OCONOMOWOC AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM BOARD MINUTES

May 12, 2008

at the museum

Board Members Present: Sue Bickler, Mac Dorn, Fran Durkin, Barbara Elwood-Goetsch, Betty Hancock, Shirley Hinds, Barb Hirsch, Duane Hoffman, Diane Johnson, Melissa Krahn, Margie Krauski, Terry Ladwig, Nancy Lins, Ray Mauer, Hilton Neal, Kevin Passon, Don Wiemer, Ann Zimmerman

Absent Excused: none

Absent: Donald Christiansen, Ed Johnson, Bob Ludwig, Bill Marris

Other Attendees: Marjorie Day, Dorothy St. Thomas

President Don Wiemer called the meeting to order at 4:01 pm.

Secretary’s Report: Melissa Krahn moved and Mac Dorn seconded to accept the minutes of the April 14, 2008 board meeting. Motion carried. Terry Ladwig moved and Nancy Lins seconded to accept the minutes of the April 26, 2008 quarterly meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Hilton Neal reviewed the monthly transaction sheet, noting that energy costs are higher than desired but may stay within the budgeted allowance for the fiscal year (all current financial statements attached). The expenditures for the Museum Consultant are under budget and Nancy Lins was thanked for her work in that capacity and for keeping her billable hours in check. The Exhibits Committee has already exceeded their annual budget but it was noted that the exhibits will be displayed beyond the current fiscal year and the expenses were appropriate and acceptable. Also, the “Office Supplies” category previously included “Building Materials” expenses, but those are henceforth broken out into its own category. There was no growth in Capital Campaign donations, and business contributions are still lower than last year at this point, in part due to downtown construction which is hurting local businesses.

It was noted that ISB Bank donated $500 to underwrite the costs of the Oconomowoc Timeline brochure. A $100 gift was also received from Ladwig to underwrite branding expenditures. There were no changes in restricted assets from the month prior. Monthly expenditures totaled $3,553.18; revenue was $1,879.72; and expenses exceeded revenue by $1,673.46. Betty Hancock moved and Melissa Krahn seconded to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried.

Administrator’s Report/Museum Operations:

Lins noted that to save time, all should refer to her written monthly report (attached). She asked for all attendees to assist in securing more docents and greeters, especially for summertime weekends when the museum has guaranteed operating hours. This ongoing problem needs immediate resolution or the museum may need to restrict its hours.

Committee Reports:

Executive Committee: 1)Wiemer reported that the Branding Committee’s work is progressing. 2) The Executive Committee approved a “Mail Processing Procedure.” 3) A summer intern’s contract for 150 hours of work this summer has been approved. 4) All were reminded that any outside contracts must be approved by the Executive Committee. 5) Anyone sending correspondence on behalf of OAHS&M must provide a copy to the Society.

Audit: Ladwig reported that she has scheduled a preliminary meeting with auditor Donna Schlender on May 23 so that the Society’s audit can begin.

Collections: Day reported that donations have dwindled in recent months due to the Museum’s restricted winter hours. Recent acquisitions were: local limited edition Christmas ornaments (circa 1990s) from J. F. Haberdashery; color photos of the old Waldheim Sanitarium on Oconomowoc Lake from Judge Steinmetz; an original “Lincolnesque Era” chair from Draper Hall donated by Ann Wilson; and the first bulletin printed by the First Baptist Church following the explosion that recently destroyed the building. Day suggested that non-relevant books in our custody may need to be de-accessioned.

Wiemer asked that the proposed Collections Policy (attached) be accepted by the board with one modification: that the “Mission and Vision Statements” on page 1 be eliminated and in its place inserted, “This policy is meant to fully complement the Mission of the OAHS&M.” It was moved by Krahn and seconded by Ladwig to accept the Collections Policy as amended. Motion carried.

Education: Barb Hirsch reported that 66 Summit School fourth graders will be attending the museum on May 13 to learn more about local history. They will tour the museum in the morning and tour La Belle Cemetery in the afternoon. Nine historical gravesites will be looked at. She showed the PowerPoint presentation the committee developed about cemetery etiquette, tombstone designs, weathering, symbolism and other things. If the tour is well-received, it will be fine tuned and offered to other schools.

Exhibits: Shirley Hinds reported that no formal meetings will be held over the summer – just work sessions. Truman Schultz will loan an old riding cart for display in the upcoming Victorian Era display. The Draper Hall exhibit is coming along well.

