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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.07.22_Museum Board MinutesMinutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 1 of 6 Minutes of the April 7, 2022 Board Meeting (Approved at the May 5, 2022 Board Meeting.) The April meeting of the Oshkosh Public Museum Board was held Thursday, April 7, 2022, in the Lecture Room 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, Vice President Becky Matzke, Secretary Connie Drexler, Board Members Jim Hoffman, Rick Rego, Alternates Tiara Cavett, and Dana Stolley, Oshkosh Superintendent of Schools Bryan Davis EXCUSED: Board Members Carol Fenrich and Jean Thierman ABSENT: Board School Board President Bob Poeschl With Ms. Fenrich’s absence President Loiacono appointed Ms. Stolley in her place. With Ms. Thierman absent he appointed Ms. Cavett. ALSO PRESENT: Director Sarah Phillips, Assistant Director Anna Cannizzo, Marketing Coordinator Kate Stel, Auxiliary Treasurer Barb Shirtz, OASD Director of Recreation Kabel Helmbrech and Administrative Assistant Theresa Books recording the minutes Citizen Statements to the Board: Citizen Kabel Helmbrech, Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) Director of Recreation introduced himself. He noticed on the agenda discussion of the exhibition Sports and Recreation and wanted to hear about that, as well as discuss possible collaboration with the Museum as relates to the School District’s Softball Hall of Fame collection, which is mainly in storage. He’d like to find a way to have it more accessible to the public. Assistant Director Cannizzo reviewed the elements that will be in Sports and Recreation, noting that the Museum has many sports items in its collection. Unfortunately, the exhibit won’t include high school sports due to the small space that the exhibit will be in. Director Phillips and Ms. Cannizzo mentioned collaborations they’ve done in the past, including a collaboration in the past few years with the Oshkosh Fire Department, to have their story told and accessible to the public at the Ceape Street Fire Department. Something like that could be a possibility. It was explained that the Recreation Department is a department of the OASD, with their own budget. Superintendent Davis expressed that it would be nice to coordinate a short term program or exhibit with the Museum relating to the King and his court. Mr. Loiacono noted that next steps can be for Museum staff to Minutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 2 of 6 meet with Mr. Helmbrech to work on a collaboration. After Ms. Phillips reported on Sports and Recreation, Mr. Helmbrech excused himself at 4:16. With this interest, President Loiacono recommended a shift in the agenda to have the Director’s Report first. Director Phillips began with a report that progress is being made on the permanent exhibit Sports and Recreation. Drywall has been installed, walls painted, and carpeting has been ordered. Staff are currently working towards a contract for museum-quality lighting in the gallery. Long-term investment in proper lighting will allow the Museum to integrate systems in the future, so staff have asked LSI to provide a proposal. LSI supplied the lighting in People of the Waters and is the company Split Rock Studios would like to use for Deep Roots, Growing City. Ms. Phillips will discuss the lighting contract with Purchasing next week to determine next steps. As a follow up on previous board meeting discussion about education, Ms. Phillips was pleased to announce a new program, Family Discovery Days, tailored to families and young learners. This monthly program invites new audiences into the museum on the second Saturday of every month. Families can learn together through facilitated hands-on activities. This program, geared toward families with children, seeks to engage young learners from 5-10 years old who may not be in grades that take field trips to museums. Activities align with the content of the Museum exhibits, extend understanding of our community, and create engaging creative learning experiences. Some activities will address STEM learning, while others offer maker-style crafts and art. The goals of the program are to create learning opportunities through play, introduce the Oshkosh Public Museum to new audiences, and encourage continuous curiosity about history and our community. Family Discovery Days provide an avenue to reach family audiences not currently served by Museum programs. Introducing families to the Museum through a variety of programs creates investment and support for our community. As an essential resource for informal learning, the Museum engages visitors by preserving and promoting our community’s history. Introducing children to the Museum from an early age sets the stage for an understanding and appreciation of history, fosters