Federal Advisory Committee

 

When Congress established Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, it also authorized a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). The FAC comprises fifteen members representing the National Park Service (NPS), partner organizations, landowners in the park boundary, and related federal, state, and local governments. The FAC advises the NPS in carrying out its general management plan; and in identifying lands outside the park boundary that may help fulfill the park's purpose.

The park's FAC is known as the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Advisory Commission. Detailed data about the committee and its annual reports are filed at FACADatabase.gov.

Meetings

FAC meeting dates and agendas are announced in advance. See our news or calendar listings for announcements. Meetings are open to the public. Meeting notes are posted on NPS.gov.

Commissioners

Commonwealth of Virginia - Frank Stoval

Town of Strasburg - Dr. Curtis Morgan

Town of Middletown- Stephnie Mitchell

Town of Middletown - Jake Skeith (Alternate)

Fredrick County - Wyatt Pearson

Fredrick County - Candice Perkins (Alternate)

Shenandoah County – Jenna French

Warren County – Lee Meyer

Private Landowner – David Blount

Private Landowner – Michael Kehoe

Citizen Interest Group – Jim Campi, American Battlefield Trust

Citizen Interest Group – Shawn McBurney (Alternate), American Battlefield Trust

Belle Grove, Inc. – John Fredericksen

Belle Grove, Inc. – Kristen Laise (Alternate)

Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation – Roy Downey

National Trust for Historic Preservation – Ross Bradford

National Trust for Historic Preservation – Thompson Mayes (Alternate)

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation – Andrew Vehorn

National Park Service – Karen Beck-Herzog (ex officio)

US Forest Service – Mary Yonce (ex officio)

 

FAC Meeting Notes

Source: NPS DataStore Collection 8016 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore.

 

 

Bylaws

Section I: Purpose

The purpose of the Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park Commission (Commission) is to advise the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) in the preparation and implementation of a general management plan and to advise the Secretary with respect to the identification of sites of significance outside the Park boundary deemed necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Act.

Section II: Authority

The Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park Advisory Commission is established by Public Law 107-373, The Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Act of 2002, December 19, 2002. The Commission is subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as outlined in its Charter, filed with the Congress on December 8, 2003.

Section III: Membership Selection and Appointment

Members of the Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park Advisory Commission are appointed by the Secretary for 3-year terms except that initial appointments will consist of four members appointed for 1-year terms, five members appointed for 2-year terms, and six members appointed for 3-year terms. Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.No member may serve more than two successive terms.Membership includes the responsibility to attend Commission meetings. The Secretary reserves the ability to replace any member who is unable to fully participate in the Commission's meetings. Alternate members will not be permitted to represent those individuals appointed by the Secretary without prior written agreement.

Section IV: Meeting Procedures

The Commission will meet as required. Meetings will be called by the Designated Federal Official (DFO) in consultation with the Chairman according to the following considerations:

1. Agenda. The DFO will approve the agenda for all meetings. The DFO will distribute the agenda to the members prior to each meeting and will publish an outline of the agenda with the notice of meeting in the Federal Register. Items for the agenda may be submitted to the DFO and/or the Chairman by any member of the Commission. Items may also be suggested by non-members, including members of the public.

2. Minutes and Records.  The Commission's DFO will prepare minutes of each meeting and will distribute copies to each Commission member. Minutes of open meetings will be available to the public upon request. Minutes of closed meetings will also be available to the public upon request, subject to the withholding of matters about which public disclosure would be harmful to the interests of the Government, industry, or others, and which are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The minutes will include a record of the persons present (including the names of Commission members, names of staff, and the names of members of the public from whom written or oral presentations were made) and a complete and accurate description of the matters discussed and conclusions reached, and copies of all reports received, issued or approved by the Commission.

All documents, reports, or other materials prepared by, or for, the Commission constitute official government records and must be maintained according to Department of the Interior policies and procedures.

1. Meetings. Unless otherwise determined in advance, all meetings of the Commission will be open to the public. Once an open meeting has begun, it will not be closed for any reason. All materials brought before, or presented to, the Commission during the conduct of an open meeting, including the minutes of the proceedings of an open meeting, will be available to the public for review or copying at the time of the scheduled meeting.

