ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) -- After allegations of misappropriation of funds, board members of the Louisiana Military Museum in Abbeville shared insight of what the current board walked into.

Board President Charles Dill said many board members left but the ones who remained decided to keep the museum going.

“We felt it's an important enough thing, especially for the city and for the veterans. So some of us stuck around and we're trying to work through things,” Dill said.

He said they are not closed but temporarily suspended some of their operations, which means they are not going to be at the museum every day. If somebody wants to come visit the museum or take a tour, they will have to schedule it. 

The financial statement showed a deficit last year. The total expenditures show $100,193.05 but the net operating revenue shows $61,593.75. 

Treasurer Frank DeGraaw said, “Coming in there were decisions made going back into the past on financing and raising funds where money was borrowed or I should say, cross-collateralized with other properties out here at the airport and we weren't really aware of any of that and there were a lot of leases with the money coming due, loans that need to be paid and because of different things, there was some atrophy on the board.”

DeGraaw said with now having a smaller board, the current board is doing "a lot of fact-finding" along with fundraising and renovating.

"We're doing a lot of things and getting it back on track. But right now we're really trying to fund it into the future to get at least a two to three year plan and then go into a phase two of the whole thing," DeGraaw said.

Despite coming into a hole and discovering they were in the negative by several thousand dollars, the board members are committed to keeping the museum alive.

Dill expresses how the museum has a huge impact on the community and wants to keep it as a place for veterans' memories to be alive. 

“Our veterans to a lot of people, especially younger people, don't really understand all that the veterans have sacrificed. All gave some; some gave all. We have a lot of veterans who gave up their lives,” Dill said.

The president said they were approved for a $25,000 Enterprise State Grant. 

DeGraaw said the board would like to lease out part of the hangar space that is not being utilized.

"That was going to be a banquet room, but we really see no need for that. There are a lot of banquet rooms but we have an airplane, a twin-engine spotter plane that's Air Force markings that is flyable, but we're not using and we have title to it and we'd like to sell it," he said. 

If you would like to visit or tour the museum you have to set an appointment by calling 337-898-9645. 

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