Peoria Riverfront Museum Chairman and former mayor Dave Ransburg was on the WMBD morning show. He was lobbed softball questions (“It’s going to be really exciting once construction starts, wouldn’t you agree?”) and generally fawned over by Greg. I realize it’s not a news program, but sheesh, he could have asked the guy a mildly challenging question.
Like, how about this one: Your group is charged with raising the remaining money needed to build the museum, which is estimated to be at least $7 million. Why do you think you’ll be more successful now when you were unsuccessful as part of the “Circle the Square” group of former mayors that tried to raise money four years ago?
Or how about: “Why should this project continue to go forward when it can’t raise sufficient start-up capital even after a $40 million taxpayer infusion and a decade of fundraising efforts?”
Or even better: “Given your history of being untruthful with the public, why should we trust anything you say in this interview?”
In fairness, I did hear one question that was slightly challenging — from Dan, of course — and that was when he asked if there was going to be an IMAX. Ransburg danced around it, using a typical political trick: “The plans call for an IMAX.” Yeah, yeah. Thanks for telling us what we already know.
I’m not much of a fan of Mr. Ransburg, but I wish more of the Peoria decision makers wouldn’t tip their hand.
ever notice how this town keeps recycling these clowns like Ransburg. Why doesn’t he just go away?
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
CJ why don’t you e-mail him those questions and see if he replies?
Loved Luciano’s article in the Star yesterday. He can be a wiener at times, but he sure put Ransburg in…’perspective’?
When all is said and done; there will be more ‘said’ than ‘done.’
Mouse posted an interesting comment. Why can’t these people just fade away? Even when they have been VOTED OUT of office, they manage to resurface and begin their reign of terror all over again!
How else can the Peoria power-brokers keep the ‘power’ within their tight little circles?
It is because the majority of the people take the attitude of fealing more comfortable with the devil they know than with the devil they don’t.
Justan- I think that is changing. People are beginning to understand the consequences of apathy.
Is IMAX actually partnering with museums anymore?
It seems like their business model has shifted to theater venues – correct? At a recent county board committee meeting, Mr. Mark Johnson gave the report that the museum people were waiting to give the $1M commitment to IMAX for when the building starts. The rainbow seems to be just around every next corner.
Why not email questions to Ransburg? Pointless, he doesn’t know the answers either. Well, he probably does. He knows the private sector will not give more than $500,000 and only with a lot of arm twisting.
This group of museum supporter “leaders” are simlair to the Captain of the Titanic. Well meaning though. They know what’s best for the rest of us.
Just as Karen M quoted me as being “gloom and doom”. This project is to be a long term failure ending up with Peoria County raising property taxes to meet operating expenses.
How do I know? I studied the successes and failures of museums across the country. I’m sure Ransburg knows that museums are nice. I know that also. Nice and ticket sales are not similair.
Note that the zoo celebrated their 1st anniversary. Eighteen months back a “M & S” was appealing to the public for $5 million to finish the parking lot and new entrance for Glen Oak. They haven’t released attendance yet but as the PPD prespdent said, we’ll see what revenues are.
The new parking lot didn’t happen and don’t expect it to unless “you know who” successfully defends or wins their massive lawsuit.
By the way where is Alex when you need him. In fact, where is Alex? He has been very quiet for quite a while. Hm.
Parking lot to hold an overflow for the tennis courts, playground, the dog walkers, the baseball players or the picnic people? It sure is not needed for the zoo goers. Maybe the wedding parties where they appear to be doing quite well and petioning for liquor selling events. Just like Bonnie said, “people who drink (oops) I mean, play together, stay together”.
C.J., the first tough question Dan and Greg ask a local politician/official will be their first.
They, along with everyone else on the local radio, are not here to rock the boat.
@Merle
I would be happy enough if the Park District were to erect a classy wall around the Zoo. It would discourage people that live in the surrounding neighborhood from panhandling the zoo visitors in the current parking lot.
