What does the Cultural Resources Secretary do?

Leads cultural outreach and historical preservation programs around the state.

As head of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the governor-appointed secretary oversees the State Historic Preservation Office, the State Library, state museums of history and art and the State Archives.

Other divisions include the State Records Center, the Office of State Archeology, the Historical Publications Section, the N.C. Arts Council, the N.C. Symphony, seven state history museums and 27 historic sites.

It is one of 10 Cabinet-level positions in North Carolina.

The department typically has the smallest budget in the Cabinet. In 2007-08, its $82.1 million budget was $26 million less than the Department of Administration, the next smallest budget.

In 2008, the department of 706 employees. The secretary's salary was $117,142.

The Cultural Resources department was created in 1971 under the administration of Gov. Bob Scott, although its Offices of Archives and History dates to 1903.

North Carolina was the first state to raise an arts and culture department to Cabinet level. Six of the seven secretaries since the post was created have been women: Grace Rohrer, Sara Hodgkins, Patric Dorsey, Betty Ray McCain, Libba Evans and current Secretary Linda Carlisle.

Starting in May of 2008, Evans went on unpaid leave to attend to unspecified personal business and never returned. That led some legislators to suggest abolishing the department and putting some of its divisions under the responsibility of the Commerce secretary.

The department is outlined in general statutes under Article 2 of G.S. 143B.