Pearson Air Museum evicted from their facilities...

[Warbirdnerd]

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Workers on Tuesday moved planes and other assets out of the Pearson Air Museum because of a contract dispute between the National Park Service and the city of Vancouver.

Moving trucks came and went, and by the end of the day much of the museum was cleared out.

Pearson Field is the oldest operating airfield in the West. And the museum, built in 1995, teaches the history of aviation in the area. It is run by the nonprofit Fort Vancouver National Trust on behalf of the city of Vancouver.

But the National Park Service owns the land, and the two parties have had several disagreements over using the space particularly on how the museum hosts outside events that don't keep with National Park Service rules.

So yesterday the park service terminated its contract with the city, effectively ordering the museum staff to vacate. That contract was supposed to run through 2025.

It's not clear what the park service plans to do with the museum space, but everything inside is owned by either the national trust or by donors who have loaned assets to the museum.

For now, those assets are being moved to a nearby hangar for safe storage.

"It really is heartbreaking and it is also quite troubling that the park service has determined that, although this has clearly been developed as a community asset and supported as such, that simply because they own the property on which the museum is built, they have the right to come in and take it over," said Elson Strahan, president and CEO of Fort Vancouver National Trust.

"A lot of people are really upset with what's happened with the museum and are demanding answers," said Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt.

The National Park Service did not immediately respond to phone calls for comment Tuesday.

Museum supporters are now turning their attention to Congress hoping local lawmakers will get involved and intervene.

Staff and volunteers at the museum will be back Wednesday morning to finish the job of clearing out what's left.

Found it here:
http://www.katu.com/news/local/Pearson- ... 62601.html
Museum's Website:
http://www.pearsonairmuseum.org/

[Noha307]

But the National Park Service owns the land, and the two parties have had several disagreements over using the space particularly on how the museum hosts outside events that don't keep with National Park Service rules.

So...it sounds like they were partying too hard.

Anyone on WIX live near or work at the museum?

Here's to hoping the dispute is resolved soon.

[The Inspector]

But the National Park Service owns the land, and the two parties have had several disagreements over using the space particularly on how the museum hosts outside events that don't keep with National Park Service rules.

So...it sounds like they were partying too hard.

Anyone on WIX live near or work at the museum?

Here's to hoping the dispute is resolved soon.

STONEY lives a rock throw from Pearson in Brush Prairie-I'm way too far North

[Stoney]

I haven't been involved with the museum in over 12 years.

[K5DH]

I'd like to hear "The Rest of The Story" (with a tip o' the hat to the late, great Paul Harvey), but at face value this whole thing sounds very disappointing. The story mentions that the Museum had been violating the Park Service's rules. I suppose that could be "grounds for dismissal", so to speak. Since it seems that there were multiple instances of this violation, it doesn't appear that the Park Service reacted in a knee-jerk fashion. I would hope that both sides at least tried to work something out before the Park Service pulled the plug.

[gary1954]

I'd like to hear "The Rest of The Story" (with a tip o' the hat to the late, great Paul Harvey), but at face value this whole thing sounds very disappointing. The story mentions that the Museum had been violating the Park Service's rules. I suppose that could be "grounds for dismissal", so to speak. Since it seems that there were multiple instances of this violation, it doesn't appear that the Park Service reacted in a knee-jerk fashion. I would hope that both sides at least tried to work something out before the Park Service pulled the plug.

its a government thing....like the EPA and illuminate in World War Two era flight instruments.. ..one to many napkins on the ground ?

[The Inspector]

I haven't been involved with the museum in over 12 years.

We just wonder if maybe the Vancouver INQUISITOR/CONFESSER or one or more of the local TV stations had some info that perhaps you could pass along since it didn't make the Everett birdcage liner or any of the local TV stations.

[Mike]

I did try and visit the museum on a trip up there in September.

Unfortunately the museum was closed for an event.

They were having some kind of a party.

[Stoney]

I heard on the local radio that congress is getting are involve in this.

[gary1954]

I heard on the local radio that congress is getting are involve in this.

sayyyy wattt??

[The Inspector]

I heard on the local radio that congress is getting are involve in this.

Thanks, that's more info than has been heard from the local 'beat on a log' telegraph up here.

[snj-5]

More info from another board:

http://www.pacificnorthwestflying.com/index.php?topic=10251.15

The Future of Pearson Air Museum

Background

Since Congress incorporated the 366 acre Fort Vancouver National Site in 1996, including the M.J. Murdock Aviation Center/Pearson Aviation Museum Complex (Museum Complex), the partnership between the City of Vancouver (City), the Fort Vancouver National Trust (Trust), and the National Park Service (NPS) has been successful due to the collaborative working relationship and focus on growing the entire historic site to become a vital community, regional and national asset.

Since 1995, the Museum Complex has grown to become a major tourist destination, educational center for area youth and an important historical aviation center for researchers and enthusiasts alike. It resides within the grounds of the Fort Vancouver National Site and sits on NPS land, which was acquired in 1972 from the City as part of a 72- acre purchase, including the seven acres on which the Museum Complex was developed.

More than $4.2 million was raised from community members, the City, businesses and others to build the Museum and renovate adjoining buildings, with the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust contributing nearly $3 million in grant funding. Since 2005, the Museum Complex has been sustainably operated by the Trust on behalf of the City of Vancouver with an annual budget of over $300,000. Of this amount, the Trust provides more than $30,000 in direct operational and education programming support , with the remainder primarily derived from event rentals, as well as admissions, memberships and general donations. From 1995 until 2005, the Museum Complex was operated by the Pearson Field Historical Society, which provided similar financial support, and both the Society and the Trust invested in the acquisition of historic aircraft, as well as other exhibits. In total, there has been a community investment in the Museum Complex through the City and our nonprofit organizations of at least $8 million, while the NPS has made no material contributions, other than allowing the development of the Museum Complex on their land.

