O’Fallon Museum Board – Meeting Minutes April 2023

O’Fallon Museum Board

Minutes

April 23, 2023

Present Absent

Curt Williams, Chairman Rod Johnson, Trustee

Toni Reetz, Trustee

Ken Griffith, Trustee

Linda Rost, Secretary

Melissa Rost, Curator

Convene: 

The meeting was called to order by Curt at 3:30 pm at the O’Fallon Museum metal building.

Public Comment:  Time limit 10 minutes per subject.

Minutes: Read by trustees. 

Toni made a motion to approve amended minutes and Kenny seconded. Minutes approved.

Discussion of Curator’s Report

• Jennefer Wheeler thinks the old fairgrounds building should be a museum building.
  • Built by the CCCs back in the day. Wasn’t build very well.
  • Doesn’t have truss rafters. If it was better built, yes.
  • Can’t move it in one piece.
  • Could put up a pole barn for less money.
• Traci’s hours – Steve noticed that Traci was pretty close to going over in hours.
  • She has 16 hours left for the fiscal year. (June 30)
  • June 1 will be open 7 days a week.
  • Kevin: Do we need to be open 7 days a week? Advertising says we are. The commission said we can’t amend the budget this late.
  • Traci has worked 70 days alone; 6 full days and some partial days with volunteers; have been closed 8 days and some random hours.
  • People have commented that the museum is closed when they stop by, including a home school group.
  • Unprofessional to be closed if we don’t have to be.
  • It would be $1000-$2000 for the hours required for Traci to work enough hours for the fiscal year.
  • 300 volunteer hours have been worked so far this year.
  • Traci has gutted the artifact storage and archival area. She has cross-checked inventory and does most of the cleaning. They can work asynchronously on a Google Sheets document.
• Table at job fair – high school; Put together a volunteer text group of 25 kids and got 3 kids for Steer MT birthday.
• Senior Reminiscnce at Superior Care – third time; there were residents waiting – medical theme.
  • Last time – cow theme
• Two cabinets from EMT – need them painted – Ask Jim Reetz to paint them.
• Baker Jam – Had Traci cover and people came
• Steer MT birthday party – 70 people
• Baker Kindergarten round up – Steer MT birthday theme
• Preschool Playtime – two weeks so far; three classes; 24 kids total.
• 6th graders came in Friday – Great Depression
• Volunteer Appreciation Supper – April 23, 2023 at 5 pm

Old Business

• Curt – took the boxings out and took them to old supplier. They quoted the same price as the other one, except additional freight. It should cost roughly $300 to get everything back.

New Business

• Budget –
  • Grant question – How to include them in the budget? The grants have to be included in the budget, so it makes it look inflated. The answer then is to amend the budget, but they say that is too hard.
• Job description – Cleaning and outdoor maintenance, along with all of the programming, etc. requires a lot of time.
• Accessions (those accepted are highlighted) Linda motioned and Kenny seconded.
  • Veil and clock from Becky Wagnon
    • Would be cool to make a small display in the schoolhouse.
  • Lawler Drug counter – Ed Lawler – Tabled
    • Could put casters on it and roll it around.

Next Meeting: May 7, 2023 at 3:00 pm for budget meeting

Adjournment:  4:30 pm by Curt Williams

_______________________________ __________________________________Curt Williams, Chairman     Recording Secretary, Linda Rost, Trustee