Minutes - 2007 - Historic Preservation Commission - 09/13/2007 - Regulareita
THE EAGLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF: September 13, 2007
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Chairman Jason Pierce.
ROLL CALL & INTRODUCTIONS: Commission members attending were: Betty Fisher, Kay Madary and
Jason Pierce. Laurie Baker, Curator, and Jim Burns, guest, were also in attendance.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Approval of Minutes: Kay made a motion to approve the minutes of the July 12, 2007 Commission meeting and
Betty seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously approved.
Curator's Report: There were no questions about the Curator's Report. Betty Fisher did take this opportunity,
however, to bring up a couple of concerns. First, she inquired as to the status of the possible parlor organ
donation. The Curator explained that she spoke with Ms. Rogers on the phone in late August and that Ms. Rogers
felt that since the organ could be temporarily housed in one of two homes, she would pursue having some
individuals she knew bring it down for "gas and a meal." The Curator is simply waiting to hear of the outcome of
Ms. Rogers's suggestion.
Betty was also concerned that if the museum was going to change locations any time in the near future that it
might not be wise to have the old Eagle School bell permanently installed in front of the 67 E. State Street
location. The Commission understood these concerns but also felt that if we did not pursue this acquisition now,
it might not be obtainable later. The Curator also pointed out that the bell could be temporarily housed in the
storage unit until the museum was more permanently located if it was not installed in front of the current site.
Betty said that, if this were the case, she would continue pursuing the possibility of having it donated.
Approval of Expenditures: The Curator explained that the portion of the expense packet that pertained to the
first major archival supplies order had already been approved by Jason, acting for the Commission as a whole, so
that the Curator could be reimbursed for this expense prior to the fourth Tuesday of this month. The Curator had
been forced to put this expense on her own credit card as she was told the city's card was "maxed out" at the time
that she was preparing the order and would be unable to use it. The other monthly expenditures were typical,
though again the cost of display supplies and archive supplies and infrastructure support indicated that those two
areas are still being "built up" rather than simply maintained. Kay made a motion to approve the expenditures
and Betty seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Update — Car Show: The Curator explained that the Auto Fest had gone extremely well and that she was very
thankful for the all -day Commission support provided by Jason, Betty and Kay. She also pointed out that, as well
as it was received, the monetary return seemed quite miniscule when compared to the amount of time and effort
that was needed to actually mount the show. This prompted a "brainstorming" session about how to improve
upon the management of the show for next year. Kay indicated that she felt the museum docent volunteers should
start calling prospective donors right at the beginning of the year to start "signing them up" and, at the same time,
set a firm commitment date for funding. Jason felt that the various raffles would be better supported if a separate
tent was set up for raffles and the public -at -large was encouraged to buy tickets as well as the show participants.
Finally, the Curator felt that the Vintage Gems should be encouraged to raise the registration fee, perhaps
doubling it from $10.00 to $20.00. This alone would have the effect of doubling the museum's "up front" profits
and does not seem an unreasonable hike. She indicated that she and Sharon Bergmann would be attending the
Vintage Gems October meeting on October 4 and that they would bring this issue up at that time.
Archives Management: The Curator pointed out that the office panels were now in place, successfully
"shielding" the bulk of the archives area from the museum exhibit area and that she and her husband had also
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purchased two bookcases from Target which they were going to assemble as soon as an opportune time presented
itself. The smaller is to be used for reference books and the larger for archives and office supplies. She also
showed the Commission thc five Ward Hooper "Eagle" posters that had been produced as the result of another
Eagle Arts Commission project and which she hoped the Historical Society would pay to have encased in
Plexiglas so that they could then be hung by "S hooks" on the panel sides facing into the exhibit area. Last, but
far from least. she told the Commission that she had e-mailed Leonard Wilson that morning re the computer
package he had proposed for the archives and had given him the "green light" to go ahead and place the order.
Once all the equipment has arrived, Leonard will move the current office computer and accessories to the archives
area and will install the new computer in the Curator's office. He will also download all the data from the current
office computer onto the new computer.
Once the infrastructure is in place, the Curator hopes to conduct a training session that will include all the
volunteers who are working on the archives files. At this time, that training would concentrate on how to
manipulate and catalog newspaper articles, but as time goes by training can also be provided for the proper care
and handling of other archives materials. This serves two purposes: it helps to keep volunteers empowered and
engaged and it spares the Curator some of thc more routine and never-ending tasks that go into the maintenance of
a proper archives.
Parlor Organ Donation: See "Curator's Report" above.
Beacon Light Monument: The Curator reported that she had sent a letter to Linda McQueary on August 31,
2007, indicating that the Commission would be delighted to help her with her quest to have a plaque and/or
protection of the beacon light pad site on her property explored. The letter addressed the fact that it seemed most
appropriate for her to instigate the procedure through a letter addressed to the Commission requesting such action
and a response to this suggestion has yet to come. Once it does, the Curator will bring it to the Commission to
determine what is the most appropriate way to move forward.
NEW BUSINESS:
Accession "Brief List": The Curator is currently compiling an inventory "brief list' that will hopefully help to
clarify which donations the museum has the proper legal documentation for, which it does not and needs to
acquire, and which items are simply on loan. Thus far she has discovered numerous discrepancies and a basic
problem with accession order. It is her plan to have the list completed in time for the October 11 Commission
meeting so that the Commission might peruse it.
Volunteer Needs: See "Archives Management" under "Unfinished Business" above.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no other business, Kay moved and Betty seconded that the meeting be adjourned. Appro\ ed
unanimously, the meeting was adjourned at 6:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
�� f /G�C� d.e,
Kay Madary, Secretary
Approved on Dc
Pierce, Chairman
baro Bergmann, City Clerk
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