Douglas County commissioners approve termination of Old Courthouse museum lease over public objections

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners on a 3-2 vote approved a resolution terminating the lease and property-management agreement between Old Courthouse Inc. and the county and authorized the chair to sign related documents pending final legal review.

During a lengthy public-comment period before the vote, several residents urged the board to pause any final action and provide more notice and documentation. Sharon Bactal said changes to the county’s procurement policy should have been included in the agenda packet so residents could review them before a vote and that an open-records request she filed on Jan. 21 had not been acknowledged. "Where did all that money go?" Bactal asked, citing what she said was $2,042,634 in hotel-motel tax receipts for 2025.

Christine Eshery Arnold told the board that "decisions of this magnitude" involving a 27-year county museum need clear notice and meaningful public input and warned that rushing could expose the county to legal and financial risk if grants, donor agreements, artifacts on loan, or donor intent issues are not reviewed. "Slowing the process protects the county, the public, and the historical assets entrusted to the local government," Arnold said.

Other speakers described poor communication between county staff and museum leadership, resignations at the museum’s board, and a need for a realistic timeline and clearly stated goals. John Papa said communication with the museum had been "almost nonexistent," and Frank Wynne urged the commission not to "waste my money until you have investigated what you are doing" and asked the board to evaluate alternatives and remodeling costs for courthouse office space.

Clerk’s new-business announcements identified Item 5 as a resolution to terminate the county’s lease and property-management agreement with Old Courthouse Inc. Commissioner Martin Raxton moved to approve Item 5; a second was recorded. The motion carried 3-2. The transcript records the final outcome but does not list individual roll-call votes tied to commissioners for this motion.

Supporters of delay pointed to potential legal exposures including open-meetings and open-records issues, grant compliance and bailment obligations for loaned artifacts, and donor-intent concerns. Several speakers said the museum had been in the community for 27 years and urged the county to develop a transparent procedure with goals and timelines if change is required.

The resolution’s approval followed earlier business that included adoption of the agenda and approval of minutes and routine proclamations. County staff indicated the chair would sign related documents "pending final legal review." The commission then moved to a consent agenda and later recessed to an executive session.

The transcript includes inconsistent spellings of some names (for example, variations in spellings for one commissioner and for a public speaker’s surname). Where the roll call introduced commissioner names, this article uses those roll-call spellings. The transcript does not identify which commissioners cast the three affirmative and two negative votes for the termination resolution; the record shows only the final tally.