Museum board again tables discussion of re-opening

Discussion of the H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum’s eventual re-opening was tabled by the museum’s board in its monthly meeting Monday.

Museum Manager Emily Mayer said traffic past the museum itself and the Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump has been very quiet in the past month, but she is hoping the recent opening of the Merril Lundman VA Clinic in the Holiday Village Mall might bring some traffic in the future.

Board Chair Lela Patera said the museum should be open in April when the weather gets better.

In the meantime, she requested that Mayer set up a meeting with prospective tour guides to familiarize themselves with the new credit card readers they will soon be using.

Board members also discussed the need to hire more guides for Wahkpa Chu’gn, which Mayer said could probably be advertised through the county.

She also mentioned that she recently got a call from Great Northern Fairgrounds Manager Frank English who said the windstorm two week ago did damage to the Horse Pavilion where the museum board has their wagons.

She said the wagons have had tarps put over them to protect them.

Patera discussed the asbestos abatement contract for the future location of the museum in the former Griggs Printing Building on the 10 Block of Fifth Avenue. The contract was awarded to ACM Services Inc.

She said work on the abatement will not start until next month at least.

She also said she recently got a call from a former Havre resident who inherited several statues created by Havre artist and prominent Democrat Jim Pasma, which the former resident wants wants to donate.

She said the board needs to make sure the statues are an appropriate fit for the museum but members of the board said it’s an exciting donation.

The board also discussed the historic piano owned by the Gussenhovens, a prominent family in the early history of Havre, which was recently donated to the museum.

Board Vice-Chair David Sageser said moving the piano will require special equipment and he hasn’t found anyone interested in moving it yet.

He also said he’s been told the fire department will need to be notified before the move.

The next regular meeting of the Museum Board will be March 8 at 6 p.m.