Montgomery History seeks operating funds; council adds $15,000 to reconciliation list

Matt Logan, executive director of Montgomery History, told a joint committee that the organization is progressing on two capital projects — renovating the art‑deco former M&T/Farmers Bank building at 4 Courthouse Square for a public history center and leasing fourth‑floor space across the street for artifact conservation and storage.

Logan said the bank building is under heavy renovation (adding an elevator, fire suppression and security systems) and that contractors are working toward readiness for a ribbon cutting tied to Montgomery County's 250th anniversary on Sept. 6. "They keep telling me they're gonna do it. So, we're gonna hold them to it," Logan said.

The work session opened with a staff budget overview. Council staff Ms. Cummings reported that the Historical Activities NDA shows a $44,287 decrease (19.3%) from the FY26 budget, driven by removal of last year's one‑time enhancements tied to anniversary programming; the FY27 request includes a 2.5% inflation adjustment for non‑service provider contracts.

Why it matters: The new center will combine exhibit space and community use with conservation capacity, and county support or matching grants can influence private fundraising. Logan said the county has invested about $900,000 so far, the state provided a bond bill contribution he described as "just under $2,000,000," and private donors have contributed roughly $4.3 million, including two seven‑figure gifts and four six‑figure gifts.

Logan described programming tied to civic education and local history, including a History Conference scheduled for Nov. 7 and partnerships with groups such as the League of Women Voters. He also highlighted two documentation efforts aimed at broadening the historical record: the Unfinished Revolution Project and the Black Resistance Oral History Initiative, which Logan said has produced strong, in‑depth interviews but faces urgency as elder participants age.

On staffing and methods, Logan said the project hired a contractor (named in the transcript as Adadonna/Adadonna Asherbe) and has recorded about 14 oral histories so far, including group "fishbowl" sessions and longer single interviews. He said the bank building will include a converted vault to serve as an oral‑history recording studio; a county native with national prominence has agreed to support the project in name and outreach.

Council members pressed on resources to sustain the work. Council Member Evans asked what minimum funding would keep momentum; Logan said "even 15 or 20,000 would make an incredible difference," emphasizing trust‑building with interviewees and the time required to gather extended, intergenerational testimony.

Following discussion about whether funding would be one‑time or ongoing, members agreed the request would be one‑time and placed on the reconciliation list. Chair Friesen said, "I heard a motion for 15,000," noted a second and, without objection, added the $15,000 one‑time request for the oral‑history contractor to the reconciliation list.

What the action does and next steps: The $15,000 addition places the modest operating request before the reconciliation process as council staff balance competing priorities and finalize budget math; the committee did not approve a recurring appropriation. Logan said the investment could help sustain momentum for further private fundraising and continued collection of first‑person histories.

Supporters of the funding framed it as a time‑sensitive preservation opportunity: "Trust is everything," Logan said, describing long interview sessions with elders and the risk of losing unique firsthand accounts. Council members endorsed the one‑time approach as a way to maintain momentum without creating a structural recurring cost.

The committee adjourned after the vote.