August 30, 2007

TO:                  Mayor Sue Hack & Members of the City Commission

                        Dave Corliss, City Manager

FROM:            David Dunfield, Member

                        Board of Trustees

RE:                   Request for funding from Visit 2020 fund

This is to formally request $25,000 from the Visit 2020 Fund to help pay for the facilitation of a Management Plan for Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. 

As you know, this planning document is required by the National Park Service and the Secretary of Interior in order to access federal dollars called for in the enabling legislation for this area.  The National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations will lead a team of professionals to assist us in the public process of developing the plan.  The deadline is October 12, 2009 for completion of the process and obtaining the final signature of the Secretary of Interior.

The Board of Trustees is currently raising funds from many sources throughout the 41-county area including the Kansas Department of Commerce and its counterpart in Missouri, private foundations, other city & county governments, corporations and individuals.  The goal is to raise $700,000 over the next two years to complete the Management Plan, set up an office and fund other necessary activities of the national heritage area.  Attached is information being used to solicit those funds including a list of the current Board of Trustees.

As we have said, Lawrence and Douglas County is rich with history and we intend to be the locus of Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.  Please consider this request as a commitment to that goal.  Thank you for your interest and support of this exciting new effort to bring national attention to our heritage.