Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Special Meeting on Memorial Repair and Expansion Fund Raising
August 22, 2002, 10:30 am
Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, Hutchinson, Kansas

Present at the August 22, 2002 meeting were committee members: Chairman Bill Miskell (Topeka), Department of Corrections; Vice-Chairman Captain Ken Gorman (Topeka), Fraternal Order of Police; Director Larry Welch (Topeka), KBI; Chuck Mr. Sexson (Topeka), KBI; Colonel Don Brownlee (Topeka), KHP; Director Ed Pavey (Hutchinson), Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center; Kenneth Roy (Wakeeney), Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police; and Matt Veatch (Topeka), Kansas Historical Society.

Also in attendance were Marilyn Goodheart (Hays), President, Kansas COPS; Eric Haskin (Topeka), Kansas State Troopers' Association; Kevan Lager (Wichita), Fraternal Order of Police; Darrell Wilson (Salina), Kansas Sheriffs' Association; Al Thimmesch (Wichita), Kansas Peace Officers Association; James Hill (Salina), Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police; Doyle King (Wichita), Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police; Joe Gimar (Hutchinson), Fraternal Order of Police/KLETC

1 Chairman Miskell called the meeting to order and asked attendees to introduce themselves.

2 Memorial restoration and expansion plans
2.1 Chairman Miskell briefly described the need to restore and expand the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial.
2.1.1 He pointed out that the memorial had been disassembled as a result of state house construction and that the committee hoped to raise funds during the construction period to restore and expand the memorial.
2.2 Mr. Sexson presented the statehouse site plan and pointed out the proposed location of the memorial on the plan.
2.3 He described the Law Enforcement Memorial Advisory Committee's application to the Division of Facilities Management for the restoration and expansion of the memorial.
2.3.1 Mr. Sexson observed that the Law Enforcement Memorial Committee is required by statute to submit a plan to the Division of Facilities Management.
2.3.2 Mr. Sexson also discussed a draft letter to the Secretary of Administration outlining the plans for restoring and expanding the memorial.
2.4 He stated that the existing limestone caps would be replaced with gray granite and that another ring of granite stones would be added to accommodate future names.
2.4.1 Mr. Sexson observed that the existing limestone panels had deteriorated significantly and the committee hopes that by using more durable granite stone the life of the memorial will be extended.
2.4.2 He commented that the basic design of the memorial would remain unchanged.
2.4.3 The extra ring of stones and a bronze state seal in the center of the memorial are the only significant design changes being proposed.
2.5 Mr. Sexson also mentioned that a firefighters memorial had been authorized for the statehouse grounds.
2.6 Director Pavey asked about potential expansion of the memorial beyond the extra ring of stones.
2.6.1 Chairman Miskell pointed out that it would be possible to add another ring of stones on the outside of the sidewalk but that such action would not be needed for many years.
2.6.2 Mr. Sexson pointed out that only 3 to 4 names per year were being added to the memorial so the extra ring of stones should accommodate names for quite a long time.
2.7 Mr. Sexson observed that the state had committed to reassembling the memorial after construction is completed on the statehouse so some of the assembly costs of a restored/expanded memorial would be covered.
2.8 Chairman Miskell commented that the committee had been working on this issue for about a year.
2.8.1 He asked non-committee members in attendance whether they believed the committee was moving in the right direction in pursuing restoration/expansion at this time.
2.8.2 Director Welch stated that he believed it was an appropriate step for the committee to take and others attendees agreed with his assessment.

3 Costs
3.1 Mr. Sexson reported that the memorial originally cost approximately $72,000 when it was constructed in 1987.
3.1.1 He indicated that the list of donors records the receipt of only $36,000.
3.1.1.1 Mr. Sexson asked if anyone in the room had any knowledge of where the rest of the money for the memorial came from.
3.1.1.2 Mr. Thimmesch said he had some records relating to money raised by several law enforcement associations and that he would check these records.
3.1.2 Mr. Sexson observed that the donor list included only a few corporate donors.
3.1.2.1 He suggested that pursuing broader corporate support might be necessary during the current fund raising effort.
3.2 Mr. Sexson stated that the Division of Facilities Management had estimated in 2001 that it would take $120,000 to restore and expand the memorial.

