Jan Harwell, president of the Mills County Historical Museum, thanked the Mills County Commissioner's Court on Nov. 17 for a budget allotment she said will help the museum expand into its second floor and keep operating.

Harwell told the court the museum had faced very high insurance costs before the city assumed ownership of the building. "It went to almost a little over $14,000," she said, and added that after the city took over the building their liability and trustee insurance is now "around 1,400 and change a year," which she said made a ‘‘dynamic difference’’ and helped keep the doors open.

Harwell said the museum is "fundraising aggressively," described the project to expand onto the second floor as still in early stages, and invited Judge Johnson and the commissioners to visit the site to see progress.

Judge Johnson and other commissioners thanked Harwell for the work of museum volunteers. The public comment concluded before the court moved to canvass the November election results.

Note on names and transcript inconsistencies: Harwell identified herself on the record as "Jan Harwell." The transcript includes inconsistent place-name spellings (it refers both to "Gulf Way" and to the "City of Goldway"); the article uses a consistent rendering and notes the transcript inconsistency where relevant.