The Michilimackinac Historical Society will receive $5,000 to cover Fort de Buade museum expenses for November and December. The money will come from funds earmarked for the museum and given to the city annually by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The museum will be open yeararound, the historical society has announced.

Any financial support that may be needed after December is expected to be discussed at a future committee meeting, not yet set.

The museum was not open last winter.

The city has a contract with the historical society, which operates the museum, and the financial request meets contract guidelines, said City Manager Eric Dodson during a Fort de Buade Committee meeting Monday, October 27.

The request for financial support was made by Michilimackinac Historical Society members Judi Engle and Dave Walker. Ms. Engle manages the museum.

The funds are needed, they say, to help keep the museum open yeararound, which will assist in making it eligible for state and national grants. The $5,000 is estimated to cover most of the operating expenses

for November and December, which the historical society estimates will be more than $5,100, including utilities and wages.

For this winter, plans include keeping the museum open four days a week, said Ms. Engle, and she is planning to offer evening programs.

The historical society is in the process of changing the museum's fiscal year to match the calendar year, said Mr. Walker. When the changeover is made, the society will review the 2009 budget and any future funding needs with the committee.

The tribe gives the city an annual payment of $118,398 to purchase and help operate the museum. A long-term contract between the city and the tribe requires the tribe continue the annual payments until the first week of June 2012, for a total commitment of $710,388.

Of the $118,398 yearly funding, the city uses $84,000 to make an annual loan payment that was set up when the museum was purchased in May 2007 for about $500,000.

After building maintenance costs, including roof work, about $26,000 remains in the account, said Mr. Dodson.

Mr. Walker presented financial information to the committee from October 2007 to October 2008. The museum ended the period with a $545 loss.

"That's not really too bad considering the economy, considering we had a free museum, and it was our first season," Ms. Engle told The St. Ignace News Thursday, October 30.

Most organizations do not show a profit in the first year, she said, and the small loss experienced by the museum is a "good sign" that it will be successful in the future.

Part of the success is that $25,155 (61% of gross income) came from museum sales, most of it from gift shop inventory acquired with the museum. Ms. Engle said there is quite a bit of gift inventory left.

Other income, since October 2007, included $9,517 in donations from those visiting the museum, $1,300 from fundraisers, and $5,000 from tribal payments.

The historical society does not track the number of visitors, said Ms. Engle. Entrance is free and a donation is requested.

Ms. Engle will be offering a program this winter that will include defining and researching the museum artifacts. The work is needed to improve the ability to receive state and federal grants. The goal of the program is to demonstrate the national historic significance of items in the museum.

Fort de Buade Committee members are City Councilmen Don Gustafson, Willie LaLonde, and Paul Fullerton. City Manager Eric Dodson also attends the meetings.

The Michilimackinac Historical Society board has 11 members, President Judi Engle, Vice President Jennifer McGraw, Treasurer Tom Pfeiffelmann, and Secretary Joan Oddy. Other board members include Cheryl Schlehuber, Ollie Boynton, Prentiss M. Brown, Jr., the Reverend Norbert Landreville, Dave Walker, Nancy Dandona, and Keith Massaway.