Missouri senators Thursday morning approved the idea of selling bonds to pay for building renovation and maintenance projects around the state.
Monday afternoon, the Senate will be asked to endorse 303 projects that would be paid for money raised from the bond sales would pay for.
"There's not a lot of glamour in this bill, at all," Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, told reporters Thursday afternoon, after the Senate voted 25-6 to send his bonding proposal to the House. "But these are just fundamental things that I feel like it's our obligation to do.
"The really only new construction in the bill, whatsoever, is the new Fulton (State) Hospital."
The bill raises the state's cap on selling bonds by $400 million for state-owned buildings and property - like the Capitol complex, or the Fulton-based mental health hospital that houses people whose illnesses won't let them function in regular society.
The bill specifies that money raised from bond sales won't be used for new construction - except for a new Fulton State Hospital. It's earmarked for $200 million.
FSH is the oldest public mental health facility west of the Mississippi River - it's been operating since 1851.
The oldest building among the 38 structures on the 95-acre campus was built in 1852, while the newest structure was finished in 2000. Clients mainly live in four buildings.
The hospital's website indicates the current operations include three forensic centers and the SORTS (Sexual Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment Services) program.
Supporters of the new hospital say the current facilities are dangerous both for the clients and the employees - and that building a more modern facility should improve safety and reduce workers' compensation claims.
The list of projects also includes $10 million for renovating the current St. Mary's Health Center, which the hospital has agreed - in principle - to donate to the state next year, after the current hospital operations are moved to the new facility under construction just east of Missouri 179 and north of Route C in southwestern Jefferson City.
About 100,000 square feet - a third of the total complex - would be used by Lincoln University's Nursing program, which now meets in Elliff Hall.
Linn State Technical College is interested in putting its Med-Tech program in the old hospital.
And Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, said last week the rest of the complex could be adapted to state offices.
Last year, lawmakers set-aside $38 million in a two-year capital improvements bill to build a new office building on the Missouri State Penitentiary grounds - but Gov. Jay Nixon's administration balked at that idea.
Talks with St. Mary's began after last year's legislative session and presented what Parson called a "new opportunity."
"Instead of building a brand new facility for $38 million, we're probably going to be able to use this facility and, maybe, get things done for about $10 million," Parson said last week, "and save the state $28 million."
The bill also raises the cap by $200 million, for state-owned college and university facilities.
Projects from schools all around the state are included in the list for Monday's vote, mainly based on the priority needs each school reports to the Higher Education department each year.
During Thursday's brief debate before the vote, Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee's Summit - who voted against the bill - argued: "This vote is really about placing these projects ahead of everything else in our budget, because we have to pay it, and it's the first thing that we pay."
The state Constitution requires the first budget bill each year to be for the "payment of sinking fund and interest on outstanding obligations of the state," with public education coming second.
But, Parson said: "I don't know that you put it ahead of every other priority that we have here. I think these are just obligations that we have.
"And I realize that you've got to pay the bonding back - but there's still a lot of day-by-day issues that are priorities to a lot of us in the state. I just think this is an issue that it was our obligation to do."
Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, added: "We're also doing this after the retirement of the Third State Building Fund, which was retired last year. Throughout the history of Missouri, there have been these issues put forward to handle capital improvement or maintenance.
"So, I think we're able to use space that we had dedicated prior to this year for bond payments and for infrastructure, and to make a new investment to maintain the long-term structural integrity to those facilities that are very important to our state."
Parson expects little opposition to the specific projects listed in the resolution scheduled to be voted on Monday.
Mid-Missouri bonding projects
Missouri senators are expected to vote Monday on a list of 303 projects around the state that would be built if lawmakers and the governor agree on a bill, passed by the Senate last week, that authorizes the state to sell revenue bonds to generate money to pay for the projects.
This list shows the projects proposed for Mid-Missouri:
St. Mary's Health Center
• Renovations to current St. Mary's Health Center complex, for use by Lincoln University nursing program and others - $10,000,000.
