Council Cuts Dearborn Historical Museum's Capital Improvement Request from Budget

A request for capital improvement funding from the city of Dearborn to help support the Dearborn Historical Museum was turned down in a last-minute decision by the city council.

During a public hearing held on May 23 prior to the May 28 adoption of the city's 2013-2014 fiscal budget, council members questioned whether granting the museum's request for $141,000 for capital projects was fiscally prudent.

"This is a large increase after two years of a very low budget. My concern is that we've jumped too far. Should we be a little more conservative?" councilman David Bazzy asked.

Jack Tate, the museum's chief curator, to help pay for phase II of the museum's renovation, which includes exterior improvements for the museum's four buildings as part of a five-year plan. After that, money would be set aside annually until 2020-2021 for interior improvements.

"I personally appreciate what your trying to do at the museum," Bazzy told Tate. "My concern is why can't some of the Ross Trust be used for these projects (instead of a subsidy from the city)? I'd like to be more cautious with the budget."

At issue, according to the council, is the museum's use of funds earmarked specifically for the museum through the Lizzy Ross Fund. The fund currently has been largely untouched and has $887,560 available from the sale of city owned property to Andiamo's Italian Steakhouse. Roughly $30,000 from the fund was earmarked in 2013-14 for porch renovations.

Councilman Mark Shooshanian said he was hesitant to approve the capital improvements request because other departments do not have a similar pool of money to draw from.

In response to a question from Council President Tom Tafelski, City Attorney Debra Walling said there’s no restriction on how much money can be drawn from the Ross Trust each year as long as it goes to the museum.

Tate said the $141,000 would primarily be used to help the museum begin building out space once volunteers complete an inventory of its 75,000 artifacts.

"We're moving along with cataloging our three-dimensional objects, and I'd really like to have a nice space to display some of those pieces," Tate told the council.

Councilman Robert Abraham asked if the museum had a cost estimate for the renovation projects. Jim O'Connor, chief of finance for the city, said the exterior projects are estimated at about $700,000; the interior projects are estimated at about $420,000.

Those numbers may change to reflect inflation once the museum begins renovating the buildings.

While the council said it supports the restoration of the museum, in the end it decided to retain the $59,000 for the museum's legacy cost and operating budget and take out the $141,000 capital improvement request.