Jacksonville Area Museum officials are tamping down the ideas of a possible closure over funding concerns.
On social media last night, the museum released a statement saying that the museum is in no danger of closing due to a particular operations fund’s dwindling balance.
Museum officials say that the Phase Two expansion is still under way, but the problem resides in the dwindling fund set aside by the Historical Society is quickly running out and the museum board doesn’t want to pay its monthly operating costs by dipping into the money that people have donated toward the museum’s new exhibit area. The statement goes on: “Such a practice of paying utility bills by using funds that were donated for a specific purpose is unsustainable, will upset donors, and will discourage others from donating toward the cause.”
The post went on to thank Rabbi Rob & Lauren Thomas for their offer to help replenish the museum’s operations fund and their advocacy for the cause before the city council.
The Museum Board says they hope the recent publicity encourages people to visit the museum during its regular hours of operation. Further discussion on the matter is likely at the Museum Board’s monthly meeting at 5:15PM on Thursday.