All County Museums May Become History
Most Nassau County Residents should be aware that the latest official response to the current Fiscal Problems is to lay off 130 county workers, you know, the ones that keep the county running. Of the 25 employees of the Departments of Parks, Recreation and Museums now on the chopping block, 21 are the annual employees assigned to the Museum Division, effectively eliminating any qualified employee
staffing of the museums, historic properties, etc.
Why was the museum division targeted for the layoffs? It didn't generate enough money, period. Ignored was its contribution to the education, history and pride of Nassau. It is all about the money. When queried, the spokesman for Parks said they planned to keep the sites open but reduce the days and times drastically. Manning would depend on volunteers, "Friends" groups and others to staff the sites. This is a slippery slope for any long term commitment.
There are already a number of volunteers working under Park supervisors at the Cradle of Aviation, Bethpage Restoration Village and other sites. Their contribution is invaluable and must be recognized and encouraged. That being said, there is an ebb and flow in volunteerism, which must be considered. People get older, have other commitments and enthusiasm wanes. It is the continuity of full time park personnel that keeps museums and historic sites open and stimulates recruitment of new volunteers. That will be lost after the dismissal of the current employees. To close our museums and Historic Sites would be a horrible loss to our County.
The legislature will vote on the lay-offs on June 28th and if passed they will be effective on July 1st. If you have an opinion on this, you should testify before the Legislature on the 28th, contact the county executive and your legislator now and have your voice heard.
The Museum Division consists of :
Cedarmere, Chelsea Mansion, Elderfields, Sands Point (includes Falaise & Hempstead House), Garvies Point, Holocaust Memorial & Education Center, Malcolm House, Nassau Museum of Art, Roslyn Grist Mill, Saddle Rock Grist Mill, Science Museum of Long Island, African American Museum & Center for Applied Arts, Cradle of Aviation and the Long Island Children's Museum.
Labels: Lay Offs, Museums, Nassau Parks
posted by Bruce Piel @ 9:58 AM
1 Comments:
The final steering committee meeting for the Master Plan of the Muttontown Preserve is being held on July 6th at 3:30 at Eisenhower Park. After that meeting, a public meeting will be held at the Hoffman Center, in Muttontown at 7pm. This is a discussion about the possibility of major and drastic changes to the preserve and the funding of these potential changes, so it is important that people attend the meeting at Hoffman Center. While cuts are being discussed throughout the park system, thousands of dollars are being spent to have studies done to create a Master Plan for the Muttontown Preserve that is supposed to be a model for the other parkland on Long Island. Nassau County funding these studies, but laying off county workers in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. Ironically these cuts affect Chelsea Mansion which is also part of the discussion on the Master Plan for Muttontown Preserve. Please come to express your opinions on how Nassau County is spending taxpayer money.
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