Board Meeting 03/15/1984

• Board Meeting Date: 3/15/1984
• Description: Minutes, Agenda, Memorandums March 15, 1984
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

• c. Capital Construction Funding Bill
This bill which was introduced by Representative Lee is a
much broader bill relating to capital construction in general and
would facilitate decision making by the Executive and Legislative
Branches of state government with reference to capital construc-
tion. Under the language of the bill as written, water project
funding could be included. The exact status of the bill is
unknown at this time.
d. Repayment of Construction Fund Monies .
Mr. McDonald stated that in following up on the Board
discussion at the February 16, 1984, special Board meeting, he
had reported to both the House and Senate Committees the Board 's
concerns over this issue. Members of the Senate Ag Committee
expressed keen interest in this problem, which was subsequently
reinforced by a letter from the Committee, signed by the Chair-
man, Senator Bishop, to the Joint Budget Committee urging that
the entire $22. 5 million dollars be restored to the construction
fund in FY 1984-85. A formal decision by the Legislature remains
to be made. Based on discussions thus far, two approaches are
being considered, namely that the construction fund monies be
retained as a part of the anticipated state fund surplus in the
next fiscal year and that the expected surplus, at least in part,
be used to repay the construction fund monies . In his meetings
• with the House and Senate Ag Committees, Mr. McDonald emphasized
that if the funds are not restored, the Board ' s project
construction program will come to a complete halt in FY 1985.
e. Satellite Monitoring Bill
The bill establishing the statewide satellite monitoring
system is up for third reading in the Senate on the day of this
meeting. It no doubt will be passed and sent to the Governor for
signature. Establishment of the system still leaves unresolved
the question of operation and maintenance of the system when
considering the funding and staffing problems in the State Engi-
neer ' s office. The Board has no funds for this activity and the
Development Authority has previously announced that that agency
would not accept responsibility for funding the operation and
maintenance of the system.
f. House Bill 1128
This bill is the Board 's annual construction fund bill which
was discussed at the February 16, 1984, special Board meeting.
The bill as introduced was passed by the House and referred to
the Senate Ag Committee where it was approved with the addition
of several amendments . Because of cash-flow problems resulting
from transfer of construction fund monies to the deficit funding
• bill during the last session, interim priorities were recommended
for several previously authorized projects and were included in
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