HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-13-2019 Special Called Meeting Museum Advisory Board MinutesAttendance
M useum Advisory Board -Spec ial Meeting
February 13, 2019
2:30pm@ Fa ir hope Museum of History
• Jack Burrell (JB)-Cit y Counci l Liaison
• Paul Czajka (PC) -Board member since 2017
• John Taratsas (JT) -Board member since ~2008
• Wayne Brunso n (WB)-Boa rd member since?
• Louie Blaze (LB)-Board member since 2019
• Catherine King (CK) -Boa rd member since 2008
• Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop (SB) -Directo r of Economic & Communit y Deve lopment City of FH
• Darby Wiik (OW) -Museum Interim Director City of FH
Additional/ Audience
• Oliver Gilmore -Submitted application for board January 2019 -pending approval
• Bill Fives -Treasurer, Friends of t he Fairhope Museum of History
• Guest -Reporter?
Supplementary Mat erials:
• Agenda
• List of boa rd meeting dates for 2019
• List of board members according to City's webs ite
• Code of Ordinances for Museum Board -from City's website
• Budget -from City's w ebs ite
• Meeting notes/minutes from past five meeti ngs
• Attendance figures
Minutes
• OW opened the meeti ng asking board members to state their name and how long they've been a board
member.
• JB made a recommendat ion that long-time boa rd members submit new applications and be re-appointed as
their terms would have expired according to the bylaws as current ly w ri tten.
• It was also recommended that
o Museum ordinance be amended to "majority plus one." If less than 9, "At such time less than 9, then a
quorum shall be_+ 1 (must be an odd number)
o Add language re members should subm it a letter of res ignation if they no longer wish to serve on the
board
o Clarify if city counci l member is a voting member/ part of quor um
o Clarify if President of FSTC is a vo t ing member/ part of quorum
• It was asked that OW find out from Lisa Hanks
o How to go about maki ng recommended changes to t he by laws
o Clarify quorum number/ make correction
• WB made a motion that the board shou ld amend the document to st ate a minimum of 3 to 4 advisors present at
a meeting; Accepted by LB, Second by PC
• A motion was made for the minutes/not es of past 5 meetings be approved. JB said minutes can always be
amended if necessary later. All were in favor. None were opposed.
• PC nominated CK for Cha ir. There were no other nominations. Al l we re in favor. None were opposed.
• LB nom inated PC for Vice Chair. CK seconded and CK moved closed. LB seconded. Unanimous approval. None
opposed.
• DW expressed concern from a focus/ task perspective that it is difficult for the party being advised and engaged
in conversat ion to be simultaneously respo nsi ble for meeting minutes. Often there is a secretary for this reason
....
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and for examp le the Historic Preservation Committee has a committee member serving as secretary taking
minutes. Group discussed.
Motion by WB that museum staff sha ll delegate someone to take meeting minutes. Second by LB. Al l were in
favor. None were opposed.
SB spoke
o 10 years of board, time for new directions
o Recent ret irement, probationary period, now DW serving as acting d irector for time per iod not
determined but City needs to post job description, also will be posting Assistant position
o Means for board -working w/ Director moving forward to evolve where the museum should go,
recommendations
o Archive space -moisture in the walls, dehumidifier issues, not arch ival quality space right now
o Things in co llect ion need to be assessed, decide if still need to be accessioned, etc.
o This has been a topic while Donnie was still here, Darby and Phill ip, need a plan
o Described her work managing the Octagon Museum House in Washington D.C. She trained staff how to
archive, raised money and started the education program there. She cares about the space.
o The current museum archive space is never going to get better. It was built in-house in the 1970's.
o Described her mission to get the Grand Hote l guest register to be on disp lay rather than in the archives
• CK spoke about the Director transition. She said she has worked with DW when at the City of Mobile's art
museum; 10 years -she feels Darby is capable.
• DW thanked Catherine and spoke about
o He r vision for how the museum cou ld address the collections issue as part of a 1, 2, 5, 10 years overall
museum strategic plan.
o She said it may be helpful to consider that the History Museum of Mobi le as well as Mobile Museum of
Art have the same through -the-door v isitation as FH Museum of History. Those museums have ~19 and
~27 staff members as well as volunteers, where FH Museum has 1-2 staff.
o Difference between an art or history center and a museum is that a museum always has a permanent
collection. A collection is something to be carefu ll y and thoughtfu lly preserved for poster ity but also
used strategically for current display/other for the community in col lections manager/
registrar/curatorial and educational ways.
o Described possible media and community opportunities for our museum to make a major change by
celebrating a temporary, multi-year processing of artifact s from the current archive space on the second
floor of the museum that would hone the choice of objects for the collection, assure information is in
the database, create opportunities for research and way the public could get a glimpse of a real, working
museum. We could celebrat e the fact that the collection faci lity is being fixed/rebuilt, celebrate the
handling process, and a celebrate of moving back into it along with a new exhibit upstairs in the
museum and reopening of the ga llery space when complete.
o The group seemed to think this would be a good idea .
• SB said she wou ld find out more about the facil ity/bui lding and possib le plans for fixing/rebuilding.
• JT said he wanted to know if anyone is interested in a photography exhibit about local veterans -he sa id he has
a contact. DW said it's a great topic but given current circumstances for the museum, we'd need to
evaluate/prioritize as part of strategic plan with management and staff changes, collection plan, etc. SB said it's
a great topic and suggested Ci t y Hall or somewhe re else might be a good location for the exhibit. Sherry-Lea
expressed interest in getting more information. DW agreed to send an email introducing JT, SB+ Paige Crawford
and Jim Bates (per Sherry-Lea) so they could be in touch about the idea. While the museum isn't able to
participate logistically at this time, if there is any way we can offer support let us know.
• From the audience, Bil l Fives, Treasurer of the Friends of the FH Museum of History asked if there is was
information about the museum itself being a 501c3 as the wording it the ord inance was a bit confusing. Reading
over it, the group agreed it was confus ing but in context of the original Historical Museum transitioning i nto the
History Museum it was referring to what is now known as the Friends organ ization as the 501c3.
• DW offered to take a-ny board members and audience members upstairs next door to view the current archival
space and situat ion . It was agreed t o do this as soon as adjourned.
• Meeting adjourned.
[END] -CDW 2/15/19