Virginia Law

Article 4. Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

A. The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (the Foundation) is established as an educational institution to administer certain historical museums and such related programs as may be established by the board of trustees.

B. The Foundation shall be administered by a board of trustees (the board). There shall be 12 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor from the Commonwealth at large for four-year terms, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly; eight members of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the rules of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; four members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; five members annually elected by the board, some of whom may be nonresidents of the Commonwealth; and any chairman emeritus elected by the board pursuant to § 23.1-3207. The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, either the Chairman or the Chairman Emeritus of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, to be determined by the Senate Committee on Rules, the Secretary of Education, and the president of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc., shall serve ex officio.

Legislative and ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

C. The board shall elect a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other officers as it deems necessary. The chairman shall appoint at least seven members to constitute an executive committee, which shall include the chairman and vice-chairman. The meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

D. Nonresident members of the board shall serve at no expense to the Commonwealth. Members who are residents of the Commonwealth shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825 and shall receive compensation at the per diem rate established for members of the General Assembly as provided in § 30-19.12. The funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Foundation.

1998, cc. 589, 786, § 23-287; 2000, cc. 104, 125; 2003, c. 879; 2005, c. 758; 2013, c. 480; 2016, c. 588.

The board shall:

1. Do all things necessary and proper to (i) foster through its living-history museums, Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, an awareness and understanding of the early history, settlement, and development of the United States through the convergence of American Indian, European, and African cultures and the enduring legacies bequeathed to the nation; (ii) commemorate Jamestown as the first permanent English-speaking settlement in the United States and its contributions to the building of the Commonwealth and the nation; (iii) commemorate the winning of American independence on the battlefield at Yorktown; and (iv) enhance our understanding of the making of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, including the Commonwealth's role in shaping the fundamental principles of the American constitutional system;

2. Administer, develop, and maintain at Jamestown and Yorktown permanent commemorative shrines and historical museums;

3. Adopt names, flags, seals, and other emblems for use in connection with such shrines and copyright the same in the name of the Commonwealth;

4. Enter into contracts to further the purposes of the Foundation, including contracts for the use and rental of agency facilities, structures, spaces, and personal property under the control of the Foundation;

5. Establish nonprofit corporations as instrumentalities to assist in administering the affairs of the Foundation;

6. With the consent of the Governor, acquire by purchase, lease, gift, devise, or condemnation proceedings lands, property, and structures deemed necessary for the purposes of the Foundation. The title to such acquired land and property shall be in the name of the Commonwealth. In the exercise of the power of eminent domain granted under this section, the Foundation may proceed in the manner provided by Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1;

7. With the consent of the Governor, convey by lease land to any person, association, firm, or corporation for such terms and on such conditions as the Foundation may determine;

8. Receive and expend gifts, grants, and donations from whatever source derived for the purposes of the Foundation;

9. Employ an executive director and such deputies and assistants as may be required;

10. Elect any past chairman of the board to the honorary position of chairman emeritus. Chairmen emeriti shall serve as honorary members for life. Chairmen emeriti shall be elected in addition to the at-large positions defined in § 23.1-3206;

11. With the consent of the Governor, enter into agreements or contracts with private entities for the promotion of tourism through marketing without participating in competitive sealed bidding or competitive negotiation, provided that a demonstrable cost savings, as reviewed by the Secretary of Education, can be realized by the Foundation and such agreements or contracts are based on competitive principles;

12. Determine which paintings, statuary, works of art, manuscripts, and artifacts shall be acquired by purchase, gift, or loan and exchange or sell such items if not inconsistent with the terms of such purchase, gift, loan, or other acquisition; and

13. Change the form of investment of any funds, securities, or other property, real or personal, provided the form is not inconsistent with the terms of the instrument under which the property was acquired, and sell, grant, or convey any such property, except that any transfers of real property shall be made only with the consent of the Governor.

1998, cc. 222, 589, 786, 791, § 23-288; 2000, c. 109; 2003, cc. 879, 940; 2011, cc. 345, 356; 2016, c. 588; 2017, cc. 230, 310; 2018, c. 137.

A. The board or its executive committee may adopt regulations concerning the use and visitation of properties under the control of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation to protect and secure such properties and the public enjoyment of such properties.

B. Any person who knowingly violates a regulation of the Foundation may be requested by an agent or employee of the Foundation to leave the property and upon the failure of such person to do so is guilty of trespass as provided in § 18.2-119.

1998, c. 786, § 23-289; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 314.

The Foundation, acting by and through the corporation authorized by § 23.1-3207, may contract debts and obligations to the extent of its anticipated revenues. Such debts and obligations shall be paid only from the revenues of the Foundation.

1998, c. 786, § 23-290; 2016, c. 588.