Attorney General's News Release
June 15, 2005
Nixon dismisses lawsuit against St. Joseph Museum; satisfied board policies comply with state nonprofit law
Sarah Elder, curator of collections at the St. Joseph Museum, gives Attorney General Nixon a tour of the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, which is part of the museum. Nixon was in St. Joseph to announce that the museum board had addressed his concerns about Sunshine Law and conflict-of-interest matters.
St. Joseph, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today dismissed a lawsuit against St. Joseph Museums Inc., saying he is satisfied the museum board has met his requests for documents and has implemented policies to ensure the museum complies with the Missouri Nonprofit Corporation Act.
"This museum has an impressive collection and is a tremendous asset for the people of St. Joseph," Nixon said today in a news conference at the museum's Wyeth-Tootle Mansion. "I am delighted that we have resolved questions about how the Sunshine Law applies to the museum, and that the museum now has stronger conflict-of-interest policies in place. The end result will be a first-class repository of regional history that better serves its visitors and its community."
Nixon filed a lawsuit against the museum in March, asking the Buchanan County Circuit Court to order the museum to provide documents related to its nonprofit, public benefit function. The Attorney General serves as the steward of nonprofit assets in Missouri, and Nixon's office was investigating how the museum board was using its assets.
The lawsuit also asked the court to declare that the museum is subject to the Missouri Sunshine Law. In April, Nixon and the museum board agreed that the museum is subject to the Sunshine Law, resolving that portion of the lawsuit.
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