Cottonlandia Museum is asking the Greenwood City Council for its financial support.
At a meeting Tuesday, Pann Powers, a member of the museum's board, asked the council to put a $10,000 contribution into its budget for next year. Council members and Mayor Sheriel Perkins are in budget discussions for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
The city has not previously contributed to the museum's operation.
Powers, a past president, made the request on behalf of museum Director Robin Person, who could not be present due to a death in her family.
For more than 20 years, the Leflore County Board of Supervisors has been the greatest supporter of the museum, granting the facility $45,500 this year, Powers said. She said the museum is asking the supervisors for an $8,000 increase next year.
The museum is seeking the additional public funding to expand its outreach program to area schools.
Powers said the museum receives approximately 250 hours of volunteer work monthly and has taken steps to save on expenses.
The museum served more than 600 children in its recent Summer Discovery program and had about 300 more on the waiting list. The program presented classes on topics such as animals, science, nature and play acting. Ronnie Stevenson, the council's vice president, said his daughter particularly enjoyed attending a science class this summer.
City Council President David Jordan, however, expressed reservations about how the museum depicts African Americans. He said the facility currently "shows blacks as destitute" and would like depictions of African Americans upgraded to reflect modern-day activities and not just picking cotton.
Lise Foy, director of Main Street Greenwood, also was present Tuesday to discuss a resolution the Council had previously tabled concerning the termination of the city's contract with Alwest Advertising for ads on benches around the city.
Main Street, a downtown development organization, would like the benches replaced with more attractive metal benches.
The proposal was tabled due to concerns on the council that benches would be removed citywide but only replaced downtown. Foy told the council that $25,000 has now been raised for more benches, and Main Street is prepared to replace all 25 benches in the city, and not just those downtown.
The council said it will take up the issue at its next meeting, Sept. 4.
Foy also said the new Main Street office at the former Greyhound bus station downtown will host an open house with a fish fry on Oct. 18 at 5:30 p.m.
In other business, the City Council approved a proposal declaring Aug. 26 as Jessie B. Henderson Day, in honor of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church organist of 42 years.
