COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION and CULTURAL AFFAIRS - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, December 5, 2007, 9:40 a.m. - - - Bill 070999 - To enter into a ground lease with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, under which the City would lease Belmont Mansion and appurtenant buildings, grounds, and facilities (collectively, the "Belmont Mansion Complex") to PAID... (Full text of ordinance contained herein.) COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Blondell Reynolds-Brown, Chair Frank DiCicco Frank Rizzo Marian B. Tasco - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Specialists 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 INDEX WITNESS Audrey Thornton Johnson................. President, Founder American Women's Historical Society Belmont Mansion Complex Mark Focht, Executive Director.......... Fairmount Park Commission * * * 3 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999
Good morning, good morning. The Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is now in a public hearing to hear testimony on Bill No. 070999. The Councilmembers in attendance are my colleagues: To my extreme left, Councilman Frank Rizzo, Councilwoman Marian Tasco, and Councilman Frank DiCicco. We will now ask the clerk to please read the title of Bill No. 15 070999.
Bill No. 070999, an ordinance authorizing the President of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Executive Director of the Fairmount Park, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a ground lease with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, under which the City would lease Belmont Mansion and appurtenant 4 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 buildings, grounds, and facilities (collectively, the "Belmont Mansion Complex") to PAID, and pursuant to which PAID would enter into a ground sublease with the American Women's Heritage Society, under which AWHS would occupy, operate, and help maintain the Belmont Mansion Complex and develop and operate a museum about the Underground Railroad, under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you very, very much. We would like all those testifying on Bill No. 070999 -- I believe that -- let me be more specific. If I could please ask the president of the American Women Women's Heritage Society Mission to please come forward as well as our leadership with the Fairmount Park Commission, Executive Director Mark Focht. 5 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 (Witnesses come forward.)
Ladies and gentlemen, honored members of City Council, I'm Audrey Johnson Thornton, Founder and President of the American Women's Heritage Society of Belmont Mansion. In 1986, the Fairmount Park Commission gave approval of the Society to become stewards of the historic Belmont Mansion, which has been one magnificent thing that has happened here in Philadelphia. Our mission was to preserve, restore, collect, and educate the public about the history and significance of historic Belmont Mansion, the roles of the original owners of the abolition and the Underground Railroad movement and the 6 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 relationships of the mansion in the struggle for freedom in Philadelphia. We are a minority-owned 501(c)(3) organization that for more than years have provided such 7 stellar stewardship. 8 Incorporated into Philadelphia 9 Fairmount Park in 1868, by 1986 10 Belmont Mansion had suffered from 11 deferred maintenance and abandonment 12 when we took it over. Using 13 organizational funds, we began 14 restoring efforts and revitalization. 15 In a 1987 assessment of ten 16 historic structures in Fairmount Park 17 considered to be at risk, Belmont 18 Mansion was singled out as the most 19 significant structure studied and 20 among the most important in Fairmount Park. Belmont Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is of historical and architectural importance to the 7 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 nation. We conducted research on Peters family, the original owners, and discovered involvement with the Underground Railroad. Prior to this discovery, Belmont and Fairmount Park were not included in the history of abolition and the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia. The Peters are significant because of their anti-slavery work began during the revolutionary era while Judge Peters served as George Washington's Secretary of War and ends with Richards Peters, Jr. using the railroad to assist runaways while petitioning the Supreme Court to repeal the Fugitive Slave Act. On July the 4th of 2007, Belmont Mansion opened as an Underground Railroad museum following a $3 million restoration. We have established memberships with the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and 8 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 Marketing Corporation's Quest for Freedom Program, the National Park Services Network to Freedom Program, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Freedom Stations Program. We have adopted the Microsoft School of the Future in Fairmount Park and have initiated a museum training program for more than students. 12 We're open six days a week and have 13 toured more than 3,000 visitors since 14 our July 4th opening. We are the 15 newest Underground Railroad museum in 16 Philadelphia. 17 For more than a decade, we 18 have been engaged in lease 19 negotiations with the Fairmount Park 20 Commission and acknowledge their support and approval of a long-term lease. As agreed, we have confirmed a financial plan to include providing 5 percent of annual operating revenue to support maintenance provided by the 9 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 City of Philadelphia and are prepared to adhere to the approved lease agreement. Your approval of this bill is critical to our strategic plan and stabilization of our organization's objectives and goals for the next ten years. We have had the support of Mayor John Street and Mayor-elect Nutter Nutter and many, many others and many of our City Councilmembers. So on behalf of my board and membership, we support Council Bill 15 No. 070999 authorizing sublease of the Belmont Mansion Complex to the American Women's Heritage Society and ask City Council for approval. And I thank you.
Well, we thank you for your testimony. And before we proceed to questions, we will hear the testimony from Mark Focht and then open it.
