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Museum's budget cut; Mill group testifies
by Kathleen Happ
Here's one of the rules of political discourse: to gently get the opponent's attention, whack him with a hammer.
That's what Del. Allen L. Louderback did Monday. He introduced a bill that would cut funding for the Frontier Culture Museum by $900,000. If it passed, it could be a devastating blow.
That same morning, three members of the Zirkle Mill Foundation testified before the Committee of Higher Education, a House Appropriations subcommittee, in support of Louderback's budget amendment.
"The citizens of Shenandoah County are angry and upset because their tax dollars, through the public funding of the Frontier Culture Museum, are being used to remove one of their own historic landmarks. The sheer force of public funding is being used to displace available private funding and trump the will of the community," said foundation director Leslie Meaux during her statement to the committee.
"The Frontier Culture Museum, through this unethical transaction, will destroy a nationally recognized historic landmark of the highest caliber ... so that it can be rebuilt as a prop for their museum," she said. Meaux called the museum's behavior "arrogant, unethical and deceitful."
Foundation President William Wine told the committee that the Zirkle Mill is significant to Shenandoah County in the same way that Oatlands is significant to Loudoun County, Monticello is to Albemarle County and Montpelier is to Orange County. He said it is likely the oldest surviving mill in the valley.
"I wanted them to get a vision of grand historic landmarks in the commonwealth, and then compare them to the Zirkle Mill so they could get an idea of its prominence," Wine said.
"Forestville is a community in distress. Words cannot begin to express the strong feelings of its residents and those of the surrounding community at the potential loss of the Zirkle Mill," was the opening sentence of foundation secretary Lisa Zirkle's statement. She wrote from the perspective of a ninth generation Zirkle family member.
"The loss of the mill is like killing a bald eagle, a national symbol of freedom and mounting it for all to see in a museum." The proposed amendment caught John Avoli, executive director of the Frontier Culture Museum, completely by surprise.
"I'm flabbergasted as to why Louderback would do something like this. Why $900,000?" Avoli asked. He described the amendment as "unfortunate" and reiterated that the mill was in private ownership.
He said the museum still has a contract with Gordon D. "Sonny" Bowman, president of Bowman Apple Products, Inc., who agreed to sell the mill to the museum.
"We still think the mill was endangered," he said.
Avoli seemed surprised foundation members supported the amendment.
"I know Bill Wine and have been on a friendly basis with him for the past six months. I can't imagine Mr. Wine going along with this," Avoli said.
If the amendment passes, Avoli predicts a grim future for the museum.
"We may as well close our doors," he said. The museum's total budget from the state is around $2 million.
"We'd have to lay off 80 percent of our work force. When the budget is cut in half, the majority is salaries. It would have a devastating effect," he said.
Gary Frink, legislative aid to Del. Louderback, explained Louderback's motivation for the amendment.
"He's very upset that the Frontier Culture Museum is attempting to strip Shenandoah County of a historical site recognized by state and federal authorities. Why doesn't the head of the Frontier Culture Museum cut a deal with the Zirkle Mill Foundation and others to have this operated as a historical edifice right here where it belongs? Because of the intransigence of Avoli and others on the issue, we think the amendment is the best way we in Shenandoah County can get the attention of the folks in Augusta County.
Apparently we have," Frink said.
As for the $900,000, Frink said, "We thought it would be a nice significant amount. Those at the Frontier Culture Museum agree with that." He hopes the amendment will affect the fate of the Zirkle Mill.
"Perhaps then the people at the Frontier Culture Museum will get serious about coming to a satisfactory conclusion for the citizens. The idea of dismantling and shipping the mill to Augusta County is repugnant. The mill would lose its historical designation. It's utterly stupid," he said.
Frink does not know when a decision on the amendment will be reached.
He approved of the statements given by Wine, Meaux and Zirkle. "The citizens from Shenandoah County made a forceful presentation. They were outstanding," Frink said.
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More stories on Shenandoah.com:
 (Shenandoah.com)
- Tuesday Aug 31 2010
(VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION)
- Monday Aug 30 2010
(The Warren Sentinel)
- Monday Nov 30 2009
(The Winchester Star)
- Tuesday Nov 17 2009
(Daily News-Record)
- Tuesday Nov 17 2009
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