Three women are finalists for taking the vacant director’s position at the Watkins Community Museum of History.

Julie Mulvihill, Rebecca Phipps and Bobbi Rahder were culled from among nine applicants for the job left vacant since August 2001, when longtime director Steve Jansen was demoted to historian as the museum struggled with a budget deficit.

Under pressure from board members of the Douglas County Historical Society, which runs the museum, Jansen retired in November.

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Phil Godwin, president of the historical society, said the board would work to hire one of the finalists Jan. 23. Board members intend to base their decision on comments from an appointed search committee, which has scheduled three meetings to take input from the finalists and others.

The finalists and their current jobs:

l Mulvihill is programs director for the Kansas Humanities Council in Topeka.

l Rahder is an archivist, faculty member and founder of a cultural education center at Haskell Indian Nations University.

l Phipps is curator and assistant director of the Carroll Mansion in Leavenworth.

“They all have strengths toward what it is that we’re trying to accomplish, in terms of professionalism and raising the level of exhibits and the museum itself — as well as working with people,” Godwin said. “It’s just a matter of picking the best of the best.”

Douglas County commissioners threatened to cut or eliminate the county’s annual financial infusion — $58,000 this year — unless the board hired a professional administrator, someone who could boost fund raising and calm community discord about the museum and its past operations.

Jere McElhaney, commission chairman, said he would push for the museum’s financing to be enhanced, despite the need to trim $1.8 million from the county’s 2003 budget.

The new director is expected to command a salary of about $45,000.