THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 24, 1995 TAG: 9503240435
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
The chairman of the state committee formed to plan the centennial celebration of the Wright brothers' first flight said Thursday the panel's request for $340,000 in state funding in each the of the next two years may face some tough headwinds when the matter comes up for a vote before the General Assembly.
Still, First Flight Centennial Commission Chairman Melvin Daniels, a former member of the state Senate, is optimistic money will be available.
``This is really a wish list,'' Daniels said Thursday after a two-day meeting of the panel. ``Sen. Marc Basnight has emerged as one of the most influential legislators I've seen in my lifetime. As a past president of the First Flight Society, he has a personal interest in getting funding approved. If anyone can do that, he can.''
Daniels acknowledged that the commission's proposed budget may have a tough time in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Daniels said members of the commission have been in contact with House Speaker Harold Brubaker concerning the proposal.
``This is a new day in Raleigh, at both the state and federal level,'' Daniels said. ``I believe this commission can limp along through the end of this year with the funding we have now. But in order for us to be able to do the job right, we're going to have to have additional funding.''
When the General Assembly created the panel last year, legislators awarded it $75,000. That appropriation was not enough, Daniels said, to hire full-time staffers. So the group has been working with staff assistance from the Department of Cultural Resources.
In this year's budget request, the commission hopes to receive enough money to hire an executive director and support staff.
``I envision the executive director playing a key role in the establishment of a foundation as a fund-raising arm for the centennial. I also envision the person working with corporations, as well as people in Washington, such as NASA and the Department of Defense, and getting them involved in this,'' Daniels said.
Under the proposed budget, the commission wants $60,000 to pay an executive director, as well as an additional $46,000 for an administrative officer and an administrative assistant in each of the next two years.
Daniels said an office for the commission probably will be established in Raleigh. A satellite office also could be created in Kill Devil Hills.
Daniels said the sky is the limit for his committee.
``I dream an awful lot,'' he said. ``I'll be very disappointed if the president of the United States is not here in 2003 (the year of the Wright centennial). I'll be very disappointed if NASA doesn't name a shuttle `The Spirit of Kitty Hawk.' I'll be disappointed if every child in North Carolina hasn't heard the story of the flight.
``This can be a great thing for the state of North Carolina, and the nation.''
The General Assembly is expected to debate the commission's funding request next month. by CNB