DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — During a Douglas County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, the county’s Museum of History and Art Chairman abruptly resigned.
Over the past few weeks, the board of commissioners has debated renewing or canceling the lease for the Douglas County museum.
Channel 2 Action News reported in October that county commissioners voted to terminate the lease due to the museum’s lack of revenue.
Following community pushback, the decision was brought back up for discussion.
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On Monday, Chair Joe Phillips spoke after a number of residents came out in support, and against, keeping the museum open.
During his speech to the county board, Philips cited the cost of running the museum and the county budget and how a report published by researchers at Kennesaw State University, which scrutinized the museum’s operations, had recently come to light, putting the institution’s future in strange shape.
“We did not see the Kennesaw report until two weeks ago, the fifth of this month,” Phillips told the county board. “We had no idea what was in it. Good suggestions. We have been moving in some of the same directions that they requested.”
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While Phillips said the report hadn’t been viewed by museum leadership until recently, it was produced in 2023.
Channel 2 Action News has requested a copy of the report to review the recommendations made in it for improving the Douglas County Museum of History and Art.
Discussing funding paths for the museum to remain open, Phillips said that while the report cited him mentioning a $75,000 contribution from the county budget, he said the museum instead expected funding to come from the county’s motel tax.
However, Philips took issue with how funding was allocated, saying that some employees for the county government earned more than the museum’s entire yearly budget.
“A hotel motel tax brings millions of dollars into the county, but we can’t touch any of it,” Phillips said. “It’s not like there’s no money for the museum. The bulk of the motel tax goes to another group, plus a bonus for the director. She is compensated more than the budget for the museum in a year.”
After making the statement, Phillips said he wasn’t sure what auditors from the Department of Revenue would find “if they came sniffing around,” but that he wouldn’t want to be responsible for their findings.
Then, he asked the commission if a change of leadership would help save the museum.
“I dislike arguments, I dislike distrust. I wish we could find a point or two that we can agree on and build something out of that, making each other look good,” Phillips said. “If I were able to assure you of leadership changes at the museum, would you be willing to step back and review your position on this subject?”
Before the commissioners could answer him, he resigned as chairman, with a direct plea to the commissioner of his district and others.
“Mr. Waxton, you’re my commissioner. I appreciate your work. You’re my commissioner, I live in your district. Would you be willing to step back for a moment? Commissioner Jones? Would you be willing to review this? Mr. Mitchell, would you be willing to step back and review this if we promised a leadership change?” he asked.
Visibly in tears, Phillips made a decision and resigned from his role as chairman.
“Well, somebody has to go first and that’s going to be me,” Philips said. “As of this moment, I resign from the board of directors, as chairman of the board and as CEO of Old Courthouse, Inc.”
Old Courthouse, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that operates the museum for the county.
The website for the Douglas County Museum of History and Art has an update from before Monday saying the outcome for the museum is still unclear.
“The outcome is still uncertain. As of now, the lease expires Dec. 31. What happens next is unclear,” the website reads.
There is a link to a petition to save the museum, as well as a list of responses to criticisms of the museum.
The list includes revenue concerns, fundraising efforts and the museum’s artifacts and where they were sourced from.
At the Tuesday Douglas County Commissioners’ meeting, the museum lease is listed as an agenda item, but it is not certain if a vote will happen in the wake of Phillips’ resignation.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to museum staff and the county commission for updates on the vote status, Phillips’ resignation and next steps for the museum and is waiting for a response.
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