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Historical society seeks modest county increase for staff benefits; county budget line shown unchanged
Summary
The Pipestone County Historical Society presented its 2026 priorities — including staff health benefits and building preservation projects — and asked for a $2,500 county funding increase; county budget documents shown during the meeting list the museum’s county support unchanged at $42,500.
Representatives of the Pipestone County Historical Society presented the organization’s 2026 budget request and an overview of museum programs and building preservation work to the county board on Sept. 9.
Susan Hoskins (identified in meeting materials as representing the historical society) told commissioners the society proposed a $2,500 increase in county support to help offer staff health benefits, a change the society’s board says is necessary to retain and hire qualified staff. Hoskins summarized recent preservation projects — a $200,000 rehabilitation of the Ferris/Grand Block north façade, a pending $177,000 state grant application for additional facade repointing funded by the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment, replacement of decorative columns, repairs to theater exits, and work on exterior doors — and described collections and digitization projects, including completed newspaper digitization (1879–1915) and an online searchable collection database.
Hoskins described ongoing education and outreach: the museum serves both in‑person and remote users, runs school and nursing‑home programs, hosts a YouTube channel and a speaker series, and is coordinating a multi‑county traveling exhibit on regional dance halls. She asked commissioners to consider the small grant to extend staff benefits and emphasized the museum’s work attracting outside grant dollars and supporting downtown historic preservation.
A commissioner later asked about the county’s budgeted amount for the museum. County staff replied that the county’s budget sheet provided to the board shows the Pipestone County Historical Society’s county allocation remaining at $42,500 for the proposed 2026 budget (the same amounts recorded for 2024 and 2025). Hoskins said museum leadership will finalize its internal budget in February and that staff benefit costs were not yet firm.
Commissioners thanked Hoskins for the museum’s work and asked follow‑up questions about building condition, the Masonic Lodge murals and accessibility; Hoskins said the Ferris/Grand Block is being stabilized and that the second‑floor Masonic Hall remains available for tours on request.
