Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader File Photo Desks and other furnishings were left badly damaged Oct. 10 when fire broke out inside an old schoolhouse at the Shawano County Historical Society compound at county-owned Heritage Park in Shawano.
From the ashes of a destructive fire, a new cooperative agreement has emerged between the Shawano County Historical Society and Shawano County government officials.
The Shawano County Board on Wednesday approved a deal with the historical society resolving issues related to ownership and maintenance of the group’s public education complex in county-owned Heritage Park.
Under the agreement, the county assumes ownership of most buildings, provides casualty insurance and pays for utilities, while the historical society owns contents of the buildings, agrees to maintain the facilities and purchases its own liability insurance.
Both sides applauded the agreement as a breakthrough following years of ambiguity about the relationship that existed between the county as landlord of Heritage Park and the historical society as a high-profile tenant.
County Board members unanimously approved the deal, which takes effect immediately.
“I think this is long overdue,” Supervisor Gene Hoppe said. “And I’m glad to see it done.”
The agreement was hammered out during months of negotiations following a fire that caused significant damage to an old schoolhouse in the historical society complex. Left untouched by the fire were a log cabin, train depot, church and other structures preserved to educate the public about Shawano’s pioneer days.
Although the new deal does not discuss the schoolhouse fire explicitly, both sides agreed separately that the county would file a claim with its casualty insurance provider — and pay a $25,000 deductible — to cover the cost of restoring the damaged schoolhouse.
Repairs are expected to cost about $70,000, with any leftover money earmarked for future improvements to the schoolhouse.
Mike Eidahl, president of the historical society, said the time needed to negotiate the ownership and insurance issues means the schoolhouse might not be restored before his group kicks off its visitor season in May. The park is a favorite spot for school groups on field trips.
Nevertheless, Eidahl said, leaders of the historical society are pleased that a deal has been worked out with the county and that county officials were willing to compromise on key issues.
“We were completely satisfied with it,” Eidahl said.
The issues related to Heritage Park, located at 524 N. Franklin St. in Shawano, came to the surface following a fire that a historical society worker discovered inside the schoolhouse on the afternoon of Oct. 10. Officials believe a dehumidifier ignited the blaze.
The building did not sustain any structural damage, but contents re-creating the image of a 19th-century schoolhouse were badly damaged or destroyed.
Repairs to the property stalled for several months as historical society and county government officials confronted questions about who bears responsibility for the structures inside the county park.
The county initially proposed that the society accept ownership of the entire complex of eight buildings — except the real estate itself — and also provide its own casualty insurance against fire or other loss. Leaders of the society objected that their nonprofit group could not afford such an arrangement.
Under the final deal, the only structures not owned by the county are the church and train depot, both of which the historical society already insures.
Some county supervisors on Wednesday questioned elements of the negotiated agreement, including the county’s concession to provide $5,000 a year for utility costs. Officials acknowledged that the county does not extend that sort of assistance to other private groups using county-owned facilities.
Others, however, called the four-page memorandum of understanding an important breakthrough in relations between the two groups.
County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann, who signed the deal on behalf of the county even before Wednesday’s vote, called the negotiated agreement a “slam dunk.” He congratulated county representatives who worked on it.
“I think you did a good job,” Erdmann said. “It may not be perfect, but you go from there.”