Vivia Strang

Arizona State Parks staff issues memo on reinstatement of suspended historic preservation Heritage Fund grants

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[Source: Vivia Strang, Historic Preservation Grant, Consultant, Arizona State Parks] — Today at the Arizona State Parks Board meeting the Board made and approved the following motion:

“Move that the Board authorize the Executive Director to reinstate the funding of the Heritage Fund Grants suspended in FY2009 and further provide the Executive Director the authority to extend the terms of the affected Grant Contracts up to 12 months.  This authorization is contingent on; 1) a favorable review by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) of the agency’s request of cash transfers, between its own funds, to comply with reductions and transfers from the state budget bills, and 2) the enactment of the Environmental Budget Reconciliation Bill previously (SB1258), which provides operational authority for the State Parks Board.”

What does this mean?

  • First – today the Board approved the reinstatement of the suspended Heritage Fund Grants (suspended in February 2009) plus a 12 month extension to complete the project.
  • Second – JLBC has to give a favorable review of the cash transfers.  The JLBC meets frequently and this could potentially happen in September.
  • Third – the Legislature and Governor have to enact the Environmental Budget Reconciliation Bill.  While the Governor signed a budget, part of what was line item vetoed were portions of the Arizona State Parks operational budget.  This needs to be renacted for State Parks to have funds to continue to operate.  The Legislature is still meeting and we should know the outcome any day.

Today the Board voted to cancel the FY 2010 Grant Cycles for SLIF, Heritage Fund, OHV and LWCF Grant Programs.

Silver King Hotel in Florence begins rehab

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[Source: Casa Grande Valley Newspapers] – – Town officials, historic preservation advocates and officials of W.E. O’Neil Construction Company gathered Monday morning to celebrate the beginning of the second phase rehabilitation of the Silver King Hotel at Main and Ruggles streets in Florence. Mayor Vicki Kilvinger and other speakers expressed appreciation for the FPF and IDA for their work over the years to save historic buildings. “Thanks to the IDA, who first made this a historic town, and one of the premier historic towns in the state,” Kilvinger said. As for the Silver King, “We will work as hard as we can to make this a success,” she added.

Historian, John A. Swearengin, recalled what a welcome sight the Silver King was to his sunburned family when they arrived here in July of 1936. He became a regular visitor to the hotel; the family that ran it included two young ladies with whom he went to high school. Swearengin also recalled attending a birthday party “in this room in 1938.” He further expressed thanks to the town of Florence for buying the building last year from the FPF and taking an active role in its future. “I’m delighted and pleased to see the town join with us to make the completion of this job possible.” [Note: to read the full article click here.]