June 7, 2006

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            Mayor Vivian Jones asked the commissioners not to discuss the cultural arts request for $7,392 to hire a part-time director, “Mark (Williams, the town manager) and I met with Kathryn Spiegel and Jim Wallace (two directors on the cultural arts board) and Susan Simpson (the parks and recreation director) to talk about possibly other ways of handling their needs.”

            The cultural arts board will meet Monday night, June 12, to consider the proposal, which is for the town to designate a parks and recreation employee as the part-time director. Williams said the commissioners will know their decision before they meet June 20 to approve the final budget for 2006-2007.

            After a lengthy discussion near the end of the meeting, the commissioners appeared to favor a future commitment for the museum annex construction that would be capped at $125,000 a year. The birthplace society, which owns the Calvin Jones House and its 4.5 acres, had asked for $550,000 over three years, about a quarter of the estimated cost of the annex.

            Hugh McLean, the director of the Wake Forest Boys and Girls Club, had asked for $7,500 to be continued in future years. “They do an outstanding job,” Jones said. “I’d like to take $7,500 from Southlight and have it go to the boys and girls club.” She asked for and received unanimous agreement for that, with commissioners praising the club for the fine work it does for youngsters.

            Southlight had asked for $40,000 but Williams had recommended it receive $15,000. It supports an after-school program, substance abuse prevention programs and support for children and families in town and across the county.

            Williams told the board his philosophy is never to recommend funding for a new group but instead to let the commissioners decide about new requests.

            Groups asking for money have to demonstrate their benefit to the town. For example, he said, Resources for Seniors “run the senior center for us, provide staffing. It’s our building. We own it. That saves us money. All they ask for is money to offset some of their operating expenses.” They asked for $3,000 and Williams recommended $2,500, which was not changed by the board.

            One group, the United Arts Council, sends more money back to the town than it receives. The council gave the town $16,200 for different programs last year and received $14,605, the same amount requested and recommended for the coming year. Williams said the council uses the town grant to solicit grants and government funds.

            Williams said he had a difficult time with the birthplace society’s request because “we haven’t really been involved in any discussions. We’re being asked to make such a quick decision when we have a town hall to build, roads to build, parks to build.” They are “looking for us to make that commitment that will then spur the others (college alumni and Wake Forest University) to make that commitment.”

            Commissioner Frank Drake, who lives in the North Main historic district near the birthplace, said, “I’m disappointed that the birthplace took the approach they did, asked for what they did the way they did.”

            However, Drake said, “This is a worthwhile project.” He favored giving the group some money but not binding the board to a commitment of several years. That might be an amount the birthplace would get when the alumni or university pledge an equal amount. He said he would favor agreeing to some amount “if they could get somebody else to put their wallet on the table first.”

            Commissioners Stephen Barrington, David Camacho and Velma Boyd-Lawson all voiced support in some fashion with a yearly cap and a match from other groups. “I think we should try [to help],” Camacho said, even if it ends up as half a million over a five to ten year period.

            The board will apparently take up the museum funding again after the budget is approved and after there are meetings with the birthplace society.

            “I’m not in favor of giving the birthplace any money this year,” the mayor said. “We gave them $15,000 to build bathrooms which they needed immediately. I think we would be making a mistake until we see they are actually going to do something.” The $15,000 was given about three years ago. The birthplace director, Edward Morris, said they do plan to begin building the bathrooms, which will be in a separate building, this year.

            Morris also said this week that all the birthplace board members and several others, including attorney James Warren, a former board member, have called on the commissioners, the mayor and Williams.

            If the board decides to fund the birthplace museum, Williams said, “I think you’re going to get a request from DuBois for their museum (the National Rosenwald School Museum).”