Commissioner Kellen says $279 million 'a great start' for Kentucky state parks upgrades

Commissioner Mark Kellen and Scott Baker, Executive Director for Facility Development at DECA, told the Budget Review Subcommittee on July 1 that the General Assembly's $279 million appropriation is being used to modernize Kentucky State Parks and that state and contract teams are sharing responsibilities for projects.

"the $279 million provided to the Department of Parks by the General Assembly was a great start in bringing Parks facilities up to a modern standard," Commissioner Mark Kellen said, describing the appropriation as the initial funding push for repairs and upgrades.

Scott Baker described how responsibilities are divided between DECA and the Department of Parks. In response to a question from Representative Chris Fugate, Baker said DECA "would lead a project if an architect were required," while the Department's Construction Branch handles minor repairs and maintenance. Baker also stated that DECA employs 17 project managers and that its project-management process is handled through an e-communication system. He said budgets are determined by line item and fund source and that "DECA requires 10% extra contingency funds for any project." According to the presentation, projects expected to exceed their budget do not move forward.

Committee members asked for clarification about particular projects; Baker confirmed DECA has a dedicated project manager assigned to the Kentucky State Police radio upgrade project. The exchanges were procedural and informational; the subcommittee did not take any policy votes or direct staff to take additional action during the presentation.

The presentation centered on how the appropriation is being allocated across capital repairs and how state and DECA resources are coordinated. The subcommittee materials for the meeting are available on the Legislature's committee documents site.