Current Issue

Since May 2011 the Trust has been in discussions with the NPS concerning the Trust’s operation of the Museum Complex. There is a Cooperative Agreement (Agreement) in place for Museum operations between the NPS and the City executed in December 1995. That Agreement was to remain in effect until 2025, with extensions thereafter. The Trust has served as the City’s designated agent to operate the Museum since the Trust and the City entered into a sub-agreement in February 2005.

However, on February 1, 2013 the NPS terminated that Agreement after seeking to have the Trust sign a new Agreement. Among other changes, the proposed new Agreement would have required:
• NPS approval of all education and interpretive programming developed by the Trust up to a year in advance. NPS would also prohibit the Trust from entering into sub-agreements with education partners and would require that current relationships and agreements with education partners be transferred to NPS management.
• NPS approval of all events inside and outside the Museum Complex through individual special use permits with very restrictive criteria for approvals.
• NPS approval of all Trust income and expenditures associated with the Museum Complex, although the NPS would bear no financial responsibility for operational or capital support for the Museum Complex.
• Reduction in the land and building footprint of the Museum Complex, hindering the programs and operations of the Museum.
• Transfer of ownership and management of the Trust’s collections and exhibits to the NPS.

These are just a few of the demands contained in the proposed new agreement from the NPS which the Trust cannot accept.

The NPS justified this imposition of control simply because the community built the Museum Complex on seven (7) acres of NPS property. Since the Trust would not comply with these new terms the NPS terminated the current agreement that was to remain in effect until 2025.

As noted above, the NPS has not provided financial support for operations and they did not materially contribute to the development and rehabilitation of the Museum Complex buildings. All of the exhibits and collections, including aircraft, are either owned by the Trust or are on loan to the Trust by private donors, for which the Trust has a stewardship responsibility. This is why the Trust moved those assets to its hangars at Pearson Field.

Among the many impacts of this forced move are two very significant outcomes. The Trust needs to move established STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) based educational programs such as the summer-long aviation camps and Exploring Careers in Aviation Program – in partnership with the Clark County Skills Center - to the Trust’s hangars on Pearson Field. In addition, the more than 100 community events held annually at the Museum Complex will have to find new venues, which will be a hardship on the many charitable organizations the Trust particularly enjoys supporting with special nonprofit rates.

The only way these programs, activities and events can be preserved is to remove jurisdictional authority of the M.J. Murdock Aviation Center/Pearson Aviation Museum Complex from the NPS and place it under the authority of the City of Vancouver. The City would then continue to partner with the Trust in its stewardship of the Museum Complex on behalf of and for the benefit of the community and the region.

After all, our community members paid for the development of the Museum Complex and have sustained this wonderful asset. The Trust believes it belongs to our citizens, and if you agree the Trust encourages you to support the City Council and our Congressional Delegation to advance legislation to change oversight of the Museum Complex from the NPS to the City. Their contact information is below.

Congressional Delegation:

Katie Whittier
Southwest Washington Director
U.S. Senator Patty Murray
The Marshall House
1323 Officer’s Row
Vancouver, Washington 98661
Phone: (360) 696-7797
Fax: (360) 696-7798
katie_whittier@murray.senate.gov

Kimberly Blake Pincheira
Southwest Washington Director
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell
The Marshall House
1313 Officers Row
Vancouver, WA 98661
360-696-7838
360-696-7844 – FAX
kimberly_pincheira@cantwell.senate.gov

Ryan L. Hart
District Director
Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler
O.O. Howard House
750 Anderson St., Suite B
Vancouver, WA 98661
(360) 695-6292
Fax: (360) 695-6197
Ryan.L.Hart@mail.house.gov

[The Inspector]

Thank you for that informative article, both of my Senators will be getting letters from me about this. I will refrain from bothering with sending a letter to Rep. Beutler as she doesn't represent me in the house
(different Congressional District) but anyone living in her District should communicate their feelings in this matter with her offices.
This sounds like a breath holding exercise by NPS for some silly reason or another to draw attention.

[Noha307]

However, on February 1, 2013 the NPS terminated that Agreement after seeking to have the Trust sign a new Agreement. Among other changes, the proposed new Agreement would have required:
• NPS approval of all education and interpretive programming developed by the Trust up to a year in advance. NPS would also prohibit the Trust from entering into sub-agreements with education partners and would require that current relationships and agreements with education partners be transferred to NPS management.
• NPS approval of all events inside and outside the Museum Complex through individual special use permits with very restrictive criteria for approvals.
• NPS approval of all Trust income and expenditures associated with the Museum Complex, although the NPS would bear no financial responsibility for operational or capital support for the Museum Complex.
• Reduction in the land and building footprint of the Museum Complex, hindering the programs and operations of the Museum.
• Transfer of ownership and management of the Trust’s collections and exhibits to the NPS.

I don't know about you, but these conditions seem a bit draconian to me. Does the NPS even know what to do with an entire collection of aircraft? Besides, from looking at the museum's website, a large part of their collection is privately owned, and the NPS wouldn't be receiving that portion.

[CAPFlyer]

It's the typical NPS move. Someone is making money, they don't have money (or at least claim they don't) so they decide to try and get it for themselves by either running off whomever is already there or making them negotiate to pay fees (which would be what happens with the permits) for all the activities.