Item:
Title
Approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No.25BCC095 Appropriating $40,000 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Fund Center for the Stagville Memorial Project, as well as Authorize an Amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Stagville Memorial Committee Increasing the County’s Commitment to the Project to an Amount Not-to-Exceed $277,000.
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: June 23, 2025
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No.25BCC095 appropriating $40,000 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department for the Stagville Memorial Project, as well as authorize an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Stagville Memorial Committee to extend the date of the agreement until December 31, 2027, and increase the County’s Commitment to the project for a total support not-to-exceed amount of $277,000. (See Attachment 1, Pages 1-4).
Recent developments included securing a location for the artwork at 501 W. Main Street, directly across from the Museum of Durham History. This site will be the plaza of the upcoming Durham Rail Trail. Following this determination, the Stagville Memorial Committee entered an MOU with City of Durham for project funding. However, while the city’s financial contribution matches the County’s, the allocation of funds differs significantly from the county-approved budget. Most notably, the revised budget includes a roughly 66% reduction in staff support, which presents a major challenge for managing this complex, multi-year effort. To that end, an additional $40,000 from Durham County is requested to ensure adequate staffing and administrative support through project completion.
Background
On November 13, 2023, the Board suspended the rules and voted to authorize the County Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Stagville Memorial Committee outlining the County’s Commitment to the Project in the amount of $237,000.
The Stagville Memorial Project is a group of Durham residents organized to establish a memorial in downtown Durham in honor of those formerly enslaved at Stagville Plantation. Through this establishment, we hope to: 1.) Expand who gets included in the story of Durham’s unique beginnings 2.) Bring more awareness to Stagville Historic Site to newcomers of Durham 3.) Bring Stagville’s vast group of descendants together under a common purpose, and 4.) Help the larger community ponder the ongoing legacies of slavery, and how they show up in the present day. The Stagville Historic Site is approximately 9 miles north of Downtown Durham.
In June 2021, the Stagville Memorial Committee gave a presentation to the BOCC which endorsed the request to the County to fund $237,000 in support of the project. The attached MOU outlines commitments and establishing parameters for reimbursement of the funding.
This amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding extends the date of completion of the project and increases the County’s funding support by the $40,000 to a not-to-exceed amount of $277,000.00.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Strategic Plan Goal 1.4: Cultural Opportunities - Foster a strong, diverse, artistic and cultural environment.
Resource Persons: Peri Manns, ASLA, Deputy Director, Engineering and Environmental Services; Brenda Hayes-Bright, Assoc. AIA, CDT, MPM, Project Manager; Jay Gibson, P.E. Director, Engineering and Environmental Services; Vanessa Hines, Stagville Memorial Committee; David Ades, Assistant Director, Budget and Management Services; Curtis Massey, Deputy County Attorney.
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board Authorize the County Manager to approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No.25BCC095 appropriating $40,000 of General Fund Fund Balance to the Engineering Department for the Stagville Memorial Project, as well as authorize an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Stagville Memorial Committee to extend the date of the agreement until December 31, 2027, and increase the County’s Commitment to the project for a total support not-to-exceed amount of $277,000.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________