From: "Barron County Historical Society" <museum1@chibardun.net> Subject: RE: Local Municipal Funding Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2019 10:03:07 -0500 Message-ID: <004501d590c5$7e0ce8f0$7a26bad0$@chibardun.net>
We receive $38,000. It is about a quarter of our budget.
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
<localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu> On Behalf Of Eagle River
Historical Society
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2019 11:45 AM
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Cc: Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society, Inc. <slahsinc@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Local Municipal Funding
Do you receive $38,000 or is that the total budget?
Karen Sailer
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 31, 2019, at 10:36 AM, Barron County Historical Society
<museum1@chibardun.net <mailto:museum1@chibardun.net> > wrote:
We receive approximately 25% ($38,000) of our annual budget from the
county. We have been told to expect less in 2021, because they are
anticipating budget cuts in all departments. The county administrator
told the county board of supervisors that the fair grounds and the
museum are basically a department, and were therefore subject to the
cuts.
We run independently, as an incorporated nonprofit entity, but somewhere
along the line, things have gotten a little muddled. We are required to
send the county our meeting agendas and minutes, as they must be posted
for the public. We also have a representative from the county who sits
on our board. We receive other benefits from the county, as well. We
are able to buy our property insurance through them, which gives us a
better rate than we would pay independently. They plow our driveways in
the winter. Many years ago, we were able to borrow money from them for
construction of a building at a favorable rate. In addition, we are
located on county land. We have a 99 year lease for $1. We own the
buildings and have been able to build or move buildings in without
consulting them (except where zoning regulations apply).
The historical society asked and received land on which to start a
museum in the early 1960’s. There was no official agreement
until a lease was started in the mid-1970’s. I assume that is
when this unofficial relationship began. When they started subsidizing
our budget, I’m not sure, but a former treasure of the
historical society gave the county false financial records in order to
receive more money from the county. When the other officers of the
historical society found out about it, they disclosed it to the county.
It was at that time that the county insisted on having one of their
supervisors sit on our board, which you can’t blame them for.
Each August we petition the county to include us in the budget. They
never let us know whether they included us or not. I suppose it is on
the county website for anyone to look at. I usually just ask one of our
board members, as it seems like there are always 2 or 3 who also sit on
the county board (purely a coincidence). Then in January, I have to ask
them to release it to us.
I usually send the county administrator an annual update on our
activities. It’s not required, but I want them to see that we
are having an impact on the communities we serve. I don’t time
it to our request, as I don’t want to have to justify what we
receive, but I do want them to know that we are relevant. We also
invite the county supervisors to our volunteer picnic. They usually
don’t come though. Just about every year, they ask me to come
to a board meeting and give a short report.
Two of the communities in our county also give a small stipend annually.
We also have to request that they include us in that. We receive about
$1000 from each of them. One is through their tourism board and the
other is through their community United Way.
To get them to see you as a service organization, maybe you could ask to
address their boards at a meeting. Get something in the paper about
your organization. Do these things every year, so they really understand
the needs of the communities that you are meeting. And keep asking.
Once you finally get something, expect it annually. After a few years,
ask for a small increase. Keep doing that until you get it to where you
need it. Good luck.
Tammy Schutz
Barron County Historical Society
Pioneer Village Museum
715.458.2080
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu>
<localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu> > On Behalf Of Julie
Huebel
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 7:09 AM
To: Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society, Inc. <slahsinc@yahoo.com
<mailto:slahsinc@yahoo.com> >; localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu>
Subject: Re: Local Municipal Funding
Pierce County, WI - We receive $12,000 per year from the county. We have
no official affiliation with the county government. We are associated
with WHS. We own our own property, the county has no involvement in that
or decision making. Sorry you haven't had luck getting county funding, I
recommend to keep trying.
Get <https://aka.ms/ghei36> Outlook for Android
_____
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu>
<localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu> > on behalf of
Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society, Inc. <slahsinc@yahoo.com
<mailto:slahsinc@yahoo.com> >
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 10:41:22 AM
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu>
<localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
<mailto:localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu> >
Subject: Local Municipal Funding
Our organization once again tried, without success, to acquire municipal
funding from the towns and village we serve. We are thought of as a
charity, and besides the possibility of a minor property tax rate hike
(50 cents per resident per year), the respective boards don't want to
open the flood gates for other such petitioners. I've expressed multiple
times that we're not a charity, but a community resource, much like the
local parks, highway, and fire departments.
My questions to all of you that do receive municipal funding support are
these: Is your historical society an extension of your municipality[ies]
government, ex. under your park & rec dept, or as a separate department?
Does it have to be to receive funding?
If you're not part of the local municipality you serve and receive
funding, how does the local government justify to the residents [and
themselves] of the community that they should do this?
If you receive funding, do you have to petition the municipalities each
and every year to be added to their annual budgets, or ?
I wonder how many Wisconsin historical society organizations receive
local government funding, and to what degree of the organization's
annual budget?
If you receive government funding, can you also be an incorporated
entity under Wisconsin law, and an affiliate of the Wisconsin State
Historical Society?
Apart from the above, has anyone been successful in conducting online
social media fundraising events/programs, such as GoFundMe on Facebook
or other?
Mike
Michael R. Reilly
Museum Director: Sussex-Lisbon Area Historium
President: Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society, Inc.
<http://www.kellerhistorymuseum.org/> www.slah.online
<http://www.slahs.org> www.slahs.org
P. O. Box 2, Sussex, Wisconsin 53089-0002