Vanderbilt responds to budget criticism
Suffolk’s Vanderbilt Museum will reopen its planetarium March 15. The planetarium will feature new shows produced by planetariums as far away as Great Britain and China, as well as high-definition video from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and other satellites. Credit: Handout
I have great respect for the opinion of our five Suffolk County executives ["Only one official balances the budget," Opinion, Dec. 2]. However, the example used to describe how a budget can balloon beyond reason without executive control does not apply to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport.
According to the article, "The Vanderbilt Museum this year has exceeded its personnel budget by $400,000 - despite its financial crisis." The writers fail to understand the cost-cutting measures that have taken place. In fact, the Vanderbilt's executive director, with oversight from the trustees (appointed by the county legislature), has made cuts to all aspects of the operating budget, including personnel.
Recently, an outside security agency charging $300,000 per year has been replaced by an in-house team, at a cost savings of $100,000. One can look at an increase in the budget line for personnel without fully understanding. Obviously, a quick glance at the total cost for personnel fails to reveal this cost-saving measure.
Noel J. Gish
Editor's note: The writer is the president of the board of trustees for the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium.
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