THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605170021
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
I congratulate staff writers Teresa Annas and Lise Olsen of The Virginian-Pilot for their excellent investigative reporting leading to disclosure of the financial situation of the Chrysler Museum and the unhappy tenure of former director Robert Frankel (News, April 20). While the article answered some questions, it raised just as many more that demand answers.
Who is running the Chrysler? What is the function of the trustees? Where were they during Frankel's directorship when the museum apparently suffered in every way? At least one board member excused himself by claiming that he is only a volunteer. It has been my experience that volunteers usually work; that is their reason for being.
The museum has projected an annual income of $450,000 from the recently established admission fees - more than twice the cost of salaries and benefits for the seven fired employees. The use of these fees to save jobs would have been a logical solution. Why did the museum not consider this option? That it was not thought of before adds to my concerns about the quality of the museum's administration.
This leads to my last question: Is it possible that the museum wanted to rid itself of particular staff members? Both former curator of 20th-century art Trinkett Clark and former head librarian Rena Hudgins were among the few members of the museum's staff who combined excellent academic credentials in the history of art with considerable experience in world-class art museums. I would think that when an institution is experiencing difficulties, such staff members would be the last to go.
Supporters of the museum have the right to know who made the decision to fire these talented people and exactly what was their justification.
ELLEN BROOKE PARKER
Norfolk, May 7, 1996 by CNB