To Dave’s credit, he said that the endowment fund needed to be at $10-15M.
I guess it’s taken for granted that our administrator will convince himself and the board to pass a new resolution that will raise the amount originally pledged by the County Board to the museum building from $34.6 million to $40 million. Otherwise, the museum fund is short at least $14 million as less than $2 million of the “promised $3 million and assumed $5 million” is in the bank. (Per our County adminstrator)
I keep hearing that Build America funds or lower interest rates, either means more taxpayer dollars, are heading for the musuem. What a sad joke on the taxpayer if that happens. All that hype about how the private sector was going to be the major force of funding. Many of our local M and S folks are waiting for public funds from our people in Washington and Springfield.
My other favorite “whine” is ‘if we don’t take the money someone else will’. What great teachers to the young these stuffed heads are.
How do I figure how much money is still needed? The Regional President of a bank then called City National said a $14 million endowment is needed which would yield approx. $560,000 a year to help cover an estimated $4.3 operating cost that will grow each year if Richerson lives up to his promise of “regularly changing exhibits”.
Besides, the $5 million pledged by the State of Illinois is at this time same as all other pledges, just pledges. I have a rebate coming on my income tax. It’s coming…….
I like a good wine occassionally. My favorite museum toasting “whine” is “show me the money”.
According to a PPD Board member, no monetary deal has been worked out with them allowing the old Lakeview to act as storage dept for the new PRM.
After all these years and promises, they can’t raise the money but they will go ahead anyway. At an average entry fee of $12 per head times 240,000 equals $2,880,000 dollars. They won’t come close to averaging 12 bucks because memberships allow unlimited visits plus kids and school buses of kids. Any amount more than $12 entry fee, forget about about 240,000 visitors per year forever.
And now the county will own not only the building but the property around the building. I predict a time span of less than five years before the county raises property taxes to keep the building and the grounds open.
First paragraph addition “promised……”refers to the Endowment Fund.
Ransburg and Grieves just can’t stay away from spending taxpayers money… Is Ex-mayor Maloof involved with this, too
Maybe when its built, Ransburg can move it to China.
They have to put many “like minded of their own” on the board to get it done no matter what. If they put people like CJ, Sandburg, Merle and the like on the board, the thing would never get built.
Ransburg should resign and stay out of public issues.
The museum recently elected its first board of directors and selected officers and committee chairpersons.
Officers are Dave Ransburg, chairman; Ryan Beasley, vice chairman; and Andy Herrera, secretary/treasurer. Committee chairpersons are Jane Converse, marketing and communication; Dan Daly, building and grounds; Pat Barton, education and exhibition; Mike McCord, development; and Bernie Drake, collections. Jim Richerson was elected as the museum’s first president.
The rest of the 23-member board includes: Tom Bardwell, Dave Bozeman, Kevin Colgan, Dr. Marty Hickman, Frank Ierulli, Sally Johnson, Joan Krupa, Dr. Rod Lorenz, Rosemary McCullough, John Parks, Sally Snyder, Jamie Stevenson, Dr. Vicky Stewart, Sally Stone and Jim Vergon.
That is a strong board.
so, 150 observer.
I do indeed.
150 Observer,
Does your expertise in hotels carry over into museums as well? What makes YOU think this is a “strong” board? Would have been interesting to see someone who has not supported this project from the beginning on the board. Maybe someone who would have been a bit more… critical of the museum plans, etc.
As it stands, we have no one on the board who will voice an opinion that might be contrary to what the PRM wants; and we all know what the PRM wants, the PRM gets. This is foolishness. The same old, same old.
Well, the idea of hiring somebody who is against the museum for the museum board leaves me somewhat mystified.
What makes me think this is a strong board? Some very bright, hard working and community oriented individuals are among the members.
There are a number of strong willed individuals here that will stand up and say what they think.
I’ll lay odds that 60% of these board members do NOT know the actual financial condition of Lakeview, that they do not know $12+ million of the $14 million raised in cash has already been spent.
