State archives asks appropriations committee for $43 million to finish museum projects, fund staff raises and 14 new positions

Representatives of the state archives and history agency told the state appropriations committee they are requesting $43,000,000 this fiscal year to complete capital projects and to implement a multi-year salary strategy for staff.

Agency leaders said the request would fund a salary-strategy rollout tied to the state personnel board’s range adjustments, 14 new positions prioritized by program need, and several capital projects. Shelby Tipton, the agency’s human resources director, described the salary approach as a priority-based, market-driven plan: “Priority 1 individuals are those who are in really high level mission critical roles, who are very successful or who have been with the agency in their current function for more than 10 years. These individuals are eligible for the highest in range adjustment, which is between 67%.”

The agency highlighted three project-level requests it called highest priority. They include:

Grand Village of the Natchez Indians — $9,000,000 to close out construction on the new museum and exhibits tied to that site; agency presenters said other funding sources may materialize but the state share is needed to complete the work and sign a construction contract before the next session.

Vicksburg Military Park visitor center — $20,000,000 to continue architecture, exhibit design and move toward signing a construction contract; agency representatives said the total project cost was projected at $120,000,000 and that the agency is pursuing federal funds and private fundraising in parallel.

Community Heritage Preservation Grant (CHPG) program — the agency requested $10,000,000 to restore funding that previously was set at $5,000,000 a year; agency staff said legislation has been introduced to move administration of the CHPG funds so the money can flow directly to the archives rather than routing through the Department of Finance and Administration.

Agency staff also asked for $2,000,000 to complete demolition and site work for Crigler Park (the initial phase tied to the Welty Library demolition) and described a multi-year need at Jefferson College tied to a $1,000,000 NEH matching grant that requires a $800,000 annual match over five years (the agency said this is year two and asked for $1,600,000 this year to remain on track).

On personnel, the agency said most staff fall in a priority-2 band that would receive 3–5% adjustments, and the presentation noted that additional market-based adjustments for priority-1 and other employees are part of the package. The agency requested 14 new positions, the highest‑priority of which are a project manager for the preservation trades field school at Historic Jefferson College, an additional fundraising position to expand private solicitation capacity (increasing the fundraising team from two to three), and four museum maintenance positions to replace contractor services with in-house staff.

Speakers stressed private fundraising and leveraged federal dollars already committed to projects. Agency leaders said Friends groups and the city and county are expected to contribute; the Friends of the Vicksburg Military Campaign or Park have committed to at least $30,000,000 in private fundraising over time, the agency said, and the state has provided prior appropriations and a $4,000,000 federal earmark pending final budget action.

Committee members asked about vacancy rates, hiring timelines and the agency’s plan to use positions if funded. Agency staff said the agency currently reports 13 vacancies with 9 actively recruiting and two true unfilled roles. They said priority hires could be posted and filled quickly once authority is granted but conceded some hiring steps would require standard HR processing. The agency also said it had raised more than $2.3 million in private gifts, grants and memberships this year and that they try to minimize the requested state match by leveraging that revenue.

The hearing included discussion of a change to CHPG administration: Tommy Goodwin, identified by agency presenters as a deputy, said legislation in both houses would allow CHPG money to flow directly to archives instead of routing through DFA, which agency staff described as an efficiency and administrative improvement.

The presentation closed with agency leaders thanking the committee and noting they would return for further budget work and appropriation deliberations.