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ASHBURTON
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Friday, July 11, 2014
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Council to control museum BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
The Ashburton Museum is about to become a department of the Ashburton District Council. Rather than continuing to run its own ship, the museum’s trust board put a proposal to the council that would see its management become a council function, leaving staff to get on with the business of running the museum itself. Currently the Ashburton Museum and Historical Society is responsible for the operation of
the Ashburton Museum, working in partnership with the Ashburton District Council which owns the museum building and supplies much of the operational funding. The change will see the museum come under the council umbrella in the same way as the public library and that’s a move that should be a win all round, said society chair Bev Tasker. “What’s happening in Ashburton is what has happened in a lot of other areas. There are few museums like ours that are supported by the community
that are not run by a council,” she said. The move to the new museum was the logical time to make the change, Mrs Tasker said. For years historical society volunteers had run the administration side of the museum. “We’ve had a marvellous person do this but now they want to step aside. We’re working through a process and have a draft agreement between the council and the museum,” she said. As a department of council it was likely there would be ad-
ministrative cost savings, Mrs Tasker said. “We asked for this change and our staff are keen and happy for this to happen. It elevates us to a professional level of function and that’s where it needs to be.” As part of the change, the museum’s collection, valued at well over $6 million, will remain in the ownership of the Museum and Historical Society, held in trust for the people of Ashburton. This ownership will remain for two years and will then be reviewed. Mrs Tasker said that gave both the council
and the society breathing space to look at the best ownership options for the future. Ultimately the museum collection could move into council ownership, again in trust for the community, she said. The council is the museum’s major funder and has tagged $195,000 as its contribution towards this year’s expenses. While there is no indication the Ashburton Art Gallery will opt to become a council department, the gallery committee was aware of the change the museum was making.
Dogs go under the hammer Looking for love – and a new owner - one of more than 70 dogs at yesterday’s PGG Wrightson dog sale. The sale attracted a big gallery of Australasian buyers, with prices tipping $5500 for top dogs. PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 1007-TM-059
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