The Boundary Museum Society (BMS) made a presentation at a recent city council meeting requesting a service agreement with the city for about $80,000 in funding.
This year, revenue for the society is expected to total $43,545, total operating expenses are expected to be $122,170, leaving a deficit of $78,625.
The BMS requested that council consider the anticipated budget shortfall for 2012 and enter into an agreement with the society to ensure that the area’s artifacts and archival material continue to be maintained and displayed at the museum and in the basement of Grand Forks City Hall.
Christine Thompson, a BMS board member, said that the city granted operating budgets of $30,000 in 2009, $13,000 in 2010 and $50,000 last year and without funding from the city, Thompson said that the services that the Boundary Museum wanted to provide to the city would be restricted.
“Our 2012 financial plan includes two, year-round employees – one at the museum (at the Fructova School site) and one at the (city hall) archives. We also have budgeted for a caretaker to work eight hours a week, for 24 weeks, to help ground maintenance at the Fructova site,” Thompson explained.
She added that the BMS’ 2012 budget was predicated on receiving grants from Young Canada Works so that three youths could be hired over the summer and if not successful for the grant, summertime hours of operation could be limited.
“We have made every effort to be reasonable in our estimates that will allow us to offer the very best in service at what we believe to be very reasonable costs,” explained Thompson.
“No capital expenditures are included in the budget.”
City Councillor Michael Wirischagin asked what could be expected if the full amount was granted this year and Thompson reiterated that there would be year-round employees at the museum and archive sites.
“Although we, at this time, are only open seasonally, I can tell you that (staff) receive phone calls fairly regularly for people that are interested and want to make appointments to come up and use the museum,” Thompson said.
“We want to be able to increase our availability for all those things to the public.”
According to the BMS’ submission to the city, services it provides include:
Use of the Fructova School grounds and the recently-built shade house for residents from Eholt to the Paulson Bridge for free.
The provision of one-on-one art classes for local disabled youth and hosting of local students for educational field trips
The society also had its hand in helping out with the Heritage Flour Mill, Hardy Mountain Doukhobor Village and worked and aided the Granby Wilderness Society, Boundary Woodworkers’ Guild, Gallery 2 Art and Heritage Centre, Greenwood Museum, Christina Living Arts Centre, the USCC, local Rotary Club and Boundary Historical Society
Council accepted the report and deferred it to the upcoming budgeting process.