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From TN AIM
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Townsend unsure of fate of Native American museum
2002-04-12
by Erin Hudson
of The Daily Times Staff
The future of a talked-about museum to display Native American artifacts from the archaeological dig in Townsend last year remains uncertain.
Townsend officials learned at a workshop Wednesday the city would have to own the museum for it to be eligible for a grant through the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
In April 2001, representatives from Native American tribal groups, officials from TDOT, and state and federal historic preservation representatives signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
The agreement specified the artifacts uncovered during the two-yearlong dig completed in Sept. 2001 would be preserved and cataloged.
To keep the artifacts in the area where they were uncovered, the agreement stated an addition would be made to the Townsend Visitors Center.
Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he offered the Visitors Center as a site to keep the artifacts in the Townsend area. However, some business owners in Townsend suggested the museum be placed elsewhere in the city to attract more visitors.
No TDOT authorization
The workshop with the Townsend city commissioners and TDOT was held to discuss the options of the museum.
TDOT official Nancy Sartor said during the workshop that TDOT has not authorized any plans for a museum to be built anywhere to house those artifacts uncovered by the dig.
Since the artifacts were found during a state highway project with the widening of East Lamar Alexander Parkway through Townsend, the city is eligible to apply for TEA-21 Enhancement grants for the museum.
However, to receive any federal grant money through TDOT, the property and museum would have to be owned by the city. Townsend could have a contract for a nonprofit group to run the museum, but the city would be ultimately responsible for the dispersion of funds, Sartor said.
The Townsend City Commission has been wary of taking on too much responsibility of the museum, since its budget is limited.
Commissioner Kenny Myers said he is not against having a museum housing the Native American artifacts, but is concerned about the city overextending itself by supporting such a project.
``I'm just not comfortable with the situation we're in,'' Myers said.
Other museum grants
Sartor pointed out at the workshop that the city is also responsible for TEA-21 grants that will go to the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum and the Tuckaleechee Heritage Museum. The city authorized the grant applications for both museums.
Notification that nearly $500,000 would be presented to both museums came in November 2001. TEA-21 stands for the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century funding program.
Sartor offered to look over the charters for both those museums to suggest possible changes that may need to be made.
Townsend Mayor Sandy Headrick said during the workshop she understood that the city applied for the grants on behalf of both museums, but she did not know that the city was supposed to have control over the museums.
Sartor said public officials also need to sit on the board of both museums as public officials and not as private citizens.
In regards to the Native American Museum, Myers said he would be more willing to support a project if the city held the title to the land.
``I don't want the thing to be built and close down five years later, and the nice building will be used for something else,'' Myers said.
Sartor said TDOT has offered a $160,000 grant to the city to have a design made of the museum.
The City Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the municipal office. The subject of the grant for the design of the museum is expected to be on the agenda.
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
doctrine of international copyright law.
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