History groups among those seeking LSA funds at hearing
Washington County is filled with history, and its historical society is looking for a way to better preserve the tens of thousands of documents and books it has amassed and to give researchers a place to study them in more favorable climatic conditions.
The historical society was one of 45 applicants to provide brief presentations Monday during the first day of the two-day 2017 Local Share Account hearings at the Washington County Courthouse Annex.
The hearings, conducted by a panel of economic development, county, local and other officials, determine which nonprofit organizations will receive a portion of this year’s LSA money provided from slot machine revenue from The Meadows Casino, which has contributed an average of $10 million a year since the funding mechanism was created more than a decade ago.
Of the amount contributed by The Meadows, $3.5 million goes directly to the county’s municipalities, which each receive $25,000 plus $10 for each resident. That leaves the panel with an average of $6 million to $7 million to disburse for the projects it approves.
This year, there are 72 project applications under four categories: economic development, community improvement, public interest and job-training. The requests total $16.7 million.
Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Clay Kilgore explained currently some 75,000 documents, 2,500 books and more than 9,000 historical artifacts are kept at the LeMoyne House, with some stored in several rooms of the residence, which also is a museum.
The society recently purchased what Kilgore described as the “second” LeMoyne House, built in 1842 at 48 E. Maiden St. (the former Palmer Beer Distributor). The organization has invested $10,000 in new electrical, heating and other improvements.
“We will move the library, stored items and archives over there … and open rooms in the LeMoyne house for display,” Kilgore said, adding the second house also will provide a place for researchers to examine documents and other items in an atmosphere that will provide better storage conditions in which to preserve them.
“We are the repository for history for Washington County,” Kilgore said.
The panel also heard Monday from the Heritage Alliance, a group of legacy tourism attractions related to the county’s history. It is seeking $69,450 to erect two billboards near county entrances to advertise a variety of heritage tourist attractions within the county.
“We need to call attention” to the various historic attractions that will draw tourists interested in heritage, said Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road Heritage Corridor.
Not all of Monday’s presentations dealt with history preservation and promotion. There were a number of applications in the public interest category related to numerous water and sewer projects, as well as a $200,000 request toward a $459,000 project in Mt. Pleasant Township to erect a modern public works building to replace one that is deteriorating.
A request from the city of Washington sought $20,000 in LSA funds to put toward a $250,000 initiative to demolish 25 residences that have been determined to be blighted.
City Councilman Joe Manning said all of the structures on the list have been through first, second and final notices to landlords. He said the city has estimated each of the structures can be demolished for $10,000.
He said since the city made the application for funding, 15 new locations have been added to the list.
“There are even more residences and commercial properties that need to be added,” he said.
The LSA hearings resume at 10 a.m. today in the courthouse annex.