Memo of Intent between Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal NHP and The Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, Inc. (CAR Fund)

United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

                                            C&O Canal National Historical Park

      1850 Dual Highway, Suite 100

   Hagerstown, Maryland 21740

IN REPLY REFER TO:

A38

Memorandum

To: Regional Director, National Capital Region

From: Superintendent, C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP)

Subject: Memo of Intent between Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal NHP and The Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, Inc. (CAR Fund) 

Date: February 16, 2006

C&O Canal NHP and The Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, Inc. have been in discussions to enter into a fundraising agreement for the single purpose of raising funds for and facilitating the rehabilitation of the Catoctin Aqueduct, located in the Maryland section of the C&O Canal National Historic Park.  The project is identified in park planning documents and has been entered into PMIS. (See attached PMIS project # 125585)

We have discussed and agreed to the following mutual interests, roles, and responsibilities:

Joint Interests: 

• Agree to work together to complete all required NPS agreements.
• Agree to enter into a partnership that will lead to the rehabilitation of the Catoctin Aqueduct. 
• Agree to work together to raise the funds required for the planning, design, and construction to rehabilitate the Catoctin Aqueduct.

Park:

• Agrees to recognize the CAR Fund as the official fundraising organization for the rehabilitation of the Catoctin Aqueduct. 
• Agrees to provide the partner with technical and information assistance, and the coordination inside of NPS, needed to support the fundraising effort in as much as our resources and regulations allow.

Partner: 

• Agrees to complete the requirements of the Director’s June 2004 Partnership Construction Project Guidelines and Director’s Order #21 on Donations and Fundraising.
• Agrees to serve as the official fundraising organization for the raising of funds to rehabilitate the Catoctin Aqueduct.

The CAR Fund is a 501(c) (3) public charity formed in Maryland in 2005 for the single purpose of raising funds for and facilitating the rehabilitation of the Catoctin Aqueduct, and other historic structures, located in the Maryland section of the C&O Canal National Historic Park.  The CAR Fund Board of Directors currently consists of the original five founding directors and officers; as the project grows and additional expertise is needed the board will grow to meet project needs, possibly to 9-15 members. 

Currently the board encompasses expertise in the areas of, but not limited to, fundraising, marketing, non-profit management, structural and geological engineering, accounting, historical interpretation, acquisition, and program planning and management.  

The leadership of the CAR Fund has been meeting with state and local elected officials and business leaders to gauge local and state support and interest for the Catoctin Aqueduct Project.  This effort is being done to determine if there is adequate public support to approach the NPS about a partnership construction project.  

  

To date, this effort has broad support from the local community and local elected officials.  In addition, the CAR Fund plans to partner with the C&O Canal Association, the Community Foundation of Frederick County, Frederick County Maryland, the City of Brunswick Maryland, the Historical Society of Frederick County, and numerous other private and public entities to facilitate the completion of this project in the spring of 2009. 

The park has assessed the readiness of the CAR Fund to raise the funds for and implement the project and feels confident that they will be successful. The goal of the project is to raise $2,235,000 million in private and public donations, grants and bonds to rehabilitate the Catoctin Aqueduct.  Other than applying for applicable NPS grants, the CAR Fund does not plan to request additional funding from the National Park Service. 

The following is a list of confirmed and potential sources of support: 

     

• CAR Fund has a seed gift of $25,000 from the Carlson Family Foundation.
• Frederick County Board of County Commissioners has committed $25,000.
• A  State of Maryland Bond Bill is awaiting approval from the Legislature for $150,000. 

CAR Fund has applied for an NPS Challenge Cost Share grant of $30,000 to fund the 30% designs.

• CAR Fund has a budget of $400,000 identified for in-kind materials and services (primarily related to the construction and engineering phases).
• CAR Fund will apply to Maryland Department of Transportation, Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) for a matching grant.  MD TEP staff has visited the project site, have indicated this is the type of project they like to fund, and have encouraged the submission of an application in February of 2007 for 50% of the project cost.    
• Private donations target: $487,500.   

1. $200,000 targeted to corporate donors
2. $387,500 targeted to individual and additional foundation donors  

We have discussed with the CAR Fund, Director’s Order 21 on Donations and Fundraising and the partners have agreed to follow the policies. We understand that the next step in the process is to undertake a program design workshop and that this memo does not constitute a commitment on the part of the C&O Canal NHP or on the part of the CAR Fund to execute the project described herein.  

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that you approve the project and identify it as a Regional Priority so that it can move into the Project Definition Phase

_______________________ __________________________

Kevin D. Brandt Dr. George E. Lewis, Jr.

Superintendent President

C&O Canal NHP The Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Fund, Inc.

Date Date

APPROVAL

I approve the recommendation and have established it as a regional priority. 

_________________________________ ______________________________

REGIONAL DIRECTOR DATE