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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.17.20attachment 1331 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh WI 54901 • 920.236.5799 • oshkoshmuseum.org MEMO TO THE MUSEUM BOARD July 17, 2020 To the Board, Attached are the draft minutes from last week’s meeting. I extend my thanks to Mr. Domer for his help in recording the minutes. The Museum will reopen on Tuesday. Everything is in place and we have run through the procedures and feel confident we can handle it. A cleaning crew, which is part of a City contract, will help disinfect some of the public areas of the Museum. Our plan is to limit attendance to 40 people, and four people in the store. The interactive features throughout the Museum are not available and we will let people know that, as they are popular components. We will have half-price admission until Museum Curiosities and Their Stories opens August 16. Next week will almost seem like the Museum is ”back to normal” with the Museum open and a full staff, and anything we can do to resume a sense of normalcy is a positive thing. One item I am pleased to announce is that the Museum will no longer issue membership cards. A new software that replaces eTapestry, called “Schedules Plus,“ has been installed and enables front desk staff to quickly and easily look up a person’s membership to see if they are current or need to renew; they can immediately renew, if they’d like. Most members don’t bring their card, or have to hunt through a wallet or purse to find it, so this is a major improvement and certainly up-to-date technology. We will end our use of eTapestry when the contract expires next year. In other news, Split Rock Studios has delayed the presentation of Design Development-2 for Sporting & Recreation because the firm had to furlough staff. With museums across the nation not open, and some forced to reduce staff, many exhibition projects have been placed on hold or canceled, and that means funds are not flowing to firms like Split Rock Studios. At any rate, the presentation has been rescheduled for mid-September, so the earliest I can present the design to the Board is the October meeting. Staff are hard at work on Museum Curiosities and Their Stories, which opens August 16. Matt Reinke completed the gallery refurbishment and it is ready to receive the exhibition furniture. It looks fantastic and each gallery has an oriental rug to improve the look and dampen noise. Of note, several security devices that had been giving us trouble over the last year were replaced. A complete security review and upgrade is in the capital improvement program request list for 2022, as we have experienced an increase in problems with the camera system. In regard to capital improvements, the elevator upgrade was completed on Monday and will be inspected this afternoon to ensure the work is satisfactory. This was the most urgent of the elevator upgrades and as I explained last week, more extensive upgrades are planned for 2022. As well, if you have driven by the Museum you’ve seen scaffolding around the south chimney of the Carriage House, ready for work to begin next week. The north scaffolds will be erected next week. The foundation work is being rebid, with bids due at the end of this month. A mandatory contractor walk-through will be held Tuesday morning. Please note how incredible the grounds look! Our seasonal employee is a superb worker and has done a fantastic job. That ends the week and I hope you have a pleasant weekend. Brad Larson Minutes of the July 2020 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the July 9, 2020 Board Meeting The July meeting of the Oshkosh Public Museum Board was held Thursday, July 9, 2020, in the Sawyer Library of the Oshkosh Public Museum. President Thierman called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Mr. Domer volunteered to record the minutes. The roll was taken by Randy Domer. PRESENT AT ROLL: Board Members Carol Fenrich, Jim Hoffman, , Rick Rego, President Jean Thierman, Alternate Connie Drexler, and Board President Barb Herzog. Present via ZOOM: Vice President Gabe Loiacono , Alternate Joe Stephenson. EXCUSED: Secretary Becky Matzke. ABSENT: Superintendent of Schools Vickie Cartwright. Ms. Thierman appointed Ms. Drexler to serve in Ms. Matzke’s place. ALSO PRESENT: Museum Director Brad Larson, Durow Curator of Collections/Assistant Director Anna Cannizzo, and Auxiliary President Kathy Wuest. The election of officers for 2020-2021 was announced and the floor opened for nominations. No individual nominations were offered and there was no discussion except to suggest that the current slate of officers be re-elected for 2020-2021. There was general concurrence. MOTION: Adopt the existing slate of officers for a second term; Jean Thierman President, Gabe Loiacono Vice President, Becky Matzke Secretary. (Barb Herzog; second Rick Rego) CARRIED: Yes (8) Domer, Drexler, Fenrich, Hoffman, Loiacono, Rego, Thierman, and Herzog. There were no citizen statements to the Board and none were received. Consent Agenda items included: A. Minutes of the March Board Meeting B. April, May, June, and July Bill Lists MOTION: Adopt Consent Agenda (Drexler; second Fenrich) CARRIED: Yes (8) Domer, Drexler, Fenrich, Hoffman, Loiacono, Rego, Thierman; and Herzog. Minutes of the July 2020 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 2 of 3 The next item was discussion and vote on the repatriation request from the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe for the John Quinney powder horn, artifact 2002.63.1. President Thierman asked Mr. Larson for his presentation. Mr. Larson began by explaining that in January the tribe requested the return of this horn but due to the cyberattack and then the pandemic, presenting this for Board action was delayed. He stated that the Collection Review Committee is unanimously of the opinion it should be returned because Quinney was a grand sachem of the Stockbridge-Munsee, it holds great meaning for the tribe, and because they have a museum and staff to care for it. He then asked Ms. Cannizzo to elaborate. Ms. Cannizzo explained that John Quinney was the tribe’s grand sachem from 1852 to1855 and led the tribe during a period of great change. He was responsible for many accomplishments and is highly regarded by the Stockbridge Munsee people. Ms. Cannizzo explained that the horn was an old unclaimed loan from the very earliest years of the Museum. The tribe had requested it previously, but the Museum had to follow state law so that it could formally become Museum property. There is no provenance as