The City of Montgomery is setting the record straight in response to a misleading letter circulated regarding the governance of the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) and the recent unauthorized billboard controversy.
First and foremost, there is no "Joint Board" overseeing the MMFA. The City Museum Board of Montgomery and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Association are two distinct entities. The [City] Museum Board, created by law, is the governing authority responsible for the museum's management, while the Association is a private nonprofit organization that provides support and fundraising. The Association does not have legal oversight of museum operations.
Unauthorized Billboards and Misuse of the Museum's Logo
Recently, billboards featuring the museum’s logo were placed without approval from MMFA leadership or the [City] Museum Board. The decision to display these billboards was made independently by Museum employees. MMFA personnel did not follow a directive regarding chain of command and displayed the billboards without authorization.
Museum leadership took immediate action to remove them and called for an internal investigation.
Because an Association board member contacted media before notifying museum leadership and the full Association and City Museum boards, the contacted media stoked the flame and caused the matter to go viral, causing ire and especially impacting those donors and supporters it chose to name. Even more, the same media that has continued to erroneously report on the matter was asked [by an Association board member] to be present at Tuesday’s Board and Annual meetings.
Correcting the Record on Museum Leadership and Oversight
The Museum has been without a director for two years due to internal personnel matters. The previous director was removed from the position following an investigation that substantiated serious policy infractions. Following the director's removal, the City was contacted about unrelated litigation, naming the Museum as a party. These two events led to further exploration into the day-to-day operation of the museum, which then revealed acts of the Association Board the City believes are not authorized under the law.
The letter conveniently ignores the above-mentioned history of illegal acts by the Association Board.
Here are the facts:
- After Mayor Steven L. Reed took office, it was discovered that the Association Board had been signing off on contracts without proper oversight, bypassing the legal department, mayor’s office and city approval
- When the mayor corrected this misconduct and enforced the law, the Association Board began targeting the administration.
- Now, the Association Board is demanding control over the museum, despite clear legal statutes that place governance authority with the [City] Museum Board.
Legal Authority is Clear: The City Cannot Abdicate Its Role
Under Alabama state law and an official opinion from the Attorney General, the [City] Museum Board, with City Council oversight, has the sole authority to govern the museum, hire its leadership, and manage its operations. The City of Montgomery owns the museum building and land, and museum employees are City employees. The Association Board cannot assume control or override the City’s legal responsibilities; however, their efforts to do so have caused a now two-year delay in the City's ability to appoint a permanent director.
Moving Forward
The City remains committed to upholding proper governance, transparency, and accountability at MMFA. The museum’s mission is to serve the community, not private interests. The law is clear, and the City will not surrender its legal authority to a nonprofit board operating outside its jurisdiction.
