MEMORANDUM

To: file

From: David P. Wartel

Assistant Director / Chief Operating Officer

Date: July 31, 2008

Subject: Payment to National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

The release of $2,000,000 for the reimbursement of construction costs at the

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (“NURFC”) was approved by the
Commission on 11/29/07 and by the Controlling Board on 04/14/2008.

NURFC had certain bank obligations that needed to be met by June 30, 2008
and submitted a reimbursement request (labeled invoice #C371H261608) dated
6/16/08; however, the invoice was not valid, in that legal agreements had not
been signed with NURFC. Legal agreements were expected to be signed before
June 30, 2008 which would enable the Commission to disburse funds.

Based on representations made by NURFC regarding the timing of the

completion of legal documents and their exceptional timing needs for the funds,
Commission staff processed a voucher for the $2,000,000 on June 20, 2008.
The vouchering on the invoice on the 20th was performed in order to ensure that
NURFC could receive their funds without delay caused due to the OAKS financial
system being shut down for fiscal year closing. The check was held securely in
escrow pending the completion of the legal agreements.

Due to delays between NURFC and their bank, legal agreements were not
returned to the Commission until July 28, 2008. The agreements were defective,
in that signatures were missing, and NURFC corrected these matters and re-
submitted on July 29, 2008.

Upon review of the NURFC-signed agreements, Executive Director Kathleen Fox

executed the agreements on July 29, 2008. Project Manager Tony Capaci, upon
his review of the materials, deemed the invoice to be valid and released the hold
on July 31, 2008. The $2,000,000 was sent to NURFC via traceable UPS
delivery on July 31, 2008, completing the transaction.

I:\nurfc request pdfs\S Drive Administrative Matters folders\NURFC re Payment 08-2008.doc