They should be smart enough to ask for a CERTIFIED audit of the pledges, $1,000,000.00 has been cancelled as of June 30, 2009. How many cancelled from 2009 to 2010?
150 Observer,
Well…..Merle spoke volumes!
I am not necessarily saying they should have someone AGAINST the museum, just someone who will be a little more critical of the process. And before you say it, NO, the process has not been ironed out; not after 10 years and spending millions already!
Very bright, hard working and community oriented individuals they may be, but that certainly DOES NOT qualify them to be on a museum board. I am sure their …..’reputations’ are beyond reproach [ha ha], but what makes you think they should be given so much responsibility when it comes to developing a multi-million museum; especially one that relies on so much of the tax payers money?!?
You tout your good business sense when it came to the hotel; fine. I would really love to know if YOU believe this project has been organized and run properly from the start.
I really haven’t followed the museum process very closely–only so much RAM in my noggin. I just can see that there are some real quality people on that board. I think it is a strong board. Bankers, attorneys, museum people, marketing, finance, etc. Heavy weights. Also a wide variety of businesses represented. Colgan, Ierulli, Daly, Stevenson, etc. All top notch people.
“There are a number of strong willed individuals here that will stand up and say what they think.”
Apparently you think the extensive research into Group Think is hooey. This board is the perfect model for Group Think dynamics.
150,
I will grant you all that. All museums require an ‘administration’ of sorts. The problem is, as Merle Widmer states so eloquently, just how familiar are these bankers and business people with the museums finances [past, present and future]?
If these people were as bright as you make them out, they would all realize that the cost of maintaining this museum will only increase every year. If the PRM people have a plan in place to cover these expenditures, they have never informed the [voting] public about it.
Most of the complaints centered round the projected cost and attendance figures, which seemed to change as if by magic every month, the complete lack of any true public discourse, the complete lack of transparency, not to mention the fact that the people in ‘charge’ of this project have dropped the ball over and over when it comes to maintaining and preserving Peoria’s history [the former Zeller Mental Health hospital being just one example…].
If the downtown hotel project were being conducted in the same …’fashion,’ I promise, you would have been the first one to cry “FOUL!!!” As far as ‘museum people,’ I see only Drake and Parks [both rank amateur historians], and Richerson [one step removed from rank amateur].
I am being sincere when I say… do a little research 150. You will see.
well, there aren’t exactly a cadre of museum consultants and experts in Peoria to appoint to the board. They appointed a wide variety of talented people to the board and I think it is a strong board. Like any new board, some will have to get up to speed. Others, not so much. Kevin Colgan, for example, the Treasurer of Cat, is very much up to date on the museum.
I have never said much one way or another about the museum here. I think it is a very strong board. ^^shrugs^^ Shoot me.
Unfortunately, we’ll never know how strong or weak the board is, since they won’t be having public meetings. For myself, I consider this lack of transparency as a sign of weakness.
“…well, there aren’t exactly a cadre of museum consultants and experts in Peoria to appoint to the board.”
Very true, yet they continue to plan a multi-million dollar museum on the tax payers dime? Makes perfect sense to me.
If Kevin Colgan “is very much up to date on the museum,” he must keeping all of his vaunted knowledge a secret from the rest of us!
You are dead wrong about the professionals on hand to advise on the museum; not one of which has been tapped to this date [with the exception of a couple of Bradley economics professors pressured into providing the public with fudged economics data – all making the museum look like the greatest investment since Microsoft]!
Not one has been “tapped” for what? Please explain.
Again, you don’t like the Board. I think it is a very strong board. So be it.
OK 150, you think this a “strong board.”
to sit on Peoria Chronicle and put a positive spin on all things Peoria, 150 observer? Is it the City, Heartland, the Chamber? You respond as if it is your job. If it is, no problem, we still want dialogue with you. If you are being paid to spin, it is only fair that we know.
