Historical Society

This month's big agenda on the County Board Meeting involves the Historical Society.

Big picture, here is what is happening.  Some members of the County Board wants to review our partnership with the Historical Society, and that is going to happen during 2017.  Since their lease runs out at the end of 2016, the County Board is going to extend their lease for 1 year.

My Position
Continue Support-Based on the information I have right now, I would oppose removing the historical society from the County Budget, and I would like to keep the historical society in the Old Courthouse.  I would also oppose any effort to pay for the highway 60 reliever route by cutting programs like the historical society or our county parks.  While I have some concerns about the financial viability of the current operating model for the historical society, those should be deal with on their own merits and not tied to funding of the highway 60 reliever route.

I support ensuring that there are good educational programs related to history within the community.  When I saw the letter on Washington County Insider, as part of my effort to gather more information I decided to take my daughter to the historical center for a tour.  She learned a lot and was interested throughout the tour, cementing in my mind the value of the center.  I have also in the past visited Ozaukee County’s Pioneer Village on several occasions, and have taken my kids to several museums in the area.

Fiscal View-For the 2017 budget, the initial budget for the historical society is being reviewed by the Administrative Committee.  So far, it looks like it will be reduced by $7,000 per year, from $290,000 to $283,000.  The $290,000 represents a direct contribution to the historical society of $140,000 as well as $150,000 to maintain the old courthouse building, in which the historical society operates. 

My hope is that the Historical Society and County Board can work together to implement some changes that will increase efficiencies and reduce costs.  Right now, the historical society works with an average of 23 visitors per day, and the County cost is $41 per visitor.  I don’t have confidence that this financial structure is sustainable or financially prudent.