Another potential player has been identified in the continuing saga of the Pearson Air Museum.
The Port of Vancouver confirmed Thursday that it’s been asked about what role it might play in the future of the conflict-courting air museum. But whether it’s a viable option is another question.
“We have been approached by different folks in the community who would like to see us be part of Pearson,” said Theresa Wagner, a spokeswoman for the port.
She characterized the discussions as preliminary, but added that such a move is a possibility because some ports have general aviation airports. The city owns Pearson Field with the exception of a portion of the runway, for which it has a long-term lease with the National Park Service.
Securing additional sources of revenue would allow the port to make investments in other community projects, Wagner said. However, a deal to land a potash export facility at the port, which would have generated significant revenue, was recently called off. And it’s unclear whether another major generator of cash — a proposal to build an oil-by-rail transfer terminal at the port — will receive approval from state regulators, Wagner said.
“We like the idea of doing good things, but it is challenging for us to consider taking it on,” she said of the Pearson conversations. “It takes resources, and it’s not something we do right now.”
Identity Clark County appears to be initiating many of the discussions.
John McKibbin, president of Identity Clark County, is actively hunting for a new entity to take the reins of the air museum. But he said it was too early to discuss what steps he, or others, have taken to secure local ownership of the museum.
While he didn’t confirm the names of the organizations he’d engaged, McKibbin said he’d identified at least a couple of potential partners that could pick up the pieces following the crumbling of the air museum’s previous partnership.
The National Park Service began managing Pearson Air Museum in February 2013. Lingering issues between the park service and the Fort Vancouver Trust were to blame. Disputes arose over the museum’s events policy and what types of exhibits could be displayed there.
The museum had been set up to run as a collaborative endeavor among the Park Service, the city and the trust through 2025.
“It’s clear that the relationship between the three parties is beyond broken,” McKibbin said. He said it was important to find an ownership solution.
That view is shared by county Commissioner David Madore, who recently floated the idea of transferring the museum’s ownership to the county. Further discussion of that plan was put on hold this week until the county receives more information about what other talks are taking place.
McKibbin said there likely wasn’t any role for the county in the Pearson Air Museum at the moment.
He called the museum an important resource whose ownership he’d like to stay local. The Park Service, however, has said it’s committed to spending $500,000 over the next few years on maintenance. That will include repainting the main hangar and the remaining face of the historic hangar this year. The Park Service also said it is committed to rebuilding permanent exhibits and reinvesting in staff.
The Park Service said the next 18 to 24 months will be a key period to rebuild partnerships and expand its volunteer corps.
Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes said Thursday there also hadn’t been any formal proposals submitted by the Port of Vancouver or the National Parks Service to transfer any assets to the port.
Holmes said the air field operates as an enterprise fund, with no subsidies from the city’s general fund. The city either breaks even or earns a small profit every year from the air field, Holmes said.
