Some suggest feds take over financialy troubled WWI memorial in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Some city leaders, including the mayor, are suggesting that the city hand over financially troubled Liberty Memorial, the nation's World War I monument, to the federal government.

"I would be thrilled to have the federal government take over Liberty Memorial, add it to the national park system," Mayor Mark Funkhouser said.

But others say the memorial, which opened the National World War I Museum about a year ago, just needs more time to solve its money problems.

Kansas City has long supported the Liberty Memorial, going back to 1919, when residents raised more than $2 million in just 10 days to build it.

In 1998, voters passed an 18-month, half-cent sales tax to raise $45 million to restore the monument. And in 2004 voters approved $20 million in bonds to help create the National World War I Museum beneath the tower.

"I'd like to keep it," said Mark McHenry, director of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, which oversaw the restoration and the opening of the museum.

This year, memorial officials are seeking $620,000 from the city, mostly for more staff and security. That would be on top of the $625,000 annual subsidy included in the contract with the private Liberty Memorial Association to manage the monument and museum.

In its first full year of operation, the museum raised more than $1 million in revenue and attracted more than 167,000 paying visitors. The memorial is advertising for a development director to help expands its fundraising efforts.

The memorial's funding request comes at a time when the city is facing its own serious budget shortfall, which may require deep cuts in programs and employees.

"If this is going to be a national museum," Funkhouser said, "we're proud to have it here. But we can't afford it by ourselves. We're one little municipality. We'd be happy to make a gift to the nation."

Congress would have to approve the transfer of Liberty Memorial to the National Park Service, which also has budget problems.

Brian Alexander, executive director of the Liberty Memorial Association, said he thinks it's too soon to consider giving the monument to the federal agency.

"We've had only one year with the (new museum), and we've had a successful year," Alexander said. "We want to keep that momentum going and keep growing."

And Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who asked for federal help when he was Kansas City mayor in 1995 when the monument was falling apart, said he was not optimistic that the federal government would be interested in acquiring the memorial.

"It's not going anywhere," Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, predicted of the idea.

Liberty Memorial was named a national historic landmark in 2006, which means it has undergone the historical review necessary for National Park Service acquisition.

But because the memorial is Kansas City park property, voters would have to approve any transfer of ownership. Also, the Liberty Memorial Association owns all of the artifacts within the World War I museum, so the group's board of governors would have to approve anything involving those items.

City Manager Wayne Cauthen suggested that Liberty Memorial could have some kind of association with the National Park Service that did not involve a complete takeover.

Both McHenry, the city parks director, and Liberty Memorial Association Chairman Tim Kristl said they would be open to some sort of an arrangement with the federal government.

"We're all about partnerships," McHenry said. "There's nothing wrong with being roommates with the feds."

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On the Net:

http://www.libertymemorialmuseum.org/

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com