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Riley County museum director cleared to apply for national emergency‑response training; in‑kind landscaping donation approved
Summary
County commissioners authorized museum director Catherine Henseler to apply for Smithsonian‑led HEART training and approved an in‑kind landscaping plan and donation to improve the museum's frontage, with plant costs covered by the historical society grant.
Catherine Henseler, director of the Riley County Museum, received commission approval Aug. 18 to apply for Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) offered by the Smithsonian Institution in collaboration with FEMA, and commissioners accepted an in‑kind landscaping donation to redesign the museum's front planting area.
Henseler asked for permission to apply for the HEART program, a weeklong professional training for cultural‑resource professionals; if accepted, the program covers registration, lodging and daytime meals. Henseler told the commission the museum would be responsible only for transportation and incidental travel costs, which she estimated at about $1,275 and said are budgeted in the museum’s 2025 budget. Commissioners authorized her to apply and approved an employer‑support letter.
The museum also presented a proposed native‑landscape plan prepared by an intern at Prairie Stone Incorporated. Prairie Stone offered design services and labor as an in‑kind gift; the Friends/historical society will pay plant costs using a prior grant. Henseler said the historical society has up to $3,000 available and the landscaper’s estimate for plants and related materials came to $2,247 (no county invoicing expected because the society is tax‑exempt). The plan will use existing irrigation in front of the museum and is designed to be low‑maintenance; museum volunteers and local garden clubs were identified as likely ongoing maintenance partners.
Commissioners approved both requests by voice vote.
Why it matters HEART training is a specialized program intended to help cultural‑resource professionals plan for and respond to emergencies that affect collections and historic resources; having a local official trained would add capacity should the county need museum‑specific disaster response. The landscaping work aims to improve the museum’s curb appeal at minimal cost to county operations because design and labor are donated and plant purchases are paid through a historical society grant.
Details and next steps - HEART application deadline: applications due Sept. 8; training dates are Dec. 8–12 if accepted. Henseler said acceptance is not guaranteed; the program accepts about 25 professionals nationally each year. - Estimated county cost if accepted: approximately $1,275 (transportation and incidental travel costs), to be charged to the museum’s 2025 budget if needed. - Landscaping estimate: $2,247 for plants and materials; historical society to pay from existing grant funds (up to $3,000). Prairie Stone Inc. will donate design and labor. Installation will incorporate the existing irrigation system.
Ending Henseler said she will notify the commission if she is accepted to HEART and staff will coordinate the landscaping installation with Prairie Stone, parks and public works.