Local History: 1) Dorothy St. Thomas reported that the Oconomowoc Timeline has been printed, thanks to ISB Bank’s $500 underwriting. The colored brochure will retail for $1.00; black and white photo copies for school groups will be complimentary and may be photocopied without a problem by schools. In the future, the timeline may morph into a DVD for use as a program or premium. Marcie Skrepka will research for old photographs that are suitable for use in the project. 2) “Postals of the Past” by Wiemer will continue in the Oconomowoc Focus newspaper. 3) The Oconomowoc Public Library’s display cases will house museum artifacts this month and again in July. 4) The La Belle Cemetery management has refused to permit an after-hours lantern tour that Bill Marris desired to script. Therefore, that project has been scrapped as planned. 5) Marris has been approached by downtown store owner Laurel Whelan to assist in writing articles about the museum and its collections for a web blog she’s developing. The committee will consider that request at its next meeting on Thursday, May 13 at 10:45am at the Oconomowoc Lake Village Hall.

Membership: Barb Elwood-Goetsch reported the following: 148 single memberships, 111 (222) couples’ memberships, and 1 student membership for a total of 371 individual memberships. There are also 14 organization/business/municipality memberships, 40 free memberships and 66 delinquent memberships. There are no new members since last month. It was clarified that Ann White from Notbohm-Kreutzmann Funeral Services in not a board member (as a corporate representative made via $150+ donation) but rather is an individual member of the Society.

Nominating Committee: Ladwig reported that Lois Luebke is being recommended by the committee to join the board. Luebke’s impressive resume was shared with the board. It was moved by Nancy Lins and seconded by Ann Zimmerman to accept Lois Luebke as a member of the Board of Directors of the OAHS&M. Motion approved.

Property and Maintenance: 1) Neal reported that the front foyer has been repainted, museum lighting has been rewired so that all lights can be turned on/off from just two locations, and that Dorn and Jerry Burchardt will be making some repairs. 2) Jean Neal has made a list of exterior grounds needs, resulting in Sue Dorn’s agreement to tend to some of the needs and that May Garden Center donated their time (not materials) in applying fertilizer and crab grass control to the lawn. 3) Jeff Lins rented a pump to remove 3” of water that flooded the basement following a spring storm. Lins and Mike Krauski subsequently determined the flood was caused by 3 softballs blocking downspouts. 4) A GFI ground fault will be installed on the building’s west side for outdoor electrical needs. 5) The building’s exterior doors need to scraped and repainted, and anyone willing to do this is asked to contact Neal.

Resource Development: No report.

Special Events (Quarterly Meetings): The following schedule for speakers was reported:

July 2008: Local Architecture by John Eastberg

October 2008: Olympic Ice Skating in Oconomowoc (tentative)

January 2009: to be determined

April 2009: Mapleton – “The Busiest Little City in the World”

Old Business:

Branding: The process is continuing and the board will be kept abreast of developments.

Festival of the Arts: The Festival’s board will met May 13 to select a “Spotlight Group” for this year’s festival. A church group has also applied for consideration.

Other: The “Keep Off” and dedication signs have been installed on the Elk display on the museum’s front lawn.

New Business:

Fundraising Event: Ladwig reported on proposed details for the Society’s upcoming fundraiser on Friday, August 8, 2008 – “A Night at the Museum.” Full board endorsement and commitment to the event is necessary to make the event a success. Goals are 100% board attendance (two $50 tickets each), and raising $12,000 minimum net. Dorn and Duane Hoffman will solicit corporate gifts. After receiving details, the board endorsed the concept and goals. It incorporates a pre-event “pizza-like” dinner for volunteer-workers who have not purchased tickets. The event will feature substantial appetizers, desserts, wine, beer and soft drinks for paying attendees, silent auction items with OAHS&M ties, museum tours and the Dorothy Smith Watercolor Exhibit preview. It was proposed that the event’s proceeds be identified as seed money for the establishment of an Endowment Fund. Dorn read from the by-laws that the ground work has already been developed for such a fund and that use of endowment funds to support operational needs is permitted via appropriate voting procedures if that should ever become necessary. It was noted, however, that the idea of the endowment is to only use its interest and to leave the capital alone if at all possible. It was moved by Margie Krauski and seconded by Dorn that proceeds from the Society’s 2008 fundraiser, A Night at the Museum, be earmarked as seed money for the establishment of the OAHS&M’s Endowment Fund. Motion carried. Lins will send Save the Date cards out to prospective attendees. Formal invitations will be sent in early July. The event’s “charitable donation” quotient will be factored and printed on the tickets. A capacity of 100-150 is anticipated. Diane Johnson expressed concern that volunteers may be “burned out” for the Ice Cream Social’s needs just two days later. Board members were asked to work at for both events, since both are necessary fundraising venues.

The “10% back” day from Scharnell’s Deli “Deli Dollars Day” went well and all participants were thanked for their support. The amount it generated is yet to be determined.

Adjournment: Zimmerman moved and Neal seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 5:29 pm.

Next meeting will be Monday, June 9 at 4:00 pm at the Museum.

Submitted by Margie Krauski, Secretary