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March 13, 2012 Minutes Saturday, 17 March 2012 19:22 |  |  | 
Minutes of the Regular Meeting for the Sullivan County Historical Society’s Board of Directors, March 13th, 2012
The meeting of the Sullivan County Historical Society’s Board of Directors, held in the reading room of the Sullivan County Museum in Hurleyville on the evening of March 13, 2012, was called to order by Society President William Burns at 7:05 p.m. with the following officers in attendance; President Burns, Vice-President William Cogswell and Treasurer Jackie Decker, along with the following Board Directors; Arthur Hessinger, June Koester, Myron Gittell, Daniel Briggs and Fred Fries. Also in attendance was Building Manager Patricia Burns. Due to the absence of Barbara Viele, the Board’s recording secretary, Mr. Fries recorded the minutes for the meeting.
Secretary’s Report Motion to approve the minutes for the Board meeting of February 14, 2012 as written was made by Mr. Hessinger, seconded by Ms. Decker and approved unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Ms. Decker issued the monthly financial report to the board, including the itemized account of income and expenses for the month of February. The second page of the report listed the Society’s certificate of deposits; what banking institution they are in and the date when they become due. Also included was a listing of the Society’s designated funds such as the Virginia Smith Memorial, Marjorie Smith Memorial, Clifford Schwartz Memorial, Cross-Osterhout, Pearl Gold Memorial and the Marion Hoos Living Trust. A general discussion followed concerning the use of these designated funds. Ms. Decker was also directed to roll-over the twelve month CD deposited in the Catskill Hudson Bank that is due to mature at the end of March, 2012.
Motion by Mr. Gittel, seconded by Ms. Koester to approve the treasurer’s report; motion carried unanimously.
Correspondence President Burns has received a number of correspondences during the past month that he shared with the Board. A letter was received from the American Museum Association of New York in regard to continuing SCHS membership. Two correspondences were received from Assembly-woman Ailene Gunther.
Building managers Ms. Burns and Donna Denman sent notice to the board concerning the condition of the building and the museum displays. County officials had recently been in the building and noticed that there was not clear passage to some of the building’s fire exits. Also, access to the electric panel in the lower level was hindered by stored equipment. The building managers also noted that the museum displays were in need of maintenance.
A letter has been received from Board director Mr. Robert Decker notifying the Board of his intent to resign from the board, effective immediately.
Building manager Ms. Denman submitted two reports. The visitor’s report, a compilation of the names taken from the sign-in sheets at the building’s entrance, showed that approximately three hundred more people visited the museum during the first two months of 2012 when compared to the number of visitors during the same period last year. The report on the Society’s membership showed that the current active membership is 251, up from last year’s figure during the same period of 226.
Curator – Archivist Mr. Hessinger informed the Board that he is busy trying to catch up on registering the recent donations into the Society’s archives, a two-month plus back-log that resulted when the Museum’s computer system was out of operation and in the midst of repair.
Museum Ms. Koester reported to the Board that work is being done on mending clothing, dusting and more or less sprucing up any shabby appearing displays.
The room designated for the natural history of Sullivan County is continuing to be assembled. Mr. Thomas Thorp has done taxidermy work on the Bald Eagle, reattaching the head and rejuvenating its appearance and it is now on display. Mr. Thorp has also donated a red fox to the Society. A letter will go out from the Society thanking him for his work and donation.
Grants Ms. Burns reported that the Society has received two grants from the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. She also in working on receiving two grants through Sullivan Renaissance. The grant for the window mural display would be for $1,500 while a maintenance grant would be for $250, the latter funds which would have to be matched.
Program President Burns presented to the Board a financial summery concerning the recent Woodsong Coffeehouse programs. The Society has made $700 throughout the series of four concerts. Carol Smith, the concerts’ promoter, has received approval from SCHS to hold two more concerts this spring. Since her grant funding has expired, Carol has received private donations to continue the series. The Society will receive a guaranteed $100 at the door and operate the concession table. Carol Montana will present a St. Patrick’s program titled “Shorts and Sweets” on March 17th at the Museum. It will be a program of music, readings and skits, all with an Irish theme.
The Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop’s vaudeville program will be on March 31 and April 1st at the Museum. Admission fee will be $15, of which the Society will receive half of the take at the door. Volunteers are needed for the two shows.
Harold Fried’s dance lesson program is still continuing. A date is being considered on rescheduling his proposed ballroom dance after the BOCES art displays are taken down.
The Mininsink Battle Commemorative Program will be on July 21. The first organizational meeting for this event will be held on March 31st at Narrowsburgh. President Burns will represent SCHS at the meeting along with any other Director who wishes to attend.
The program honoring the Museum building’s centennial anniversary will be on June 16th. Ms. Burns is to meet with the folks of Hurleyville First this week. A formal tea is being proposed for that afternoon where interested people would be invited to share memories and artifacts relating to the building’s history, which was originally built to be used as a school.
The Antique Show will be on July 28th. On August 11, the Town of Forestburgh will sponsor a celebration of the town’s bi-centennial anniversary. SCHS will sponsor a table at the event. The date for the annual SCHS dinner has been changed from October 27th to October 20th, to accommodate members of the 143rd Re-enactors, this year’s honorees, who were not able to attend the former date. An indoor garage sale will be held at the Museum on April 21st. There will be a five dollar charge for setting up a table.
Unfinished Business The idea of refurbishing the lighting on the auditorium stage is still being discussed. The Dramatic Workshop will split the costs. The piano in the auditorium has been positioned upon the lift and it was noted that the piano was already repositioned in the auditorium by the Dramatic Workshop in preparation for their upcoming vaudeville shows.
New Business President Burns has spoken to John Conway, Sullivan County Historian, on the idea of linking his weekly column, Retrospect, published in the Sullivan County Democrat onto the SCHS website.
The Board wishes to thank Harold Fried for doing the custodial duties at the Museum during Mr. Viele’s absence. Mr. Viele will again assume those duties when he returns from Florida this spring.
On the topic of Mr. Decker’s resignation from the Board of Directors, noted with regret, a general discussion followed concerning the need fill the two open positions on the Board with active members, as well as overall volunteers at the Museum.
Motion by Mr. Briggs, seconded by Mr. Hessinger to close the meeting at 8:15, motion carried unanimously.
Minutes respectively submitted to the SCHS Board of Directors, N. Fred Fries
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