FERRIDAY — As the fate of the Delta Music Museum hangs in the balance of the Louisiana Senate, Ferridians close to the museum think the Arcade Theater might be the key to keeping the music rocking.

Louisiana Senate Bill 268 would give the Secretary of State’s Office, which funds operating and maintenance costs for the museum, the authority to close certain public facilities and museums when operations funds aren’t available.

But the bill also states that funds, gifts, grants, donations or endowments from local, private or public sources can be used to keep the museum operational.

And with Gov. Bobby Jindal proposing a $70 million budget for all of the Secretary of State’s operations, including elections and the state archives, all 15 museums except the Old State Capitol in downtown Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport are expected to shut down.

Those two museums alone consume $2.3 million of the $3.9 million museum budget.

Apart from taking funds from the state, the Friends of the Delta Music Museum Foundation also contributes — operating the gift shop and working to enhance the exhibits on display.

Foundation Director Rena Pitts said donations and fundraisers will be an option to keep the museum open if it’s closed, but the Arcade Theater could generate enough revenue to keep both buildings open.

“The museum is free except what people purchase at the gift shop and, unfortunately, that’s just not enough to pay the full-time people we need to run the museum and keep the lights on,” Pitts said. “If we start getting more events at the Arcade Theater and generating more money through there, we might be able to have enough money to pay the bills.”

Since the Arcade Theater generates more money than the museum, Pitts said she hopes to convince Secretary of State Tom Schedler to allow the theater to stay open to fund the museum.

“We’re hoping the museum doesn’t have to close, but if it does, we will have to talk to Schedler and see what our options are,” Pitts said. “We have weekly events at the Arcade Theater, so if we close that and the museum, it’s going to be a big hit for downtown Ferriday.”

By closing the smaller museums, Schedler said he could save $1.4 million, coming close to the $1.5 million cut proposed by Jindal.

But budget constraints are nothing new to the museum.

Last year, the museum reduced its operating hours from Monday through Saturday to its new days of operation —  Thursday through Saturday.

The reduction in funding also cut down on the museum’s staff from one full-time director, four part-time employees and a maintenance man to just one full-time director and one part-time employee.

Director Judith Bingham said she and the remaining staff member have been watching the bill closely, which was sent back to the Louisiana Senate for concurrence on Tuesday after being passed by the Louisiana House of Representatives.

“We’re just waiting to see what happens in the legislature, because I don’t think anything can be done until we know for sure what’s going to happen,” Bingham said. “I can’t say it’s the best time of my 11 years working at the museum, but I’m proud of what the museum has become and everything we’ve accomplished.”

Bingham and Pitts said once a final decision is near, they will meet to discuss a total figure that would be needed to keep the museum open.

“We will do, as a community and parish, everything we can to maintain what has been started at the museum and Arcade Theater in Ferriday,” Pitts said. “We have so much going on in downtown Ferriday that we don’t want to lose the momentum.”

With the inauguration of the Will Haney Big House Music Hall and Jerry Lee Lewis Rockabilly Plaza last weekend, Pitts said the timing could not be worse if the museum and theater were to close.

“These are all spokes in the wheel of trying to attract tourists to Ferriday and Concordia Parish,” Pitts said.

And until final word comes down from Schedler’s office, Bingham said they will keep hoping and praying the lights won’t have to be shut off.

“We’re just playing the waiting game right now, but if it comes down to the point where it’s going to close — I think the people of this parish would rally together,” Bingham said.

To make donations to the Delta Music Museum, contact Bingham at 318-757-9999.