Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1948 [PAGE 326]

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1947]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

325

main hall of said Drill Hall approximately 100x464 feet, plus main floor office space at the North East corner of the Drill Hall approximately 31 x 40 feet, plus use of toilet facilities; at a monthly rental of $1,562.50, payable to the City monthly in advance; the University to maintain and keep in repair the demised premises during the term of the lease, heat and light the same, but to be allowed credit for the pro-rata costs and expenses of covering heat, light, fuel, power and water during convention occupancy; said lease to be on such other terms and conditions and form as shall meet the approval of the City Council, the Commissioner of Public Works and the Corporation Counsel, and the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

The Legal Counsel presented this matter. On motion of Mr. Williamson, the resolution was adopted as recommended by the Legal Counsel.

R E P O R T ON F U N D S F O R ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING BUILDING (2) T h e General Assembly in 1945, in the Post-War Bill for Capital Appropriations, made an appropriation to the University for construction of an Electrical Engineering Building and equipment at Urbana-Champaign in the amount of $875,000. This and all similar appropriations are subject to the following provision: "No contract shall be entered into or obligation incurred for any expenditure from any appropriation herein made until after the purpose and amount of such expenditure has been approved in writing by the Governor." On October 31, 1945, the Governor released the sum of $39,375 for plans and specifications for that building. In anticipation of the need of this fund for construction purposes, the Comptroller on November 19, 1946, addressed a request to the Governor for the release of the balance of $710,625 in this appropriation. It is the practice of the Governor to refer all such requests to the Illinois Post-War Planning Commission for advice. On December 18, 1946, the Comptroller received a request from Mr. Oscar Nelson, Executive Secretary of the Commission, raising a question as to whether the balance of the appropriation would be sufficient to complete the building and also requesting that bids for the building be submitted to the Commission. The Comptroller informed Mr. Nelson of the status of this project and of the great importance of proceeding with construction as soon as possible, that additional funds would be necessary to complete it, and that a request for such funds is included in the biennial budget request of the University. On January 25 bids were submitted to the Board showing a total cost of $1,615,775 for the building. The Board approved the award of the contracts to the extent possible within the present appropriation on the understanding that the additional bids would be subject to acceptance by August 1, 1947. On January 27 the Comptroller transmitted to Mr. Nelson a copy of the schedule of bids, urging approval of the release of present funds. No contracts have been signed with any of the successful bidders on this building. A letter of intent was issued by the Comptroller and the Architect to the John Felmley Company, general contractors, informing them of the action of the Board and authorizing them to "initiate work at the site in advance of the formal signing of the contract." Hearing nothing from the request for release of these funds by March 1, the Comptroller took up the matter with various offices at Springfield. H e was referred by the Post-War Planning Commission to the Governor's Office. The Governor's Office referred him to the Director of Finance. T h e matter was reviewed in detail with that office. T h e Director indicated that, if the President would address his new request to the Governor, outlining the situation on this building and all buildings of a similar status, he would present it at once to the Governor for the earliest possible action. Under date of March 12 such a report, in full detail, was sent to the Governor covering the Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, and Fine Arts buildings. In the absence of word from either the Office of the Governor or the Director of Finance, the matter was followed continuously from March 14 on. T h e President was advised that the Governor had received the request but had referred it back to the Director of Finance for additional information. No