Proposed Waukesha County budget cuts museum funding in half

Published on: 9/24/2013

The Waukesha County 2014 budget cuts funding for the Waukesha County Museum from $300,000 to $150,000. The reduction is something museum Chief Executive Officer, Kirsten Lee Villegas, pleaded with county board members earlier this month not to do.

Lee Villegas said the funding is crucial for the county museum to continue its operations.

From 1964 to 2002, the county paid all costs associated with museum operations. But the Waukesha County Board of Supervisors sold the historic county courthouse complex to the Waukesha County Historical Society for $1 in 2002.

In January 2003 the county transferred ownership to the museum, but through a 10-year agreement, taxpayers still funded some of the museum's expenses.

That agreement expired this year. Board Supervisor Walter Kolb told Villegas at a previous meeting that continuing to appropriate $300,000 to the museum was "overboard" and that the county has other priorities to fund with taxpayer dollars. The $300,000 amounts to about 80 cents per taxpayer each year.

Supervisors asked Villegas at the meeting what would happen if only $150,000 in funding was approved for 2014.

Villegas said at that meeting making up the $150,000 would be an "amazing task."

Tuesday's news of the cut in funding comes after City of Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima called the museum's leadership "sinking" and suggested the museum consolidate with the city library.

Scrima shared his thoughts via email to media. Villegas said she was disappointed to learn his opinion from media and that his criticism was not accurate.

Scrima also mentioned other private businesses may be interested in purchasing the historic downtown building where the museum is housed.

Watch waukeshanow.com for more on this story as it develops after the news of the change in funding.