Safety Harbor adds $10,000 to museum's budget

The extra money from the city will help the Museum of Regional History make ends meet on basic operational costs, like payroll.

By DEBORAH O'NEIL

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 15, 2000

SAFETY HARBOR -- The city is boosting its annual subsidy to the Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History, which this year faced a financial crisis that threatened to shut it down.

Commissioners agreed during a budget session Thursday night to grant the museum's request for an additional $10,000 for next year, bringing the total city contribution to $25,000.

"What we really need to provide is stability," Susan Goldstein, president of the museum's board of trustees, told the commission. "We'd like some assurance you're standing behind us 100 percent."

In November, the 30-year-old museum that relies heavily on volunteers unexpectedly lost a contract that had generated more than $20,000 a year for the institution. In May, museum officials turned to the city for help and the commission gave them $10,000 to use before the end of its fiscal year, Sept. 30.

The city already gives the museum $15,000 a year to help pay for utilities. Goldstein said the additional $10,000 was needed to make ends meet on basic operational costs, like payroll.

"The additional $10,000 we feel will keep us at the point where we won't have to say, "We can't pay you,' " Goldstein said. "Please think of it in terms of utilities, payroll, the basics."

The extra money for the museum will likely come from money carried over from this year's budget to next fiscal year's $9.1-million budget, said Assistant City Manager Wayne Logan. In addition to the operating dollars, the city will have $7.9-million set aside in savings in the coming fiscal year.

In supporting the request, commissioners said they recognized how hard the museum has been working to stay afloat.

"I can appreciate the fact you rely on volunteers; I know that's tough," said Commissioner Keith Zayac. "I'll support the extra $10,000 this year but I don't want to set that as a precedent."

Mayor Pam Corbino initially proposed giving the museum $20,000, but agreed to the $25,000.

"I feel they're doing a great job and I know how worried they've been with payroll," Corbino said. "They shouldn't have to worry about a few extra hundred dollars each month."

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