BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) – The city of Bellevue is moving forward with a plan to create its own museum in the building that currently houses the Sarpy County Museum.
- Bellevue city leaders are introducing an ordinance to take over the Sarpy County Museum building and create a city-run museum.
- The city estimates repair costs at around $70,000 — far less than the nearly $1 million the historical society previously reported.
- The city hopes to move into the building this summer, and has already met with a potential museum director.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The city of Bellevue is moving forward with a plan to create its own museum in the building that currently houses the Sarpy County Museum.
City Administrator Jim Ristow said the city is ready to act.
"Its our building, so we have to do something to it, we are already committed to cleaning it up and putting that building back in shape, and we thought if the museum isn't going to stay why don't we do the same thing," Ristow said.
"We just want to get in and get things moving and make sure that nothing is lost in it," Ristow said.
Ristow said the county gave the Sarpy County Historical Society until June 1 to move out, and the city wants to take over soon after. Historical Society President Deb Reinard said she believes the move-out date is December 31.
Reinard said the society still has plans for traveling exhibits and a new heritage center.
"I think they want to pack everything up and store it. There's still some plans in their mind that they are going to build somewhere, funding is going to be an issue... so we didn't want to sit for two and three years to see if something else is going to happen, so we wanted to take action," Ristow said.
In its February closure announcement, the historical society cited structural concerns. In a report the historical society gave the city of Bellevue, the building needed nearly $1 million in repairs.
Since the museum closed, city workers have inspected the building and now estimate repair costs to be much lower — closer to $70,000. That means the city believes it can move in soon,
Ristow said the city has already met with a potential museum director and is confident the process will move quickly.
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