Arizona Historical Society picked bones clean

Unable to attract significant community support, the AHS vigorously pursues handouts from the Arizona legislature to survive.  Their political hijacking of the top rated mineral museum is an example of the unethical tactics they are willing to employ in pursuit of  taxpayers money.

The AHS obviously wanted the building for their centennial museum fiasco.  Why, however, did they want the mineral collection and mining artifacts? Except for a few token specimens, their centennial museum plan did not include them. Apparently, what they really wanted was the budget. Only by grabbing the entire mineral museum, and not just the building, could they get all of the money.

A series of bills and budget transfers actually transferred more than the mineral museum budget to the AHS. They also got a chunk of the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources budget, causing it to eventually fail and be eliminated.

Finally, in April 2011 and eight months after they acquired the mineral museum, they snatched the last scrap of funds.  SB 1615 included the transfer of $32,200 from the Mines and Minerals Fund (MMF) to the Arizona Historical Society Revolving Fund.

Vultures on the tax payer’s carcass, willing to scrap Arizona history and self-supporting science education programs for a few extra dollars.

Padded payrolls waste Arizona tax dollars?

According to Joint Legislative Budget Committee reports, the Arizona Historical Society submits a budget claiming 51.9 full time equivalent employees each year.  Each year it receives one and a half million dollars from Arizona taxpayers for those employees.

The AHS does not have that many employees.

Their 2010 annual report shows only 45, and that number includes part time employees and interns. Thus, the number of full time equivalent employees is greatly overstated.

What happens to the extra money?

Why does the Legislature not verify the budget against the actual payroll?

How many state agencies have similarly padded payrolls in the midst of a financial crisis?

Is the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation confused?

For over a year, the Foundation’s website (az100years.org) has presented the $15 million Arizona Experience Museum as their “number one signature project” and the “centerpiece” of the centennial celebration.  As recently as September 8, the Cronkite News Service reported on an interview with the director of the Foundation.  The Arizona Experience Museum was described as the major project absorbing over 70% of the Foundation’s centennial budget.

Just four days later, another Cronkite News Service story reported on an interview with the same director and stated (italics added);

Besides events planned on and around the centennial, the centerpiece of the foundation’s effort is Arizona Best Fest, which highlights the state’s history and culture. The festivals are expected to attract hundreds of thousands.

The first article said the Best Fest would be cut first if fundraising did not cover the complete budget, implying the museum had priority over Best Fest.  The second article says that Best Fest is the centerpiece of the centennial celebration and does not even make any mention of the museum.

Does the Foundation have any idea what its priorities are?

What are donors supporting?

Was the top rated mineral museum scrapped for no reason?

References:

Joseph Schmidt

Despite tough times, centennial organizers urge state to celebrate

Cronkite News Service, Sep. 12, 2011

Elvina Nawaguna-Clemente

Tight budgets tough for centennial planning

Cronkite News Service, September 8, 2011

Arizona Historical Society may deprive state of centennial celebration.

Mineral museum mess may have negative impact

According to www.az100years.com, the highlight of the Arizona centennial celebration was to be the Best Fest. This was a series of events in Prescott, Tucson, and Phoenix.  The Best Fest events were to include entertainment and extensive special exhibits. The website states:

Come and enjoy the party of the century at the Arizona “Best Fest”. The Best Fest is a series of festivals, where the “Best of Arizona” will truly be emphasized with the “Local First” involvement of the many: wineries, micro breweries, locally renowned restaurants, foods, arts and merchandise crafted right here in Arizona.

Experience Arizona like you never have before, come and

see….

Mars Lander • Solar Wonders • Navajo Hogan

Rocket Launchers • Wildlife Display • Storytelling

Arizona Warriors • Zumba Dancers

Western Gunfights • Arizona Art • Magicians

Music • Food • Wine • Beer

Nils Lofgren • Jordin Sparks • Wayne Newton

Now, a recent news article states that, with only 5 months left before the centennial, only 25% of the budget has been raised. Therefore, if the remaining 75% is not raised, “Churchard said the Best Fest would be the first to experience cuts.” Karen Churchard is the director of the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation and is responsible for funding the Arizona Historical Society’s Arizona Centennial Museum (AKA Arizona Experience Museum) out of the centennial budget.

Apparently, the AHS has priority for Foundation funds.

This means that the AHS is not only depriving tens of thousands of Arizona students of a lifetime learning experience every year by eliminating the mineral museum.  It may also deprive Arizonians’ of the opportunity to participate in a centennial celebration.

That is too high a price to pay for a museum that will eventually fail.  The Arizona Experience Museum is a repeat of the Marley Center Museum (in Papago Park) mistake. The Marley was based on essentially the same plan using high dollar interactive displays.  They are now no longer operable, and probably not even repairable. The museum has few visitors, but the Marley still costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year for staff and mortgage payments. 

The $15 million price tag for the experience museum may not even be the highest part of the cost. Arizona’s centennial celebration and student science education may also be sacrificed. 

Reference:

Tight Budgets Tough for Centennial Planning

Elvina Nawaguna Clemente, Cronkite News Service, September 8, 2011

Historical Society flying false colors

A new feature recently appeared on the AHS website at http://arizonahistoricalsociety.org  In the middle of the website under the major attention grabbing pictures appears “Arizona Mineral Education”.  It looks like a caption but is not.  It has nothing to do with the photos, and is a link to http://www.azmineraleducation.org

That is a fairly recent website that makes the preposterous claim that an AHS operated Arizona Experience Museum will be a prominent resource for mineral education.  An “Outreach & Education” tab on the website implies that the AHS has some possible connection with an ongoing and successful science education program.

Shameless hypocrisy.

The AHS does not conduct, sponsor, or support any mineral education programs.  Rather, by hijacking and destroying the top rated mineral museum, the AHS is depriving tens of thousands of Arizona students of a lifetime learning experience. Last spring, they even slammed the doors in the faces of hundreds of students and cub scouts that still had field trips scheduled. This year, school busses no longer appear at the gutted mineral museum building.  The plans for the Arizona Experience Museum prepared by Gallagher and Associates include no provisions for mineral education, and have a mere 500 square feet in the most obscure part of the building to display the mineral collection. The information about the Arizona Experience Museum on www.az100years.org includes nothing about mineral education.

As for the outreach program featured on the link, that was conducted by the agency (ADMMR) that formerly operated the mineral museum.  The person conducting the program was fired shortly after the AHS takeover, even though the position was funded by a private grant. The AHS and the Governor’s office made an absolute mess, which others are trying to clean up. The outreach instructor was subsequently rehired by another agency and is again conducting the programs as described on the tab.  For the AHS to insinuate they are in some way associated with that remaining mineral education program is an outrage.

Apparently the AHS is deservedly receiving extensive criticism for their attack on science education, and is trying to cloak itself with scientific credentials in a pitiful attempt to confuse the issue.

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.