Task force readies search for new museum director

The ideal leader would expand the reach of the Safety Harbor museum and repair its finances.

By LEON M. TUCKER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 10, 2002

SAFETY HARBOR -- The task force ironing out troubles in the Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History is moving forward with its search for a new executive director.

This comes less than two weeks after former director Betty Quibell resigned her $30,000-a-year post amid charges that she misused museum funds.

On Thursday, the task force discussed, among other things, how and when it will proceed with finding a new director to run the museum at 329 Bayshore Blvd. S.

"I want to start the job search as soon as we can," said Commissioner Neil Brickfield. He said the group knows what they want. They want someone "who is going to be strong leader, that's going to go out and fundraise and be active in the community. Let's get going on this."

Mayor Pam Corbino agreed, recommending the city's personnel director draft a detailed job description to use when advertising the museum director's job. City leaders hope to advertise for the job later this month.

"I think we need one strong person and maybe a part-time person," Corbino said. "We need to work on building a volunteer system that we just don't have anymore."

The museum closed its doors in July after infighting among board members and the former director revealed the museum was in financial trouble. For example, the museum lost $4,731.77 in June and for the fiscal year ending Sept. 31 is projected to be behind $15,003.56.

This prompted the museum to ask city commissioners, at a July 11 budget workshop, for $40,000. The request was put on hold pending the results of the audit.

When the dust settled, five people -- including Carol Bryant, the board's former president -- had severed ties with the museum and the city stepped in by forming the task force.

The museum has since reopened with Amanda Edenfield, the museum's assistant director, serving as interim director.

Commissioners hope to have recommendations from the task force by October, when it will decide how much money the museum will receive.

Along with addressing the museum's finances, Corbino wants to find someone who will help expand the operation to include more recent events in Safety Harbor history -- beyond artifacts related to its pioneers and native settlers the museum now showcases.

"I think we need to emphasize that this is not just for our history 10,000 years ago but for our recent history as well," Corbino said. "I have no doubt we will find someone like that.

Task force members also suggested board members consider changing the locks and reprograming security codes at the museum because of the number of former members who had access to the building before.

-- Leon M. Tucker can be reached at (727) 445-4167 or tucker@sptimes.com.

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