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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-06-2004-7aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 6, 2004 Action Agenda Item No. ~- Q SUBJECT: Proposed Donation far Orange Soil and Water Conservation District - The Quentin W. Patterson Photographic Art Collection Projects DEPARTMENT: Soil & Water/County Attorney PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 11/16/04 Letter from Soil & Water Conservation District Chair INFORMATION CONTACT: Brent Bogue, ext 2751 Geof Gledhill, 732-2196 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough Chapel Hill Durham Mebane 732-8181 968-4501 688-7331 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the County Attorney to craft an agreement between Orange County and the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District that would permit the County to administer a donation of $20,000 and a photographic art collection on behalf of the District. BACKGROUND: Quentin Patterson was along-time employee of the Soil Conservation Service of the U5 Department of Agriculture and subsequently along-serving member of the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District Board, Among many other talents, Mr. Patterson was an accomplished photographer whose slides were regularly used for educational presentations, both locally and nationally. Mr. Patterson passed away on December 31, 2002 at the age of 83. Mrs, Evelyn Patterson has indicated that she would like to provide a donation to the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District in Quentin's memory that would preserve his photographic work for future generations, The proposed gift includes a $20,000 monetary donation and the photographic collection, The details of the proposed donation are outlined in the accompanying letter from Orange Soil and Water Conservation District Board Chair Roger Tate. The Orange Soil and Water Conservation District is NOT an element of Orange County government, It is, like the County, a body politic and corporate under North Carolina law. Accordingly, the County has no inherent authority to accept or administer these memorial gifts on behalf of the District. However, the County Attorney has indicated that the County could be involved with the gift if the property were given to the County, and by agreement between the County and the District, the property and its proceeds were used in accordance with the terms of that agreement. If the BOCC so directs, the County Attorney can prepare such an agreement that would observe Mrs. Patterson's wishes and authorize County staff to administer the gift on behalf of the District. By way of example, such administration would include (but not be limited to) receipt of the cash gift and disbursement of funds to appropriate parties by the County Finance Office in collaboration with staff of the Soil and Water Conservation District, This agreement would be scheduled far Board of Commissioner action at the December 14, 2004 regular meeting so the donation could be completed prior to the end of tax year 2004. FINANCIAL IMPACT: If the Board approves acceptance of this gift, the Soil and Water Conservation District will have the use of the $20,000 gift to preserve the Quentin Patterson Photographic Art Collection and for other related educational purposes, RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the County Attorney to prepare an agreement that would permit County staff to administer the Patterson donation on behalf of the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District, Orange Soii and Water Conservation District 306 Revere Road P 0 Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 ~ Phone: 919-732-8181 Ext. 2750 November 16, 2004 Mr. John Link Orange County Manger P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Mr. Link A little over a year ago, Mr. Quentin Patterson, a fornler Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor passed away. Quentin was retired from the USDA-Soil Conservation Service and worked in the Hillsborough field office for over 20 years. He worked closely with the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District and after retiring he served on the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District (OSWCD) Board of Supervisors for I 1 years. One of Quentin's favorite hobbies was to take photographs of nature, landscapes, animals, and buildings. Over the years, his photograph collection won him marry honors. One honor that he was very proud of was that his photographs were selected to be used by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) in their arurual Soil Stewardship Celebrations. Each year, starting in 1982, Quentin would select photographs that matched a written script, select music and arrange a slide show that was copied by the NACD and distributed nationally. These slide shows are a collection of many of Quentin's favorite photographs from his travels tlupugh out the country, Through the years, Quentin also developed slide programs for special interest groups, such as the Garden Club, the Historic Hillsborough Association, and the Exchange Club. L.~ We would like to preserve these slide shows and the audiotapes for the historic and artistic value. The programs could be used for educational purposes for clmrohes, schools, and civic groups. Brent Bogue, and Gail Hughes, both with the District office, and Don Cox, the Treasurer of the Board of Supervisors have been working on this project with Mrs, Evelyn Patterson. With their assistance, Mrs. Patterson has secured Mr. Don Nelson, of Visionaerie Video Productions, to convert the slide show programs to video and/or CD. The project name is: The puentin W. Patterson Photographic Art Collection projects. In memory of Quentin, Mrs. Patterson would like to donate $20,000 to the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District. This money will be ttsed to fully fiord the Qa~errtin W. Pattersar Photographic Art Collection project therefore assuring the project will be completed. Once the project is completed, Ms. Patterson would like the balance of the funds to remain in the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District's budget and be used to fund conservation education projects, Mrs. Patterson would also like to donate the entire Collection to the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District for future use and distribution as the SWCD Board of Supervisors and District staff deem suitable. Mrs. Patterson and the Orange Soil and Water Conservation District are looking forward to forming a partnership to make these historic slide programs available to the citizens of Orange County. Thank you for working with us on this project. Sincerely Mr. Roger Tate Chairman, Orange Soil and Water Conservation District Cc: Rod Visser Mrs. Evelyn Patterson Orange Soil and Water Conservation Board of Supervisors