Empty exhibit

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

By Benjamin R. Bombard

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-On election night last week, Gary Hughes, the development director of the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, was sitting at his home, glued to the computer. He was watching election results from the Specific Purpose Excise Tax vote come in on the News&Guide’s website. That same day, somebody asked him how confident he was the museum’s SPET proposal would be approved by voters.

“I think I told them, ‘It’s not over till it’s over,” Hughes recalled with some dismay. That’s because the museum’s SPET proposal was the one proposal out of 11 on last Tuesday’s primary election ballot that wasn’t given the go-ahead by voters.
“Obviously, we were disappointed,” Hughes said. “I was stunned, especially when only one of 11 failed. It wasn’t like it was an all-out attack [on SPET].”

The museum was counting on voters to include its request for $4 million in the nearly $38 million of SPET funds that were put before voters for approval. Hughes said those requested funds would have paid to build museum exhibits that have already been designed for inclusion in its new building on North Cache.

Each SPET proposal must be approved by more than 50 percent of voters to receive funds. Of the 5,334 voters who cast a vote on the museum’s proposal, 49 percent gave it the thumbs up - it failed by just 70 votes.

 Half of the 18 districts and precincts included in the election gave the museum the thumbs-up. The Mid-East Jackson District was the most enthusiastic about the project judging by the percentage of approval; Teton Village registered the highest percentage of disapproval.

Hughes said that looking at the election results, the further away from Jackson proper the precinct or district, the lower the voter approval. In Hughes’s opinion, that trend demonstrates that “people in outlying areas don’t have the same connection with the museum” that people closer to Jackson do. “Maybe we’re not delivering our message of telling stories about Jackson Hole, not just Jackson,” Hughes surmised.

There was speculation after the election that voters did not want to bail out the museum for its purchase of the North Cache street building.

After that purchase, it became clear that the space needed significant structural renovations. Hughes acknowledged that the organization used money to conduct those renovations that otherwise would have been spent to create exhibits.
“We had inspections done on the building when we purchased it. The problems … were hidden behind walls,” Hughes said.

Without the SPET funds, the museum will need to raise $2 million for exhibits. Executive Director Lokey Lytjen said plan B is to gather the necessary funds through fundraising efforts that would normally be used to finance its capital campaign.

Had voters approved the SPET funds, Hughes said, the new museum location would have opened sometime next summer, with all the exhibits in place and on display. But now, he said, “We will have a building with a new education center, a couple administration offices and an empty exhibition hall.” JHW
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