OBC Gets Deed

Outer Banks Conservationists Are Given the Deed to Currituck Lighthouse
By Sandy Semans, Outer Banks Sentinel Staff
Reprnted with permission

October 2003

At approximately 3:42 p.m. Friday, Currituck Register of Deeds Charlene Dowdy performed her official duty and recorded the deed transfer of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse from the federal government to the Outer Banks Conservationists. Standing before Dowdy as she took the appropriate steps were Conservationists founder John Wilson and the chairman of the nonprofit's board of directors, Bill Parker.

"We went to Atlanta last night to get the deed because we got word that Congressman Jones was trying to throw another monkey wrench in the legislative process," said Parker. "The latest is that he is getting Homeland Security to investigate the U.S. Coast Guard's audit of OBC, and the nonprofit is going to have to pay for a whole new government-type audit. There's no telling what it's costing the taxpayers with Homeland Security involved."

Following an application process and a subsequent appeal of the decision, the OBC was chosen by the Department of Interior to receive the property July 30, 2003.

The transfer, which has been held up by a long list of Rep. Walter Jones' maneuvers involving a number of federal agencies, was finally accomplished, in part, by the intercession of Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who, little more than a week ago, demanded that the General Services Administration explain why the agency had not transferred the deed when told to do so by the Department of Interior.
Jones had enlisted the help of Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, to block the transfer by asking the Inspector General of the Homeland Security to investigate the Coast Guard's previous license compliance review -- also demanded by Jones -- which included steps similar to those found in audits. The Coast Guard, which had leased the lighthouse to the Conservationists -- found no wrongdoing on the part of OBC. Davis also announced that there would be a House committee hearing on the issue.
Waxman, the minority chairman on the committee, insisted, in writing, that GSA state where they were drawing their authority to refuse to make the transfer.

Upon learning that the deed was finally transferred Friday, Waxman said, "I am very pleased that the Currituck Beach Lighthouse has been awarded to the best steward, the Outer Bank Conservationists, and that the statutory process established by the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act was followed." However, a last-minute stipulation added to the conveyance of the lighthouse may mean financial woes for this and other lighthouses being disposed of by the Coast Guard under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. The nonprofit must pay for a complete audit and turn over all monies collected and not spent at the date of the conveyance. For the Currituck Beach Lighthouse this has already meant that the Conservationists, Friday, placed about $180,000 in escrow pending the outcome of the audit. Most of those funds had been previously encumbered for future work on the lighthouse which has now been cancelled until the audit is complete. It is unclear what this means to those who have already accepted conveyance of other lighthouses or how it will affect those to be transferred in the future.

"Of course I'm very pleased that OBC will continue to be the long-term steward of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse," said Parker. "I'm only discouraged to learn that Congressman Walter Jones may be successful in getting Homeland Security to take this year's admission money that we had set aside for lighthouse restoration with the lighthouse closed this winter. Jones has already caused the money to be taken out of the OBC account."

Cullen Chambers, a lighthouse preservationist and director of the Tybee Island Lighthouse in Georgia said he too is discouraged and angry by the move. "Any responsible steward of a lighthouse property will have a realistic revenue stream that will generate enough funds to not only provide for day-to-day operations but set aside significant funds to use for major maintenance and restoration needs," said Chambers. "The actions taken by Mr. Jones now put at risk funds that were set aside by groups who have a well-thought-out long-range plan for major future work, and will force those stewards to start from scratch to build up the reserve funds required for projects that often cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions.

"As I have stated in previous letters, Mr. Jones' actions have endangered all lighthouse transfers and have an adverse effect on every lighthouse group. There will be fewer groups willing to take on the enormous challenge that these projects present since Rep. Jones has destroyed a very fair and cost-effective transfer process to suit his own agenda.

"I urge congressmen in lighthouse-holding states, as well as those who understand how important volunteer non-profit groups are to ou
r nation, to hold a full investigation of Mr. Jones and publicly investigate his actions. He needs to state publicly what has brought about this personal and political vendetta as it has a negative effect on far more than just the Outer Banks of North Carolina."

Sandy Semans can be reached at 252/ 480-2234 or sandy@obsentinel.com