Former Museum Director Weighs In

From a letter to the editor in The Lander Journal 3/25/09:

Dear Ms. McGowan,

I just wanted to clarify a point in your article “Museum Personnel…” in the 3/22 paper. I was not “let go” from the county, but resigned due to professional and ethical conflicts with how I was being asked to run the museum and the under-the-table, backstabbing politics taking place. It is my understanding that Elyssa Dillon left not due to my departure but due to curatorial concerns regarding the new interim director.

Leaving the museum was incredibly hard, but going into a workplace where it was a constant battle to do things according to basic museum standards and the definition of working in public trust was harder. This county and its future generations deserve better from its leaders and staff than what is currently being offered. A county should question why there are 5+ museum professionals and numerous non-profit directors in town that won’t have anything to do with our only museum as it’s currently is run.

Heather Pozun Watson
Lander