Regents and legislators tour KU campus problem areas
5:17 p.m. Thursday, November 2, 2006
"I was aware of the problems with deferred maintenance, but this really brings it home to see it yourself," says John Vratil, (R) Johnson County.
"When we get up on the sidewalk, think of yourself being in a wheelchair," says Jim Modig, director of KU Design and Construction.
Thursday, KU officials try to give State lawmakers a sampling of $237 million worth of repairs needed at their Lawrence and Kansas City campuses.
"We're in a situation now where it's been getting worse for ten years," says KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway.
"We just haven't been maintaining it," says Vicki Schmidt, (R) Shawnee County.
Now, State lawmakers must face a $600 million backlog of crumbling classrooms on the State's six college campuses.
"I think we've put this off as long as we can possibly put it off. I think if the people of the State of Kansas knew how poorly the Legislature had maintained their buildings, they would be enraged. I expect the Legislature will do something to deal with it this year," says Vratil.
Reports show the Universities need $74 million a year just to keep the list of problems from growing.
"But we've got to get a start on it," says Chancellor Hemenway. "I think now is the time that we recognize what's happened to our buildings while we've been spending our money somewhere else. Now's the time to start spending some money on our buildings."
But with funding forecasts still uncertain, lawmakers won't say just how much they're willing to spend.
"I don't think it's going to be a one-way, one fix solution 42 We're going to have to be very creative about it, and I'm certainly ready to do that," says Schmidt.
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