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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES_December 2021 Museum BoardMinutes of the December 2, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the December 2, 2021 Board Meeting (Approved at the January 6, 2022 Board Meeting.) The December meeting of the Oshkosh Public Museum Board was held Thursday, December 2, 2021, in person in the Sawyer Library of the Museum. President Loiacono called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. The roll was taken by Administrative Assistant Theresa Books. PRESENT AT ROLL: President Gabe Loiacono, Secretary Connie Drexler, Board Members Carol Fenrich, Jim Hoffman, Rick Rego, Jean Thierman, and Alternate Dana Stolley. Excused: Vice President Becky Matzke, School Board President, Bob Poeschl, Oshkosh Superintendent of Schools Bryan Davis With Vice President Matzke not attending, President Loiacono appointed Ms. Stolley in her place. ALSO PRESENT: Director Sarah Phillips, Museum Interim Director Anna Cannizzo, Auxiliary President Kathy Wuest, City Attorney Lynn Lorenson, and Administrative Assistant Theresa Books recording the minutes. Next the Board welcomed incoming Museum Director Sarah Phillips. Ms. Phillips told a little about herself, her background and experience. She had been employed with the Idaho State Museum since 2008. During her time there, she held positions including Collections Manager/Curatorial Registrar, Curator of Collections and most recently Curator of Collections and Exhibitions. In her most recent role, Ms. Phillips provided vision and leadership to all exhibitions and collections practices in the Idaho State Museum and managed a team of five people. Additionally, Ms. Philips earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History with an emphasis in American History and a Masters of Applied Historical Research with an emphasis in Museum Studies and 20th Century American History from Boise State University. Each Board member then told a little about themselves, the time they’ve been on the board and their experience. The Board is very pleased to have Ms. Phillips at the Museum. There were no citizen statements to the Board and none were received. Minutes of the December 2, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 2 of 3 Consent Agenda items included: A. Minutes of November 4, 2021 Board Meeting B. December Bill List MOTION: Adopt Consent Agenda (Drexler; second Thierman) CARRIED: Yes (7) Drexler, Fenrich, Hoffman, Loiacono, Rego, Stolley, Thierman President Loiacono then requested Ms. Cannizzo present the Interim Director’s report. Ms. Cannizzo began with updates on the exhibition White Christmas. It has been open for almost three weeks and has proved to be popular. The exhibition has seen strong attendance overall with approximately 2,800 tickets sold to date. She was pleased to report that the Museum store is also experiencing strong sales with approximately $5,000 of merchandise sold to date, half of which were sales from the handcrafted White Christmas themed dress ornaments designed and hand- made by Heather French Henry. The ornaments have been quickly selling out; however, we receive regular shipments from the Henry’s to replenish the stock. Ms. Cannizzo further reported that the exhibition outreach program Operation Waverly has been successfully launched with visitors bringing an abundance of generous donations of needed items to benefit Veterans in need. The donated items are then given to the Day by Day Warming Shelter. In addition to collecting items for the shelter, the Museum will offer three in-house programs as part of Operation Waverly. On Saturday, December 18 Holiday Letters will have special guests read holiday letters written by soldiers during various wars. The January 8 program, The Thirteen Folds, will allow visitors to learn why the American Flag is folded 13 times. The final program on January 9th will team up with Miss Wisconsin Outstanding Teen Eve Vanden Heuvel giving an opportunity for visitors to make thank- you letters for current military deployed and veterans in the hospital. Next Ms. Cannizzo reported on the cement work and landscaping capital improvement projects. Updated bid packages have been produced with several changes to project scopes of work. The hardscape work on the front entrance and garden wall has been updated to include replacement instead of just repair. If the bidding process is successful, staff anticipate this work will be done in early summer. A successful bid is getting at least 1-3 bids within our given budget. The timeline was shifted from spring to summer because it would be more costly to have the work done in spring. Because the Museum may have to close during this work, due to the accessibility issues that may arise, the work will take place after the school year ends and finish before EAA Airventure brings tourists to the area. After reviewing the landscaping and signage projects and the associated costs, Ms. Cannizzo determined improving the Museum’s signage is the highest priority. The Museum will move forward with bidding the signage improvement project and layover the landscape project for a later date. The landscape is currently stable and can wait until funding is identified to complete this portion of the landscape around the Museum. If the bid process is successful, staff anticipate work to occur during the summer months. Minutes of the December 2, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 3 of 3 In conclusion, Ms. Cannizzo gave an update on the ARPA Funding Decisions for 2022 CIP Projects. Two 2022 CIP projects were not included in the 2022 Budget approval on November 9th. However, these projects were among others that were identified by City staff as qualifying for the use of ARPA funding and she was pleased to report, they were approved by Common Council on November 23rd. These projects are the design of the multi-purpose gallery and masonry work on the Sawyer home, Steiger Wing, and Carriage House. That concluded the Interim Director’s report. President Lioacono then requested the Auxiliary report. Auxiliary President Kathy Wuest reported the Auxiliary held their second meeting in November. She further reported that there will be several program changes due to the death of one presenter and the retirement of another. Their next meeting will be December 10, 2021. That concluded the Auxiliary Report. With no other agenda items, President Loiacono asked for a motion to adjourn. (Fenrich; second Hoffman) The vote was unanimous in favor and the motion was passed. The meeting adjourned at 4:26 p.m.