The Feb. 4 meeting of the Greenwood County Historical Society board was called to order by President Mike Pitko with the introduction of Kim Gorman, the new part-time secretary.
Those present were John Bills, Dusty Booth, Kevin Hough, Taylor Hunt, Pitko, Gib Rhodes, Rise Russin, Stan Skaer, Jan Stephens, Museum Director Robin Himes and Secretary Gorman.
The minutes of the Dec. 3 board meeting were read. There were no changes or corrections.
Rhodes moved to accept the minutes, Stephens seconded the motion. The motion passed.
For the treasurer’s report, balance sheets from Colangelo and Taber, PA were passed around for the board to look over. Board treasurer Kent Olson was not at the meeting. There was no action taken on the financial reports. The board decided to wait until the April meeting to go over all the financial reports when Olson will be able to explain them.
In December, the museum had visitors from New York, Oklahoma and Kansas. All but two classes from Marshall Elementary School, in Eureka, visited the museum to view the Christmas display.
The museum was closed in January but had eight students and three faculty members from South Dakota State University and one faculty member from K-State visit to tour the museum.
There were no communications, bills, or committee reports.
Claycomb School Project
Mark Hayes of Moonlight Construction will be doing the work on the exterior of the building for Phase 2. The museum will be putting wood shingles on the school. They are already at Home Lumber and the bill has been paid.
The first part of the project is to restore/repair the base of the building: Floor joists in the school will need to be repaired/replaced. There are 12 of them. Then the holes in the foundation need to be sealed, leaving one accessible if there is a need to get back under.
Other repairs/restorations to the outside: four windows, a new door, and new siding. Approximate cost is $15,700. Labor costs will be $5,400.
Following discussion about taking funds from a Money Market account to pay for Phase 2 of the Claycomb School project, Stephens made a motion to cash out the money in the Money Market account to finish Phase 2 of the school project. Hunt seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Bills questioned the percentage rates on investments. Hough suggested having financial advisor Jeff Breault come talk to the board about options.
Stephens suggested getting board treasurer Olson’s input on investments and moving them before any decisions are made.
During new business, it was shared that Drew Ramsey can take the old railing which has broken off, and the opposite one by the steps, mount them on metal plates and reinstall them. Hough made a motion to have Ramsey Concrete do this project. Skaer seconded the motion.
Ideatek was scheduled to be at the museum on Wednesday, Feb. 5 to install the new fiber line for the internet.
Stephens handed out program ideas for the 5th Monday, which would be March 31. The board chose to have the program William Allen White and the KKK in Kansas. She will make contact with the presenter and try to get it scheduled.
Bills reported that Robert Phillips from Topeka has been working on a book about Virgil and might be interested in doing a program on that when the book is published.
Stephens shared that the Kansas Travel Guide is now accepting ads for the 2026 travel guides. The early bird fee for an ad is $80 – has to be in by Feb. 28. Hunt shared that if the ad is put in the Travel Guide it will also be on their website.
Hough moved to put an ad in the 2026 Kansas Travel Guide. Skaer seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Pitko shared new items that have been donated to the museum. These include an original light fixture from the old courthouse donated by Earl Urton through Duke and Bonnie Coulter. A picture of the 1930s Reece girls basketball team from John Elder; Charlie Dehlinger memorabilia that Sharon Dehlinger had brought in; and a painting of the Quincy High School painted by Edith Ralston Pugh sometime in the 1980s.
The next Historical Society board meeting will be April 4. The 5th Monday program will be March 31.
Hough moved to adjourn the meeting.