civic pride, and cultivates a welcoming atmosphere for the exploration of the world around us. Staff are grateful to have received a sponsorship from Nevitt Law Office to support this program for the 2022 season. Ms. Phillips asked Ms. Stel to tell more details of upcoming Family Discovery Day programming. Ms. Stel reported the programs are set for the second Saturday of each month, with the first program set for May 14th. The programs will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with families being able to stop in when they can. The program is free for members and Minutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 3 of 6 included with Museum admission for non-members. The spring related theme in May is about cultivating one’s own food source as the Native Americans and pioneers did. Participants will make a trellis of stakes and plant some peas in a pot to take home and watch grow. One month will be about making their own boat, one is about weaving – to go with the Deltox rug company exhibit theme. In December it will be a Gnome for your Home, in relation to the annual Elf Hunt. Ms. Cavett asked if it will be advertised/noted on Facebook. Ms. Stel said it will be. Ms. Cavett said if there are posters about those programs, she’d be happy to take a poster to Emmeline Cook School. Superintendent Davis said he can help the Museum get the information to principals of each school. Other places recommended by the group were the YMCA and daycares. Next, Ms. Phillips updated the Board on the temporary exhibit Helen Farnsworth Mears: Genius of Wisconsin. She noted the opening of this new exhibition is fast approaching! Interpretive content was written and edited using a new exhibit procedure and it has worked very well for all the staff participating. Staff worked together to create a limited run of exhibit-themed merchandise for the gift shop. Tote bags, prints, photo reproductions, and other merchandise will be available for purchase when the exhibit opens. Ms. Stel further described some of the merchandise. Helen’s sister Mary wrote a wonderful poem describing two of Helen’s statues. This poem is put with an outline of one of the statues to make an interesting design that will be on merchandise. The Museum will host the exhibition opening on April 22 at 6:30. This members’ event will debut the exhibit and spotlight the archival collection. Charcuterie, beer, and wine will be catered by Wagner Market/Beckets. Thank you to the Museum Auxiliary for providing the beer and wine for this event! Board members are encouraged to attend the opening. Ms. Phillips invited today’s attendees to stay after today’s meeting to go up and see the progress in the Sports and Recreation area as well as the Mears exhibition. The Museum Store will also feature small-batch collections from local, women artisans to complement the Mears exhibition. In conclusion, Ms. Phillips reported on the search for a part-time registrar. The position proved to be very popular! A number of fantastic candidates applied for the position. After a couple rounds of interviews, the museum extended the offer to Emma Eisner. Emma has been working as the Curator of Exhibitions for the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum and has been both an intern and volunteer in the collections department of the Oshkosh Public Museum. She earned a Master’s degree in Anthropology and a graduate certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Emma starts in her new role with the OPM team on April 18, 2022. That concluded the Director’s Report. Minutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 4 of 6 Consent Agenda items included: A. Minutes of the March Board Meeting B. April Bill List MOTION: Adopt Consent Agenda (Rego; second Matzke) CARRIED: Yes (8) Cavett, Drexler, Hoffman, Loiacono, Matzke, Rego, Stolley, Davis The board and commissions training was cancelled for today. Discussion and vote on a plan for appointments of alternates to fill in for absent or excused board members was next on the agenda. Ms. Phillips reported that City Attorney Lorenson stated that a rule and best practice is for each board to have a predetermined system in place for appointing alternates at board meetings. This is to ensure fair voting. One way is to appoint first the alternate who has been on the board the longest. Another way is to have one alternate appointed first in January, March, May, etc. and the second alternate appointed first if needed on meeting dates in February, April, June, etc. Ms. Cavett asked if she was appointed, and being new to the board didn’t feel familiar enough with an issue to vote, could she defer to the other alternate? Ms. Phillips said a board member can ask for more information at a board meeting before an issue goes to vote. A vote can also be put off to a different date if the board