Clack Museum buys times with rent payment to the city

The H. Earl Clack Museum will remain at home in the Heritage Center, at least for now.

The Clack Museum Board voted 4-1 Monday night to pay $1,200 in rent for August to the city of Havre.

"We're buying time, expensive time," said Ron VandenBoom, Museum Board chairman. "We don't know how long we'll be able to stay in the Heritage Center. What we do know is we have a limited number of funds available to pay the city of Havre rent."

The county museum has enjoyed a rent-free status in the center since 1996, when the H. Earl Clack Foundation began leasing the building after the city purchased the former post office and federal courthouse from the U.S. Postal Service. When a five-year lease expired in 2001, the foundation continued to manage the building under a tenancy-at-will agreement with the city. The foundation announced in May that it planned to relinquish management responsibility of the building because of the cost. The city assumed control of it on July 1.

Meanwhile, several private parties have expressed interest in buying the historic structure.

Havre Mayor Bob Rice met with the Hill County Commission on July 2 to discuss rental costs for the 3,500 square feet of space the museum occupies on the first floor of the center. The rent was initially estimated at $1,666, but Dave Peterson, director of the city's Public Works Department, said the rent could be reduced to $1,200 if the museum paid for its own security system. Up until now, the building has been protected by ADT Security, a monitoring and security system that came with a price tag of $466 per month - money the museum board says it doesn't have.

At Monday's meeting, Clack Foundation president Elaine Morse said she would personally purchase a new security system for the museum. Morse said Sensaphone, a remote monitoring system that can detect everything from temperature to power outages, would cost an estimated $400 - but the price is a one-time fee.

"All you need for this system is a phone line and power. Plus, you can take it with you," Morse said. "It seems like a good solution to our security issues."

A $466 reduction in rent was good news for the museum.

"At $1,200 we could probably sneak out three months of rent before we're totally broke," VandenBoom said. "But we're keeping our eyes and ears open. All we've found are temporary solutions. When dealing with any private, noncounty entity, nothing is permanent."

Clack Museum Board member Tracey Warburton was one of four board members who voted in favor of paying the city rent for August. She said the choice was simple. "We need to be open for the peak of our season."

The Havre City Council voted June 21 to consider selling the downtown landmark to a private group and is looking at a number of proposals. The Finance Committee of the City Council is meeting with Jamie and Tom Lambrecht today at 7 p.m. at City Hall to review the couple's proposal for the building.