The Chapel Hill Museum can’t raise enough private money to support its $120,000 annual budget. Predictably, museum leaders want the town to fork over about $100,000 so it can stay open. Keep in mind, the story reports the town is facing a “budget shortfall” — that’s government-speak for wanting to spend more money than they have — of at least $1 million and probably more.
This data alone should be enough for town officials to say “no” to the request. But there’s even more to this story. From the Chapel Hill News:
In 2005, a citizens committee suggested selling the building to lower town taxes.
Gene Pease chaired the committee that unanimously recommended selling the building and moving the museum to the Franklin Street Post Office. It would have netted about $2.3 million for the town, the committee estimated.
Town leaders rejected the proposal. At the time, then-Town Manager Cal Horton said the town needed the space.
Bottom line: Chapel Hill officials passed up $2.3 million in relief for town residents and instead propped up a project the community won’t support with private funds.
What will the town do now?
