Clack Museum board discusses management strategy

Members of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Board’s Transition Committee told Hill County commissioners Mark Peterson and Diane McLean Wednesday that they do not envision needing additional money from the county to manage the Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump, but would like the county to help handle payroll for the site’s tour guides.

“We just want the county to write the paychecks. We will put the money in and then the county will do the payroll like they do for the museum,” said Val Hickman, a member of the board and the committee.

The Transition Committee has proposed the museum along with the H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum Foundation manage the jump, an archeological bison kill site behind the Holiday Village Mall.

John and Anna Brumley, who have managed the site through a contract with the county since 1994, decided earlier this year not to renew their contract. The Brumley’s plan to move to Salt Lake City later this month.

The county covers the salary expenses of museum employees and payroll, Hickman said.

She added that the H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum Foundation covers the museum’s operating expenses such as rent, electricity and internet service.

Elaine Morse, president of the foundation who also sits on the committee, said that, unlike the museum, Wahkpa Chu’gn generates revenue by charging admission to visitors and revenue from its gift shop.

Hickman distributed a chart that shows that, on average, the buffalo jump generates $11,973.60 in revenue a year. After salaries for the site’s tour guides, the costs go to maintenace, credit card fees and expenses related to the John and Anna Brumley Interpretive Center. The Buffalo Jump still makes on average $1,069.98 in gross profit used for other expenses.

She added that the foundation can step in to cover some of the costs of the buffalo jump if the site brings in less revenue than expected,

Peterson and McLean said they are interested in having the county add the tour guides to the payroll but will have to check with Hill County Auditor Kathy Olson first to see how and if it can be done.

Much of how the site will be managed will depend on who is hired to fill the open museum manager position, Morse said. The job description for the part-time position says the new manager will manage both the museum and buffalo jump.