Court Hires Museum Manager; Notes Zoning Meeting Set Soon

By Paul Monsour, Editor
The Union County Advocate - January 12, 2000

The Union County Fiscal Court learned Tuesday that the items for the county museum are being moved into the Camp Breckinridge Museum and Arts Center.

The items have been stored at the Morganfield City Administration Building for the last several months ever since the former museum was torn down because of its deteriorated condition. The museum was housed in the old Murray Jones home on West McElroy Street.

The court also voted unanimously to officially hire Vicki Ricketts as the manager of the museum at $7 an hour.

County Judge Executive Larry Joe Jenkins told the court that the museum board will soon meet to begin to set the hours and fees for the museum.

Jenkins pointed out that Ricketts will be responsible for cleaning the museum and arts center on a routine basis, but any rental of the facility will be cleaned on a different schedule with the person or firm renting the facility responsible for the cleanup or they must pay the museum board to have the hall cleaned.

Jenkins told the court that the board still hopes to have the dedication of the museum to take place in mid-April, the dates of April 14 and 15 were mentioned.

Related items about the museum included:

• Tom Brokow, NBC news anchor will be invited to the dedication and the German Embassy has been contacted about flying in dignitaries, including former POWs, for the event.
• Temporary phone lines are being installed so a security system and a fire alarm can be put in place at the museum.
• Permanent phone line work should be completed in the next two weeks.
• Bill Griggs has evidently agreed to build cabinets for the museum.
• A military affairs grant will be applied for.
• The board hopes to locate one of the two German POW's who painted the murals at the museum. (Click here to see related story)
• The court also discussed other matters during the 40 minute meeting. These included:
• Rejecting the bids for a new garage-type storage structure.
• The court will rebid the facility as a pole building to save money. It will be built on the old Davis Ford parking lot off S. Court Street, near the courthouse and jail. The bids are due by February 4 and will be opened on February 8.
• Heard that Judge Jenkins will mail a letter in the next week or two to members of the county-wide zoning study committee. The letter will evidently set a date for a meeting on the matter.
• Decided to ask the sheriff's office and the county clerk's office for line-time budgets. Both, Sheriff Ron Girten and Clerk Billy Steve Peak, said they prepared for such audits.
• Heard that the Union County Industrial Foundation will host a reception for lawmakers and government officials in Frankfort today, from 4 pm to 6 pm Union County time.
• Testing for those wishing to work for the Census will be given on Tuesday nights at the courthouse from 6 pm till 9 pm, through February 22.

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