Artist’s rendering of new museum now under construction
Leonardtown, MD — The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County at their regularly scheduled March 10 public forum heard one person after another come to the microphone in support of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. Of the unusually large number of speakers (35), more than half (18) spoke in support of county funding for the museum.
The commissioners have been asked to provide $130,000 in the coming fiscal year to help transition the museum into its new facility scheduled to open later this year. They’ve also been asked to kick in $550,000 to renovate the existing museum building and a separate warehouse once the new building opens. The county owns the land and the buildings at the site just outside Pax River’s gate 1.
Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Association (PRNAMA), a non-profit organization, has operated the museum for 30 years largely through a volunteer effort. President Ed Sierra and Vice President Pete Butt made a presentation to the commissioners earlier in the day before the public forum. Although the three commissioners who originally agreed to place the monies in next year’s budget appear to be holding the line, two of the commissioners, John O’Connor [R; 3rd District] and Todd Morgan [R – 4th District] continue to insist on a business plan from the association.
Morgan asked Sierra directly if there was a plan and he said there wasn’t. Morgan said the original agreement between the county and the association called for the operation to be self-funded and now $130,000 was being sought. Sierra responded that the Navy pulling its funding for the museum dramatically changed the finances of the association.
O’Connor said a business plan was something that could be put together in several hours. He said no bank would lend to a new business without a plan instead of just a belief that it would work. “If you don’t have a plan you are getting a ‘No” vote from me,” he said.
O’Connor suggested instead of a grant from the county that a loan be considered with non-interest and an extended pay back. The idea didn’t get any traction from the other commissioners.
Commissioner Mike Hewitt, a former association board member, made an impassioned plea for the funding. He said the “cow is out of the barn” in that a large amount of many has been expended to get the museum ready to open. He added, “The worst thing would be to let it slowly starve to death.”
Sierra said the trends for the museum were positive and predicted a hit with the new building. “One year from now things will be a lot more positive,” he said.
During a Power Point presentation from Butt, it was said that the museum would “serve as the ‘Front Porch’ to the Naval Air Station. Other benefits to the county included:
• Promote all aspects of tourism development and teaming with existing visitor attractions and the hospitality industry.
• Provide a catalyst for revitalization.
• Facilitate education and STEM initiatives.
• Nurture community partnerships
• Provide volunteer opportunities for everyone including active duty and veteran military personnel.
Butt noted that the accommodations industry in the area was very interested in the museum’s success, because their busy times or during the week with people associated with the base and tourists visiting on weekends to the museums would fill out their week.
Butt explained that the renovated existing museum would be used to continue to house the popular flight simulators, as well as for classroom space. The smaller third warehouse building would be used to store museum artifacts and prepare them for the new facility. Both were in series need of repair, he said.
Hewitt emphasized that the $130,000 for operations would be for one time only. He looked at Sierra and said, “You have to make it work.” He added, “I for one want to give you a chance.”
The reservations from the two commissioners followed a planning commission meeting the night before in which two of the planners also expressed concerns about lack of a business plan. Those reservation led commission Vice Chairman Shelby Guazzo to vote against recommending the county’s capital plan and member Susan McNeill to abstain.
Many of benefits listed by Sierra and Butt in their presentation were reiterated by speakers at the public forum. They included Patuxent Partnership Executive Director Bonnie Green who touted the benefit to the county’s STEM (Science, Math, Engineering and Technology) students. “It introduces them to Naval Aviation,” she said.
Former PRNAMA President George Hurlburt said the museum could be a way to introduce the general public to the world of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and also mentioned the importance to the STEP program.
Pax River Executive Officer Capt. Scott Starkey said the Navy supports what the museum is doing and they have a good working relationship.
The general public will have another crack at the issue during the public hearing on the budget scheduled for Apr. 14.
Contact Dick Myers at news@thebaynet.com