A number of Western projects that Gov. Ernie Fletcher vetoed last year will be discussed again during the legislative session starting in January, said House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green.

A bill with all of the Western projects will be filed so the legislature can make a priority of confirming them, he said.

“I thought the vetoes were misplaced,” Richards said.

“I have every confidence that those vetoed projects will be restored,” he said.

The projects included Van Meter Hall renovation and the fine arts center renovation, among other construction and design projects.
Four projects, including the Van Meter and fine arts center renovations, were agency bond projects. That means the debt from the projects would become Western’s, not the state’s, said Doug Ault, director of planning, design and construction. The state isn’t paying for the agency bond projects, he said.

State bond projects, including different phases of renovation and construction projects, would place the debt on the state, Ault said.

Fletcher vetoed four agency bond projects and four state bond projects for Western.

Fletcher’s staff is looking over the projects that were vetoed in the previous session and trying to decide which ones to fund this session, said Stan Cave, Fletcher’s chief of staff.

The legislature meets for four days, starting Tuesday, Jan. 2. It takes a break and then re-convenes on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The last day of the session is Tuesday, March 27, which is preceded by a two-week veto period.

Not all of Western projects were vetoed during the last session. The legislature and governor approved $35 million for the College of Education replacement building and $25.5 million for the Smith Stadium phase two renovation. The legislature approved $500,000 to fund the Kentucky Academy of Math and Science for the 2006-07 school year and $2.8 million for the 2007-08 school year.

Reach Alex Fontana at news@wkuherald.com.