State Properties Review Board
PASQUALE A. PEPE, Chairman
Lisa A. Musumeci, Vice
Chairman
Stanley T. Babiarz, Executive
Director
Established - 1975
Statutory
authority - CGS Sec. 4b-3
Central office
- 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 123,
Hartford, CT 06106
Average number of
full-time employees - Four
Recurring
operating expenses - $447,402
Organizational structure – The State Properties Review Board consists
of six members, appointed on a bi-partisan basis; three are appointed jointly
by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and
three are appointed jointly by the Minority Leader of the House and the
Minority Leader of the Senate. As of June 30, 2007 the members are: Pasquale A. Pepe, Chairman; Lisa A. Musumeci,
Vice Chairman; Edwin S. Greenberg, Secretary; Paul F. Cramer; Bruce Josephy;
and Bennett Millstein.
The mission of the State Properties Review Board is to
provide oversight of State real estate activities, acquisition of farm
development rights, and the hiring of architects, engineers and other
construction-related professionals, as proposed by State Executive Branch
agencies. In accomplishing this
legislative mandate, the Board provides guidance and assistance to State
client-agencies to ensure that transactions are done in a prudent,
business-like manner, that
costs are reasonable, and that proposals are in
compliance with State laws, regulations and procedures.
The Board reviews plans for transactions involving the acquisition, construction, development, assignment to and leasing of offices and other facilities for various agencies of the State. The Board reviews proposals involving the lease or sale of State-owned real estate to third parties. The Board approves both the selection of and contracts with architects, engineers and other consultants for major construction projects proposed by the Commissioner of Public Works.
In addition, the Board reviews, evaluates and approves the acquisition of development rights for farmland proposed by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
Pursuant to Public Act 07-207, the Board hears appeals from any aggrieved party concerning the amount of compensation paid by Transportation for outdoor advertising structures.
The Board meets at least twice per week or as often as necessary to meet its statutory obligations. The Board follows the Affirmative Action Plan prepared and administered by the
Department of Administrative Services.
In review and approving the various transactions proposed by the client-agencies, the Board has the opportunity to modify and improve the proposals to ensure that they reflect market prices favorable to the State, are financially prudent, and conform to State laws. The Board typically achieves quantifiable savings to State taxpayers of $1.0 to $14.0 million per year.
The Board reviewed a total of 436 proposals, during the fiscal year. The Department of Public Works submitted 49 percent of the proposals, while 38 percent came from the Department of Transportation, and 13 percent were from all other agencies. The average time to review the 436 proposals was 18.75 calendar days per contract (including weekends and holidays). The Board’s recommendations resulted in quantifiable annual taxpayer savings in third party transaction costs of $909,526, which is 2.03 times greater than the Board’s total annual operating budget costs of $447,402.