Collection is open to research.
There are no restrictions.
Records of the Executive Office of Governor Mark R. Warner, 2001-2006, [cite specific accession used], State Records Collection, Library of Virginia
Office of the Governor, Patrick Henry Building, 1111 E. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, accession 42621-42625 and 42627 transferred on 7 April 2006.
The Executive Office is a division of the Office of the Governor in the Executive Branch of Virginia state government. Members of the Executive Office include the Governor and Chief of Staff and their assistants. The Executive Office during Governor Mark R. Warner's administration (2002-2006) was responsible for the Governor's Weekly Status Reports, Cabinet Meeting Journals, and budget materials. On 10 December 2001, Governor-elect Warner, chose William H. Leighty, then director of the Virginia Retirement System, to serve as his Chief of Staff. In this position, Leighty duties included the administration of the state government planning budget process, administration of the state government personnel system, review (in the absence of the governor), major planning, budgetary, personnel, policy, and legislative matters, act as chief liaison officer with members of the General Assembly, and to act as Senior Executive Assistant (Warner Executive Order 3, 12 January 2002).
The Governor Mark R. Warner, Executive Office, Records are housed in 24 boxes. The collection is arranged into four (4) series. Series have been designated for: I. Weekly Status Reports; II. Cabinet Meeting Journals; III. State Budget Files; and IV. Chief of Staff Files. These records include agreements, reports, correspondence, memorandums, budget documents, agendas, handouts, invitations, and speeches. This collection documents the issues and policy decisions of the Warner Administration (2002-2006) as well as the actions of Bill Leighty, Governor Warner's Chief of Staff.
This collection is arranged into the following series:
The Weekly Status Reports series is housed in 9 boxes, arranged chronologically and contains the weekly reports submitted to the Governor and Chief of Staff by the Governor's Cabinet, including the Secretaries of Administration (Sandra D. Bowen), Agriculture and Forestry (Robert S. Bloxom, 2004-2006), Commerce and Trade (Michael Schewel), Education (Belle S. Wheelan, 2002-2005 and Peter Blake, 2005-2006), Finance (John M. Bennett), Health and Human Resources (Jane H. Woods), Natural Resources (W. Tayloe Murphy, Jr.), Public Safety (John W. Marshall), Technology (George C. Newstrom, 2002-2004 and Eugene J. Huang, 2004-2006), and Transportation (Whitt Clement, 2002-2005 and Homer Pierce (2005-2006). Also included are reports by the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness (John Hager, 2002-2004 and George Foresman, 2004-2006) and the Office of Constituent Services (Rita R. Henderson, 2002-2004, Dietra Y. Trent, 2004-2005 and Margaret K. Hughson, 2005-2006). Reports were submitted each Thursday and placed in a binder for the Governor that he took with him at the end of the day on Friday. A second copy of the report was made for the Chief of Staff. The level of detail varied for each cabinet officer and items of importance were highlighted by staff for the Governor. Each report contains information on legislation, Governor's initiatives/special projects, agency matters/operations, events/agency visits, audits/investigations/compliance, stakeholder issues and pending decisions. Not all reports are extant and the first report does not begin until 21 March 2002. This series provides a weekly account of the issues and policy decisions of the Warner Administration.
Notable topics and issues include: anti-gang initiative, avian flu outbreak in the Shenandoah Valley, Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC), Budget Reduction Plans (2002), Capitol Square and Capitol Building renovations, Civil Rights Memorial, Drought (2002), Dulles Corridor Rail Project, 8th and 9th Street Office Buildings, Education for a Lifetime, eVa, Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), Higher Education Initiatives, Hurricane Isabel, I-81/PPTA, IT Transformation and creation of VITA, K-12 Initiatives, Library of Virginia maintenance issues, minority procurement and SWAM (Small, Women and Minority) business, Motorsports Initiative, Old City Hall in Richmond, Governor's Partnership for Achieving School Success (PASS), Race to GED, Tax Reform (2004), and Veterans Issues.
The Cabinet Meeting Journals series is housed in 4 boxes and is arranged chronologically. The Cabinet Meeting Journals were maintained by Governor Warner's Chief of Staff, Bill Leighty and were kept in a binder by quarter. The Journals contain meeting agendas and presentation handouts of a variety of topics of current interest. Typically, the handouts included in the binder are from invited presenters to Cabinet meetings.
