Guests
Jane McCone, Reno County Historical Society
TUIT Report
Jim Kicklighter had a slow week with the TUIT. Steve Conards wife did not ask about the TUIT; Mark Clark, Greg West & Jay Pitzer did not ask about the TUIT. Scott Potucek asked about it once, but forgot to ask the rest of the week. Chuck Petersons partner did not wave at Jim – Chuck was in Mexico in order to avoid asking about the TUIT.
TUIT was given to Eric Steinle for the next week.
Program
Jane McCone the Executive Director of the Reno County Historical Society and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum presented the program about the Salt Museum. They have been getting good press coverage about the Salt Museum, i.e. in the Wichita Eagle, and are booking conferences and school groups already. When she visited Hutchinson to interview for this job and took the old elevator to the Salt Mine – she knew she really wanted this job and got it.
There will be an upcoming meeting open to the general public about the STAR bonds that have been requested to finance the Visitor Center building and other needed investments in the museum. These STAR bonds, when approved, will provide for re-payment from sales tax revenue, with the state paying about $5 for each $1 from the local portion of the taxes. STAR bonds are developing tourist attractions in Kansas. They will need to raise additional money for the museum. For instance, each person going into the mine will need to carry a $620 breather. Multiply that times 200 people that might be visiting at one time, to see that there is still a great need for additional funding. They are acquiring Trams for the museum at $20,000 each. There will be about 1 1/2 miles of exhibits in the Museum.
Ms McCone complimented the great help that has been supplied by Lee Spence and Underground Vaults and Storage for their help with this. She discussed the details of drilling the current elevator shaft, as well as how the old shaft was constructed and that mules were once used in the mine. They have gotten great salt mine artifacts from Lyons. The new elevators will move make the 600 ft trip in about 1 minute. If there are problems in the mine, people can be taken out on the current elevator, or in baskets in another emergency system.
All the museum employees and volunteers will be trained in Mine Safety procedures. Rates to visit the museum will be $12.50 or $11.00 for groups.
50/50 Pot went to Doc Vern Powers
Newsletter will be $50 at next meeting
Fines
Brad was fined in order to mention the still missing gavel and again for not being at attention during the Pledge of Allegiance at a school game. Jo Ann was fined for Money Laundering. Jack Mace was fined for the newsletter being later and for other obscure reasons. Many paid for not wearing their AMBUCS pins.
FUTURE MEETINGS
Feb. 3 – Lori hosts Kathy Petz from HCC’s Adult Education Site.
Feb. 10 – Brenda Janda hosts Lynn Kiker from Reno County Dept. on Aging.
Feb. 17 – Randy Henderson is the program manager.
Feb. 24 – T-Shirt Committee will be having a training session for the program.
Mar. 6 – Lori host Ray Hammond from USD 308.
Mar. 10 – Tom Stanton is the program manager.
If you have ideas for programs, please contact
Lori Hopp … e-mail >> lhopp@good-sam.com or phone – 663-1189.