DOUGLAS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

21 September 2004

The Administrative Committee meeting was called to order by Jerry Niebaum at 5:00 p.m. on 21 September 2004 at the Watkins Community Museum. In attendance were Phil Humphrey, Rebecca Phipps, John Simmons (recording), and Pennie von Achen. Bob Piller and Pat Johnston were unable to attend.

The minutes of the 13 July 2004 meeting were read and approved, with one minor typographical error noted.

Niebaum praised Phipps, the museum staff, and volunteers for the new exhibit, Prairie Gold, and the opening reception on Friday, 17 September. An estimated 130-140 people attended the event. Niebaum stated that the exhibit reflected the excellence of the professional museum staff.

Niebaum also thanked Simmons for staffing the DCHS membership table in South Park on 18 September.

Correspondence

Niebaum read a letter from Hilda Enoch thanking the museum for presenting the Will Rogers program, and a letter from Mary Ann Baker praising the Viet Nam era exhibit (with special thanks to Helen Krische).

Financials

Piller provided a written financial report, which was distributed. Niebaum noted that the most significant figure in the report was that the year-to-date total had exceeded expenses. The County Commission allocated $100,559 to the museum; the allocation does not include funds to renew Dick Martin’s position, so his position will be terminated in March 2005.

One County Commissioner told Niebaum that the commission would like to see a formal proposal for the planned bathroom expansion. Humphrey asked if there would be a tax benefit from the bathroom project—Niebaum noted that this matter should be looked into.

Niebaum reported that Lew Phillip’s corporate solicitation efforts were going well. Phillips has recruited eight team leaders, each of whom will recruit five volunteers to make corporate calls in October.

Nominations and Elections

The Nominations and Elections committee members are Phil Godwin, Martha Harris, Clenece Hills, Ralph King, and Jerry Niebaum. They will meet on Monday, 27 September, to discuss the elections process. The committee is still requesting names for potential board members.

Niebaum announced that he will be going off the board at the end of the year. There are a total of nine vacancies to fill (six for expiring terms, two vacancies from the class of 2006, and one vacancy from the class of 2007). Humphrey expressed his concerns that the board needs to include more museum professionals, more people willing to do work, and more board members who make substantial contributions to the DCHS. Niebaum agreed, adding that the board also needs to consider gender, ethnic, and geographic diversity. Phipps suggested that the board also needed some younger members and more non-university people.

Von Achen asked if nominations for board members had been solicited from the members; Phipps said that this had been done via the newsletter, but no nominations had resulted from this request. It was suggested that the members should be reminded (via the newsletter) that the bylaws of the DCHS prohibit making nominations from the floor during the annual meeting.

Niebaum said he would like to have mail-in ballots for the election. This was discussed.

Director’s Report

Phipps reported that Curator Alison Miller had resigned her position at the end of August. Phipps hired some temporary help to finish out projects for the year, and will advertise for another curator to start in January 1995. Humphrey suggested that Phipps needed to hire an assistant to the director; Phipps agreed that the museum needed more staff, but not necessarily that position. For example, all staff members currently share public education duties.

Niebaum pointed out that Humphrey has recommended that the DCHS have a separate director for the society. If this proposal is accepted, the person in the position could be a fund-raiser as well as an administrator. Niebaum is concerned that some of the burden of running the DCHS needs to be taken off the museum staff.

Phipps reported that the staff worked very long hours getting the new exhibit ready. The weekend of the sesquicentennial events was particularly chaotic, including a visit from the delegation from Eutin, Germany; the opening reception for the Prairie Gold exhibit; a City of Lawrence reception for Eutin in the museum; a reception for the descendants of Amos Lawrence in the museum; and the public opening of the Prairie Gold exhibit.

Phipps reported that the 2005 calendar will be ready in four weeks, so any planned events need to be scheduled. The theme for the year will be “Entertainment in Douglas County,” and will include lectures on entertainment and two concerts at the museum.

Other Items

Niebaum requested suggestions for a speaker for the annual society meeting on 09 November at the Dole Center at the University of Kansas. There was an extensive discussion of whether a lecture or lighter entertainment, such as a musical performance, would be preferred by the members.

Martha Parker of the Clinton Museum has requested the return of some items that were deposited at the Watkins Museum under an oral agreement with the former director. The present museum staff has not yet been able to locate all of the items requested by Parker, but they are continuing to search for them.

Niebaum reported that tickets for the benefit showing of Carnival of Souls are on sale in the museum gift shop. Some discussion of marketing strategies for the remaining tickets ensued.

Dates for the next meetings of the Administrative Committee are:

19 October 2004

16 November 2004

14 December 2004

Phipps reported that the museum had received no word from the National Park Service concerning the grant, despite repeated requests for information. The NPS fiscal year ends on 31 September.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted

John Simmons