J_CDC_2019A 12/19/2019 09:04:50 AM Committee Summary

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present. Mr. Jimmy Reed, Legislative Council Staff, presented a proposal from the Capitol Building Advisory Committee to install a filtered water station in the basement of the State Capitol.  Mr. Reed responded to questions regarding the cost of the installation, and the installer's experience in performing the work. Discussion ensued regarding the type of filtration involved in the project, the utility of the station, and the proposed location of the station. Mr. Reed responded to questions regarding the source of funds for the project, and the project's timeline. Discussion returned to the project's cost.

Mr. Jeff Stalter, Fiscal Services Manager for the Hazardous Materials & Waste Management Division, Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE), presented the department's FY 2020-21 request for the Superfund - Colorado Smelter cash-funded project. Mr. Stalter responded to questions regarding the project's funding source, and the need for the project. Mr. Stalter responded to further questions regarding the details of the project's remediation, and other remediation projects that DPHE plans to launch in the future. Mr. Stalter responded to questions regarding DPHE's public notification plan with respect to Superfund activities.

Mr. Tim Foster, President, and Ms. Kasia Iwaniczko-MacLeod, Trustee, Colorado Mesa University (CMU), presented the university's FY 2020-21 capital construction requests. Mr. Foster discussed the university's service area, and the programming provided by CMU. Mr. Foster briefed the committee on some previously approved cash-funded projects. Ms. Iwaniczko-MacLeod discussed the university's Health Sciences, PA/PT/OT Center project. Discussion ensued about the project. Discussion followed regarding the process by which the Colorado Commission on Higher Education ranks capital projects. Discussion returned to the Health Sciences project, and the programming impacted by the project.

Mr. Henry Sobanet, Chief Financial Officer for the Colorado State University (CSU) system, and Ms. Lynn Johnson, Vice President for University Operations, CSU-Fort Collins, provided opening remarks on CSU's capital requests. Mr. Sobanet provided an overview of past and current requests, including the National Western Center project. Mr. Sobanet responded to questions regarding the timeline for the National Western Center project.

Ms. Johnson briefed the committee on CSU-Fort Collins' FY 2020-21 capital requests, beginning with the Shepardson Building Renovation and Expansion project.  She continued on to discuss the Anatomy Zoology East Wing Revitalization and Chemistry B&C Revitalization projects. Ms. Johnson then updated the committee on capital projects underway at CSU. Ms. Johnson responded to questions regarding the timeline of the Shepardson project.

Mr. Timothy Mottet, President, and Mr. Karl Spiecker, Vice President for Finance and Administration, CSU-Pueblo, presented the university's FY 2020-21 capital requests. Mr. Alejandro Rojas-Sosa, Vice President for Finance and Administration, joined them at the table. Mr. Mottet discussed the committee's recent tour of the CSU-Pueblo campus. Mr. Spiecker briefed the committee on the Technology Building Renovation and Addition project. He also discussed some recently funded capital projects. Discussion ensued regarding student and campus debt and higher education affordability. Discussion returned to the Technology Building project

Mr. Dan Prenzlow, Director for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Justin Rutter, CPW Chief Financial Officer, and Mr. Doug Vilsack, DNR Assistant Director for Parks, Wildlife, and Lands, presented CPW's FY 2020-21 capital requests. He briefed the committee on the agency's two ongoing cash-funded line items, and discussed the types of facilities and properties funded by these line items. Discussion ensued regarding the planned Fishers Peak state park acquisition, and the source of funding for this proposal and trails statewide. Discussion followed regarding certain parks within CPW's portfolio. Mr. Craig Workman, Capital Projects Manager for CPW, responded to questions about these parks.

Mr. Reed, Legislative Council Staff, returned to update the committee on the State Capitol water filter station installation.

Ms. Cheri Gerou, State Architect; Ms. Tana Lane, Manager of State Buildings Program; Mr. Eric Scholz, Manager of Statewide Planning Program; Mr. Rod Vanderwall, Manager of Energy Management Program; and Mr. Brandon Ates, Manager of Real Estate Program, all of the Office of the State Architect, appeared before the committee to present the office's annual report, and to discuss the capital process as overseen by the office. The FY 2020-21 annual report may be accessed at:  https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/osa/osa-annual-documents  Ms. Lane briefed the committee on the State Buildings Program.

Mr. Sholz discussed the role of the OSA Statewide Planning Program. Mr. Vanderwall discussed the role of the Energy Management Program. Mr. Vanderwall responded to questions regarding the applicability of the Energy Management Program to certain infrastructure projects, and the source of funding for projects with energy performance contracts. Mr. Vanderwall responded to further questions regarding long-term planning for building energy use. Discussion ensued regarding a gubernatorial executive order pertaining to energy efficiency, including the use of electric vehicles.

Discussion continued regarding the use of electrical vehicles, and state build-out of electrical vehicle charging infrastructure. Mr. Ates briefed the committee on OSA's Real Estate Program. Ms. Gerou noted capital construction spending in recent years, and discussed the mounting costs of capital in Colorado. Ms. Gerou then discussed the gross square footage of the state's building inventory, and the overall condition of this inventory. Discussion ensued regarding six-month encumbrance waivers, and House Bill 19-1319. The chair and staff provided closing remarks on the hearings.