Days away from final approval, the state supplemental budget includes $100,000 to be used toward the repair of the historic Donner-Reed Museum in Grantsville.
If the state Legislature approves the funds in the supplemental budget, it would go toward repairs for the adobe building, which is more than 150 years old.
Operated by the Twenty Wells Chapter of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, the north wall of the museum building is bulging outward and marred by deep cracks in the stucco exterior.
The museum building served as a schoolhouse, city hall and an automobile shop during its long history in the community.
Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall gave a presentation to state appropriations committee as part of the request proposal. The request was approved last week but no decision on the funds will be final until the budget is approved later this week.
“We’re grateful they were willing to approve it at last Friday’s budget hearing,” Marshall said.
State Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville, said he hopes the funds stay in the budget to save the historic building, which will need significant repairs.
“It’s great news for Grantsville,” Nelson said.
Grantsville City Council approved $48,000 in city funds and grant money toward the repair of the museum’s walls last September. John Lambert of Abstract Masonry said during a Sept. 7 work meeting that the scope of work would include replacing crumbling adobe brick with cinderblock, then redoing the stucco and repainting the exterior.
At the same meeting, Lambert said he believes moisture leaked into the walls and undermined the base of the wall, causing the bulge.