Hampton National Historic Site Announces 2003 Budget Plans

The Hampton National Historic Site budget for fiscal year 2003 has been completed, and includes funding from the federal government as well as from a number of public and private sources, according to Superintendent Laurie Coughlan. The park received an increase to its operating base that is intended to provide additional resource preservation.

Financial resources available to achieve the park's goals in FY 2003 include a base operating budget of approximately $963,000, which funds a work force of one permanent part-time and seven permanent fulltime positions and up to four seasonal positions. This work force will be supplemented by approximately 15,000 hours of Volunteers-in-Parks service, assistance from the park cooperating association and friends group Historic Hampton, Inc., and special project and program funds distributed by the National Park Service regional and Washington offices. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine provides significant support for administrative services and park preservation and maintenance.

Highlights of the park's budget, which funds specific goals in the park annual performance plan, include:

$567,000 for resource preservation and management. Projects include resource protection, museum services, cultural landscape restoration and maintenance, and repairs and preservation work on historic structures.

$194,000 to address visitor services, including mansion tours, grounds tours, signs, brochures, exhibits, walkways, and restrooms.

$115,000 for facility operations and maintenance, which covers telephone, water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, heating oil, vehicle maintenance, and routine maintenance of the park, and $87,000 for park administration, including information technology, administrative supplies, and staff time.

One-year project funding totaling $110,000 will be used to repair stucco on Hampton Mansion, and to re-roof, repair woodwork, and stabilize masonry on historic structures. Projects to clean, repair, and store museum collection items total $79,000.

In addition to park funds, grants from Preservation Maryland will fund continued work on an archival finding aid, and oral history research. Additional grants will contribute to research and implementation of historic furnished room exhibits.

A copy of Hampton's complete Annual Performance Plan, prepared in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), is available by clicking this link, or by writing to Hampton National Historic Site, 535 Hampton Lane, Towson, Maryland 21286. The goals described in the park's Annual Performance Plan are derived from the 2001-2005 NPS Strategic Plan, which establishes a performance management process for the Service and incorporates the requirements of GPRA. The Strategic Plan is available on the NPS home page at www.nps.gov.