Photo by Sabrina Pankratz The Balaton Area Historical Society History Center needs repair on its stucco surface, which is flaking off. The repair is being done in two stages.

MARSHALL — The Balaton Area Historical Society has a $15,000 building problem and doesn’t want to get “stucco-ed” with the bill.

Pam Johnson and Gary Kass of the BAHS gave a presentation before the Lyon County Board Tuesday morning at its regular meeting. The two were seeking funding to finish a building stucco project and requested a $5,000 appropriation from the county.

The BAHS History Center is having “significant issues with the building’s stucco, which has begun to crack, slough and spall from the underlying structure,” said Johnson, who is the BAHS president. “This not only endangers the building, but eventually our collection as well.”

Bids from Stucco by Jimbo from Revere have added up to $15,000, which is more than the historical society’s annual budget can withstand.

“We’ve tapped our funds,” said Kass. “Obviously we feel like it’s our responsibility, but we’re an all-volunteer organization and have no full-time help. We represent the interests of the Balaton area.”

After hearing details of the project, the board voted to give the Balaton Area Historical Society $5,000 from its contingency fund.

“We have certain obligations to the county,” said Commissioner Paul Graupmann.

BAHS has had donations and fundraising efforts to raise money for the building project.

Johnson said they have received a $2,500 matching grant from the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation from Rochester, and with this funding, have repaired the most critical damaged portions of the building — the window sills and the front, for $5,000.

“This is a relatively cheap fix — the roof is good, and there aren’t any other structural problems except for the stucco,” said Kass.

“What is your timeframe for this project?” said Commissioner Steve Ritter.

“We’d like to get it done this fall,” said Kass. “But the reality is we’ve fixed the critical things so it might have to get done in the spring.”

Ritter asked if the board could get receipts when the work is done.

“Not that I don’t trust anyone, but to show the auditors,” he said.