BLOOMINGTON - A plan to keep the David Davis Mansion open despite the state budget impasse includes using private funds to pay employees and raising money by renting it out for wedding receptions.

Joe Miskulin, vice president of the private David Davis Mansion Foundation board, said board members met in emergency session earlier this week and unanimously decided to spend what is necessary to keep the doors to the historic mansion open.

However, the Illinois Historical Preservation Agency must approve the plan and that agency is in the process of examining it, said spokesman Dave Blanchette.

Blanchette said Thursday that though "encouraged that the Foundation was willing to take this step," he didn't know when a decision would be made.

Both Miskulin and Marcia Young, site manager of the mansion, expressed caution.

"We have all the best of intentions," said Miskulin, adding, however, "we're not sure who is pulling all the strings yet."

"We have no guarantee that this (the Foundation's plan) will make a difference," Young said.

If the rescue plan, which contains a Foundation commitment to keep the mansion open through June of next year, is allowed, it will mean an expenditure of a little over $10,000 a month, Miskulin said.

"We will all have to roll up our sleeves to get this done," he said, adding that even though the Foundation is committed financially, he'd like Gov. Rod Blagojevich and lawmakers to resolve their differences over the budget.

While the Foundation has funds that can be used to pay the salaries of two mansion workers for awhile, other methods of raising money, including wedding receptions and wine and cheese parties, will be necessary, said Misku-lin and Young.

Historic sites such as the 19th century Davis Mansion, home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Davis, a friend of Abraham Lincoln, had been expected to close Oct. 1. However, earlier this week, there was a reprieve until Oct. 15.

The timing of the possible closure is particularly bad considering that Lincoln's 200th birthday celebration is in February, Miskulin said.

The mansion at 1000 E. Monroe is expect to be a main topic of conversation at the Foundation's annual meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Normal Theater.