Details to Fort Operations Lease Ironed Out
By Ryan Schlehuber

Details in a lease between the City of St. Ignace and the nonprofit Michilimackinac Historical Society for the operation of Fort de Buade Museum and its gift shops were worked out at a committee meeting Monday, November 26, in which the historical society was given authority to sell off the contents of two gift shops and conduct other programs, with approval of the city council.

The historical society's president, Judi Engle, with help from members of the group, has been operating the museum and its three gift shops since the city purchased the operation from the family of the late Dr. Donald Benson this fall. The $500,000 purchase was funded by a $708,000 donation from Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Under its lease to operate the property, the historical society will be able to sell or auction the inventories in two of the shops, a rummage store and a used books and records shop. Both shops will be removed when the items are all sold and the space will be used for hands-on projects and programs.

The third shop sells American Indian art and crafts and other merchandise with an Indian theme.

Representing the city committee on Monday were City Manager Eric Dodson, Councilmen Paul Fullerton, Don Gustafson, and Willie LaLonde, and city attorney Prentiss "Moie" Brown, Jr. Representing the historical society were Ms. Engle, Jennifer McGraw, and Cheryl Schlehuber.

During discussion at the meeting, Ms. Engle was allowed to transfer $500 from the tribal donation to pay for utilities this winter, which will be added to another $500 already earmarked for that expense.

The city is to receive contributions of $118,000 from the Sault Tribe over seven years. From the first installment this year, $100,000 was transferred to the Benson family as a down payment toward the $500,000 owed to them. Other expenses included state-required testing of the property's soil, attorney fees, and minor repairs to the building, totaling $7,512.19, leaving $10,488 from this year's contribution.

Mr. Dodson said the city has yet to receive bills from its attorney, a total cost of repairs suggested by the city's building inspector and fire chief, and for electrical work.

Ms. Engle said she is applying for federal grants to help with the operations of the museum and for upcoming programs.

Other clauses added to the draft lease allow the historical society to charge admission to non-tribal members with approval from City Council, although Ms. Engle said she hopes to continue the group's past practice of allowing people to enter free.

Tribal members receive free admission and a 15% discount on gift shop items.

The historical society will also be allowed to set fees for projects and programs it plans to hold in the museum.

Language will be added to the lease to allow the historical society to sell items not related to the museum and put that revenue into the museum's fund. And committee members agreed that if the historical society should ever change the scope of its business, replacing the gift shops with, for example, a coffee shop or an ice cream shop, the city council should be consulted.

The historical society is allowed to conduct fundraisers or revenuegenerating programs to fund its own programs, even though programs, such as the sale of its Walking History Tour booklets or its culture and heritage center, are promoted at the museum, and Mr. Brown will add language to the lease that allows the society to keep these funds separate from museum operations.

Mr. Brown reiterated that City Council will have the final say any changes to the operation of the museum and its gift shops.

"We don't want to micromanage, but if a dispute arises, we can step in," he said.

Although the property is off the city tax rolls, the lease will state that the city is responsible for all real estate taxes while the historical society is responsible for all other taxes, such as workers compensation, payroll, health insurance, and personal property.

The museum is closed for the winter, but Ms. Engle is keeping one of the gift shops open for meetings and family genealogy research.