Clark County Press, Neillsville, Clark Co. WI

March 16, 2011, Page 9

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Clark County Jail Museum holds annual meeting

The membership of the 1897 Clark County Jail Museum, Inc. (Museum) gathered for their 2011 annual meeting Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Jail Museum.  Members enjoyed a potluck luncheon prior to the start of the meeting at 1 p.m.

Attendees were welcomed by President Natalie Erpenbach and a quorum was declared present. The secretary’s report of the Jan. 5, 2010 annual meeting was read and approved.

A summary of the receipts and disbursements for the year 2010 was read by treasurer Snick Quicker.  Notable items of revenue included the donation from the Listeman Foundation (to help with remodeling and restoration costs, general repairs, office materials and equipment) and a $500 match grant from the Wisconsin Historical Society for archival materials.  Major expenses included restoration and remodel costs, utilities, insurance premiums and office and archival supplies purchased. The Museum’s net cash position decreased by approximately $2,800 in 2010.

President Erpenbach reported on increased membership and participation in 2010 as well as a long list of the past year’s activities and accomplishments. The Museum was open for public, private and special tours from Memorial Day to Labor Day this past year. All schools in Clark County were invited to send children for free Museum tours in May as part of Wisconsin Historic Preservation month.  Public and parochial schools all took advantage of this opportunity.

Other activities included the printing of a new brochure and adding photo reprints and DVDs for sale in the gift shop.  Remodeling and restoration projects included updating the old “Dispatcher’s Office” into an efficient office instead of a store room, repairing the Records Room and upstairs bathroom (including plastering and painting), the usual spring cleaning, ongoing roof and building maintenance. The radio exhibit was moved to the second floor of the Jail Museum to make room for a new “Photos from the Past” exhibit. The computerization of the Museum’s collection continues, as well as improving the archival condition of documents and photos.

Plans for 2011 include launching the Museum’s quarterly newsletter and plans for making the Museum, its collection and resources more accessible to the public. A Clark County Oral History program is being developed, as well as creating family history packets – both of which will be made available to the public.  Monthly meetings of the museum will now include a program (entertaining and/or educational) to highlight Clark County history or current topics or interests.  And finally, a web site is in the process of being developed and will be launched in the near future.

Members present made additional suggestions – that the Jail Museum be more involved in Neillsville Heritage Days, and the possibility of increasing operations hours to Saturday and Sunday (depending on the availability of volunteers to accomplish this).

In other business, two vacating board members, Harvey Pischer and Suzanne Krueger, were unanimously re-elected to each serve three year terms on the board of directors. The Museum’s by-laws were changed to move the date of the annual meeting from the first Tuesday of January to the second Saturday in the month of May, effective 2012.

The meeting was adjourned, with everyone being thanked for their attendance and participation.

 The membership of the 1897 Clark County Jail Museum, Inc. met for their 2011 meeting Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Jail Museum.  (Contributed photo)