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Trustees approve $50,000 contribution to National Voice of America Museum after presentation on renovation and attendance gains
Summary
The West Chester Township trustees voted to provide $50,000 to the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting following a presentation highlighting a $500,000 state capital grant, recent renovations, increased attendance and new accessibility improvements.
The West Chester Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously on March 25 to contribute $50,000 to the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting after a presentation on the museum's recent renovation and growing visitor numbers.
Jack Dominic, executive director of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, and Chris Wanner, vice president of the museum board, updated trustees on a year of renovations and programming at the Bethany Station museum. Dominic said the museum received a $500,000 capital improvement grant from the state of Ohio and has matched state funds with local private and organizational contributions. "We've replaced almost all of the wiring in the building... we now have heat and air conditioning," Dominic said, listing new HVAC, a fire‑alarm system, LED lighting and improvements to accessibility that make "99% of the museum now... totally accessible without going up a step."
Why this matters: The trustees' $50,000 operating contribution is designated for the museum's ongoing operating costs, Dominic said, and trustees were told the township contribution helps the museum attract larger state and private donations. Dominic told trustees the museum's operating bills — "the $3,500 a month electrical bill" — are covered in part by the township's annual support and that a recent private donor pledged $200,000 toward an unnamed project.
Trustee remarks and vote: Township staff put the item on the agenda as a financial contribution. After trustees praised volunteer labor and the museum's role in drawing regional visitors, the board approved the $50,000 contribution by roll call (Trustee Wong: yes; Trustee Welch: yes; Trustee Becker: yes).
Additional details: Dominic said attendance is up since a seven‑month closure, with weekend visitor counts now commonly reaching about 100 people and roughly half of visitors coming from outside the region. The museum offers QR‑code exhibit descriptions currently available in Spanish, Chinese and German and is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., with special tours by request.
Ending: Trustees and museum representatives said they will continue to coordinate on programming and that the contribution aims to keep the museum's operations funded while it seeks additional state and private support.
