Document 913GRKXnww4R3BwdzXNQbO3V5

BOATMEN'S NATIONAL BANK MARKET STREET (LBP3612) NT LOUIS , MO 63101 4 466.79S8 X 314 466.5645 June 7, 1996 Ms. JoBeth G. Brown Vice President and Secretary Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. One Busch Place St. Louis, MO 63118-1852 Jackie Joyner-Kersee YOUTH CENTER FOUNDATION Dear JoBeth: The purpose of my letter is to update your file in several respects plus provide some preliminary reaction to the assessment provided by the consultants. I am pleased both by the positive and enthusiastic tone of their report and the promptness with which it was submitted. Each member of our board has been given a copy, and it will be a primary topic of discussion at our next meeting. Before responding to their report, I will first itemize the enclosures that will update your file. A preliminary run ofthe brochure was produced despite the fact that we have not yet assembled the full board. Once this task is completed, a larger, final run will be made. The Torch Run was an exciting, well-attended event and Jackie was prominently featured; the Post-Dispatch did a good job of capturing her announcement. Finally, the enclosed revisions of our Fundraising Plan and Operating Budget were provided to Roger Fritz and Lynn Courier before they prepared their report, so you need this updated information for your file as well. With regard to their overall recommendation, I must say that we are pleased that the consultants endorsed a $1 million investment in youth; however, their recommended 50/50 split between construction and program development is troubling. I believe this decision should be held in abeyance until you and we have been able to measure the success of our media campaigns in gamering grassroots support. We are quite open to evaluating pilot programs, but not if lack of funding would delay construction ofthe facility; likewise, $500,000 for programming may upon evaluation turn out to be an excessive amount in relation to other needs. 4 Their suggestion that 3-5 board members be added to increase expertise and advocacy for youth development, cultural and educational programming is consistent with our goals and the governance outhne previously submitted. As you know, we are trying to build i DSW 137081 STLCOPCB4037039 BOATMEN S NATIONAL BANK '.MARKET STREET (LBP3612) !NT LOUIS , MO 63101 1 4 4 6 6.7 9 8 8 X 314 466.5645 Ms. JoBeth Brown June 7, 1996 Page 2 Jackie Joyner-Kerse YOUTH CENTER FOUNDATION with experienced persons who are willing to work actively on a volunteer basis. We are certainly open to suggestions from both you and the consultants on suitable candidates. Allow me to reiterate my invitation for active involvement on our board by representative(s) designated by Anheuser-Busch to help provide leadership in this area plus serve as a Trustee. At our next board meeting I will recommend a task force to consider operational programming that can be developed specifically in relation to the needs ofEast St. Louis and its surrounding communities. This task force can accomplish its work during the balance of `96 in parallel with the fundraising campaign. Our board has always believed that decisions on design should follow further study as well as input from our reconstituted board and major contributors. Incidentally, the bullet points listed on pages 2 and 3 to define attributes of quality programming are totally consistent with the goals of our board; perhaps we have just not done a good job of communicating as our thoughts were put down on paper. Regarding transportation, the thought that a transportation network should be provided is a good one, but I believe it is unrealistic to think that such can be provided in the early years within the constraints of an achievable revenue budget. In closing, I would like to provide a couple of corrections and clarifications. The consultants questioned $25,000 as being too optimistic a figure for membership fees, noting that the $25,000 figure was based on 10,000 youth paying $25 each. Actually this combination of youth and dollars would result in $250,000, which we agree is wholly unachievable. Our modest figure was based on the assumption that ofthe 10,000-12,000 potential youth to be served, approximately 20% would be able to afford $1 per month. Secondly, our budget clearly identifies that the Greater East Sf Louis Community Fund role is "seed money." Our request calls for $600,000 to be placed in escrow in `96 and `97 to assure availabilit^iluring'tHj Youth Center's first three years of operation. Followingphase-out DSW 137082 STLCOPCB4037040 Ms. JoBeth Brown June 7, 1996 Page 3 Jackie Joyner-Kersee YOUTH CENTER FOUNDATION from this source, increased contributions from United Way (based on successful operations) plus solicitation of other foundation sources are expected to provide replacement funding. Finally, Development Strategies' fear that Illinois legislation could become entangled in local/state political relations is now behind us. The Illinois legislature did approve enabling legislation in late May and we understand the bill was signed by the Governor on May 24 (a copy is enclosed). We are finalizing our purchase agreement with the East St. Louis Park District during June and are preparing to announce selection of this site in accordance with the Fundraising Plan. I would very much appreciate a chance to meet with you in person sometime during the next two weeks to answer any further questions and discuss the many points of progress that have been achieved but are difficult to recount in writing. Please let me hear from you ifthere is a convenient time for such a meeting. Sincerely, /vlt Enclosure BOATMEN'S NATIONAL BANK MARKET STREET (LBP3612) N'T LOUIS , MO 63101 4 4 6 6.7 9 8 8 X 314 466.5645 STLCOPCB4037041