Gov. Peter Shumlin says he does not support the creation of a governor’s residence at the Redstone mansion, the former Secretary of State’s office in Montpelier, at this time.
Jeb Spaulding, secretary of the Agency of Administration, issued a memo to the Legislature on Tuesday, stating that while the governor supports the eventual renovation of the Victorian mansion on Terrace Street, he does not believe the proposal as submitted is “appropriate in our post Irene world.”
Spaulding wrote that Shumlin was not briefed about a design concept proposal for renovating Redstone that included the creation of a residence for the governor.
In the one-page letter, Spaulding told the House and Senate Institutions committee the governor feels strongly that philanthropic efforts would be better focused on “providing assistance to Vermonters in need.”
The Legislature approved a feasibility study of the residence in last year’s capital bill. Michael Obuchowski, commissioner of the Department of Buildings and General Services, gave a report to House Institutions last week outlining the proposal for public conference rooms on the first floor and a four-bedroom apartment on the second floor.
Spaulding anticipates that state employees from the Department of Mental Health will continue to occupy the former offices of the Secretary of State for some time to come.
Read the Spaulding memo
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Gov. Shumlin should be praised for stopping some bureaucrats (with steady jobs and good benefits, apparently disconnected from the suffering of others) from advancing the aggrandizement of the state at the expense of Vermont’s needy people.
Renovating an old building for several million dollars while people live in shacks ravaged by Irene? What WERE these bureaucrats thinking?
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One more reason I like our Governor.
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Good decision.
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It seems like the Governor floated the idea before he said no, here’s a quote from an article by a state legislator: “According to a presentation to the House Institutions and Corrections Committee by the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services, the Governor would like to renovate the Redstone Building (a mansion up on the hill west of the statehouse that until recently housed the Secretary of State) into a facility for conferences, dinners, guest rooms, and a special secure and private apartment for the Governor on the second floor, with a separate entrance. It was stated that the Governor “feels bad” that when he visits others they have really nice places for him to stay, but when important people come to visit him he cannot reciprocate in kind.”
How could he not know about the proposal if he made such comments to his Commissioner?
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Hear, hear — there are better ways to spend our resources.
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The governor needs to think about getting our state worker back to Waterbury and work on the Vermont State Hospital never mind working on a building that needs renovating, that to me is not an emergency, and to mention what kind of money it would take to renovate.
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The Redstone building is a gem. It should be brought back to its glorious days. It can easily become a building all Vermonters can take pride in. Using it as office apace has never been a good use of the house. Stop the political crap, fix it up and put it to good use.
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Smart move the $$ would be better spent on servives for people with disabilties!!! We need more affordable housing!