By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Ortonville- At the Monday night meeting, the council voted 7-0 to donate $2,000 to the Old Mill Museum’s blacksmith shop, a project that started in May.
“These services have been gratuitous in nature, in-kind services, so we have been able to save money on the blacksmith shop, and I would like to ask the council to consider a donation to the blacksmith shop, we are under budget,” said Coleen Skornicka, council member who is also a member of the historical society. “To get this accomplished, we have decided to go with H&S construction, they are able to come in and do the inside and outside for just under $24,000. Like I reported last month, we’re halfway there, we need more money.”
Over the summer, the foundation and footings were put in on the site next to the Old Mill Museum and the Mann School House.
“I would be for donating some money to that, it is our heritage, and we should,” said councilman Mark Butzu.
The Ortonville Community Historical Society is in need of donations for the historic blacksmith shop project which started this summer. In addition to collection jars being out at Ortonville Ace Hardware, The Citizen, Bueches Food World, Clairmount Cleaners, Hamilton’s Feed and the Old Mill Museum, checks can be made out to OCHS and sent to P.O. box 155, Ortonville, MI, 48462. Since the OCHS is a 501c3, those who donate a check would get a receipt mailed back.