Council backs repairs, volunteers and short-term security steps for Levan log-cabin museum

Councilwoman Rachel Goetz and town volunteers spent the longest portion of the April 10 meeting detailing repair and stewardship work needed for the town—Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) log-cabin museum.

Chris, who led the presentation, said the group previously secured some funding and brought a list of proposed repairs: replace about five exterior logs at the southeast corner, address deteriorated chinking, remove bat droppings and old carpet, replace broken window panes, adjust or replace doors, and evaluate sprinkler heads that currently spray toward the logs. "We'd like to have some power to the cabin so that we can actually show people things around," Chris said, adding power would also help stabilize interior temperatures to protect artifacts.

Volunteers described the collection nd pressed for urgency. "There are some really, really cool artifacts in that building," said Speaker 5, a volunteer; "the more we have them available to people to see, the more interest it'll generate." The group listed planned volunteers by name for the work: Andrew Robinson, Ron Harper, Mike Kramer, Daryl Kennison, Mike Royce and Smalley.

Council and volunteers discussed tangible cost and material details. Chris said prior pricing from Slattery Log was $4.56 per foot and the group estimated needing about 98 feet of replacement log material. Concrete and drainage work around the building also came up; volunteers proposed coordinating small concrete loads with other town projects to reduce cost. Council asked the volunteer team to provide a prioritized list of repairs and a cost breakdown for items not already covered by previously approved funding.

Security was a recurring concern. Suggestions included installing a ring camera or glass-break sensors, motion lights, and, for longer-term protection, exterior metal doors or bars over windows. Volunteers also suggested opening the site on a limited basis for a July 24 event and using that date to draw visitors with signage or activities.

Council members noted liability questions if the town formally assumed responsibility for the museum and agreed to focus first on immediate, safety-and-preservation work for the July 24 goal; if volunteers seek the town to take on full stewardship, the council said it would discuss that later with a clearer estimate of ongoing costs and insurance implications.

Next steps: volunteers will submit a prioritized repair list with cost estimates for the council's review at the next meeting, and council staff will pursue listed logistics (materials, possible grant follow-ups) to enable initial work and cleanup this spring.