Sunday, September 4, 2011

Arizona Historical Society threatened?



The Arizona Historical Society
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Yuma, Arizona

Lines 108 through 114:

Woosley said that in concert with the Governor’s office, it was decided to close the Mining and Mineral Museum on April 30, one month early. Additional time is needed to begin architectural renovations and exhibit design for the Arizona Experience museum. She noted there has been adverse criticism of AHS and toward herself with some of the commentary being threatening. Barrios commented that Woosley was recently on the Verizon show and that she did an excellent job talking about the new museum. Woosley said there has been good response from potential sponsors and universities for providing content for today’s industries and emerging technologies.

Threatening?

Who would threaten the nice people that squandered our tax dollars on the Marley Center, Rio Nuevo, and Arizona Centennial Museum fiascoes?

Note: “Verizon” is an erroneous reference to KAET Channel 8s Horizon program. See the Apr 20, 2011 blog post.

5 comments:

  1. Woosley should feel threatened by her Board of Directors! But as they have not been effective in decades what difference does it make?
    Look what she has gotten them into. A failed Rio Nuevo Project that cost the state taxpayers $1,400,000 for NOTHING. A takeover of the Mineral Museum where "somebody" is supposed to raise $15,000,000....and in this economy. Don't even bring up the scattered brained concept of the "Arizona Experience" that this "museum" is suppose to exhibit. Guess the AHS is into science museums now.
    All of this while the AHS attendance at the AHS facilities is close to nothing. A few thousands at best. The AHS Papago Park facility has little going for it including a closed library and no gift shop.
    So AHS Board what are you doing? Why not take control, even if you have an empty shell of facilities. But...that would mean actually raising money! LOL
    Hey Madison, have your resume printed out yet? Its not too late....run away while the getting is good.

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  2. No one is threatening Woosley. There is just opposition to the new museum for very good reasons. To begin exhibit design does not require early closure as they should have already begun working on that for at least a year, and to be very blunt they will have plenty of time as funding seems to be going at a snail's pace.

    They shut the museum down a month early as they did not want to take anymore heat from an irritated public.

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  3. What they should have done, since Brewer cooked up this fiasco, was to put the Experience Museum at Papago Park. But Brewer wanted her "gift" across the street from the capitol. She won't be in office by the time they complete the project, if they ever do. Brewer and Woosley ought to make amends for this mess and just give the Papago Park facility a new face lift as the new home for the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum. They already fired the Director of that facility(Papago Park) for whatever reason no one knows about, so the Mining and Mineral Museum could make an easy transition into that building. At least AHS would then have one successful museum.

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  4. The fired director was Peter Welch. A rock had more personality. Why the Board hires directors like Woosley and then she hires local directors who are non-performers like a Jerry Kyle of the AHS Tucson who got canned for theft or a Mike Weber who was just plain bad. What would you expect from the AHS?
    Hope the Governor has a plan to wipe the egg off of her face when this whole boondoggle goes south. I can just see Brewer looking down the street for an approaching bus to throw someone under.

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  5. I'm curious how the AHS staff feel, knowing they are doing the bidding and licking the boot of a director who may well ruin AHS. I would like to read a post from a staff member and hear their thoughts. Woosley has staff reading and reporting these blog posts, so why not post. Why not make anon. posts and fill in some details? Is the staff's desire to be part of a sick, failed, and truely pathetic historical society greater than their professional ethics? We shall see.

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