O’Fallon Museum Board – Meeting Minutes January 2023

O’Fallon Museum Board

Minutes

January 15, 2023

Present Absent

Curt Williams, Chairman Rod Johnson, Trustee

Toni Reetz, Trustee

Ken Griffith, Trustee

Linda Rost, Secretary

Melissa Rost, Curator

Roy Rost, guest and Commissioner

Randy Hanson, guest

Ashli Wiedmer, guest

Convene: 

The meeting was called to order by Curt at 3:27 pm at the O’Fallon Museum metal building.

Public Comment:  Time limit 10 minutes per subject.

Minutes: Read by trustees.

Amendment made to minutes to read Melissa will be gone December and 11th to December 3rd through 11th. Toni made a motion to approve amended minutes and Curt seconded. Minutes approved.

Discussion of Curator’s Report

• Humans of Fallon County project – sending hard drive to 605 Media and Entertainment in Spearfish
• Trackless Train project – The county would not approve. We need the Historical Society to be a 501c3 to apply for more grants independently.
• Jail Basement project – Grant was turned back, but the cost for JGA engineering is $30,937.92 and it was charged to Purchase Services.
  • Purchased services line item – $20,000 and another $15,000 was already spend through JGA.
  • Commission said they would get back to Melissa.
• 6th grade programming – Thanksgiving – Indigenous perspective
• Anika Ploeger – Beth McElfresh story of Christmas at Little Beaver
• “Standing up to Hate” – for 6th grade – made dreidels, gilt, and a menorah
• Fun Friday for 40 3rd graders – NEED MORE CHAIRS!
• Famous people for Fallon County – Irene, Jack Westrope, Francis Ames, Vedie Himsl.
• Jason Griffith and Ashli Wiedmer volunteered to cover museum when Melissa was gone.
• MDT – Two signs are not in compliance
  • By Highway 12 – not even there anymore – must relinquish – Gaye Sander
  • Sign by vet office on Highway 7 – filled out a notification that sign had been upgraded – statue
• Smell in sewer in metal building – Vent was almost completely frozen shut before Christmas; Roy put rag in floor vent. No smell since.
• Traci has reorganized storage cabinets and consolidated
  • Bought archival boxes
  • Some items still not stored properly, i.e. Books, papers, hats, garment, etc.
  • MAM will have a textile storage workshop
  • Addition will help with storage. A floor above office could help with more storage room.
• Awning – Baker Metal will come put O’Fallon Historical Museum after power coating in Billings – mid January
• Superior Care Villa programming – will start next month
  • Webinar – pick a theme, bring in artifacts and photos that relate to seniors to reminisce
• Heritage Fest meeting – June 3rd
  • Tiffany Davis stepped back
  • Audrey Burke would like to help
  • Melissa Higbee is working for Chamber now, not SMART. As Chamber Director, they will supporting it now.
• Art Camp this summer – Reached out to Tumblewheel Studios in Belfry to collaborate – free
• Meet with Chamber board to talk about camps
  • Preschool programming – with Rec Dept – All fees will go to Rec Dept
    • Have enough to cover costs – $100-$200 for 6 weeks of programming
  • STEM Camps (don’t want to charge kids) – options:
    • Go through museum only
    • Go through Chamber but make it free – but pay Chamber money for the what they need and we would get it sponsored. Linda would do expenses.
• MAM Board meeting – Helena last week
  • Museum Advocacy Day at Helena Capital – set up table 
• National Conventions – AAM in Denver in May and AASLH i Boise in September.
  • Budget for travel and continuing education is about $3000 
  • These are in different fiscal years
  • Historical Society could pay for one maybe
• Alarm discussion – $900 for alarm system per year; video system is separate
  • Might have a remote operation add-on
  • Schedule service call to review
• Attendance for November was 77 plus Christmas in the Park; December was 101 and 12 kids at Compass Coffee; FB insight page reach 1612.
• Expenses shown on spreadsheet – 

Old Business

• None

New Business

• Yellowstone Park Wagon – $1500 – out of operating supplies
  • New hubs – Friend from Hulett will take them and send them off – $120 per hub
  • New spokes – $7 x 52 – from supplier 
  • Fellows or felle? – $50 or 60 x 4 sets – from supplier
  • Tires – Allen Rustad will help do tires – steel ring
  • Curt will do all the labor
  • Boxings – get new ones that go on top
• Supplies, chairs and tables purchasing – out of operating supplies
  • Another Shark vacuum cleaner – $220
  • Have 30 folding chairs – Need at least 50 good chairs and have 20 good ones.
    • Get 32 chairs from Runnings at $182/4 chairs = $1456
  • 6 ft tables – have 7 good ones and 3 that need repair; Probably don’t need any
  • Get a Table and Chair dolly – $369.84
  • Maybe get some chairs from Willard Hall
  • Tent (10×20) $400

Next Meeting: March 5th in the Steel Building at 3 pm.

Adjournment:  4:27 pm by Curt Williams, Chairman

s\ Curt Williams, Chairman     s\ Recording Secretary, Linda Rost, Trustee