LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Donor addresses museum cleaning

Posted

This letter to the editor is in response to the recent article about the Memorial Museum (The Inquirer, Aug. 6, 2020).

The cleaning in 2013 was accomplished with Ms. Quana Childs, formerly an employee of the Texas Historical Commission, who issued a permit to the City of Gonzales for Mid-Continental Restoration Company in 2013, to clean the Gonzales Memorial Museum. 

A demonstration was provided for the City Manager and his staff, including Tim Gescheidle, Architect for the City of Gonzales, by Emmanuel with Mid-Continental. Tim Gescheidle has used this contractor on other projects and has had no problems and had determined the cleaning process was “good”. (Our Mayor Kacir rejoiced with me over this unanimous City Council approval in 2013).

The work done in 2013 was not paid for by me but by the City of Gonzales.

I wanted the Museum to be cleaned in 2013 for the first time since it was built in 1936 so our school children, and our international groups who come from other countries, as many as 8 or more, wouldn’t see a dirty Museum honoring our Heroes. 

I went before our City Council July 9, 2020, to get permission to have Mid-Continental clean it again seven years later as approved by the City Council in 2013, and I did offer to pay half of the $20,000 fee. 

Since I have heard “nothing” from the City Council or the Mayor, I presume they have no use for my donation, which was to be given as a Memorial to my husband’s family, Isham and Elizabeth Hodges Smith.  

So sad that there’s no time to say “thanks” for the donation, but “no thanks,” to a Senior Citizen with limited resources, who cared so much about the Gonzales Memorial Museum and the Heroes it represents that she would offer to help the city pay to make it clean for the schoolchildren who visit it, and other visitors. 

Thank you is due to The Inquirer, because I at least know now that the City is not interested in my contribution or any citizens’ help.

 

Pastor Jo Ann Leifeste

Retired Pastor

Comments