unable to execute a guaranteed‑maximum‑price contract and would likely delay starting the project for six to eight months to avoid a contractor being idle while awaiting additional appropriations. "We continued with [bidding] to get real pricing," Agent said, but added that without adequate funds "we probably will not start because I don't have enough funds to complete this project."

Why it matters: door controls are a core security function in locked facilities and some units are already operating with improvised fixes, committee members said. A delay would also ripple into scheduling for other projects that share staff and contractor capacity.

Committee members pressed BGS on cost detail and site differences. BGS said earlier installs at larger facilities (Newport and Springfield) used similar systems but that St. Johnsbury and other locations have distinct electrical and framing conditions — for example, St. Johnsbury uses 110‑volt systems that require electrician work rather than plug‑in low‑voltage replacements — which makes per‑site costs variable.

The committee also examined the mechanics of how the request was funded. Agent said the administration put the $2.7 million in a cash fund (the administration received a $17 million cash allocation), while bond and cash mixes for Marble Valley and St. Johnsbury differ in the bill. Members noted contingency rules (BGS may use contingency funds up to $100,000) and the Emergency Board as possible ways to move money between projects, but warned that reallocations affect other planned work.

BGS briefed the committee on several other Section 3 projects that would be affected by funding changes. On the Northern State facility, BGS said a boiler replacement is tied to permitting and a stormwater project that requires enlarging retaining ponds; the work is expected to require design and permits through early fall and a 4–6 month installation once a contractor is on site. "If we don't have enough funds to do this again this project also would be delayed," Agent said.

On a proposed youth stabilization facility, BGS said it has a contractor on board to develop designs and to estimate leasing and operational costs for a 14‑bed model; the Department of Mental Health is participating in planning. BGS described the Wi‑Fi installation program as a multi‑year effort that began with heat mapping in 2022; an early vendor quote was roughly $3.0–3.2 million but wiring, security assessment and PTS engagement remain underdeveloped, and BGS said it did not expect construction this fiscal year.

Regarding a proposed women's re‑entry facility, BGS said it has about $15 million in hand and received limited bids; committee members suggested the full build would require a much larger capital request (members estimated an additional roughly $85–100 million) and questioned whether the $1.2 million line in this year's bill is the best use of funds now.

What the committee asked for next: members requested a concise one‑page summary of prior door‑control projects (costs, timelines, contractor use and differences by site) and updates on schedules and cost estimates for boilers and Wi‑Fi. Cole Barney of BGS said Commissioner Monoly intends to discuss the items next week.

No formal votes or motions were taken. The committee briefly recessed to await the next witness.

Sources: Presentation and answers from Joe Agent, Director of Design & Construction, Buildings & General Services; remarks from Deputy Commissioner Kristen Calbert and committee members during the Senate Institutions Committee meeting, April 10, 2026.