TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Jackie Tuckey, Management Analyst
Kelly Olivera, Assistant City Manager
DATE: November 14, 2022
RE:
Title
Authorization to Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Carolina Civil War History Center Foundation and Adoption of Budget Ordinance Amendment 2023-7
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work, and Recreate
Executive Summary:
Council is asked to authorize the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the North Carolina Civil War History Center Foundation to reaffirm the City’s funding commitment for the construction of the NC History Center for the Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction. Council is also asked to adopt Budget Ordinance Amendment (BOA) 2023-7 to appropriate $3.3 million of General Fund fund balance for the project.
Background:
Beginning in 2012, the Foundation presented the idea of developing a 60,000+ square
foot historical facility focused on the Civil War to be developed on the historic site of the
Fayetteville Arsenal.
In October 2015, the City provided the Foundation $100,000 to support the development of project plans and estimates in order to support further project development and fundraising efforts.
On December 12, 2016, the Council adopted Resolution No. R2016-081 “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Fayetteville in Support of the Proposed North Carolina Civil War History Center (attached).” The resolution expresses a willingness of the City to provide $7.5 million in funding “contingent upon [the Foundation] receiving matching
County support and State funding.” Cumberland County did subsequently act to provide a matching commitment.
In 2018, the City donated 17 parcels to the North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center Foundation to create the campus for the History Center. Credit for the donation of land, valued at $870,000, along with an earlier monetary grant brought the city’s remaining pledge to approximately $6.6M.
Since that time, the Foundation was allocated $59.6M towards the construction of the History Center by the State of North Carolina with their FY 21-22 budget adoption. Additionally, on September 13, 2022 the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners reaffirmed their earlier $7.5M pledge for construction of the History Center contingent upon the City reaffirming our funding pledge, too.
For several years there has been discussion about broadening and expanding the title of the history center to better reflect inclusiveness of this effort. At a community meeting held at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church on October 11, 2022, the Secretary of the NC Department of Cultural Resources stated that the name of the history center would be the “North Carolina History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction.”
The attached MOU incorporates the specific language requested by the City Council at its regular meeting on October 24, 2022.
Issues/Analysis:
None.
Budget Impact:
The requested BOA will appropriate $3.3 million dollars of General Fund fund balance for the construction of the NC History Center for the Civil War, Emancipation & Reconstruction. Pending completion of the Fiscal Year 2022 financial statements, unassigned fund balance is an estimation based on year-end projections. After the adoption of this BOA, the estimated General Fund fund balance (11.96%) will fall slightly below Council’s established fund balance policy amount of 12%.
Options:
1) Authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding with the North Carolina Civil War History Center Foundation and adopt Budget Ordinance Amendment 2023-7.
2) Do not authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding or adopt Budget Ordinance Amendment 2023-7 and provide further direction to staff.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends that Council move to authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding with the North Carolina Civil War History Center Foundation and adopt Budget Ordinance Amendment 2023-7.
Attachments:
Memorandum of Understanding with the NC Civil War History Center Foundation
Budget Ordinance Amendment 2023-7