Good morning, Chairwoman Reynolds-Brown and members of the committee. I'm Mark Focht, Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Commission, and I'm very policed to appear before you today on behalf of the Fairmount Park Commission in support of Bill No. 070999 authorizing the City of Philadelphia, through Fairmount Park, to enter into a lease with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, or PAID, for the Belmont complex, including the historic cottage complex and the Belmont Mansion pursuant to which PAID would sublease the facility to the American Women's Heritage Society. This lease is an important step in a decades' long initiative by Fairmount Park and our partner, the American Women's Heritage Society, to save, repair, and restore the Belmont 11 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 Mansion complex so that it can be maintained, operated, and interpreted by a self-sustaining nonprofit organization. In 1998, the Park expended approximately $2 million in capital funding to adaptively renovate the historic 1745 cottage building so that it could properly be used as a catering and meeting facility. Subsequently, the Park undertook a $3.3 million project to restore the circa 1750 mansion, which was completed this past summer, 2007. As the proprietor of over 200 historic properties, Fairmount Park understands the value of finding a suitable tenant who is dedicated to and able to provide the appropriate care and maintenance of a historic property such as the Belmont Mansion complex. We have such a partner in the American Women's Heritage Society, who has been a tenant of this site for 12 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 over 20 years. AWHS has prepared and is implementing a business plan that will ensure that the Belmont Mansion complex is cared for and maintained in a self-sustaining manner. At the same time, their business plan ensures that the complex will be available for public access and interpretation of the property's important historical significance. The Belmont Mansion complex possesses a high degree of historical and architectural importance and is an important cultural resource within the Fairmount Park system. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and is nationally known for its ornate -- original ornate plaster ceiling, considered one of the oldest ceilings of its type in America. More recently, through the efforts of AWHS, the Belmont Mansion Complex has been accepted into the 13 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. This program seeks to promote programs that commemorate the Underground Railroad, to preserve sites and others resources associated with the Underground Railroad, and to educate the public about the historical significance. In July of this past summer, the Underground Railroad Museum at the Belmont Mansion complex was open to the public and is open six days a week. Fairmount Park's strategic plan, completed in June 2004, with the support of this Council, requires the park to develop and implement a property management plan to improve the park's past management approach for historic properties. Additionally, the park takes very seriously our role to protect our assets which stand as monuments to 14 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 Philadelphia's history. We believe that this lease before you today addresses a requirement of this five-year plan and ensures the future well-being of the Belmont Mansion Complex. I would like to thank and acknowledge AWHS President Audrey Johnson Thornton and her board members for the manner in which they have and continue to serve as stewards of this historic property. Therefore, I appear before you today to pledge the support of the Fairmount Park Commission for this legislation and respectively ask that City Council approve Bill No. 070999. I'd be pleased to answer any questions.
Thank you both very, very much for your testimony.
Are there any questions or comments or remarks for Ms. Audrey Johnson Thornton or Mr. Mark Focht from any of the Councilmembers? (No questions.)
Well, let me just underscore the remarks made by Mr. Mark Focht wherein you state that Audrey Johnson Thornton and the board members have indeed served as stewards for this historic property. And I would have been vigilant, and like a laser beam focused on doing all it can, to move the Belmont Mansion to the place we're discussing today, so we commend you for that. And we do thank you, Mark Focht, for working intimately so that we could get to this place, 'cause many of us are aware of the wrinkles we had to iron out prior to having this discussion this morning. 16 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 So we thank you very, very much for your testimony.
Councilwoman Marian Tasco does have a question.
Thank you. I may have missed this because I was talking, but for how long is the ground lease?
Audrey's starting already to get it renewed. (Laughter.)
I'm sorry. Have you developed a succession plan for leadership?
For the very reasons that you're thinking as we were. 18 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999
Have you sought funding for your succession plan?
Have you sought funding from a foundation for your succession plan?
And that helps assure your leadership as well as the financial responsibility that you have.
Exactly, yeah. We've come a long way so we got to keep it going.
And I appreciate all of the support and help that you all have given me, including you, Mr. Rizzo.
Okay. Well, good luck. You've done a good 19 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 job out there, and we congratulate you on your perseverance 'cause I don't know anyone who has worked so hard and worried us so much. (Laughter.)
And the phone calls and letters and -- but you've been very persuasive and very committed, and the commitment really counts for a lot. So thank you so much for your --
And the beauty that all-women organizations have a place that we can call our own in Philadelphia Fairmount Park.
This is Ann Ryan and Carol Smith and Carolyn Short. And this is my --
You got to come see the museum, the new museum. It's fantastic. And Dorothy Sims, who's on the board. And this is Mary Dabney, who is my grants writer and very important to our organization. And Molly is our board member.
What's the name of the last person you 21 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 introduced?
Welcome to City Council. This is an historic day for the Belmont Mansion.
And then there's my guys over here (inaudible) from the Fairmount Park. (Laughter.)
You're welcome. This concludes the testimony on Bill No. 070999. This also concludes our public hearing. And we will now move into a 22 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 public meeting. I would ask my colleague Councilwoman Marian Tasco to please make a motion on Bill No. 070999 and also take into account a request for the suspension of the rules.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 070999 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for the suspension of the rules so that this bill can be heard at the next session of Council.
Bill No. 070999 has been moved and properly seconded. All in favor will say aye. All opposed? Bill No. 070999 will, therefore, be reported out of this committee with a favorable 23 12/5/07 - Parks, Rec. - Bill 070999 recommendation and a further move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at the next scheduled session of Philadelphia City Council. This concludes the public meeting of the Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. We thank you for your testimony and your attendance and your interest. Meeting adjourned. (Proceedings end at 9:52 a.m.) * * * 24 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings of the City of Philadelphia Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, and that this is a true and correct statement of same. __________________________________ JOSEPHINE CARDILLO Registered Professional Reporter (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)