County committee recommends alternate museum/zoo millage split; museum seeks larger share for asset work

A county committee reviewing a planned renewal of the regional museum and zoo millage voted on May 12 to recommend a funding scenario focused on covering net operating costs rather than restoring the prior 50/50 split between the Grand Rapids Public Museum and John Ball Zoo.

Dale Robertson, executive of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, said the museum and zoo had jointly requested a renewal identical to the 2016 ballot language — a 10‑year renewal split 50/50 — but the county committee’s financial review produced alternative scenarios. The committee chose to advance "scenario two," which covers net operating needs estimated by consultants at roughly $7 million a year total. The museum had proposed a version that would include additional capital‑asset support (plant‑Moran identified roughly $8 million of asset‑management needs) and urged the committee to consider covering more of those capital costs.

Karen Wilburn, the Museum’s CFO, described the committee’s formula as basing allocations on projected net operating income; she said the split in recent years under the formula has varied year to year between roughly 33% and 39% for the museum’s share. The county commission chair planned to forward the committee recommendation to the full county commission for action on Thursday, and any ballot language and final split will depend on county action.

Museum leaders told commissioners that an outcome shifting funds away from the city‑owned museum toward covering other needs could create budgetary pressure for the city if the county’s renewal does not provide the historical 50/50 support.

What’s next: The county commission will consider the committee recommendation; museum leaders and city staff said they will continue engagement with the county to advocate for addressing both operations and asset management needs.