W.Va. state museum is still M.I.A. Is it time to fire away?
In April, Gazette reporter Bob Schwarz wrote about the still missing in action state museum renovation at the Cultural Center in the state Capitol Complex (read his piece here: “Museum re-do still lagging.”)His piece concerned the vanished state museum at the Department of Culture and History, run by whomever may be the Arts and Education Secretary. Gov. Joe Manchin hasn’t nominated a new one yet and this may be understandable as this mess of a museum project probably has every qualified person in the state making signs of the cross and screeching, “No Thanks!”
Personally, I’m nostalgic for the homey little museum with the dressed fleas (last known location: A. James Manchin’s office when he was W.Va. Secretary of State). But starting with Arch Moore, the state got far more grandiose. Although the Great Room served as gallery space for only the Vandalia quilt exhibition, there was a great little shop and plenty of stuff to look at downstairs. Unfortunately, most of the vast collection was uncatalogued and stored in the basement, which leaked from the day that building was opened.
In an attempt to rectify these wrongs, Gov. Underwood got Renay Conlin in as secretary — only her expertise lay in music, not museums or works on walls. Big mistake. At least one state native, Elizabeth Hartman, tried to get the gig to redesign the place (major qualification being her successful work on the Museum of Natural History in New York City, also a redo, and her degree from Harvard in architecture). But she wasn’t good enough for Conlin and company. Second big mistake.
Plans were made, inadequate money secured, and the place has been a mess ever since. Occasionally the local papers ran a story detailing how much no one in charge wanted to point fingers at anyone else and how understanding everyone had to be about all the money down the drain. Since acting commissioner Troy Body flitted off, leaving a bigger mess than ever, precisely nothing is being done. Probable reason: the redesign of the redesign must be redesigned and no one over there wants to ask for more money for that particular rat hole.
It’s getting embarassing — a novel concept for state employees and one that must be pondered. People get fired a heckuva lot quicker at the DOH, DMV, and Office of Administration for the kind of waste and incompetence at Culture and History. And I wonder, why is that?
— By Jane Claymore
