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Vernon County Historical Society urges clearer funding priorities after county stipend cut
Summary
The Vernon County Historical Society presented its operations, staffing and revenue picture; board chair Diane Krause said county support provides paid staff critical to keeping the museum open and asked for clearer partnership and transparency after a reduction in the county stipend.
Diane Krause, board chair of the Vernon County Historical Society, presented the museum's financial picture and history and said county support has been essential to sustaining paid staff and consistent hours. Krause traced the society's connection to the county (county stipend historically $25,000; later increased and then reduced to $37,500 in 2026) and reviewed the museum's operating revenue and expenses, describing an annual general-fund income figure and the portion covered by county support.
Museum staff described visitor and remote-research metrics and argued the institution functions as both a local research resource and a tourist asset. "All of Vernon County's financial support goes toward our staff's resources," a museum speaker said while explaining that paid employees enable regular hours, programming and research assistance. Committee members asked for a clearer, single-sheet financial summary and priorities (non-negotiable expenses vs. discretionary projects); some members raised hard choices including possible sale of an auxiliary historic house to create an operating endowment. The society offered to provide detailed financials and prioritized budget items for the committee to review before any additional county funding decisions.
