Renaissance

Update: Oakland Commissioners to DIA: Give Back Exec Bonuses Or Else

October 23, 2014, 5:15 PM

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Graham Beal

Update -- Thursday, 5:14 p.m.: A bipartisan group of Oakland County commissioners want  bonuses to the two top executives at the DIA to be returned to taxpayers, or else they'll move forward with a resolution to dissolve the Oakland County Art Authority, which sends $11 million in taxpayers money to the DIA to support operations, the Detroit News reports.

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From Thursday morning

Well, yes, better late than never.

Still, the Detroit Institute of Arts should have anticipated that large bonuses and raises for its two top executives in 2012 wouldn't go over so big at a time the museum was asking taxpayers in Metro Detroit to approve a regional tax millage to help keep the revered institution afloat.

Jennifer Chambers of the Detroit News reports that the DIA board chairman is now vowing that no further bonuses will be paid to the museum's two top executives unless it is approved by three county art authorities or paid from non-taxpayer funds.

Mike Gingell, chairman of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, said Wednesday he received an emailed letter from DIA chairman Eugene Gargaro earlier this week that outlined corrective action the museum is taking to be more transparent when it comes to executive compensation for DIA director Graham Beal and chief executive officer Annmarie Erickson.

Gargaro's letter came after The Detroit News reported on Oct. 9 that Beal and Graham each received $50,000 bonuses as well as double-digit pay increases

The boosts came the same year Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties voted to support the museum with a 10-year regional tax millage.

The museum said that it needed that infusion of money to stay afloat.

-- Allan Lengel
 


Read more:  The Detroit News


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