Notable topics and items include: Drought Task Force Update (17 June 2002, 26 August 2002, 16 September 2002, 23 September 2002, 30 September 2002, 7 October 2002, 21 October 2002, 4 November 2002, and 2 December 2002); Implementing the Governor's Technology Strategic Plan (26 August 2002); King William Reservoir Briefing (23 September 2002); Preliminary Budget Outlook for the Rest of this Biennium (22 July 2002); Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness, Working Report (16 December 2002); State of the Commonwealth Address, Draft, Version 3 (6 January 2003); SARS Update (28 April 2003); Preliminary Budget Outlook, 2004-2006 (16 June 2003); SWAM (25 July 2005); Chief Accomplishments List (19 September 2005 and 17 October 2005); Hurricane Katrina (19 September 2005).
The State Budget Files series is housed in 7 boxes and is arranged into two subseries. Subseries have been designated for Impact of the Tax Reform Plan and the 2004-2006 Budget on Localities and Miscellaneous State Budget Files.
This subseries is housed in 6 boxes and is divided into two sections: alphabetical by member and alphabetical by locality. This is the larger of the two subseries and contains a comprehensive breakdown of the benefits of Governor Warner's 2004 Tax Reform Plan by House and Senate District and locality. Features include: changes in the standard deductions, rates and brackets, filing threshold and age deduction. Other features included an increase in the sales tax and state cigarette tax, and a reduction in the sales tax on food. The Locality breakdown includes a profile of residents and income tax returns for each locality in 2001.
This subseries is housed in one box and is arranged chronologically. The subseries contains budget documents but also several overviews of the Governor's emergency management responsibilities. Files include: Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities of the Governor of Virginia presented to Governor Mark R. Warner, January 2002; Public Safety Response to Terrorism, January 2002; One Virginia, One Future, Governor Warner's Economic Development Strategic Plan, Steering Committee Materials, Fall 2002; Draft - Report of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Biennial Report on the Economic Growth and Stability in Virginia's Urban Areas, 2002-2003; Department of Corrections Report of Findings Facility Condition Assessments 2003 Acts of Assembly, Item 408.D.1, 1 September 2003; Governor's Management Objectives, August 2004; and Jobs for Virginia, August 2004.
Series consists of the general files of Bill Leighty, Chief of Staff for Governor Mark R. Warner. The files are divided into two subseries. Subseries have been designated for Agency Executive Agreements and Correspondence. (4 boxes)
This subseries is housed in one box and is arranged alphabetically by cabinet secretary with state agencies filed therein. The Cabinet Secretary/Agency Head Executive Agreement was an agreement and partnership between Governor Mark R. Warner, cabinet secretaries and agency heads. It represented the commitment of agency leadership to assist the Governor in achieving his priorities and the Governor's commitment to support agency leadership in carrying out this agreement. Each agreement contains four parts: statement of purpose; a list of priorities, results, performance measures and action plan; statement of commitments; and signatures of agency head, cabinet secretary and Governor Warner. Nearly all of the agreements were signed in the summer of 2002.
This subseries is housed in three boxes. Correspondence (letters of recommendation, resignations, resignations, notes, thank you notes, invitations, and condolence letters) are arranged chronologically followed by miscellaneous materials and speeches. The Chief of Staff correspondence consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence, primarily to/from William H. Leighty. The majority of correspondence are requests for letters of recommendation, appointments and resignation. Notable letters include: Ray D. Pethel, appointed Interim Transportation Commissioner, 24 January 2002; Thomas J. Towberman, resignation as Commissioner of Virginia Employment Commission, 20 February 2002; Ron Angelone, not reappointed as Director, Department of Corrections, 28 August 2002; Jane N. Kusiak, resignation as Director of Policy, 13 September 2002; Cameron P. Quinn, not reappointed as Secretary, State Board of Elections, 13 January 2003; and Charles Macfarlane, resignation as Director, Department of Aviation, 2 June 2004.
Other correspondence include: congratulatory notes to Leighty on his appointment as Warner's Chief of Staff (Jerry Kilgore, 17 December 2001; Gerald L. Baliles, 17 January 2002; Eric Cantor, 5 March 2002; and Jay Timmons, 15 March 2002) and on his re-appointment as Tim Kaine's Chief of Staff (1 December 2005); condolence letters from Governor Warner to family members of Virginians killed in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2004, 2005 and 2006); letter from Governor Warner to Anthony Principi, Chairman, Base Realignment and Closure Commission, in support of Oceana Naval Air Station in Norfolk (4 August 2005); and memorandum to Leighty from Bob P. Crouch, Jr., Deputy Secretary of Public Safety, with proposed design for Governor's Virginia National Guard National Service Medal (11 February 2005).