Fund Loss Blamed on Museum Controversy

The president of the Laguna Art Museum said Friday that $30,000 in pledges has been lost and more than $90,000 in dues is threatened because of the controversy surrounding the museum’s proposed merger with the Newport Harbor Art Museum of Newport Beach.

According to Laguna board president Gilbert LeVasseur, a major corporation he would not name has withdrawn an oral pledge of $25,000 because it fears “having [its] offices picketed and employees threatened.” The donation, he said, was to have subsidized an upcoming exhibit here. He also said two other corporations have withdrawn $2,500 each, money pledged for a “Feast on Art” fund-raiser April 27.

LeVasseur further asserted that “a number” of the Laguna museum’s 24 trustees are threatening to withhold more than $90,000 in dues until the merger opponents drop a threat to have the full board recalled. They “won’t pay their dues if they’re going to be ousted,” LeVasseur said.

“It’s important for people to understand that our museum has been adversely affected by this controversy,” he said.

An attorney for the opponents, Save Laguna Art Museum (SLAM), continued working with the board’s attorney Friday on the proposed compromise, which focuses on ways to keep the Laguna museum building open. No merger can proceed without the approval of the museum members, who have until April 20 to vote.

SLAM, comprising local artists and museum members, wants to bring the plan before the City Council on Tuesday.

But distrust of board members was rekindled among some SLAM members this week when a trustee called SLAM president G. Ray Kerciu and told him an agreement to keep the building open “had been reached.”

LeVasseur confirmed that trustee Michael C. Moorhead made the statement but called it a “misstatement . . . human error.” LeVasseur said trustees have prepared a draft of an agreement that would “guarantee” keeping the building open and would ensure the community a voice in programming. But, he said, “there is no agreement. I have a call into [Moorhead]. He is not reflecting the facts.”

Kerciu said he still believes the trustees are negotiating in good faith. But SLAM member Janet Eggers, referring to Moorhead’s misstatement, asked, how “are we going to trust them to hold to this agreement if we do come to an agreement?” A chief SLAM complaint has been that trustees have been secretive, discussing the merger for months before letting museum members know about it.

Proponents argue that without a merger, the Laguna museum risks insolvency.