As City Council Member Sally Bagshaw noted on Friday, the council has postponed a vote from today's agenda to approve roughly $7 million headed to the Museum of History and Industry. The council was poised to approve that money, despite Mayor Mike McGinn's staunch objection, but now won't vote until at least Sept. 27.

Why? According to sources at City Hall, Bagshaw is granting some time for City Council Member Nick Licata to draft a possible amendment. Licata's office provided no information about what's up, but sources say that Licata is considering asking MOHAI to loan the city $7 million to help shore up next year's anticipated $67 million revenue shortfall. The city would have to then pay back the museum. This could be benficial for three reasons: MOHAI could ultimately have the disputed cash while helping the city budget, hard feelings could be smoothed over, and MOHAI may not need the money for a few years after it moves into the Armory building in South Lake Union (MOHAI has another $40 million to tide it over). But where would the money come from? The estimated $7 million—part of a land deal with the state caused by MOHAI's condemnation to make way for the 520 bridge (background)—may not arrive until later next year or 2012, after next year's budget cycle has passed. Would MOHAI have to dip into its endowment? Details are not forthcoming. But there you go, there's the gossip.