to how it came into the owner’s possession. The tribe is citing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and identifies the horn as an item of cultural patrimony. She stated the Stockbridge-Munsee have the resources to care for this object at the Arvid E. Miller Memorial Library Museum, located in Boulder, Wisconsin. If the Board approved, there is at least a six week waiting period while the pending repatriation is published by NAGPRA to see if any other claimants come forward. MOTION: Repatriate the horn to the Stockbridge Munsee Tribe (Rego; second Fenrich) CARRIED: Yes (8) Domer, Drexler, Fenrich, Hoffman, Loiacono, Rego, Thierman, and Herzog. Ms. Thierman then requested Mr. Larson present the July Director’s Report. Mr. Larson began by expressing his happiness at once again having a Board meeting, and hoped everyone was well. He was unsure whether there would be an August meeting, but a September meeting was certainly called for. The Director then explained his submitted capital improvement requests for the period 2021 through 2025. He stated that the Museum’s building entrance and modification project that has been developed with EngbergAnderson Architects over the last three years has been removed from the City’s capital improvement program. In its place is the lesser building modifications that were rejected previously [i.e., in 2009], and he reviewed what those modification would be. He then moved through the annual table of proposed projects and summarized each and why they were selected and submitted. Mr. Larson reminded Board members that just because a project is Minutes of the July 2020 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 3 of 3 included in a given five year capital plan does not guarantee funding, and that fact makes planning very challenging because they are often tied to the use of trusts and funds. He answered Board member questions before concluding the July Report. President Thierman had no President’s Report. Ms. Thierman requested the Auxiliary Report. Auxiliary President Kathy Wuest began by reporting the Auxiliary has not met since March, but members have been in contact with one another by phone and email. The Auxiliary Board anticipates meeting in mid-July. Members are working to put together the 2020-2021 booklet. In conclusion, Ms. West stated there was no Pie on the Lawn event and that there would be no November Gala. With no other agenda items, Ms. Thierman asked for a motion to adjourn. (Fenrich; second Herzog) The vote was unanimous in favor and the motion was passed. The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. Minutes of the March 2020 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 1 of 2 Minutes of the March 5, 2020 Board Meeting (Approved at the July 9, 2020 Board Meeting.) The March meeting of the Oshkosh Public Museum Board was held Thursday, March 5, 2020, in the Lecture Room of the Oshkosh Public Museum. President Thierman called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. The roll was taken by Theresa Books. PRESENT AT ROLL: Board Members, Carol Fenrich, Jim Hoffman, Vice President Gabe Loiacono, Rick Rego, President Jean Thierman, Alternate Connie Drexler, Alternate Joe Stephenson, School Board President Barb Herzog, and Superintendent of Schools Vickie Cartwright. EXCUSED: Board Member Randy Domer, Secretary Becky Matzke. With Ms. Matzke not present, Ms. Thierman appointed Ms. Drexler and with Mr. Domer not present, she appointed Mr. Stevenson ALSO PRESENT: Museum Director Brad Larson, Duron Curator of Collections Anna Cannizzo, Registrar Emily Rock, City Attorney Lynn Lorenson, Auxiliary President Kathy Wuest and Associated Investment Services representatives Mike Hocholzer and Daniel Evens; with Ms. Books recording the minutes. Mr. Larson introduced Daniel Evens and Mike Hocholzer of Associated Investment Services. They presented the annual review of the Durow Trust for 2019. They reviewed details of investments and earnings, allowing time for questions. There were no citizen statements to the Board. Consent Agenda items included: A. Minutes of the January Board Meeting B. January and February Bill List C. Receipt and Filing of 4th Quarter Reports from the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. MOTION: Adopt Consent Agenda (Fenrich; second Cartwright) CARRIED: Yes (9) Drexler, Fenrich, Hoffman, Loiacono, Rego, Stephenson, Thierman, Herzog, Cartwright Ms. Thierman requested Mr. Larson present the March Director’s Report. Minutes of the March 2020 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 2 of 2 Mr. Larson began with a report on the repatriation request from the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe. The tribe requests the John Quinney powder horn [2002.63.1], a grand sachem of the Stockbridge- Munsee from 1852 to1855, stating “It is our position that due to sachem Quinney’s stature in the community, that the powder horn possesses ongoing historical importance central to the Stockbridge-Munsee people.” The tribe cites the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and identifies the horn as an item of cultural patrimony. The Stockbridge-Munsee have the resources to care for this object at the Arvid E. Miller Memorial Library Museum. He explained that the Collections Review Committee did not see any reason to deny the request and the request will come before the Board for action at an upcoming meeting. The next item was the Sporting & Recreation exhibition. The project is being managed by Ms. Cannizzo and work is somewhat behind because of the cyberattack and pandemic. However, Mr. Larson explained, he anticipates a presentation of the design at the September meeting. Once that is approved, fit-out can begin and a contract can be entered into with Split Rock Studios for fabrication and installation. The final topic was related to the 2021 budget. The priority item for discussion and vote at the September Board meeting will be an overview of the trusts and funds and requests as part of the 2021 budget. Mr. Larson noted the incredibly low rate of return on trust funds and how that is impacting operations. He stated that Ms. Cannizzo and Mr. Larson have created a plan for the Durow Trust that would be presented in September. Mr. Larson answered questions before concluding his report. President Thierman had nothing to report. Ms. Thierman requested the Auxiliary Report. Ms. Wuest presented the Auxiliary Report. With no other agenda items, Ms. Thierman asked for a motion to adjourn. (Fenrich; second Herzog) The vote was unanimous in favor and the motion was passed. The meeting adjourned at 4:49 p.m.