Homer museum turns to city for help after Dunleavy vetoes roof repair funds

Homer’s Pratt Museum (Simon Lopez/KBBI)

The Pratt Museum successful Homer has been grappling pinch urgent tile repairs, stemming from years of deferred attraction that person led to terrible structural issues. The estimated repair costs has skyrocketed to $1.3 million.

To unafraid nan basal funding, nan Pratt Museum applied for a assistance and is seeking support from nan state. The Homer Society of Natural History, which operates arsenic nan Pratt Museum, requested backing from nan Alaska Legislature for a superior task successful nan adjacent fiscal year.

Although nan Legislature included $250,000 for nan task successful this fiscal year’s superior budget, Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed it from nan last version.

Now nan depository must move to different backing sources. But according to Executive Director Patricia Relay, those options require a show of support from nan City of Homer.

“Without nan metropolis of Homer making america a legislative priority, we person nary leverage,” Relay said.

The depository is asking nan Homer City Council to prioritize nan task and group speech $350,000 arsenic a show of support. Relay said nan Rasmuson Foundation is opinionated by for nan metropolis to put money into nan tile replacement.

“The infinitesimal they springiness nan nod, Rasmuson is eager to jump successful astatine nary little than $250,000,” Relay said.

In a missive to nan council, Alaska Senate President Gary Stevens advocated for nan tile replacement project. In nan letter, he highlighted nan museum’s value to nan organization and said contempt Dunleavy’s veto, nan mostly of nan Legislature was supportive of nan project. Stevens wrote that he had added backing for nan tile repairs successful nan Senate type of nan superior budget.

Museums Alaska, nan state’s depository association, besides wrote to nan assembly showing support and elaborate nan larger backing strategy.

The depository still faces tile damage, pinch cracked beams and leaks that endanger exhibits and agency computers. Issues pinch a faulty power portion for nan ventilation and boiler systems besides airs risks to preserving delicate artifacts.

Relay said they deficiency backing to reside these issues, which impacts what nan depository tin offer.

“The effect of each of this deferred attraction is, really undermining our expertise to really upgrade imperishable exhibits and things for illustration that,” Relay said.

The Pratt Museum remains unfastened and continues to connection regular exhibits and events arsenic it navigates various backing hurdles.