S.O.S. was founded a decade ago with the sole purpose of saving the Monroe County Museum from dissolution with the introduction of the first Museum millage. That campaign was incredibly successful, and the Museum has since thrived and transformed from a single downtown Museum to the Monroe County Museum System, rapidly growing and intent on preserving stories and presenting history relevant to all corners of Monroe County. We've come back together to take the next steps and ensure that the stories the Museum protects and presents are there for generations to come. We are an all volunteer organization funded solely by donations from individuals and local businesses that see the invaluable contributions that the Museum System plays in our community to increase the general quality of life and as a critical partner in economic and tourism development.
The current Chairman of S.O.S. is Michael Humphries and the Treasurer is Nicholas Guthrie and Michael Reed is the Secretary. All are dedicated to preserving and promoting this institution and the millage effort. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out through the "contact us" section of the Website.
This is NOT a new tax; it is a renewal request of our original 0.1 Mill amount and we have requested an increase from the original millage to 0.15 mills. That amounts to .15 cents of taxes for every $1,000 of taxable value on a home. Each home has its taxable value. For instance, a home with a taxable value of $ 100,000 (actual value of approximately $200,000) would provide $15.00 per year for the Museum system. The current millage generates approximately $670,000 annually. If approved, the updated millage would provide approximately $991,500 a year.
Good question. As has been mentioned earlier, the Museum has seen incredible growth over the last ten years. We are now, officially, the Monroe County Museum System and have renewed the commitment to educational outreach and impact through the four corners of Monroe County. This change in designation is not frivolous and this path is detailed very specifically in the newly published strategic plan, "Vision for a New Decade" (available below). We have positioned ourselves to grow as we need to in order to ensure that the history of this entire county (arguably the most historic County in the State) is preserved and protected. In much the same way that the Library system has grown to ensure access in all of the communities that it serves, We see a time where we will be needed to ensure professional preservation and presentation is available for sites across the entire county. We've watched as the Battlefield has grown into a National Park, increasing historical tourism greatly. Our own Territorial Park is poised to become a destination in its own right as it transforms into a full fledged living history site. Museum certification is now within reach and we are exploring partnerships to bring traveling exhibits from the likes of the Smithsonian directly into our neighborhoods. Programs now exist to provide manpower for the Vietnam Veterans Museum at Heck Park as well as Eby Cabin . Progress is underway to digitize the Monroe County Archives and an exciting new Monroe County Museum System smartphone "App" is coming this year to make learning about our offerings even easier and more modern. You may have noted the new look Historical Markers popping up across the county. The Marker program encompasses the refurbishing of all of the older markers as well as the introduction of some long over-due new ones. You will continue to see markers removed and sent off for refurbishing over the next several years. The Historical Project fund has given over $175,000 to local projects in communities across the County and intends to continue providing these funds to ensure those entities thrive along with us. We have taken the responsibility of being trusted with your tax dollars very seriously and feel that the Museum System has shown itself to be an excellent steward of those funds. We are excited to see what can be accomplished over the next decade. Above all, we are committed to diversifying our collections, stories and programs representing all of Monroe County . If you'd like to learn more, you are encouraged to download and read the document below, "Vision For A New Decade".
This document was originally created to express the vision of the Museum System Trustees and Directors directly to Monroe County leadership to keep them aware of the System's progress. It does a very good job of explaining where we, as the Museum, have been and where we are headed. Enjoy.