Regents to issue $7.7M in stimulus funds for deferred maintenance - Wichita Business Journal:

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The money is part of $7.7 million in higher educatiojn federal stimulus funding made available throug h the for fiscalyear 2009. However, the total addresseas about 1 percent ofthe $825 milliohn backlog the regents’ universities face in deferre d maintenance projects. • — $466,033 for a fume hood and ventilatiob replacement in itsscience hall. • $584,856 for roof repairs and • — $2,307,016 for campus utility and Powe rPlant improvements.
• $569,424 for heating ventilation and air conditioning replacement and electrical and firecode • The — $2,073,228 for campu s fire code improvements, roof repair and replacement, electrical service improvements American’ with Disabilities Act improvements and infrastructurw improvements. • The — $868,024 for infrastructure improvements, campua elevator repairs, and roof repaidr and replacement.
The board will distribute additional fundsto , the 19 communitgy colleges and six technical colleges it governs during its June A recent study by the founcd that every $1 millionb spent on university deferred maintenance projectsx generates an economic impact of $2.2 million in increasede economic output of goods and services, $644,50 0 in increased state earnings and creates 19 new Kansas In 2007, Kansas lawmakers approvede a five-year maintenance funding plan, which was to provid $90 million in direct state funds and approximately $44 million in retainedx interest earnings to the six state In addition, the legislation provided state-funded tax creditx intended to generate up to $158 million in private contributions to the statse universities, Washburn University, and the community and technica colleges.
If fully funded, the five-year plan would have addressed abouty 31 percent ofthe $825 million maintenance But funding has been scarce since. This year, the Legislaturd reduced the state appropriationby $1.3 million and additionakl reductions are necessary to offset reduceds interest earnings. Since the five-year plan was 91 projects havebeen approved. Of that, 37 have been started and 10 of whicg havebeen completed. The regents in January issuerd an updated report that showed the maintenance backlog had balloonedcto $825 million. The backlogh on each campus isas follows: K-State — $290.6 million. KU — $226 million.