CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County said there is an ad hoc committee that will help determine the Discovery Place Nature Museum’s future.
They are Chair Mark Jerrell, Commissioner Laura Meier, Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, and Commissioner Yvette Townsend-Ingram.
County commissioners are split on whether to hold the museum in default or allow it to enter a repayment plan after Discovery Place said it cannot reimburse the county $14.6 million for construction of the new nature museum.
[ READ MORE: Discovery Place Nature Museum ready to open as it awaits fate from Mecklenburg County ]
If the county chooses the repayment route, commissioners agreed to use a proposal from Commissioner Elaine Powell as a framework.
The proposal would require Discovery Place to pay Mecklenburg County at least $400,000 a year. The nature museum’s meeting rooms would become county property, with Mecklenburg County receiving all rental income.
The proposed canopy walk could not be built until the county is repaid. If the museum misses a payment, it would immediately be considered in default.
Of the four committee members, only Commissioner Yvette Townsend-Ingram was in favor of holding Discovery Place in default and having the county take over. Meier represents the area the museum is located in.
The county manager plans to meet with Discovery Place in the coming weeks.