Springfield, IL…State Representative Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) met today with members of the Capital Development Board (CDB) to discuss the electrical power failure and maintenance needs for the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Poe has been seeking information on the condition of the buildings at the Illinois State Fairgrounds since an electrical power failure closed the grounds to the public in mid-February. The fair closure resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue for the city of Springfield.

“Today I had the opportunity to sit down with CDB to discuss what occurred with the electrical failure at the fairgrounds, and what measures are being put in place for the future,” said Poe. “From the discussions we had, there is no indication that CDB had prior knowledge of any problems with the high voltage electrical system at the State Fairgrounds. I am not sure that we will ever know definitively what caused the mass electrical failure at the State Fairgrounds. That being said, I am hopeful that the addition of new safeguards will provide for more accountability with state facilities in the future.”

In January of 2007, the Capital Development Board entered into a contract for $3.62 million with Vanderweil Facility Advisors to provide professional facility assessment services of state-owned property. VFA performed visual inspections of the 7,000 state owned facilities. This is the first time in state history that an independent, outside study has been conducted of state facility conditions.

“The database that CDB will have at its disposal starting in August will allow them to prioritize building maintenance needs for the future,” said Poe. “I am cautiously optimistic this new system will help prioritize the needs of our state facilities and raise red flags when issues arise. It is my intent, once this database is available, to continue to monitor the needs of our state facilities to ensure that something like the State Fair electrical failure does not happen again.”

Upon completion in August, the CDB Facility Condition Assessment will be available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act.