0.9 Chapter seven: retrenchment and the struggle for survival, 19  (Page 11/20)

Several days later, an editorial in the New York Times echoed the positive sen­timents reflected in the article: "The advisory committee presents a plausible case for keeping a stripped down, better focused and more manageable New-York His­torical Society. If its administrators can make the plan work, they fully deserve the kind of support from the city and state the committee envisions."

With the advisory committee's work complete, the board turned to the task of implementing its recommendations. It was agreed that the top-priority steps were to raise $110,000 to keep the library open from April 2 to June 30, to raise $2.6 million in transitional funding to support the Society during implementation, and to generate $10 million in capital funds for the much-needed building repairs and renovation. The Society focused on state and city government as the likely sources of these funds. Former State Senator Tarky Lombardi, who had recently been elected a Society trustee, spearheaded this effort. Wilbur Ross also lobbied state officials on the Society's behalf, as did Juliana Sciolla, the Society's chief operating officer.

To demonstrate its commitment to successful execution of the committee report, the Society's board contributed the $110,000 to keep the library open through the end of the fiscal year. The trustees' contributions sent a signal that Society leadership was committed to solving the institution's financial problems. The reaction from the public sector was unanimously supportive. In a press release, Mayor Dinkins applauded the board "for moving quickly . . . while those of us in government work together with the Trustees and the advisory commit­tee to address the institution's long-term viability." At the state level, Senator Roy Goodman said, "The board of trustees has paved the way with its own exem­plary generosity. It is now up to the State Legislature and the Governor to follow suit with emergency action to keep this gallant ship afloat." Finally, at the local level, in addition to the mayor's comments, New York City Council Member Ron­nie Eldridge said that "there is much work to be done, and much of it requires the public sector. Now is our time to act to ensure that the Society flourishes."

Clearly, the proposals of the advisory committee were well received, and it appeared likely that government financial support would be forthcoming. It is important to point out, however, that the reach of the committee's report—its requirement that all sectors and constituencies make sacrifices—was more palat­able on paper than in practice. When asked about the plan's likelihood of success, people were wary of the component of the plan that touched them most closely. For example, even if museum professionals accepted the necessity of the Society's deaccessioning plans (which many did not), they doubted the ability of the Soci­ety to raise the projected amount of money from deaccessioning in the time allotted. Real estate developers were similarly convinced that the Society could not possibly have cash in hand from a developer within the Society's projected one-year time period.