It has been eight months since the New Mexico Legislature approved $100,000 for the planning of a military history museum in Rio Rancho. At Wednesday's meeting, the city council finally approved an agreement to allow the group to receive that money.

Because of state anti-donation laws, the non-profit New Mexico Museum of Military History could not receive money directly from a governmental entity. The legislative funding, sponsored by State Rep. Tom Swisstack, was awarded to the city, but without some benefits to the city it could not pass that money along.

Under the memorandum of understanding passed Wednesday, the city will own the building that will house the museum and NMMMH will provide services to the city and Rio Rancho Public Schools, therefore allowing the city to help fund the project with the legislative money. Besides giving ownership of the building to the city, NMMMH must operate the museum, create an oral history booth or station for the city, possibly to be placed at the new Loma Colorado Library, establish a speakers bureau of veterans to present educational programs at local schools, serve as a consultant to the city in creating the Request for Proposals for the building, and comply with all city resolutions pertaining to the museum, which ultimately must be designated as a Local Economic Development Act project before the city takes ownership.

Along with the $100,000 state funding, the council amended the MOU to include $13,500 in city funding for advertising costs, which was requested by councilor Mike Williams during the most recent budget hearings.

"It was a long road, but I'm glad to see that it's finally done," he said. "Hopefully, things will move a lot smoother now."

Williams, who is a reservist in the Coast Guard, has long supported the museum and, last September, pushed the council to dedicate five acres of land for the building.

Julio Carattini, the museum board president, said Gov. Bill Richardson has been interested in supporting the construction of the building. According to Carattini, the governor could appropriate as much as $12 million for the project. Veterans involved in the museum have already committed to donating $3 million worth of military equipment and memorabilia.

Swisstack said he had not spoken with the governor about dollars, but did confirm that Richardson wanted to back the project.

"Gov. Richardson is very interested in helping this museum out," Swisstack said, adding that he would also work to get funding for the construction.

Williams said if the criteria outlined in the MOU are met, there should be no more problems using state funding for the project.

Williams has long argued that funding the museum should not be a violation of anti-donation laws, even without the MOU. The museum, he said, will have a direct impact on the Rio Rancho economy by attracting visitors to the city. Many veterans, he added, may make pilgrimages to the museum as they did to the D-Day Museum in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina ravaged that city.

"Anybody whose served in any of the wars, you can take a vacation and take your kids there," Williams said.

Additionally, the museum will serve the city's schools by offering a hands-on teaching tool.

"It's more of an education process," Williams said. "Eventually (children) have to learn what everybody has sacrificed to get where we're at. You have to wonder how much of the curriculum covers that."