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MINUTES

JOINT MEETING - ADMINISTRATION AND CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

November 29, 1995 Second Meeting of 1995-1996

MEMBERS PRESENT

MEETING IN BRIEF

Organizational staffing provided by Julie Smith, Legal Counsel
Additional staffing by Mark Johnson, Senior Legal Counsel

The meeting included the following topics and actions:

  1. Procedural Business.
  2. Capitol Complex Space Allocation.
  3. Committee Discussion.
  4. Materials Distributed at the Meeting.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

1. Procedural Business.
Call to Order. Chairperson Millage called the joint meeting of the Capital Projects Committee and the Administration Committee of the Legislative Council to order at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 28, 1995, in Committee Room 22, State Capitol Building, Des Moines, Iowa.
Minutes Approved. The minutes of the June 14th joint meeting of the Capital Projects Committee and the Administration Committee were approved by the members without change.
Adjournment. The joint meeting was adjourned at 10:10 a.m.
2. Capitol Complex Space Allocation.
Ms. Janet Phipps, Director, Department of General Services, and Mr. Mark Willemssen, Department of General Services, discussed Capitol restoration projects and Capitol complex space allocation.
Capitol Restoration Projects. Ms. Phipps stated that the Northwest Pavilion of the Capitol Building restoration is on schedule. She stated that the Northeast Pavilion of the Capitol Building restoration will be bid soon and that moneys that were appropriated during the 1995 Legislative Session will be used to complete this portion of the restoration. She distributed a map to the Committee indicating those portions of the Capitol on which restoration has been completed and those portions scheduled for restoration in the future, and stated that for Fiscal Year 1997, $9.3 million will be needed to complete restoration on the south end of the Capitol and for Fiscal Year 1998, $7.6 million will be needed for restoration of the big dome.
Capitol Space Allocation. Ms. Phipps stated that she has been working with executive branch agencies regarding space needs. She commented on the difficulty of finding sufficient space. In response to questioning from members of the Committee, Ms. Phipps made several additional comments. She stated that 5,000 square feet of space would be lost in the State Capitol Building when the false floors are removed and that 19,000 square feet of space would be gained by renovating the Old Historical Building. Ms. Phipps estimated that $9.5 million would be needed to complete the necessary renovations in the Old Historical Building; $1.6 million would be needed to build a tunnel under Grand Avenue; and $5.6 million would be needed for necessary renovations to the Lucas State Office Building. She stated that at $109 per square foot to renovate the Old Historical Building, it is more economical to do so than to build a new office building for $120 - $150 per square foot. She added that the Executive Hills Offices and the Capitol Annex should be demolished and that those workers occupying the 32,000 square feet of space in those buildings should be moved elsewhere. She commented that the state is currently leasing 260,000 square feet of office space. Senator Murphy requested that Ms. Phipps provide the Committee with information regarding the cost to the state of leased office space.
Mr. David Hudson, representing the Governor's Office, expressed the view that Governor Branstad is willing to consider completion of the renovation of the Capitol and the renovation of other Capitol Complex buildings.
3. Committee Discussion.
Several of the members made comments regarding space allocation. Representative Gipp commented that the Governor stated in his item veto message relating to the moneys for renovation of the Old Historical Building that there was insufficient planning regarding use of the space. Representative Gipp made a motion which was amended by Representative Van Maanen relating to such planning. The amended motion is as follows:
"The Administration and Capital Projects Committees jointly recommend to the Legislative Council that at the earliest possible convenience, the legislative leadership in both the House and Senate or their designees, from both the majority and minority parties, including the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate serving in an advisory capacity, the Governor or the Governor's designee, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice's designee, and representatives from the Department of General Services meet to develop a plan for space allocation in the Capitol Complex. The Capital Projects Committee shall continue to pursue issues related to the exterior and interior renovation and restoration of the Capitol Building and the renovation and restoration of the Old Historical Building, and that the Committee, in consultation with the Governor, explore and pursue methods of funding the completion of such restoration."
This motion as amended was seconded and approved by the joint Committees.
4. Materials Distributed at the Meeting.
a. Iowa State Capitol Restoration Update.
b. Old Historical Building Renovation - Memorandum from the Department of General Services.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE:

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