Supervisors to discuss release of museum official

San Joaquin County supervisors want to know what's going on in the county's Historical Society and Museum. The museum's executive director has recently quit or been fired, and the society is mum about why.

Since the society is partially funded by the county, supervisors believe they have a right to know and set a discussion about the status of the society for their March 7 meeting.

Also at the meeting, a county official said a new grant will be able to pay for a state-of-the-art fire engine for the Stockton Metropolitan Airport.

"I wanted to make sure the historical society … could talk about the benefits they are providing to the community and its operations," Supervisor Jack Sieglock said. "It's good, as a board… to know how our money is spent."

The museum is located in Micke Grove Park near Lodi, in Sieglock's District 4.

The former executive director of the historical society, Lodi resident Michael Bennett, has declined several times to say the reason for his departure and whether he quit or was fired.

Elise Austin Forbes, historical society President, said she will not be able to attend the meeting herself, but will send several staff members. She said that if supervisors ask why Bennett is no longer with the museum, the staff members will be allowed to answer that question.

"But I can't say right now (why he is no longer with the museum)," she said.

The historical society has not searched for Bennett's replacement. Forbes said society staff needs to review the goals for the museum "so everyone is on the same page." She also said there are some budgetary issues that have to be worked out as well.

After they are, the society will start its search, she said.

Sieglock said the society is trying to get more funding from the county for the next fiscal year, and that several trustees have asked for a meeting with supervisors. The museum was opened in 1966 by the county and the historical society. Though it sits on county property, through a contract with the county, it is a nonprofit organization.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, Stockton Metropolitan Airport Director Barry Rondinella announced that the county in April will receive a $904,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The money will buy a new fire engine that the county had to hold off on when supervisors decided to redirect a previous FAA grant toward building a federal inspection station so that AeroMexico Airlines would provide flights to Mexico.

Rondinella said he could purchase the engine in April, but that it would take about 10 months to a year for the custom fire engine to be built. In the meantime, the county will purchase a used, smaller fire engine from the Port of New York and New Jersey. Supervisor Leroy Ornellas and William Smith of the Montezuma Fire District called the 1989 truck a "piece of junk" and said it was not a suitable temporary replacement for the new engine.

But Rondinella defended the choice and said the truck was not meant to replace anything; rather, serve as a backup.

"It's the cream of the crop of (the Port of New York and New Jersey's) surplus vehicles," he said.

Contact reporter Roman Gokhman at romang@tracypress.com.

First published: Wednesday, March 1, 2006