Ben Barbera, executive director of the Milwaukee County Historical Society, told the County Finance Committee that the society will move a large portion of its off‑site archival storage into a county‑owned building in West Allis and that the organization supports keeping the 2026 budget allocation at current levels.

Barbera said the society holds about 12,000 cubic feet of county records — equivalent to roughly 12,000 bankers’ boxes — and serves about 25,000 people annually. He told the committee moving parts of the archives into county‑owned space will improve storage capacity and reduce county costs for off‑site records. "This will allow us to offset about $50,000 in costs for the county as we take up the burden of maintenance and upkeep on part of that building," Barbera said. He also said some records now at the county's Records Center (VRC) exceed retention periods; moving and destruction of obsolete records will reduce long‑term storage expense. Barbera estimated that transferring and disposing of records past retention could ultimately save the county roughly $150,000 a year in storage costs.

Barbera said the society will continue core exhibits and education programming in 2026, including an exhibit on naturalization and citizenship and expanded school programming: the society plans to serve more students after hiring a second full‑time educator. He also described work with county staff on a request for proposals for the operation and maintenance of the Villa Terrace property.

Barbera did not present a motion or request a new county appropriation during the committee hearing. He expressed appreciation that the proposed 2026 budget maintains the society's allocation at the same level as 2025.

What’s next: The society will proceed with the storage move and work with county staff on the Villa Terrace RFP process; the committee did not take a formal vote on new funding.