Monroe County approves financing plan for museum expansion after trustees' presentation

The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted June 4 to approve a financing plan for an expansion and renovation of the Monroe County Museum, following a presentation by museum leaders and county staff.

The plan, documented in a letter dated May 29 from Michael Bisonnick, county administrator and chief financial officer, would use roughly $300,000 from the museum's fund balance and draw approximately $6,900,000 from the county's unreserved fund balance as a one-time capital investment, after the museum's trustees declined a recent $9 million state grant. "That money that would come out of the county's unreserved fund balance, a 1 time expenditure, but a 1 time investment into a project such as this," Bisonnick told commissioners.

Museum Board Chairman Brian Egan and Monroe County Museum Director Andrew (Andy) Clark told the board the project grew out of a pre-pandemic strategic plan and would expand exhibit, storage and program space while modernizing access to collections. "This museum expansion plan really hits on a lot of those components," Egan said. Clark described the proposed addition and renderings, saying, "Overall, we're looking at some changes in square footage. Getting close to 14,000 square feet of space."

Why it matters: Commissioners and museum leaders said the addition would create an accessible unified entrance, add archives and storage, and provide multiuse event space that museum staff say can support education programs and cultural tourism. County staff characterized the project as a one-time capital investment rather than an ongoing operating draw.

Key details and funding

- Project scope: Museum leaders presented renderings showing an addition adjacent to the River Raisin Center for the Arts (RRCA), a unified lobby with accessible entry, expanded exhibit space, a new archives/reading room, and an upper-level multipurpose space and terrace. Clark described a new dock and consolidated storage to allow the county to vacate a separate Third Street facility.

- Square footage: Clark said the addition would bring the museum to "getting close to 14,000 square feet of space." During questions a participant cited a different range, "21,000 to 35,000," which commissioners and staff treated as an estimate to be resolved in design.

- Cost and financing: Museum trustees planned to contribute about $300,000 from museum funds and to draw down a legacy fund established by donor Jean Smith (about $700,000 in principal and interest, per trustees' remarks). The remaining funding need cited in presentation materials and county staff remarks was approximately $6,900,000 to be taken from the county's unreserved fund balance. County staff said the preliminary unreserved fund balance is about $54,000,000 and characterized the museum payout as a one-time capital draw that would be managed through the capital planning and draw process.

- Grants and other sources: Museum staff said they applied for a one-time $9,000,000 state grant administered by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and were notified they were not awarded those funds. Staff said other federal and state museum funding sources appear limited and that museum leadership will continue to monitor for grant opportunities.

Board discussion and decision

Commissioners asked about operating costs, code compliance needs, and the plan to consolidate the Third Street storage facility. Clark and county staff said code, HVAC, electrical, fire protection and shoring work in the existing building will be part of the full design and construction sequence, and that the project team has budgeted conservatively for such work. Clark said the consolidated facility would allow museum operations to move out of the Third Street building, which the museum would then raise and sell; proceeds would be returned to the project fund.

Commissioner Swartout said, "I'm certainly in favor of this and I'm I'm thinking along the way, you might be able to find some more grant opportunities to help pay for this." Commissioner Moore and others expressed support after questioning staff about due diligence on budget and operations.

Formal action: A motion to accept the financing plan (letter dated 05/29/2025) was made and supported; a roll-call vote followed and the motion carried. The roll call recorded "yes" votes from Commissioners Heinzerling, Lamour, Venzl, Swartout, Moore, Leavens, Hoffman and Asper.

What happens next

County staff said the next steps are schematic design and development of construction documents, then bidding. Staff emphasized that detailed design and bidding will produce a final project cost and that construction draws would be made as incurred rather than as an immediate lump sum disbursement. The board and museum trustees said they will continue seeking any additional grant opportunities and aim to manage the project's cash flow to generate interest until funds are needed.

Public comment and trustee remarks

Several museum trustees and a member of the museum board spoke during the public comment period to thank the board for the investment; trustee Michael Humphreys said, "It's been almost a decade... we have been excellent stewards of the money that we've received" and thanked commissioners for the approval.

The board's approval does not yet commit the county to a specific construction contract or final cost; commissioners and staff repeatedly noted the estimate and budgeting work still to be completed during design and bidding.