The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office announced July 31 that it will cease operations of four local historical museums Sept. 30.
The Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez, Manatee Village Historical Park in Bradenton, Palmetto Historical Park and Manatee County Agricultural Museum in Palmetto will move Oct. 1 to the county sports and leisure department.
This decision follows a vote by county commissioners during a Sept. 12, 2023, meeting after Molly White, deputy director of sports and leisure, asked the board to place the museums under her department.
She said doing so created “an opportunity for branding” and that the move would streamline marketing and provide “an increase in growth in programs and initiatives to better serve our residents.”
Over a dozen people attending the meeting voiced opposition to the change, including, Karen Bell, a board member of the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage in Cortez, and Cindy Rodgers, president of the Cortez Village Historical Society.
“The PowerPoint suggests that management and public use of our historic resources would improve under this sweeping change in administration,” Rodgers said, referring to White’s presentation. “That is an interesting perspective and one that deserves a full public airing if commissioners and others have concerns about the current situation.”
“We were shocked that the PowerPoint ended with a resolution for a complicated matter of public stewardship without so much as an iota of public discussion and due diligence,” she added.
Commissioner George Kruse, R-District 7, said the motion seemed rushed and questioned the legality of the issue.
“Neither the clerk nor the county owns most of these properties,” Kruse said.
While the FMM sits on land owned by Manatee County since 1999, many of its artifacts and other structures are owned by a nonprofit, the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum.
The friends group, established in 2012, is a non-profit that supports the museum’s initiatives through education, community outreach, events and financial support. The group consists of a 10-member board and two consultants.
FFMM consultant Kristen Sweeting responded to The Islander in an Aug. 2 email about the transition.
“As of now, FFMM’s partnership with the museum will remain intact,” Sweeting wrote. She added that the transition should not affect their operations.
She said all activities and programs at the museum will continue as before and museum staff will remain in their current positions. Sponsorships and program purposes are expected to remain the same.
“We anticipate a smooth transition with minimal impact on our day-to-day operations and partnerships,” Sweeting added.
The Palmetto Historical Park and Manatee County Agricultural Museum in Palmetto sit on land owned by the city of Palmetto and the Manatee Village Historical Park sits on land owned by the Manatee County Historical Commission, which consists of a 17-member commission appointed by county commissioners, including the clerk of the circuit court.
Despite objections at that September 2023 meeting, the county commissioners voted 6-1 to move oversight of the historical resources, with Kruse voting no.
The clerk’s historical resources department has played a role in the preservation of county history for more than 40 years, partnering with municipalities and nonprofits to restore and maintain structures and vehicles, according to the July 31 notice.
“While the clerk’s office disagrees with the board’s decision, the office is committed to ensuring a smooth transition so that these museums will continue to serve the community for decades to come,” the notice read.
In an Aug. 2 email to The Islander, Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Angel Colonneso stated: “We know how much our community values these historical museums, and we share that sentiment. Once it was confirmed that the county would not fund the museums through the clerk’s office, we knew it was important to keep everyone informed. While we cannot predict the future, we are hopeful these sites will continue to operate as normal, with the same great staff, programming and events available.”