Capitol complex
• Capitol Building
Replace and reseal window gaskets - $910,000
Overlay South Drive/Tunnel Drive - $3,076,000
Replace bollard system - $426,282
North Plaza area repairs - $3,104,000
Chiller water and control repairs - $480,160
Subtotal -$7,996,442
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• Governor's residence: Maintenance and repairs - $2,000,000
• Supreme Court building: Upgrade fire system - $557,500
• Harry S Truman State Office Building
ITSD space renovation - $1,700,000
Electrical system expansion - $279,776
• Jefferson State Office Building
Asbestos repairs - $2,501,500
Overlay various state facility parking lots - $1,175,200
Subtotal -$8,213,976
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Other Jefferson City area projects
• Howerton State Office Building (Social Services Department): Replace fire alarm system - $892,678
• James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center: Cooling tower repairs - $554,440
• Environmental Control Center: Replace three cooling towers - $2,096,500
• Environmental Services Protection Lab
Raise and stabilize floor - $37,852
Exhaust fans replacement - $170,800
• George Washington Carver State Office Building (Agriculture Department) Petroleum/Octane Laboratory
Installation of carbon dioxide fire suppression system - $148,848
Tank replacement - $122,664
• Labor and Industrial Relations Building
Replace roof and HVAC units - $736,530
• Riverside Collection and Warehouse
Tuckpoint masonry - $210,832
• Highway Patrol
Crime Laboratory renovations - $20,000,000
Academy dormitories and classroom renovations - $7,000,000
Troop F CDL Super Site (next to U.S. 50), St. Martins-Replace HVAC equipment - $99,904
• Algoa Correctional Center
Replace fence detection system - $614,155
Replace fence detection systems - $1,158,464
New sally port - $382,080
• Jefferson City Correctional Center
Add ice builder to the Cook/Chill Facility - $847,452
• Missouri Veterans Commission
Install anti-wander guard systems - $2,362,500
Install electronic medical record system - $2,362,500
Repairs and maintenance at various sites - $13,944,909
• Lincoln University
Richardson Fine Arts Center-Refurbish HVAC piping and classroom - $1,175,280
Mitchell Hall-Repairs and rehabilitation - $1,288,885
Exterior door and window repairs - $991,904
• H. Kenneth Kirchner State School
Installation of exit doors - $117,636
Roof replacement - $91,511
Replace fire alarm system - $55,754
Subtotal of other Jefferson City area projects - $57,494,078
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Fulton area projects
• Fulton State Hospital
Construct a new mental health hospital - $200,000,000
• Missouri School for the Deaf
Replace Gym and auditorium roofs - $197,629
Replace cooling tower - $106,795
Replace windows and exit doors in Tate Dormitory and Wheeler School Building - $415,440
• Fulton Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center
Replace roof and mechanical equipment - $1,125,912
Shower repair - $333,297
Sliding door replacement - $224,176
Tuckpoint and seal masonry - $1,874,000
• Division of Youth Services, Fulton Treatment Center
Replace HVAC in the Core Building - $239,808
Subtotal of Fulton projects - $204,517,057
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Linn area projects
• Linn State Technical College
Nilges Technology Center-HVAC replacement - $200,000
Interior rehabilitation - $250,000
Repair settling issues - $75,000
Parking lot repavement - $300,000
Vehicle and Power Center: Repair settling issues - $125,000
Subtotal - $950,000
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Subtotal for Jefferson City, Fulton and Linn projects: $289,172,153
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University of Missouri
• Thomas and Nell Lafferre Hall
Capital renewal - $6,835,599
Deferred maintenance - $20,085,753
Plant adaptions - $2,807,402
• Waters Hall
Fire alarm system replacement - $79,328
Fire sprinkler system installation- $327,764
Waterproofing exterior foundation wall - $71,512
Add secondary egress stairs - $165,369
Fume hood replacement - $1,002,289
• Mumford Hall
Fire alarm system replacement - $84,193
Fire sprinkler system installation - $417,435
Add secondary egress stairs - $138,570
• Stewart Hall
Water supply piping replacement - $433,901
Drain piping replacement - $651,932
Add secondary egress stairs - $75,738
Fire sprinkler system extension - $462,377
Fire alarm system replacement - $67,910
Subtotal: $33,707,072
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Total for all projects in list: $322,848,625
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Source: Senate Concurrent Resolution 39