Commissioners cite budget in decision to close county museum
May 13, 2011
By Nick Dutro - Staff Writer (ndutro@advertiser-tribune.com) , The Advertiser-Tribune
(Photo by Nick Dutro)

Since hearing about major reductions in local government funding from the state, county commissioners are making their first cut - the Seneca County Museum.

Thursday morning, commissioners announced the museum is to close and the building and assets are to be sold to pay off county debt. Funds are not to be used for recurring expenses

"I think you will see the county go back to very basic services," Commissioner Jeff Wagner said.

"If you can't predict revenue, you need to control expenses, and you do that by eliminating debt and eliminating long term expenses," Commissioner Ben Nutter said. "We're going to be in that mode, getting rid of assets we're not using or don't have to have and pay down our debts and eliminating expenses that are not mandated by the state.

"It's not something we want to do, I don't think its good government, but I think that's the government we're left to deal with."

"We have made a difficult decision here," Board President Dave Sauber said. "We have tried to work with the museum foundation over there, for approximately a year now, there has been nothing on their side to take over the operations of the museum.

"To this point, with the cooperation of department heads and elected officials, we've been able to cut the budget 18 percent and still be able to maintain most of the services up to the expectations of citizens," Sauber continued. "It's going to be difficult to cut another 7 percent from an already tight budget, so we're trying to look at alternative ways of reducing."

Seneca is one of the only counties in the state that owns and operates a county museum. The county pays $42,183.47 a year for operations, $3,880.43 of which is insurance premiums.

Tonia Hoffert has been the director the more than 11 years. Hoffert said attendance was 3,000 to 4,000 visitors a year when she started and now averages 9,000 to 12,000 visitors a year.

Hoffert had no comment and said she has been working with County Prosecutor Derek DeVine. She said a definite closing date has not been set, and the museum still is to take visitors by appointment until then.

Commissioners agreed to advertise for proposals for convention and visitor services for Seneca County. Bids must be submitted in writing by 4:30 p.m. June 14.

In other news, Jason Varney, program manager for CROSSWAEH Community Based Correctional Facility, requested the county let the program out of its contract for meal service from Seneca County Jail early in order to request proposals from other providers.

Nutter and Wagner said they were against the request, but Sauber said he spoke with Sheriff Bill Eckelberry and believed there would not be an issue to terminate the service early.

Meals from the jail cost CROSSWAEH $2.45 each, a rate which has not changed since 2006.

Eckelberry is to submit a bid, although details on cost were not disclosed.

Also, Dawn Riedel, owner of Something Special, spoke with commissioners on behalf of Tiffin business owners with a request to have sellers at county flea markets purchase a vendor's license and charge sales tax.

"It's hurting every one of us," Riedel said. "As long as they're paying taxes, it's fair."

Although sales tax unaccounted for is variable, Riedel said the county could be losing up to $7,500 in uncollected vendor's license fees.

Commissioners said they would speak with representatives of Ohio Department of Taxation to discuss legality and enforcement.
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PS: The museum is visible in the next street from my front porch. Some of my Grandmother's antique articles are in the museum's collections.