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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.21.2025 MINUTES MAC Special Meeting Minutes of the April 21, 2025 Museum Arts and Culture Board Special Meeting Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the April 21, 2025 Museum, Arts and Culture Board Special Meeting (Approved at the May 14, 2025 Board Meeting) The April 21 special meeting of the Museum, Arts and Culture (MAC) Board was held at the Oshkosh Public Museum (OPM). Board Chair Vicky Redlin called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and the Roll was taken. Present at Roll: Board Chair Vicky Redlin, Vice-Chair Rebecca Doe Brown, Mayor Matt Mugerauer Excused: Board Members Becky Matzke, Drew Mueske, Alternates Carrie Olson and Erron Hundt OPM Staff Present: Museum Director Anna Cannizzo, Assistant Director/Chief Curator Emily Rock, Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator Anne Schaefer, and OPM Administrative Assistant Theresa Books recording the minutes. Discussion and vote regarding use of Board governed resources for matching funds to support property acquisition for an artifact storage facility was the only item on the agenda. Director Cannizzo introduced the topic and gave background as follows. Background: Potential Property Acquisition of 1331 High Avenue (River Valley Church) • Since 2008 OPM has been documenting challenges with collections and archive storage issues. • 12/23 Church posted for sale with $1.2M listing price- approximately 1.5 acres, 14,000 sq. ft. building. • In early 2024 OPM inquired on feasibility of using property for their storage and public programming. • In spring, 2024 former City Manager gave green light for Facilities Maintenance (FM) to conduct a comprehensive facility assessment of the building with TR Karrels to evaluate if the building would address OPM storage/public programming needs. • Assessment identified estimated $4.8M (not including purchase cost) in required improvements/code updates to address building deficiencies, in addition to various operational inefficiencies of the church layout for OPM needs. As a result of the Minutes of the April 21, 2025 Museum Arts and Culture Board Special Meeting Page 2 of 3 necessary renovation costs/updates, staff could not support purchase and the city pursuit of this property ended. • However, the assessment did recognize the obvious appeal of the property in terms of a unique opportunity to acquire expansion property around the OPM campus to address future OPM storage/public programming needs. This discussion also allowed OPM/FM to re-strategize on future OPM programming and facility CIP priorities, with placeholders in the 2025-2034 CIP including: 1. OPM Deep Roots Exhibition (currently $975K in 2026, $325K in 2027) 2. OPM Lobby Improvements (currently $2.8M in 2029) 3. OPM Artifact Storage/Public Programming Facility (currently $2.8M in 2030) Current Status • April, 2025: Church Property drops listing price to $799,900.00. Community Development and Assessors staff note this is a very competitive price. • With the significant drop in the church property listing price, and recognizing the unique opportunity of having 1.5 acres of adjacent property for future OPM storage/public programming expansion opportunities, FM and OPM staff reconvened to explore revising CIP priorities with a focus on church property acquisition if OPM can provide a 50/50 match for property acquisition. • On April 18th, staff learned the church property was pulled from the market. FM made contact for a status update was told that the property owners would consider an offer from the City. Rationale and Request • If acquired: o The current building would be razed and the property would be developed to support a purpose-built permanent and consolidated storage and research facility for of the entire permanent collection which is currently stored in several locations. This is currently a strategic plan objective. o The Deep Roots exhibition would be postponed and staff would focus instead on pursuing property acquisition. This postponement would make the earmarked Deep Roots space once again available for rotating exhibits for several years. o This acquisition would create a ripple effect for the OPM campus, allowing for multiple existing spaces on the Museum grounds to be used more effectively and efficiently without the need to largely increase the footprint on a historic site that is restricted and landlocked between major roads. For example, the relocation of the Archives would allow for its current footprint to be used for much needed storage for equipment and fixtures as well as exhibit prep space that currently takes place in the Billiard Room. The Billiard Room would become available for Minutes of the April 21, 2025 Museum Arts and Culture Board Special Meeting Page 3 of 3 programming usage. The Carriage House could be re-imagined for public programming and events that has the potential to generate revenue. o OPM would renew its capital campaign and develop a fresh plan to fundraise for this updated CIP project vision. o OPM CIP priorities/funding requests would then change to: 1. Church Property Acquisition ($400K OPM Fund/$400K City) 2. OPM Lobby Improvements (currently $2.8M in 2029) 3. OPM Artifact Storage/Public Programming Facility (currently $2.8M in 2030) 4. Deep Roots Exhibition (TBD in 2028-2034?). • OPM is requesting $400K in MAC Board-governed funds for its match to acquire this property. o Several fund options exist for the MAC Board to consider. o Recommendation: utilize funds from the Durow Trust that align with the gift’s purpose and intent. Capital construction has naming conditions. After discussion, a motion was made. MOTION: The Board approve use of OPM Board governed funds as needed to match funds to purchase the property at 1331 High Street. (Mugerauer; second Redlin) CARRIED: Yes (3) Brown, Mugerauer, Redlin With no additional agenda items Chair Redlin asked for a motion to adjourn. MOTION: Adjourn (Brown; second Redlin) CARRIED: Voice Vote The meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m.