The thread of this discussion has been running, with much vigor, on the NYS-LGH listserv, which is just for officilly appointed Local Government Historians. If you are one of these, and you have not already, you may wish to sign on. Just send me your name and the jurisdiction you are appointed to, and I will take care of it for you.

Philip Lord, Jr.
Director, Division of Museum Services
New York State Museum
Albany, NY
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/services.html

>>> [log in to unmask] 01/10/01 12:18PM >>>
I cannot agree more with Carol Kammen. Many municipalities feel
that once they put a name on a line for Historian, they have fulfilled
their obligation. I work with historians frequently all over NYS and
the stories would curl your toenails.  Some have spent their own
money to make copies of anything that refers to their town and
have built files of their history. This is a labor of love and the people
in their township should be grateful for this.

Towns that fail to support and provide their historian with the needs
of that office are to be shamed as it shows a definite lack pride in
their history.  Why they do not realize how important it is to record
not only their own administration but every drop of history about
their town's past is beyond me.  Many historians do not get one
penny and some have fought for years to have a roll of stamps
provided to use for town business that they are required to do.
This is not an exaggeration. Do they ever consider the gas that
they use in their car when they faithfully care for this office? The
town officials would not expect to do their jobs without at least
being reimbursed for these minimal needs.

I was the first dog control officer in Town of Fenton, Broome Co.,
NY and it was a similar situation when I was appointed because
the law required the towns have one or contract for services.
Having the experience of several years of animal rescue work
and working with the area police departments, I knew about
keeping records. I kept a log of complaints, had a file for each
complainant and offenders, a mileage log for the town van I used,
did the required paperwork for NYS Ag. & Markets, and accounted
for everything I did. I attended every public town meeting, gave the
supervisor a monthly report which he read at these meetings. This
also included additional information that the board and public
needed to understand about the problems concerning animals
such as rabies, livestock killings and local problems. The number
and type of complaints were accounted for each month so they
could see what was happening in their town. I was accountable
even though they never gave me any instructions about my office
nor required me to keep any records.

One town person made a real scene about a dog problem so
I went to my office and pulled all of my logs and complaints
and documented every time I patroled the entire town including
in the middle of the night when I picked up dogs and issued
tickets.  I was threatened by offenders with guns, had took
serious offenders to court, and that is when the town realized
I was not just a name on a line on a paper and what my job really
was. It took awhile but they acknowledged my work and my value.

When asked why I kept all of that information, my answer was
simply that anyone appointed to a job serving the public needs
to be accountable. My town did not know what I was doing, as
many towns do not know (or care) what their historians are
doing.

Many historians face similar situations. My suggestion is to
keep records of your efforts; make monthly reports; keep
information before your town officials and public (including
what is happening in other municipalities by their historians)
and use the media to make your town's history known. Just
keep plugging.  There are a lot of others around you that could
offer various types of help. Make friends with other historians,
local libraries and archives and others who, like your self,
care about preserving history before it is too late.  Those who
are doing all of this know the value of this job and it is worth doing.


God Bless
Ruth Ann
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