Dear Mr. Murphy:
The reason I and others on the County Board were concerned about the pay that the Museum Board approved for Mr. Finley was that it was clearly on the salary high side especially in light of the dramatic reduction in budget and number of employees at the museum (both cut about a third). In addition, the Museum Board exempted the top three administrators from any cuts while axing one-third of the jobs and reducing pay and benefit levels for all other employees. Do you really see that as fair?
Please remember that Mr. Finley’s salary was revealed at the very same meeting at which the Museum Board announced that they had already used up 60% of the Milwaukee County loan guarantee (a much higher rate than had been planned only six weeks earlier.). Interestingly, the Museum announced this week that vendors had agreed to delayed payments and reduced payments. So apparently the two major bank lenders and the top three executives are immune from any cuts – unlike the vendors, union employees, curators and Milwaukee County taxpayers. That is not leadership, nor is it politically wise. And if Mr. Finley should know anything it should be politics.
Mr. Finley aggressively lobbied for weeks to get this job. As he was announced as the new Museum CEO the public also heard that his wife would be running to replace him as Waukesha County Executive. It looked like a greedy move and has proved to be very politically unwise. The Milwaukee Public Museum made another mistake – one of very many – by exempting its top three executives from the sacrifices demanded of all other employees.. Mr. Finley’s mistake was in demanding and then accepting this exemption from sacrifice. Mr. Finley himself created this turmoil and the public scrutiny of his pay.
Leadership and sacrifice begins at the top.
And just to set the record straight I supported the Finley appointment on a July 31, 2005 television show. I continue to hope he is successful in his new job.
Sincerely,
Roger Quindel
Milwaukee County Supervisor – 18th District
