Budget cut to affect Martinsville museum

The Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville has been asked to cut its current budget by 10 percent.
Five jobs will be lost and the museum will close on Sundays, Mondays and all state holidays. The new closings begin Oct. 19.
The reduction is a part of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s spending cut plan to meet the 2009 fiscal year shortfall. A press release said the budget cut will amount to roughly $314,000.
Cuts will also call on the museum to put all employees on furlough from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2009, resulting in a loss of pay for one day each week, per employee, according.
Plans call for the museum to cut discretionary spending on supplies, travel, training, repairs, and equipment purchases.
Cell phone service and phone service to the Research and Collections Center will be discontinued, as well as a reduction in the museum’s cleaning service.