OCONOMOWOC HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Board Minutes/March 13, 2006

OHS Members Present: Ruth Behling, Valerie Davis, John Fishleigh, Pam Thomas, Ed Johnson, Barbara Elwood-Goetsch, Duane Thorsen, Betty Hancock, Diane Johnson, Nancy Lins, Marjorie Day, Chuck Herro, Don Wiemer, Bob Duffy, Ray Maurer, Mike Schutz, Duane Hoffman and Maureen Stapleton.

President Ed Johnson opened the meeting at 4:00pm.

Bob Duffy introduced Ray Maurer, Director of Parks and Rec as of January 30, 2006. Ray will be taking Bob’s place on the OHS board as city representative in the near future.

Secretary’s Reports: Don Wiemer moved and Nancy Lins seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the February 13, 2006 board meeting. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:

• John Fishleigh distributed the P & L Budget vs. Actual through February 2006.
• P & L for February 2006, showed total income of $2,895.96 and expenses of $6,089.59 for a net income of -$3,193.63. Checking account YTD is at $1,319.14 and savings YTD is $88,555.26. Vanguard Index Fund is at $6,732.73. *note: interest income is for two months.
• Question asked why telephone bill was so high. Nancy said it was for two months. She is checking into changing plans to provide for unlimited phone calls for both lines. The DSL alone is costing $36.99 a month, but is worth it rather going back to a dial up.
• Don Wiemer moved and Nancy Lins seconded a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. Motion carried.
• Ed Johnson reported he filed the Federal and State tax return.

Development Committee Report:

• Comments regarding the assignments to review and evaluate specific opportunities in the Abbey report:

ü Time is a factor…it can’t be done at a board meeting, must be a separate meeting.

ü Hilton Neal would like the committees to meet with their questions and ideas after Easter and before the May board meeting. Time is getting critical since we met with Nancy Nelson in January, we need to get going soon.

ü Hilton and Ed will set a meeting day and time and contact the committees.

Museum Operations:

• After reviewing the Policy & Fee policy submitted by Valerie, the board suggested rates were too low in #7 & #9. In #7 it should read “if scanning images requires more than one hour of work or more than 10 images are requested, the researcher will be charged $10/hour. In #9 it should read $10/hour if staff finding/research time is greater than one hour. Board also said that a #10 should be added to the policy to state that Valerie has the authority to waive the fee for members or groups that she feels do not need to be charged.
• Tiger cub scout group visited and 3 Pillars had to reschedule.
• Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum visited to get information on the earliest immigrants in Waukesha County. Valerie has made a pie chart with the results of this study and will post in the museum.
• Josh Deber/student at Concordia College, will give us some hours from June through August.
• April 2 the Model T club wants to use the museum from 12:30-5pm for their meeting. Valerie told them it was $2 per person to visit and they are willing to pay this amount to use the facility.
• May 5^th museum opens. May 11^th University Women will visit.
• Museum will host a Chamber Business After Hours with Notbohm-Kreutzmann Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in May.

Artifacts:

• Marjorie Day sent a thank you to Zion Church for the display case they donated.
• Rebinding and putting new covers on the Waukesha County book, donated by Milt Babinec, at Grimm’s Book Binders in Madison would cost $40-50 dollars. Rebinding this way would destroy it historically, but to cover it historically correct would cost around $300. Since it is only being used in the office for information the board thought it should be rebound at the lower price. Hilton Neal moved and Duane Hoffman seconded a motion to recover the book at a cost of up to $50. Motion carried.
• Elk is still okay at the Christiansen home.
• Pat Boughton has joined the Artifacts committee and Shirley Boye has stepped down due to health problems.
• Pam Thomas reported receiving an email from Karen Jensen regarding a tinted photo of the old Draper Hall owned by Robert Leaf, who resides at Shorehaven Tower. It was suggested that someone from the Historical Society approach Mr. Leaf regarding him donating the picture to the museum. Chuck Herro, Marjorie Day and Valerie Davis will contact Mr. Leaf.

Membership:

• Barbara Elwood-Goetsch reported we currently have 348 members, 91 of which are delinquent in their dues. She will be sending postcard reminders to them soon. There are 9 organizations that belong but 7 are delinquent, letters have been sent to them. We also have 34 free memberships on the books.

Newsletter:

• Newsletter deadline is 1^st of April.

Docents:

• Appreciation breakfast is April 4^th from 9-11am at Lake Terrace Clubhouse. Milt is paying for a historian from Madison. The title of his speech is “Beer, Rocks and Beyond”. Three ethnic goodies will be available to sample.
• Milt and Valerie will arrange an orientation date for the docents.

Speakers:

• April, 2006: Joe St. Thomas—Oconomowoc School System and/or Town of Oconomowoc. Chuck Herro will finalize the topic with Joe.
• July, 2006: Keith Franz—Venerable Historical Fire Department
• October, 2006: Local History—Tony Thorsen/Oconomowoc Canning Co. and the “Teenie Weenie” Pea factory.
• January, 2007, Don Wiemer.
• Chuck Herro is waiting in the wings with a presentation on Marjorie Ward Baker.

PR:

• Ray Maurer was encouraged to take Bob Duffy’s place on the PR committee.

Local History Committee:

• No meeting because of the blizzard.
• Betty Hancock has talked with Mac Dorn and 1^st Bank has agreed to pay for publishing the Lavinia Rockwell letters if we use the 1^st Bank logo and statement on the front of the book.
• Very positive community reaction to the letter taken to the mayor and local newspapers regarding the Clarence Peck house at 434 North Lake Road. Ed hand delivered the letters to make sure they got in the right hands. Betty Hancock has spoken to Roy Cook, one of the owners, and he has no plans as yet for the property. It remains on hold.

Special Events:

• Ice Cream social is on track but Marilyn Henes needs a co-chair.
• Raffle license should be in by May. Chuck Herro will see about getting another Trek bicycle.

Old Business:

• None

New Business:

• Ed Johnson will not be here for the April meeting. Don Wiemer will run the meeting.
• Betty Hancock offered to host the May meeting at her home.

Nancy Lins moved and Betty Hancock seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 5pm.

Next Board Meeting: Monday, April 10^th at 4pm at the museum.

Respectfully submitted,

Pam Thomas/Secretary