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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 9, 2004

Arizona Legislature Supports AHAC Efforts to Help Plan Centennial

PHOENIX - House Speaker Jake Flake and Senate President Ken Bennett today express their support for dedicated Centennial planning work being performed by interested citizens and the Arizona State Library and Archives. With this historic event coming in 2012, the legislative leaders also announce their support for the expansion of the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission to further facilitate its efforts to coordinate Centennial planning throughout Arizona.

Speaker Flake said, "The Centennial will be an unmatched opportunity to display to the rest of the country and the world the wonders of Arizona and its amazing heritage. This will be our time to shine in the spotlight, and we must do what we can to make the marking of this historic event equal the greatness of the place we are celebrating." Speaker Flake added, "Making the most of the chance to continue to boost the perception of Arizona and to raise Arizona's prominence in the world is something we all should agree upon. I look forward to continue working with the Governor on this extremely worthy effort."

President Bennett said, "A coordinated statewide planning approach is important to ensure that Arizona's Centennial celebration reflects the diversity, traditions and bright future of our unique state. I support the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission to function as the coordinating hub for the Centennial planning effort."

The Arizona Historical Advisory Commission includes as statutory members the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, the Arizona Historical Society, the Arizona State Museum, Arizona State Parks and the State Historic Preservation Office. The Commission operates under the auspices of the Arizona State Library, a bipartisan Legislative agency.

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August 25, 2004

Excerpt taken from the August 25, 2004, Library Board Meeting

GladysAnn Wells, Director, Arizona Library, Archive and Public Records:
You know about our concern for the Centennial. Although I've talked to you a little bit about this, there are letters in your packet, the most recent one being from Richard Sims who couldn't be with us today (Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott Historical Society). We all got together in the end of May to talk about the Centennial, those of us who are the state history and heritage institutions.

We started to really worry about how it was going to be planned. So, in your packet on page 132, you have a description of the Centennial process in yellow and on page 132 is the draft legislation. On page 135 are the various letters from people, such as Dr. Anne Woosley of the Historical Society, Dr. Lidman who's here in the audience, Richard Sims, Hartman Lomawaima from the State Museum, Jim Garrison, the State Historic Preservation Officer, some others that, that I am missing at the moment.

But, as we talked, we realized that many of us are members of the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission. This is a commission that's under our auspices and that a previous Board had asked us to take a very hard look at because there have been changes over the years that have not been reflected in changes of statute. It was set up primarily as a sort of a preservation board but it's received the responsibility of input during reforming social studies curriculum, for approving all historical texts used in Wesley Bolin Plaza and, more recently, doing the agricultural heritage district decisions for designations.

So we think with this language that's in the proposed bill, we could both provide for coordinating a group for the Centennial [pointing] and that wonderful map was given to me by Mr. Driggs now stretches from Papago Park which we all know very well and goes all the way to the Capitol. And, what Dr. Woosley pointed out to me is that if you walk from Papago Park to the Capitol, you hit a lot of historic monuments and historic buildings. So that's there to give you an idea of the scope of just in Phoenix what we could do. One of our main concerns, though, is that the Centennial be celebrated around the state, across the depth and breadth of the state by small institutions as well as big ones and that we come out of it with a legacy that informs and improves the teaching and the research of Arizona history.

Not that I have anything against parades and fireworks, but I think we could do better than that. So, we put forth this idea and, if you do approve it, I will be asking every one of you to help me find sponsors for this legislative session because I am happy to also note I received this message from the Governor's staff and she approves of this method for coordinating the Centennial. I was able to talk to her about it briefly and with her staff at some length. We are very happy, and that perhaps we have something we can all agree on!

Speaker Jake Flake:
Any questions of the Director? I'm just wondered if you could have, as a part of this, a little stronger emphasis on having a new Capitol bill by the year 2012, which is one of my dreams and aspirations and I'm not going to let that go but I guess we don't have to have a part of this motion.

Director Wells:
Mr. Chairman.

Speaker Flake:
Let it be known. Let it be known that I'm not going to give up on this match.

GladysAnn Wells:
If you let me build an archives building, I'll come back and help you build another Capitol.

Speaker Flake:
I am very serious about this and, and had the opportunity this past week to talk to the Department of the Speaker of the House in Utah where they are just moving out of their beautiful big Capitol that shows a lot more dignity than, not than more dignity than our old Capitol, but our old Capitol's simply a place for the archives and museum now.

And, and they are moved out of that into temporary quarters while they are remodeling their Capitol to make it more serviceable and I thought we ought to be building one, you know, somewhat like that and that's still my dream to have a Capitol that's designed after the beautiful architecture of this old Capitol that will meet the present needs where the Senate and the House work together in the same building instead of them and us. I, I will make it much more functional and I think it's something that should be done and dedicated in the year 2012. But, anyway, enough of that.

I was just -- that was just thrown in for free.

MOTION

Speaker Flake:
Mr. President.

Senate President Ken Bennett:
Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board endorse the development of legislation to revise the Arizona Historical Advisory Council to reflect current practices and legislative intent and to provide Centennial coordination and planning with the understanding that AHAC assist in the coordination of the Centennial between public and private entities; that it serve as a central state agency coordinating council for the Centennial and that, through the Library and Archives, receive and disburse funds.

Speaker Flake:
Do I hear a second to that motion?

Senator Mitchell:
Second.

Speaker Flake:
Are there any questions or, or discussions on the motion? I see none. Those in favor, say "Aye."

Board Members:
Aye.

Speaker Flake:
Opposed, nay. Ayes have it. So ordered.