More Funds For Railroad Depot Roof Needed

By Gordon HopkinsThe Jefferson County Historical Society (JCHS) has reported receiving approximately $115,000 in donations so far, but far more is needed to repair the roof of the historic Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum.The roof was already in dire need of repair and new damage resulting from a storm in December 2021 made the situation that much more urgent. Examinations of the roof prior to the storm indicated the Depot roof is leaking and will need to be replaced soon before more serious damage can occur inside the building. A patch was applied to a portion of the dormer on the roof after the storm to prevent further damage. However, Alan Dux of the JCHS described this as a “band-aid.”Dux gave a report to the Jefferson County Commissioners on Tuesday, April 26. He noted that a lot of that money came from smaller donations, “There’s been some small donations coming in since we put the ad in the paper. Lately, they’ve been $50 to $150 donations. The smallest is $5. It all helps.”Dux is concerned about future storms, “The sooner we can commit to this, the sooner we get ordered, because the way the storms go, if our historical buildings get damaged in the summer, then it might put us way back.”JCHS previously received a bid from a company in California for the repairs but has been looking at other bids.Historical Tax CreditsCounty Commissioner Michael Dux recommended looking into historical tax credits, “I don’t know if you guys have talked about additional funding, but an attorney for Baird Holm, a law firm, talk to us about tax credits.”Commissioner Dux noted that the county received approximately $200,000 in tax credits for the Jefferson County Courthouse, “And I think this would definitely qualify for this.”County Commissioner Mark Schoenrock concurred, “And we are somewhat familiar with the process and criteria, all those things. I think we would have a very good chance for the roof.”The attorney is David Levy, who also represents NextEra Energy Resources, the company that owns and operates the Steele Flats Wind Farm. However, Commissioner Dux pointed out, “This has nothing to do with the windmill company. I just want to make sure that you’re aware of that.”Commissioner Dux recommended JCHS contact Levy, “David said he joined the Historical Society and he, I think he would be glad to help you on some of this, how to apply for these tax credits.”JCHS is also still accepting donations from the public.

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