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Historical society asks Haralson County to revise courthouse lease, cites rising operational costs
Summary
A representative of the Haralson County Historical Society told commissioners the society absorbed more than $21,000 in operational costs and cited roughly $357,000 in past grant-funded restoration, asking the county to revise the lease so ongoing utilities and maintenance are not solely the society's responsibility.
A representative of the Haralson County Historical Society urged commissioners to revise the existing lease for the historic courthouse building and to help the society offload recurring operational expenses.
The speaker said the society has participated in several restorations funded by grants totaling about $357,000 and that the society covered roughly $21,106.26 in support costs this year, including elevator repairs and utilities. "We are absolutely unable to do that," the speaker said, asking the county to revise the lease and to help the society pursue grants to preserve and restore the building.
The speaker also noted the society's festival is a primary fundraiser and reported a deficit of about $10,252 last year. Commissioners acknowledged the importance of the building but said they needed time to review the lease and to discuss options with staff; they suggested meeting with parties off the public agenda to find a solution.
Next steps: the board asked county staff to follow up with the historical society and to include potential lease revisions in future budget and facilities discussions.