Members of the public may attend any meeting or portion of a meeting that is not closed to the public, and may, at the determination of the Chairman, offer oral comment at such meeting. The Chairman may decide in advance to exclude oral public comment during a meeting, in which case the meeting announcement published in the Federal Register will note that oral comment from the public is excluded and will invite written comment as an alternative. Members of the public may submit written statements to the Commission at any time.If a meeting or portion of the meeting is closed to the public, the Designated Federal Official must submit a request to the Director, National Park Service. This request must be approved 30 days in advance of the meeting and/or session.Where the DFO has determined in advance that discussions during a Commission meeting will involve matters about which public disclosure would be harmful to the interests of the government, industry, or others, an advance notice of a closed meeting, citing the applicable exemptions of the Government in the Sunshine Act, will be published in the Federal Register. The notice may announce the closing of all or just part of a meeting. If, during the course of an open meeting, matters inappropriate for public disclosure arise during discussions, the Chairman will order such discussions to cease and will schedule it for a closed session. Notices of closed meetings will be published in the Federal Register at least 15 calendar days in advance.  A copy of the determination must be made available to the public upon request.

Section V: Voting

When a decision or recommendation of the Commission is required, the Chairman will request a motion for a vote. Any member, including the Chairman, may make a motion for a vote. No second after a proper motion will be required to bring any issue to vote.

Section VI: Role of Board Officials

Chairperson: The Chairperson works with the DFO to establish priorities, identify issues which must be addressed, determine the level and types of staff and financial support required, and serves as the focal point for the Commission's membership. In addition, the Chairperson is responsible for certifying the accuracy of minutes developed by the Commission to document its meeting.

Designated Federal Official: The DFO serves as the government's agent for all matters related to the Commission's activities. By Law, the DFO must: (1) approve or call the meeting of the Commission; (2) approve agendas; (3) attend all meetings; (4) adjourn the meetings when such adjournment is in the public interest; and Chair the meeting when so directed by the Director, National Park Service, or his/her designee.In addition, the DFO is responsible for providing adequate staff support to the Commission, including the performance of the following functions: (1) Notifying members of the time and place for each meeting; (2) Maintaining records of all meetings, including subcommittees or working group activities, as required by Law; (3) Maintaining the roll; (4) Preparing the minutes of all meetings of the Commission's deliberations, including subcommittees and working group activities; (5) attending to official correspondence; (6) maintaining official Commission records and filing all papers and submissions prepared for or by the Commission, including those items generated by subcommittees and working groups; (7) acting as the Commission's agent to collect, validate and pay all vouchers for pre-approved expenditures; and (8) preparing and handling all reports, including the annual report as required by FACA.

Section VII: Expenses and Reimbursement.

Expenses related to the operation of the Commission will be provided by the National Park Service. Expenditures of any kind must be approved in advance by the DFO.  Federal government employees serving on the Commission are not eligible for any form of additional compensation. The government will pay travel and per diem for non-government employees at a rate equivalent to that allowable for Federal employees.

Section VIII: Additional Information

The official mailing address of the Commission is:
Designated Federal Official
Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP Advisory Commission
P.O. Box 700
Middletown, VA 22645

Section VI: Role of Board Officials

Chairperson: The Chairperson works with the DFO to establish priorities, identify issues which must be addressed, determine the level and types of staff and financial support required, and serves as the focal point for the Commission's membership. In addition, the Chairperson is responsible for certifying the accuracy of minutes developed by the Commission to document its meeting.

Designated Federal Official: The DFO serves as the government's agent for all matters related to the Commission's activities. By Law, the DFO must: (1) approve or call the meeting of the Commission; (2) approve agendas; (3) attend all meetings; (4) adjourn the meetings when such adjournment is in the public interest; and Chair the meeting when so directed by the Director, National Park Service, or his/her designee.In addition, the DFO is responsible for providing adequate staff support to the Commission, including the performance of the following functions: (1) Notifying members of the time and place for each meeting; (2) Maintaining records of all meetings, including subcommittees or working group activities, as required by Law; (3) Maintaining the roll; (4) Preparing the minutes of all meetings of the Commission's deliberations, including subcommittees and working group activities; (5) attending to official correspondence; (6) maintaining official Commission records and filing all papers and submissions prepared for or by the Commission, including those items generated by subcommittees and working groups; (7) acting as the Commission's agent to collect, validate and pay all vouchers for pre-approved expenditures; and (8) preparing and handling all reports, including the annual report as required by FACA.

Section VII: Expenses and Reimbursement

Expenses related to the operation of the Commission will be provided by the National Park Service. Expenditures of any kind must be approved in advance by the DFO.  Federal government employees serving on the Commission are not eligible for any form of additional compensation. The government will pay travel and per diem for non-government employees at a rate equivalent to that allowable for Federal employees.

Section VIII: Additional Information

The official mailing address of the Commission is:
Designated Federal Official
Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP Advisory Commission
P.O. Box 700
Middletown, VA 22645