Following a tour of the governor's residence, the Appropriations - Government Operations Division discussed placing placeholder funding in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) budget for entertaining and capital improvements.

Chairman Munson and members returned from the site visit and heard from Joe Morrissette of OMB, who told the committee the governor previously paid entertaining costs personally and that OMB typically pays such costs from its budget. Committee members suggested placeholder amounts for food and hospitality and for security and access improvements.

Representative Brandenburg suggested a placeholder of $50,000 to $100,000 a year for entertaining; the committee settled on inserting $100,000 "as a placeholder" in the amendment to cover entertaining and event costs. Members also discussed a capital request to replace fencing, improve landscaping and add access and security measures. The written request shown to the committee listed $1,600,000 for fencing and landscaping; committee discussion included a larger figure (an ask of $2,350,000) and a suggestion to budget $2,350,000 to be conservative.

Becky (OMB staff) told the committee that with the larger $2.35 million assumption the capital building fund would show a projected ending balance of about $2,300,000 at the end of the next biennium. OMB staff said they would separate and track the entertaining placeholder so it is easy to monitor in budget reports.

Committee members also noted additional security items discussed during the tour, including floodlighting and traffic/parking improvements; Joe Morrissette said those items could be included within the fencing/landscaping request.

No formal committee vote was recorded on the governor's residence placeholders during the session transcript; members said staff will meet and refine the numbers and the item will be discussed further at the committee's next meeting.