O’Fallon Museum Board – Meeting Minutes July 17th 2025

O’Fallon Museum Board
Minutes
July 17, 2025
Present Absent
Toni Reetz, Trustee
Linda Rost, Secretary
Vaughn Zenko, Curator
Curt Williams, Chairman

Convene:
The meeting was called to order by Curt at 4:03 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 the minutes as presented and Linda seconded. Minutes approved.

Accessions
● Renee Wood (Ella Wood) – Toni made a motion to accept the donation and Linda seconded.
○ Mirror from Hepperle store in Plevna
○ Senior book from 1955
○ Little girl church dresses
○ Baby shoes
○ Ration book
○ Liberty magazine
○ Molasses jar
● Pat Ehret – Toni made a motion to accept the donation and Linda seconded.
○ Set of presidential knives from Washington to Bush in a nice box.
○ Could use for 250 anniversary of US.
● Peggy Smith – Toni made a motion to accept the donation and Linda seconded.
○ Geisha dolls with shelving. All dolls in a glass case.
○ Blue and white nursing dolls – could go with medical display
○ Angel dolls from Italy.
○ Italian Lorado dolls, each with its own box – different occupations
○ Medic box that her dad brought from the Philippines – could go with military stuff.
○ China cabinet – could use for dolls.
○ Two lawyer bookcases.
○ We would have to go get it. (Mon pm is ideal)
● Myron Williams – Toni made a motion to accept the donation and Linda seconded.
○ Railroad keys from various companies, all in a case
○ Railroad padlock

Deaccessions
● Sonora store display – Table it and show it to Historical Society
○ Can’t find any historical significance
○ Was in the corner of the old exhibit hall -Curt
Discussion of Curator’s Report
● 439 visitors in June
○ Heritage Fest
■ 252 for Heritage Fest; 117 ride horse-drawn wagon; 145 train riders
■ Date change helped because of weather
■ Date was bad because it was on Father’s day, plus fishing day and
bump-n-run (both had low attendance)
■ Might as well go back to car show weekend – 1st weekend in June
■ Working on entertainment
■ Food was perfect – 58 lbs of beef and 100 hot dogs.
■ Had 60 patties left.
● 349 visitors for July so far
○ 63 for Bowen book signing
■ Went very well – meat and cheese tray
○ 111 total with Art Walk
■ Big kids’ art (4-8) and waterworks here
■ Little kid (k-3) on fridges at Baker Furniture
■ Ran train back and forth all day – problems: will only jump start, microphone quit working, smoke quit working, whistle would barely work
● Visits are up 38% over 2024
● Waterworks display
● Summer camps – Art, STEM x 2
○ Digital artists came by to teach students
● Baker Theater meeting will be held on Monday at 5:30 pm
Old Business
● FY 26 budget
○ Did not get money for extra hours for Traci
○ Explained how much work was done in the spring
○ The commissioners’ reasoning was that Vaughn is new and doesn’t know.
○ Did get an extra $1000 for events – for purchase services
○ Total for events now is $11,000.
○ Cut operating expenses by $1000.
○ Repairs and maintenance stayed the same, but gave $8,000 for capital repairs to reshingle school roof.
○ Added $10,000 contingent on virtual reality grant for dinosaur ($50,000 in grant).

New Business
● Museum hours during the Fallon County Fair
○ Saturday 1-4 pm – people will go to the parade and then go eat.
○ Closed on Sunday – people won’t come during the derby.
○ Class reunions could arrange for a visit.
● Plevna, Montana – 75 years (1909-1984) – Circle’s McCone County Museum is looking for the book because Senator McCone is the one who found Fritz.
Next Meeting: September 10, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Adjournment: Curt adjourned the meeting at 5:10 pm.

Curt Williams, Chairman Recording Secretary, Linda Rost, Trustee