SHIPSHEWANA — Shipshewana could see the local Hudson Auto collection go up for auction. The town can’t afford to cover the cost.

That was the big topic at a meeting Thursday.

Despite the numbers, people in the community suggested a different idea.

People in Shipshewana listened as members of the museum board discussed their reason behind auctioning off $6 million worth of Hudson cars.

“We do not have the money. We do not want to take taxpayer’s money to run a museum that runs in the red all the time,” said Arlene Lazzaro, Hudson Auto Museum Board president.

But many are fighting the idea because the collection was donated to the town by Eldon Hostetler.

According to the town manager, the LaGrange Tax Commission stopped providing $100,000 in innkeeper tax revenue earlier this year after the Shipshewana event center was sold to Blue Gate Holdings.

Ryan Riegsecker, who now owns that building, says he has a solution. But it was denied by the board.

“I was involved with creating a proposal for Esta Hostetler, who wanted to fund the museum for the next 10 years. Along with that was to expand the board to include marketing experts, car experts and fundraising experts,” said Riegsecker.

Board members say while that could cover the costs, it would delay the inevitable.

But they did agree to postpone selling the collection. They asked Joanna King, a local business owner, to head a committee to help find a solution.

“The first thing that I’m going to do is to take time to listen. I think there are a lot of people that have vested interest in making this happen and it staying here in Shipshewana,” said King.

King says she plans to find community members and business owners who want to see the museum stay.

“The important thing is when I think of a family that leaves a legacy gift here it’s important that we honor that gift. I think of other families that are making contributions to the town of Shipshewana,” King said.

The committee has a month to come up with a solution and present it to the board.

If you would like to help the committee, you can contact Joanna King.

Cell: 574-596-4198

Email: [email protected]

Source: WSBT