The Mountain View Museum coordinator was terminated in December, due to a funding shortfall.
“When the Olds Historical Society could not meet its financial obligations, and the Olds Institute cut out its $22,000 heritage fund, the only organization that was paying a third of the salary of the coordinator was Uptowne Olds,” said Rita Thompson, secretary-treasurer of Uptowne Olds.
“Unfortunately, because the rest of the money was unavailable, they had to let Anne Lindsay go.”
Minutes from the Olds Institute Dec. 20 meeting reveal that that the society, which operates the museum, had a funding shortfall of $3,000 and could therefore not pay its share of the coordinator's salary. Lindsay left before Christmas after working for the museum and Uptowne Olds for less than seven months.
The Town of Olds offered to cover the shortfall, CAO Norm McInnis said.
“At the end of the year, we did advance a grant or a loan of $3,000, we are not sure of the terms of it at this point in time, to the museum to finish out the fiscal year of 2011,” McInnis said.
According to the Dec. 20 Olds Institute minutes, Olds Historical Society chair Donna Erdman “stated that the society was out of money. Donna made a passionate plea to help keep the doors open, make sure that there are places for people to come and look at the history.”
When contacted, Anne Lindsay and Donna Erdman both declined to comment.
For the coming year, the museum's financial situation appears to be improving.
Town council has already pledged to help the museum, by increasing the museum repairs and maintenance budget by $25,000, on top of continuing to let the museum occupy the building without paying for rent and utilities.
“There is some flexibility in how we are prepared to see that money used by the museum society,” said McInnis.
The museum will also be entitled to a share of the money generated by last fall's eight per cent gas franchise fee increase, which is expected to generate a total of $26,000.
McInnis said he did not believe that the cancelled Olds Institute $22,000 heritage fund is at the root of the society's problem.
“If you are asking whether that $22,000 is the reason that they found themselves in a situation where they had to re-focus, I do not think that is the case,” said McInnis.
“The museum needs people. I think they need to revitalize the board and revitalize its vision.”
McInnis said the Olds Historical Society has some work to do before it gets back on his feet.
“When Anne first came here, that was certainly my hope that she would do a business plan and concentrate a little bit more on the museum itself, as opposed to the former manager, Michael (Dougherty), who was really focused on the Uptowne Olds partnership and did a great job with it.”
McInnis added that once the board does its work and comes forward with a business plan, town council will be receptive to hear what its needs are.