needs more background on a topic. Also, a board member can opt to not vote for a particular issue due to conflict of interest, etc. When discussion was complete, President Loiacono asked for a motion. MOTION: Board alternates be appointed first based on the month of the year. The alternate on the board for the longer time (Ms. Stolley) will be appointed first in January, March, May, July, September, November and the other alternate (Ms. Cavett) will be appointed first on the opposite/even months of February, April, June, August, October and December (Matzke; second Drexler) CARRIED: Yes (8) Cavett, Drexler, Hoffman, Loiacono, Matzke, Rego, Stolley, Davis The Revised Agenda included discussion regarding board engagement. President Loiacono started out by noting this is a time to think about and talk about what board members would like to do in addition to participating at the monthly board meetings. Ms. Phillips expressed that City Manager Rohloff has asked her, “What is your board doing to advocate for the Museum (OPM)?” Ideas brought forward in the discussion included: Museum board members can attend other organization’s fundraisers and events. An example is the Power of the Purse. Board members could go together to buy a table. Go to the event, represent OPM, visit with people, invite people to sit with them, tell them about the Museum, and learn about other organizations. Ms. Drexler recommended a way to get awareness of the Museum and its mission out into the community would be to be available to present information to a group. Examples include the Professional Minutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 5 of 6 Women’s Connection and the Chamber. The Chamber has events where the Museum could have a booth. There are also sales clubs that need speakers for their meetings. Ms. Phillips asked the group, other than the love for history, what made you want to volunteer? What are the skills and talents you have that you can take into the community? Ms. Drexler said she has connected with the Museum’s Marketing Coordinator through the years, because it is something she is familiar with, and she recognizes she can take a few things off the plate of the Marketing Coordinator. She’s done computer work as well as delivering posters throughout the community. Ms. Matzke said she’d be interested in education and programming. President Loiacono asked the group to think if there are any committees they would like to see formed, that they’d want to be a part of. Ms. Phillips stated that fundraising will be really important, at the capital campaign level. City Manager Rohloff and City Council would like to see bigger fundraising. Ms. Cavett asked if there are specific projects that funds are being raised for, or particular levels of giving established. Ms. Drexler stated that most people are afraid of selling and asked if the board could be given short classes or specific instruction to learn how to make calls, to do development level fundraising. Ms. Stel had a specific request for the board. She had a few lists of Cornerstone Members who hadn’t yet RSVP’d for the Mears opening. She requested a few board members call to invite them to the Mears opening event. She had the names, numbers and wording typed out. If no one answered, they could simply leave a message with the information. The lists were handed out and several board members agreed to take a list to call. It was requested they call the people by April 18th. In closing the discussion, President Loiacono asked that the board think about the following questions: What inspired you to volunteer to serve as a board member for the OPM? What are the individual skills and strengths you have that help advance the mission of the Museum? What does actively serving on a board mean to you? What kinds of activities, conversations, and advocacy might you engage in as an active board member? President Loiacono requested the Auxiliary Report. Auxiliary Treasurer Barb Shirtz requested that the board and staff let people know about the Auxiliary; the Auxiliary is eager to have new members. The Auxiliary plans to hold Pie on the Lawn in July, and has started a signup sheet. The Auxiliary will begin planning in June for the Minutes of the April 7, 2021 Museum Board Meeting Oshkosh Public Museum ■ 1331 Algoma Boulevard ■ Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 Page 6 of 6 Gala; the Gala is set for Thursday, November 17. The May Auxiliary Luncheon will be at the Roxy. That ended the Auxiliary report. With no other agenda items, President Loiacono asked for a motion to adjourn. (Matzke; second Hoffman) CARRIED: Yes (8) Cavett, Drexler, Hoffman, Loiacono, Matzke, Rego, Stolley, Davis The meeting adjourned at 5:06 p.m. Those that wanted, and could take the time, went upstairs to view progress on Sports and Recreation and the Mears exhibition.