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Rail and History Museum Board to operate and manage new Rail Museum

LANDRUM—The Landrum City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 9, swearing in a new police officer and finally establishing the Landrum Rail and History Museum Board.

The board members began with the confirmation of new officer Sean Coats. Officer Coats 

comes from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Dept., and has previous experience in narcotics investigation and SWAT.

The council then discussed Resolution 2024-01, which would permanently establish the Landrum Rail and History Museum Board, a project that the board has been developing for quite some time in anticipation of the Grand Opening of the Rail Car Museum on April 27.

“The intent of the museum is to be much like the Farmers Market, voluntarily operated and managed,” explained City Administrator Rich Caplan. “Certainly, the city will take care of the car itself, but we hope that the board will solicit donations and other volunteers to have activities there.” 

The board will consist of five members plus one City Council member to be named Chairperson, who will act as a liaison between the council and the museum board. As of now, four board members have been named: Carol Browning, Emma Chelle, Ezekiel Carzella, and Marybeth Noble, leaving one seat to fill.

The first draft of the museum board’s charter states that board members “will serve a term of at least two years, but not more than four years.” 

Councilmembers Billy Inman and Judy Henderson will alternate responsibility as Chair until the council adopts a more permanent Council Member for the position. Council Members Henderson, Inman and Shannon Dotson will also continue to meet and confer to amend the museum board’s charter as needed.

“We have a board!” Mayor Robert Briggs declared in excitement as the motion to pass the resolution passed unanimously.