BOSTON – Cape and Islands State Senator Julian Cyr is touting the passage the senate’s capital bond bill which includes $6.5 million to construct a new building for the Barnstable County regional government and Cape Cod Commission.
“The county and the state court system continue to be strained by limited office, public meeting room space and space allotted for the court needs at the county complex in Barnstable Village,” said Leo Cakounes, Chairman of the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners.
“The aging conditions of the complex and ever expanding need of the courts to provide an environment of safety while meeting the modern requirements to run a court facility has made the issue of the county complex a high priority of the commissioners.”
According to Cakounes, a new county and Cape Cod Commission office building would be located on land currently owned by the county within the town of Barnstable. The regional government currently leases space near the county complex with is set to expire shortly.
In total, the bill would bring $53 million in infrastructure improvements to the Cape including $1.6 million to fund improvements to the Hyannis National Guard Armory, $1.75 million to be used for improvements to the Dukes County Jail and House of Corrections, $2 million to extend the Cape Cod Rail Trail to Wellfleet Center and lengthen the Provincetown bike trail, and $150,000 to connect a municipal water main to a parcel on Highland Road in Truro.
“These investments represent a variety of important infrastructure needs district-wide, including funding to help renovate existing buildings, build a new county owned office for the Cape Cod Commission, and address transportation and water infrastructure needs,” said Cyr.
“We worked hard to ensure there was geographic equity and fairness for the many pivotal needs of my district, and acquiring funding in the Senate Capital Bond Bill will help make these capital projects happen.”
While the bill will need to be reconciled with a version passed by the House, both include $41 million for the construction of a science building at Cape Cod Community College.
By DAVID BEATTY, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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