4 Mr. Thimmesch asked about the federal bill for funds for memorial construction and whether it involved local cost sharing.
4.1 Mr. Sexson said that if the bill passed the federal government would cover half of the cost of a memorial.
4.2 He indicated that there would be a grant application process and that if Congress passes the bill by December or so of 2002 that no grant money would be forthcoming until the fall of 2003.
4.3 Mr. Sexson also commented that the firefighters memorial committee likely would pursue a grant and he expressed hope that the Law Enforcement Memorial Committee could cooperate with the firefighters on a grant application.

5 Mr. Lager asked about maintenance of the memorial and whether additional money should be raised for this.
5.1 Mr. Sexson indicated that there was some money ($8,000) in a maintenance fund and he did not think that a large amount of additional money would need to be raised for maintenance.

6 Law Enforcement Memorial foundation
6.1 Capt. Gorman presented the idea of forming a separate Law Enforcement Memorial foundation to facilitate tax deductible contributions for the memorial.
6.2 Mr. Thimmesch commented that KPOA had originally gotten involved in fund raising because they were able to accept tax deductible donation and expressed his support for the idea of forming a separate foundation.
6.3 Other attendees expressed support for the creation of a foundation.
6.4 Capt. Gorman suggested that the foundation could live beyond the repair/expansion as a mechanism to fund scholarships for survivors and other activities.

7 Fund raising committee chairperson
7.1 Chairman Miskell commented on previous LEM committee discussions about getting a prominent fund raising committee leader.
7.1.1 He reported that the committee had asked Director Welch to contact former Attorney General Robert Stephan about possibly chairing the fund raising committee.
7.1.2 Director Welch reported that he had approached Attorney General Stephan about leading the capital campaign and received a heartfelt and enthusiastic affirmative response from the former Attorney General.
7.2 Chairman Miskell commented that it might be appropriate to seek assistance from Attorney General Stephan and his law firm in establishing a foundation.
7.3 Chairman Miskell asked whether others in the room would support extending a formal request to Attorney General Stephen asking him to chair the fund raising campaign.
7.3.1 There were no objections.
7.3.2 Mr. Thimmesch expressed his support for Bob Stephen.
7.4 Mr. Wilson expressed his belief that the money for restoration and expansion could be raised and observed that the law enforcement associations would contribute funds.
7.5 Director Pavey moved that the Law Enforcement Memorial Committee formally request Attorney General Robert Stephen to serve as chairperson of the Law Enforcement Memorial fund raising committee. Capt. Gorman seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
7.5.1 Mr. Wilson and Mr. Haskin expressed support for the motion although they could not officially vote on the motion.
7.6 Director Welch asked Chairman Miskell to send a letter to Attorney General Stephen requesting him to chair the fund raising committee.

8 Mr. Thimmesch asked how much money the committee felt it needed to raise.
8.1 Mr. Sexson reiterated that the Division of Facilities Management estimate for expansion and repair of the memorial in conjunction with state funded reassembly was $120,000.
8.1.1 Mr. Thimmesch observed that the cost probably would be greater (perhaps closer to $150,000) by the time of construction in 2004.
8.2 Director Pavey asked about a fund raising timeline.
8.2.1 Capt. Gorman said the campaign should get started as soon as possible.
8.2.2 Director Welch suggested that Attorney General Stephen be asked to attend the next Law Enforcement Memorial Committee meeting in September at the Historical Society.
8.2.3 Committee members agreed with the suggestion.
8.3 Mr. Thimmesch asked when the law enforcement associations should think about contributing money.
8.3.1 Mr. lager commented that the associations probably should contribute something before they started soliciting donations from others.
8.3.2 Capt. Gorman agreed that seed money from the associations probably would be a good idea.
8.4 Capt. Gorman also suggested that any corporate fund raising should be coordinated through the central fund raising committee.

9 The meeting broke for lunch.

10 Chairman Miskell reconvened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.
10.1 He stated that the Law Enforcement Memorial Committee would keep the associations informed of fund raising activities.
10.2 Mr. King asked how the associations should go about making a contribution.
10.2.1 Capt. Gorman suggested making a pledge and waiting to make an actual donation until a foundation had been established.
10.2.2 Mr. Thimmesch agreed that this would be the best approach for the associations.
10.3 Mr. Sexson commented on the fund raising timeline and suggested that by this time next year the funds should be in place and the committee should be in an implementation mode.

11 The meeting adjourned at 12:30 pm.