OSWEGO — Members of Labette County Historical Society asked Labette County commissioners on Monday to consider levying a quarter of a mill property tax to support the five museums in the county.
The commission now provides $30,000 to the museums, which they share equally. The proposed levy would raise about $37,000 a year, commissioners were told. The county formerly levied a tax to support the Labette County Historical Society, but at some point that funding stream changed to just money from the county’s general fund, which impacted museum funding for a number of years, commissioners heard.
Commissioners didn’t take action on the request because they are in the process of creating the 2026 budget.
Betsy Koontz, David Hubble and Jonna Gabbert visited with commissioners about the issue.
Hubble told commissioners that the county has been more than generous over the years, especially in recent years when funding has been on a cycle of increases to help museums meet infrastructure needs. Parsons, Oswego, Chetopa, Mound Valley and Edna have museums that get this funding.
Koontz said many of the museums have needs, from HVAC in Parsons to structural issues in other cities.
The county museums want the tax levy in place so future members of the museum board will know where the funding is coming from and how much is available.
The museums have some other sources of help, including donations. Gabbert said the city of Parsons is generous by offering labor on various projects.
Edna uses the money from the county to pay for maintenance and upkeep on the building, as well as utilities. There is little left for other needs, Gabbert wrote in a memo to commissioners.
Mound Valley has used the stipend for painting in the museum. They have also had exterior building improvements. Chetopa has a curator to help organize its museum and make new exhibits. Their challenge is space because they are currently full and could utilize more money if they were able to add onto their museum, Gabbert wrote. The Parsons museum complex has well over 1,000 visitors every year from multiple states and other countries. Parsons is also facing a challenge of space and other building needs.
She wrote that museums are another quality of life issue, giving residents an entertainment option and providing a historical perspective.
