H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum opening June 23

The H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum Board met Monday and unanimously decided to open the museum June 23 and officially open the Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump for tours by appointment.

The board voted unanimously to open the museum using an amended version of their summer hours, originally Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., though the motion was later amended to 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the suggestion of H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum Foundation President Elaine Morse.

Morse said this amended schedule would give Museum Manager Emily Mayer time for a final clean-up at the end of the day.

Board Chair Lela Patera said the time between the proposed re-opening and now would be used to prepare the museum for operation while staying within the Phase Two guidelines laid out in Gov. Steve Bullock’s directive.

Patera said in order to open the museum, people working there would need to regularly wipe down surfaces and provide hand sanitizer.

She said plexiglass shields would also need to be installed to protect the front of the desk and many of the exhibits, particularly the tactile ones.

“We can’t scrub the bone every time someone touched it, it just wouldn’t hold up,” she said.

Board member Eli Salapich said he would be able to handle that job in time for the proposed re-opening.

Patera said the county would be able to provide most of the signage that would be required for the re-opening as well.

Morse also said the museum has a stock of yellow hazard tape that they can use.

The board proposed the use of a sign-in sheet for visitors including contact info for potential contact tracing as well as a policy of asking them if they have had any COVID-19 symptoms.

Board Secretary Kathy Shrauger raised the concern that people could lie about their symptoms.

The board briefly discussed the possibility of using a thermometer, but determined that it was probably unnecessary.

The board also proposed placing a maximum of six visitors in the museum at a time, though exceptions might be made for families.

Morse strongly recommended that people working at the museum wear masks and offer them to visitors, but was concerned that that may not be possible.

“I think Emily needs to where a mask, we need to have masks available if people want them,” she said.

However, Patera said, masks shouldn’t be an obstacle now that they are more readily available to purchase.

She said the board doesn’t have the funds to hire intermittent workers to assist in this endeavor and museum and buffalo jump would have to rely on Mayer and volunteers for now.

But, Patera said, depending on how much the museum makes in the early weeks of its re-opening, that may change.

She said the matter will discuss at next meeting July 13, where the board may also discuss an amendment to the budget based on how the re-opening proceeds.

Patera said she didn’t anticipate a significant influx of visitors when they open which may give the board an opportunity to more easily make policy adjustments as they become necessary. However, she said, she thinks the demand for visitation is out there and would increase as the summer goes on.

“I don’t think people are moving yet, but by August I think people will be,” she said.

The board also determined that tours for the buffalo jump would be handled based mainly on the availability of Mayer and volunteers willing to do them. Weather would also me taken into account.

One of those volunteers whom Patera had invited to the meeting, Judy Jones, said she and her colleagues had received many requests for tours in the last three weeks.

“She has been getting calls from people wanting to have tours, so the people are out there,” Patera said, “… So we need to be available.”

Jones said because the tours were somewhat impromptu and they weren’t able to provide the full experience that they would have before the pandemic, they didn’t charge and just asked for pay-what-you-want donations.

“That’s $140 and that’s not even trying,” she said, “That’s just donations because we said we can’t take you to the interpretive center, we don’t have any machines so here’s a bucket just put in what you want.”

The board determined that they didn’t have the resources to re-open the interpretive center.

Members also said the Polaris cannot be used as it is too cramped and wouldn’t be conducive to social distancing.

The current payment structure the board is looking at for Buffalo jump tours is $10 for adult ages 18-64, $9 for seniors 65 and older, $7 for juniors ages 13-17, $5 for students ages 6-12, and free for children yonger than 6.

Patera said she anticipates the re-opening will have some kinks that need to be worked out, but said she thinks the demand for the museum is there.

“At first it’s going to be bumpy,” she said.

The board also discussed their on-going efforts to provide internet to the interpretive center.

Board Member David Sageser, who proposed the idea of extending the wifi from the museum, said he spoke with people at the mall who said they were fine with the work needed, as long as a licensed electrician did it.

Sageser said this stipulation would add to the original cost of the project, but not enough to cancel plans for it.

The board then discussed the teepee set to go up at the buffalo jump, and the loss of foundation board member and former superintendent at Northern Agricultural Research Center Gregg Carlson, who died May 24.

Carlson was instrumental in getting the grant for the buffalo jump teepee and Morse said his loss leaves a vacancy in the board and its function.

“His loss is a big hole for us, because he was doing a lot of the writing and reaching out for grants so we’re going to have to look for a new board member, but we’re also going to have to fill the hole for grants,” she said.

Morse also suggested that there be something by the teepee in honor of Carlson.

“I would like for there to be a little sign at the teepee dedicated to Gregg,” she said.

The board also proposed that the teepee be emblazoned with a sheaf of wheat to honor Carlson’s achievements in agriculture as well as children’s handprints symbolizing his love of working with children.

Patera said there is a group ready and waiting to put the teepee up as soon as plans were made.

Morse also provided an update about the foundation board’s upcoming activities.

She said she anticipates the board, which has not met for the last few months due to the pandemic, will convene again next week.

“We have some major things to discuss including the loss of Gregg,” she said, “But also the loss of two of our biggest fundraisers; Hands on History and the Tea (Party).”

She said the foundation was looking to use the funds from these two events to match a $10,000 grant from an organization that wished to remain anonymous, but that is likely impossible now.