International Civil Rights Center & Museum co-founder Earl Jones
is downplaying a claim by the CEO that Duke Energy plans to shut off the power
over an outstanding bill.
“We’ve always been in a financially stable situation,” Jones said.
Greensboro's News and Record
From the Wilmington Journal;
"...With a small, but dedicated, staff of four full-time and seven part-time employees, serving over 70,000 visitors from around the world annually, Swaine says
...In a December 18, 2016 email response to officials with Duke Energy, regarding a $19,781.38 outstanding utility bill, Swaine wrote, “As you are aware, a number of organizations have pulled back support for the institution as a direct result of negative news coverage, which has made it more difficult to seek support.” Swaine , who indicated that ICRCM had just sent in an $11,730.00 partial payment, asked that a scheduled utility service disconnection be postponed while he raised an additional $8,000 to forestall any further action.
If the museum is bringing in 70,000 visitors per year,
and they just made some money, why didn't/couldn't they pay the power bill?
...[Greensboro's City Council/Taxpayers] gave the ICRCM a $1.5 million forgivable loan in 2013, with the final payment installment now due by February 2018. Yet, there has been controversy about the timeliness of the payments.
The museum defaulted on the payments
...Recent local headlines that there are plans to purchase a second building, based on a profitable October, are untrue,” Swaine says. The museum board has never discussed purchasing more property in his presence, he insists. There have been discussions outside of board meetings about the need for additional office space, but those conversations have never reached board level.
“I assure you that there is no intention to go out and buy another building,” Swaine insists, also knocking down recent reports of The Reverend Jesse Jackson’s wanting to donate his civil rights papers once a new building was had.”
http://wilmingtonjournal.com/is-greensboros-civil-rights-museum-being-treated-fairly/
.
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From the News and Record;
"...Greensboro City Council members then voted to give the museum until February 2018 to raise the remaining $700,000 — or to repay whatever balance remains.
Doug Harris, a long-time museum board member and its attorney, told the News & Record that the museum’s financial outlook was improving — even noting that the museum turned a profit in October.
If the outlook is improving, why can't the museum pay the bill?
...Harris said museum officials are considering buying a second building downtown. They would move the offices there, which would give them more space for exhibits on the second floor of the old Woolworth’s building. He also said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a graduate of N.C. A&T, will donate his historical papers to the museum.
Swaine told the Wilmington Journal, though, that neither of those things are true.
On Thursday, Jones said Harris is correct. Swaine, he said, doesn’t attend the board’s grant committee meetings and wasn’t aware of the discussions about the building and Jackson’s papers.
...The museum is in a good place financially, he said.
“We’re stable,” he said. “Always have been, in my opinion.”
Swaine, however, painted a different picture to the Wilmington Journal.
Conclusion; Some involved with the museum aren't communicating
with others involved, who run the place, which just made it into the public realm
making all involved look incompetent and then some
He noted criticism from members of City Council when the loan came due earlier this year..."
http://www.greensboro.com/news/local_news/a-sit-in-museum-official-says-power-bill-overdue/article_c9fdde63-81f9-5b24-8a45-69d2935a1f4b.html
