Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 1, 1994                   TAG: 9407010100
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FOUNDERS HAND OVER PARK REINS

Since Explore's creation, the nonprofit River Foundation has run the project at no cost to the state. Thursday, the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority - created in 1987 to govern Explore - unanimously approved an agreement that gives it a more active role in the living history park.

"We weren't the operating entity before," said Clifford Cutchins III, chairman of the authority. "We were the board holding the land and trying to develop the park, but the active fund raising was all by the foundation."

The River Foundation has always planned to move to the back seat; last year, the decision was made to make the transition this June.

Cutchins said he thinks the authority has "got the appropriate things in place" to carry on the foundation's work. For instance, the authority this week hired a consultant, former Vinton Town Manager George Nester, to develop a management and organization plan for Explore.

Authority member Harry Nickens, a Roanoke County supervisor, called the move part of the "metamorphosis" Explore has undergone.

The foundation had said it could no longer run the park without funding. And now that the General Assembly has appropriated money for Explore and the park will sell tickets, the authority is required to handle the money.

"Once we become funded by the state, we have to become the operational entity," Cutchins said.

Until now, the authority has been limited mostly to oversight of the state's original $6 million to buy land for the park, said Rupert Cutler, Explore executive director.

The River Foundation will now concern itself primarily with fund raising and, to a lesser extent, will have a voice in the planning of Explore.

In other action, the authority agreed to set up a "mini police force" for Explore with three officers who could make arrests and carry guns.

Members also approved a 1994-95 budget of $926,000, although $400,000 of that is from the General Assembly and must be matched by donations. Most of that nearly $1 million is from donations and grants; $120,000 is from park and miscellaneous income.