[hoarsewhisperer]

DodgeCity.com: Dodge Globe: Local News: Stories

Commission approves money for museum
By Mark Vierthaler
Dodge City Daily Globe

After an hour of sometimes heated discussion, the Dodge City Commission voted unanimously to approve a $150,000 shot in the arm to Boot Hill Museum.
The money, which is taken out of an organizational fund in the "Why Not Dodge?" sales tax money, comes equipped with strings. Boot Hill will be required to periodically present its finances to the city commission to make sure the city has oversight on how the money is used.

The Ford County Board of Commission must now meet to decide if it will approve the $150,000.



According to documents given to the city by Boot Hill, the museum would have to close its doors come Jan. 10 if they did not receive any money. With operational expenses and a decline in tourism, the privately-owned museum has reported financial issues the past several years.

In 2006, the city approved $150,000 out of the 2007 budget to help Boot Hill out of its financial problems. The repetition wasn't lost on several commissioners.

Mayor Kent Smoll said that although he was a supporter of Boot Hill, he didn't think the city should just keep throwing money at the problem.

"I don't think Boot Hill should go out of business, I really don't," he said. "At the same time, I'm not sure it's very good of us to say: Here's $150,000, just tell us what you do with it."

Smoll said some sort of check system, other than Boot Hill simply giving the city an itemized list at the end of the year, needed to be put in place. Hence, commissioners agreed that Boot Hill leadership should give regular updates.

"We don't need to be the sugar daddy for all the not-for-profits," Smoll said. "We have a responsibility to spend these tax dollars properly."

Commissioner Terry Lee was also wary of simply handing over the money without any oversight.

"I wish there was some sort of dialogue rather than Boot Hill simply coming to us asking for money," he said.

Commissioners Jim Lembright and Rick Sowers were both in full support of giving money to Boot Hill. Sowers, who changed his position after opposing the 2007 money, said he had come to see Boot Hill as something that would never turn a profit.

"A good city supports its arts, its culture and its museums," Sowers said. "These never make money. But, it's part of the city's heritage."

Pat Shrader, who sits on the Community Facilities Advisory Board and is a former Boot Hill volunteer, said the problems that plagued the museum would require a lot of help.

"They need grants," she said. "They have a small staff. They work long hours. We take for granted all that they do."

Shrader said some of the leadership had become stale and that changes needed to be made, including improved training on how to organize fundraising.

City Manager Ken Strobel said the currently-under-development Master Tourism Plan would hopefully address some of the issues that may be causing Boot Hill Museum's financial woes.

Until then, he said the money would simply have to act as a stopper to keep the museum in operation.

"The only thing distinguishing Dodge City from towns around us is its name and its heritage," he said. "It would be a tremendous disservice to just say we don't think we're spending our money right and letting the museum close its doors."

Editor's Note: Check out Saturday's Globe for the city's approval of sponsorship for the 2008 World of Outlaw races.

Reach Mark Vierthaler at (620) 408-9932 or e-mail him at mark.vierthaler@dodgeglobe.com.