Northpinellas: Two members of museum board resign

SAFETY HARBOR -- Two members of the Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History board have abruptly resigned, saying they don't know what the executive director is getting paid to do.

Denise Mineo and Jeffrey Maricle said they don't think Betty Quibell earns her pay, which amounts to more than $31,000 a year. Maricle says Quibell has abused her position by setting her own salary and approving her overtime.

The surprise resignations Tuesday night followed the June 4 ouster of the board president, Carol Bryant, who had been sharply criticized by Quibell. In her first public comments since then, Bryant said Wednesday that she thinks Quibell is in it for the paycheck, not the love of the museum.

"We had to drag her to do anything for the museum," Bryant said. "Her job is not to be just sitting in front of a computer." Bryant also accuses Quibell of showing "an absolute refusal to cooperate and communicate with me."

Quibell denied any wrongdoing.

"I don't know how to combat inaccuracies," she said. "I think we're doing an adequate job with the limited resources we have."

A St. Petersburg Times review of the museum's finances shows evidence of trouble:

Through the month of May, the museum is $21,000 behind revenue projections.

Membership is down 65 percent from the 2001-2002 budget figures.

Corporate membership is 93 percent under budget.

Such problems, along with the growing rift on the museum's board, make for a sharp contrast to the town's serene image.

Safety Harbor, a scenic coastal town of just over 17,000 residents along Old Tampa Bay, seems to move at a slower pace than the rest of Pinellas. The two-room museum, which houses Indian artifacts and items from pioneer families, is a historical gem treasured by many locals.

And it deserves better, Maricle said.

"I've seen no change in the museum," he said and noted the exhibits had not been updated in years. "(Quibell) doesn't do marketing. She doesn't do fundraisers. There are only three grants she applies for. She doesn't do tours normally. She has someone to do that for her. I don't know what the h--- she does.

"And in actuality, we probably wouldn't even care if she broke even, but that's not the case."

Quibell said the shortfalls in membership represent unrealistic expectations of board members who altered the budget last year.

Because nothing was spent on exhibits and $3,500 budgeted for maintenance, supplies and a newsletter was not spent, the museum is operating at a $1,300 deficit, according to budget figures.

Quibell said she's able to attract exhibits loaned from other Florida historians for free. The museum recently received the county's highest marks from the Pinellas County Arts Council, the arts council said.

"I take my cues from the evaluation. My feedback comes from the professionals," Quibell said. "Not the people who hold a grudge."

Maricle, an accountant, has been on the board since May. He did not attend Tuesday's meeting and called the museum's business practices a sham.

"They threw around numbers like nothing," said Maricle of the May budget meeting. "They were $10,000 short. So they added $10,000 to what they presumed the city would give them."

The museum, which houses two permanent collections and a rotating exhibit, Quibell said, has asked the city for $40,000. Last year, it received $30,000.

The museum board in July will go before the City Commission to present its request. Board members said they expect a fight.

In May, the museum spent roughly $5,600 -- $5,400 of that for salaries of the museum's two employees, Quibell and her assistant, Amanda Edenfield.

Mineo, reading her resignation letter to the board Tuesday night, said the museum does not need two full-time employees.

"I question what Betty (Quibell) does each and every day as executive director," Mineo said.

Maricle pointed out that the museum is open only 24 hours a week. Plus, the museum closes for the entire month of July.

Quibell said she prepares quarterly reports for the state, as well as keeping the financial and administrative matters in check. During July, the museum undertakes a massive cleaning and the exhibits are restructured, she said.

"I don't feel like we're goofing off a whole lot," said Quibell, who added that a state review suggested hiring more employees.

Marc Hildebrand, who was elected to replace Bryant on Tuesday, said Bryant had done nothing criminally wrong. But he said the board was concerned with her relationship with Quibell.

In a memo obtained by the Times, Quibell told Hildebrand that she had "received a belligerent, demanding, abusive and threatening phone call" May 17 from Bryant regarding her ability to sign checks.

"The previous leadership didn't give great direction to this museum," Hildebrand said. Bryant had her chance, he continued. "She made statements that the staff was lazy."

Bryant said Quibell defied her numerous times, refusing to correct mailings or participate in fundraising or community outreach.

Bryant said that a handful of board members have resigned because of Quibell's inability to cooperate with the board.

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