Kristy,

Although it would probably be a long and expensive and time-consuming, has
the museum considered severence from the Parks Dept.? I worked for a
Hospice that had long been connected with the Health Dept. We couldn't buy
anything, not even office supplies, without the director signing purchase
orders. It used to be the acting director, and now it falls to the new
clinical director, would have to approve every single purchase as someone
finally realized they were running into money problems. Two staff persons
were let go, pay cuts instituted, but even then, the Foundation has their
money tied up with the Health Dept. and that director can tell them how to
spend the money.

 The Foundation has little or no power over their money and they do a great
deal of funding for Hospice. The county councils also do fund-raising
events in each county to fund vrious projects such as Camp Sunshine, a
bereavement camp for kids during the summer. And although the Health Dept.
is technically the fiscal agent and takes care of payroll, the Foundation
council cannot spend its own money without approval from the Health Dept.
director.

There are other problems that persist between the three county Hospices and
the District Health Dept. which would make severence a long process for the
Foundation side, but if done well and with great forethought, I think it
could eventually benefit the people that Hospice serves. Yes, it would mean
paying the salaries of staff (currently through the state), putting
together a benefits package, hiring a business manager for the Foundation,
having a much stronger Foundation board (a little board education wouldn't
hurt), and cooperative councils from each county, but it would give them
more options for the future, absolute control of their assets, and force
changes in the management to make the individual and collective Boards more
active and responsive rather than figureheads. Just my soapbox...cheers!
Jennifer L. Williams
Independent Museum-type Person (IMP)
Boone, NC


         You have the gene - the crazy gene.
                              -"Doc"