07. Conrad Mansion - Funding Request for Fire Control Sprinkling SystemaT
Qlonrab Anne -ton Pirectors,
P.M. Wax 1041 Natioptll, At 59903-1041
January 29, 1999
City Manager
City of Kalispell
312 lst Avenue East
Kalispell, MT 59901
Re: Conrad Mansion Fire Protection
Dear Manager:
Time goes by so rapidly it is difficult to believe that our Conrad
Mansion Historic Site Museum has been in operation for 24 years and
has established itself as a financially sound and productive asset
to our community. For examples, our visitorship over those years
totals 340,000 visitors and our payroll over those years exceeds
$850,000.
So intent has the board been on restoration and operation over the
years that it is only recently that we have begun to reflect on the
past and project our thoughts into the future. This thinking has
led us to consider the possible loss of this valuable and
productive property by fire - not to mention the loss of a quarter
century of time and effort on the part of a great number of good
people and the potential loss of unknown hundreds or thousands of
years of productivity of this asset.
Therefore within the past eighteen months we have investigated the
feasibility of a sprinkling system fire control installation. We
were able to cover the cost of the feasibility study and
installation plan ($5900.00) but are unable to handle the entire
cost of installation, estimated at $30,000 - $40,000. We have
learned that because the city has a blanket insurance policy, there
may be no immediate direct reduction in premium from installation
of this sprinkling system. However fire damage of the mansion or
its very valuable contents undoubtedly would elevate the insurance
premium, and also destroy the productivity of this community asset,
as mentioned above.
City Manager, 1/29/99, page 2.
We believe that it could be very fairly proposed and agreed that
Conrad Mansion Directors, Inc. split the cost of installation of a
fire extinguishing sprinkler system with the City. In its present
unprotected state, this beautiful building is a very valuable, very
productive tinder box. Your timely consideration of this matter
will be very much appreciated.
Respectfully submitted,
CONRAD MANSION DIRECTORS, INC.
By:
Louis A. Bibler, President
LAB/dlc
Counterpart:
Mayor Boharski
City Council Members