The Senate approved a bill Friday appropriating $2.2 million for new capital projects out of an $87 million bond issue authorized by the Legislature and signed by Gov. John deJongh Jr. in July.
Of the $2.2 million total, $1 million is for renovations and repairs to the Legislature’s facilities on all three major islands. The bill does not provide an itemized listing, but Sen. Louis Hill and others said bathroom renovations and work to make the Legislature’s facilities more energy efficient were major parts of the planned renovations.
The remaining $1.2 million was an override of the governor’s line-item veto, restoring funding for an array of capital projects costing from $25,000 to $250,000 throughout the territory. The bill re-appropriates:
— $200,000 to Public Works for restrooms in Estate Cane Bay;
— $50,000 to the Dept of Veterans Affairs for renovations and repairs to the Myron G. Danielson American Legion Post No. 85;
— $100,000 to Housing, Parks and Recreation for work on the Estate Mon Bijou playground, basketball court and softball field;
— $25,000 to Housing, Parks and Recreation for bleachers and work on St. Croix’s Estate basketball court;
— $250,000 to Public Works to pave the public road by Route 7013 in St. Croix’s Estate Whim;
— $134,380 to Housing, Parks and Recreation for work on the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Virgin Islands’ facilities in Frederiksted and Christiansted;
— $75,000 to Housing, Parks and Recreation for concession and restroom facilities at St. Croix’s Isaac Boynes Park in Estate Grove Place; and
— $170,000 to Housing, Parks and Recreation for renovations of the softball field located at the Horace Clarke Park in Estate Stoney Ground, Frederiksted.
The bill was approved by a vote of 14-1, with Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg casting the sole "nay" vote.
