Once in a while a good cause comes along. It is the upcoming mill levy being proposed for funding for the Ravalli County Museum.
By its name one might assume that it is already county funded; but, that is not the case. There is limited county support. But it isn’t enough. The proposed one mill levy is estimated to raise about $74,000 annually. A homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 will see an increase of $1.35 per year, and a home valued at $200,000 will see an increase of $2.70 per year.
In order to keep a museum open and staffed, there needs to be a minimum amount of funds provided from the county. It’s pretty well bare bones at this point, but they have done a very commendable job in keeping the doors open. There are programs to encourage young men and women to visit. There are scheduled events for fundraisers and also for entertainment. There is even a lecture series for the history inclined.
According to the Board Chairman, this is a critical time in the life of the museum. Without permanent funding, the future looks bleak. All the collection of generations before us could be lost. The importance of maintaining local museums is critical in today’s world. What I found here isn’t available anywhere else. It’s Ravalli County’s history. It’s not on the web.
Three years ago I received a Montana Historical Society grant to index valley newspapers about the Civilian Conservation Corps in Ravalli County. By permission I was able to search through over 12,000 pages of newsprint stored in the museum archives. I verified that three of my uncles were CCC boys.
From my point of view, keeping the museum open, staffed and available is critical. The bottom line is that without the information housed in the museum, research projects could not be done. I am three years into my next Ravalli County project.
You can help make the difference. Your vote in favor of the museum mill levy will help sustain its existence. We need to do it for our own sake and for others who will follow in our footsteps. Take a step to the polls and vote in favor of the museum mill levy request. Thanks.
Larry A. Strate
Hamilton