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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2004
Contact: Ryan Watson, (202) 347-3190
Washington, DC - February 19, 2004
-Charged with transforming the Presidio, a former military
base, into a viable national park site within the Golden Gate
Recreation Area, the Presidio Trust-an independent federal
corporation-faces unique challenges. While the Presidio Trust
works with the National Park Service, which assists in preserving
the Presidio's historic structures, protecting its dramatic
vistas, restoring its natural environment, and enhancing visitor
access, the Trust must also become financially self-sufficient
by 2013. Congress called upon a Panel of the National Academy
of Public Administration to evaluate the Trust's financial
and management practices, including:
- reviewing its financial plans and budget
projections
- assessing the effectiveness of its current
organizational structure
- evaluating its financial authorities
and their adequacy for meeting its statutory missions
The Academy Panel
found that how the Trust meets its financial self-sufficiency
mandate is critically important. In achieving financial self-sufficiency
by 2013, the Trust must also create a financial base to complete
the transformation of the Presidio into a viable and sustainable
national park site. "The Trust's statutory mission is
ambitious, but achievable," said Panel Chair Jane G.
Pisano, President and Director of the Natural History Museum
of Los Angeles County. "By leveraging its resources,
strengthening its partnerships and focusing on effective long-term
financial management, the Trust can fulfill its unique and
challenging statutory goals." Among the Panel's recommendations
are that the Presidio Trust:
" adopt a comprehensive
long-term financial plan for implementing its vision for the
Presidio that includes targets for the desired mix and level
of park services and philanthropic funding goals to help attain
them
" develop program regulations to use its loan guarantee
authority for rehabilitation projects
" establish and maintain a contingency reserve sufficient
to meet the potential adverse effects from the major challenges
and financial risks on the horizon
The National Academy of Public Administration
is a congressionally chartered non-profit, non-partisan corporation
that advises government leaders on management and governance
issues. In addition to Pisano, Panel members include Robert
C. Bobb, Deputy Mayor and City Administrator of the District
of Columbia; Alan L. Dean, Consultant; Royce Hanson, Research
Professor, Institute of Public Policy, George Washington University;
and William G. Hamm, Managing Director, LECG.
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