Don’t be silly. I haven’t put any “positive spin” on any local project. I have actually said that at this time I wouldn’t have voted for the hotel and I have no opinion on the museum project. I have only corrected misinformation on the hotel and said that I think this is a strong group of people for the museum board. Sometimes I wonder if a few of the posters here are so biased on some subjects that they can’t even see the obvious. You should want to be on a site where everybody doesn’t always agee with you. That is how you learn something.
Trust me, if I worked for any city organization I would be taking positions in favor of these projects.
I suspect that you think the city cares more about the Peoria Chronicle than they actually do….
I do come here, however, for a reason. I like to read varied opinions on subjects and hope others like to do the same. I have found some here very close minded. That is disappointing—too many times people only read or watch those sites or programs that espouse only what they believe in. I like to go to places with a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints—that is how you learn and grow. You may soon have your wish—-this place is stifling sometimes.
150,
I understand your point of view. Most people are going to be “biased” one way or another. They will either support a project or not. This, as I see it, is not a problem – as long as you can support your argument and it does not turn into a bash session.
Yes, people are very…’passionate’ about certain projects. It is hardly “stifling.” If you think the board is strong because you know these people to be exceptional at what they do [for the most part], fine, but that they are qualified to make decisions concerning the PRM…that is another matter.
I realize that a city the size of Peoria has a ‘limited’ pool of ‘resources’ to draw from. Most of the people named to the board have their ‘hands’ in just about every project, not-for-profit, etc, in the area. People tend to take this one of two ways; they are either very charitable with their time, etc, or they just enjoy having the final say-so on all things ‘Peoria.’
As Merle & C.J. mentioned, the board will be conducting their meetings behind closed doors. This lack of transparency has been a major problem with the museum project from the beginning. All this does is reinforce the idea that these people [the board] have an ‘agenda.’
I realize this may sound like nit-picking, but you may find it interesting to do a little research on this PRM project. Also, I think you know what I meant when I wrote that having a board filled with nothing but ‘YES’ men & women, is hardly reassuring. Anyone pointing out a ‘flaw’ in the plan has routinely been ignored.
Haven’t you wondered why funding for this…’thing’ has been SO HARD to acquire? If I am not mistaken, they are STILL short a few million bucks….?
Thanks New Voice.
Hey! What can I say?
Your hotel posts were very informative. Can’t have a good discussion without considering all points of view.
Steve Morris was quoted in the J Star today…..
He wants to construct a museum that is “self-sustaining.”
Is that construction ‘speak’ meaning…… the building will be able to stand on its own [and not fall down]?
I am thinking he means that this museum will “sustain” itself financially. If these ‘museum experts’ can develop a self-sustaining museum, they will be the first in history to do so! NO MUSEUM IS SELF-SUSTAINING!
Still wondering what these fools are going to do with the current Lakeview collection, the PHS collection, the archives at Bradley, etc.?
Steve Morris is a quality guy, and he clearly was talking about the financial aspects.
“…he clearly was talking about the financial aspects.”
150, that is my problem. Like I said in my previous post, NO museum is self sustaining.
The recession has affected everything, including the arts. Unfortunately, nothing has escaped the impact of budget cuts, decreases in donations and rising debt. Museums across the country are struggling to keep their collections together as well as their doors open. Hells Bells, PRM hasn’t even obtained the initial funding to kick off the construction!!
Every major museum in the U.S. is experiencing major cut-backs; shrinking endowments, decreasing funds from the state and fed are causing many institutions to close their doors, and most of these museums have larger and more diverse exhibits and a MUCH LARGER attendance rate then the PRM will ever have!
Morris may be a stand-up guy, but his idea of a self-sustaining museum is ridiculous. The problem is, many on the PRM Board believe their own dribble.
Really though 150, my comments are not meant as a personal attack against Morris or anyone else on the PRM Board [for the most part]. You need not defend their character to the utmost here!
New Voice, I figured calling him a “fool” was probably a personal attack. 🙂
Yeah, based upon what I read, it is probably a worthy, though impossible, goal for the museum to be self-sustaining.