Mississippi Museum Gets City’s Help to Stay Open

The Biloxi City Council has voted 6-1 to support the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art.

Mayor A.J. Holloway said after Thursday’s vote he won’t veto the Ohr funding.

The Sun Herald reports the council approved paying the minimum insurance on the city-owned buildings, covering half of the monthly utility bill up to $4,500 and providing maintenance at the museum. Councilman Bill Stallworth said the cost would be about $130,000 a year.

If the museum couldn’t pay its bills and were forced to close, he said the city would have to pay $240,000 a year just for the property insurance under the city’s policy. He said Biloxi also would have to pay the entire utility bill and maintenance.