MISSION STATEMENT
The primary mission of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission is to educate today's public about the life, lessons and legacy of Will Rogers and to perpetuate him as a powerful role model and example for future generations. The Will Rogers Memorial at Claremore, Oklahoma and the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch on Oologah Lake a few miles north of Tulsa are media for major educational functions as sites for scholarly inquiry and for disseminating vital information about Will Rogers, his philosophy, times and roles in history.
The secondary mission of the Commission is to enrich the unique museums maintained by the Commission to world class standards necessary to become international tourist destinations.
THE COMMISSION
The Will Rogers Memorial Commission consists of seven members. At least one member must be one of the surviving children of Will Rogers, so long as the children are alive. The appointment of the surviving child is not subject to Senate confirmation. If the surviving children cannot serve, or choose not to serve, they may choose a designee to represent them, who is not subject to Senate confirmation. If there are no surviving children, the Governor is to appoint the member, subject to Senate confirmation. The remaining six members are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term of office is six years.
DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
The Will Rogers Memorial Commission is responsible for maintaining the Will Rogers Memorial and Will Rogers' birthplace.
The Commission is also charged with protecting and preserving the name of "Will Rogers," his photographic likeness, and all written material in the possession of the Commission, whether authored by Will Rogers or written about him. This charge includes all materials on which the Will Rogers Memorial Commission holds or may hold the legal copyright, including writings, manuscripts, books, notes, papers, films and tapes.
The Commission is authorized to maintain a comprehensive research library, for the purpose of creating, preserving and maintaining a research center for all of the Will Rogers material in its custody.
STATUTORY REFERENCES
Statutory Reference: Title 53, Sections 41 through 47.7 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA / SERVICES PROVIDED
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95 Criteria / Service: Actual Actual Budgeted Number of Visitors 400,000 400,000 400,000 Hours of Operation: Memorial 3,267 3,267 3,285 Birthplace 3,267 3,267 3,285
EXPENDITURES BY FUND
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Type of Fund: Actual Actual Budgeted
State Appropriated Funds $545,220 $486,099 $501,868
State Continuing / Revolving Funds:
200 Revolving 60,473 26,595 11,000
Federal Funds:
None 0 0 0
-------- -------- --------
Total Expenditures by Fund $605,693 $512,694 $512,868
Capital Outlay Expenditures:
Fund Number and Name:
State Appropriated Funds $55,380 $691,153 $239,922
200 Revolving Fund 0 0 0
------- -------- --------
Total Capital Outlay Expenditures $55,380 $691,153 $239,922
EXPENDITURES BY OBJECT
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Object of Expenditure Actual Actual Budgeted
Salaries and Benefits $463,115 $361,813 $376,842
Professional Services 1,596 1,459 1,400
Travel 163 58 0
Lease-Purchase Expenditures 55 300 0
Equipment 1,382 6,517 12,000
Other Operating Expenses 139,382 142,547 122,626
-------- -------- --------
Total Expenditures by Object $605,693 $512,694 $512,868
EXPENDITURES BY BUDGET ACTIVITY / SUB-ACTIVITY
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Activity No. and Name Actual Actual Budgeted
10 General Operations $605,693 $512,694 $512,868
88 Data Processing 0 0 0
-------- -------- --------
Total Expenditures by Activity $605,693 $512,694 $512,868
FULL-TIME-EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES (FTE) and VEHICLES
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Activity No. and Name Actual Actual Budgeted
10 General Operations 15.3 12.1 13.0
88 Data Processing 0.0 0.0 0.0
---- ---- ----
Total FTE 15.3 12.1 13.0
Number of Vehicles 3 3 3
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE / REVIEW
Will Rogers, born near Claremore, Oklahoma, was first known for his roping skills with a lariat. Later, he became better known for his wit and wisdom. He traveled around the world three times; and advised kings, presidents, governors and lawmakers. He wrote more than 4,000 syndicated columns, and more than two million words in books and magazine articles. He was top-billed in vaudeville and Broadway, and starred in 71 movies, both silent and "talkies". An inveterate aircraft enthusiast, he was killed in 1935 in a plane crash in Alaska Territory. The land which he purchased in 1911 in Claremore as the place where he would build his retirement home became the Will Rogers Memorial, which was dedicated in 1938.
For FY-91, the agency received funds to hire an executive secretary ($22,882) and two half-time tour guides ($10,758), as well as funds to publish promotional materials for the Memorial and Birthplace ($16,306).
The agency received a supplemental appropriation in FY-91, to be used to make much-needed repairs and perform maintenance chores at the museum. With only $200,000, the agency repaired the leaking roofs of the museum, lodge and birthplace ranch house; sealed and waterproofed the rock walls and walkways of the museum site; made repairs and improvements to the burial vault; relocated the "Riding into the Sunset" statue out of the parking lot to a safer area on the grounds of the museum; altered the main entryway into the museum to work toward federally mandated handicapped access; remodeled the theatre, including replacing the sound system with modern equipment; moved the gift shop to a more appropriate area; launched remodeling of the former gift shop area to create a "Children's Theatre", which is planned to provide exhibits suitable to children; and made several other improvements.
For FY-92, the agency received $6,500 to pay property insurance premiums to the state risk management program.
The agency received funds for the statewide pay plans in FY-89, FY-90, FY-91 and FY-92 as well as adjustments for other statewide programs relating to adjustments to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System and the state employee health insurance plan.
Of the possible salary increases for FY-93, employees of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission received only the one step mandatory salary increase.
In FY-93, the agency received $1.3 million from the education bond issue for capital improvements. These funds were combined with matching private donations to provide for the modernization, enrichment and expansion project at Claremore and Oolagah. It included an 1879 living history ranch at the Will Rogers Birthplace, a new environmental system at the Memorial, a children's museum partially completed, and other exhibition capital improvements and necessary major maintenance at the Memorial.
With the bond funds, the Memorial also acquired the painting "Dog Iron", by Wayne Cooper, a nine by six foot oil painting on canvas of Will Rogers herding horses at the Dog Iron Ranch. In addition, bond funds were used to provide a match for a grant from the Sarkeys Foundation for research, writing, editing and republication of Will Rogers' writings by the University of Oklahoma Press. "Volume I, The Wanderlust Years: 1879-1904" will be published in the spring of 1995 and has already received very high marks from distinguished scholars and jurors of the manuscript. A total of six volumes has been forecast by the editor, and Volume II is expected to be submitted to the University of Oklahoma Press in the spring, 1995. The result of this project will be an important piece of intellectual capital for years to come.
While the Will Rogers Memorial Commission received bond funds to make major capital improvements in 1993, the agency's FY-94 operating appropriation was cut by 10% from the FY-93 operating appropriation, as a result of FY-94 revenue projections being insufficient to cover commitments previously made for other statewide programs, such as education reform (HB 1017).
In FY-95, an across-the-board employee pay plan was funded for 9 months at $800 for each state employee (prorated for 9 months).