The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums

Meeting of the Board of Directors, June 2017

RIT Inn & Conference Center, Rochester, NY

Hosted By Genesee Country Village & Museum

Draft Minutes

Attending: Kelleher, Arenz, Smola, Clancy, Crawford, Dickson, Reid, Miller, Taylor, Marchand, Baker

Bent, Lynch(arrived at 8pm)

Attending by invitation: Bondhus Mueller, LeCount, Erbskorn,Reckseidler

Wednesday June 7, 2017 5:00 – 9:00 PM atRIT Inn & Conference Center

5:06 PM

Call to Order & WelcomeConcierge LoungeKelleher

Appoint time keeperArenz

Approve agendaall

Personal updatesall

All shared some personal updates

Approve Minutes of Fall 2016 Board Meeting & Ratify ensuing teleconferences & their minutes

  1. We agreed to dispense with the reading of the minutes. Dickson moved for approval of all minutes; Smola seconded; voted and approved. Approved minutes are on file in SharePoint.

Fall 2017 board meeting location & date

  1. Discussed plans for Fall meeting of the board of directors: Taylor proposed visiting his site Saint Marie among the Hurons, to get a view of the site for the 2019 Annual Meeting. Clancy seconded. Fly into Toronto, shuttle 2 hours $140. Vote approved for a meeting in Midland, ON, on 3 to 5 November 2107. Three absentions.

Treasurer’s report

  1. Baker discussed previously distributed reports. Kelleher raised question of whether to consider a website manager, tabled for now. Marchand moved acceptance of the Treasurers report, Crawford seconded. Voted and approved.

Project update: “Living History 101”

  1. Reid provided an update on our project to publish a book through Rutledge on Living History. We looked forward to receiving more information from the Communications report.

ALHFAM 2018 Conference Update

  1. Dickson distributed summary schedule. Some themes are rising: Civil War in Indian Territory, plus final day at Will Rogers birthplace and Pawnee Bill Rach. Merrill homestead becoming the Hunter’s Home. Hospitality at off-campus site. Tulsa, OK, is target airport. Tahlequah College. 30 May and 31 May for board meeting. Will Rogers Ranch

ALHFAM 2019 Conference Update

  1. Taylor shared more regarding preliminary plans for the 2019 in Midland, ON. Dinner cruise on the lake. Possible overnight event. Field trips to Toronto
  2. Room costs at $86 CDN
  3. June 6, 7 for Board, June 8th to 13th for conference

ALHFAM (International Division) Report:

  1. Reid and Kelleher provided summary of meeting opportunitesAIMA, meeting in 2019 in Reading, England

10.European Open Air, August 2018 English Midlands Museum

Professional Interest Group Reports

  1. Kelleher provided a written report summarizing the reports sent to him from the various PIGs. Dickson moved authorizing three allocations to requesting PIGs, Miller seconded. Voted and approved
  2. Moved to accept Arenz;seconded by Crawford. Voted and approved

CORN (Regional) Reports

  1. Arenz summarized the reports received giving additional information on a few regions with some troubles.
  2. Discussed the treasuries discussion and expects to finalize at this year’s CORN meeting
  3. Central Canada has asked for a membership package
  4. Stipends for three Canadian regions. Moved by Smola; seconded by Miller. Voted and approved.
  5. Motion to accept, Dickson: seconded by Crawford. Voted and approved

Supper

7:30 PM reconvene

Secretary-Treasurer contingency plan

  1. A proposal was presented regarding steps to be taken should the Secretary-Treasurer not be able to fulfill his role to the end of his term. Essentially the upcoming past president – Kelleher – would take major responsibility. We agreed that we appreciated the forward thinking but as this was a contingency plan we did not need to approve it at this point.
  1. Administrative & Ad hoc Committee Reports
  • Awards & Fellowship

Sixteen new plus two additional will be attending. Taylor shared more on the process he was able to establish. Having the Conference information available on schedule was noted as being clearly necessary to get the fellowships rolling.

  • Committee on Organizational Partnerships / Council of Affiliates

Kelleher reported on his attendance at the AAM annual meeting

  • Future Sites

We have accepted 2018 in OK, 2019 in Midland, ON, and 2020 at OSV, need membership to approve 2019 and 2020. Henry Ford was suggested for 2021 or 2022

  • Nominating Committee

Arenz reported results of election

  • Auction Committee

Kelleher shared with the board that Lynne Belluscio has let it be known that this is her last year to be chair. He has recommended that Lynne work this year to engage a new crowd to participate this year and future years.

Morning 9:06

ASK

  1. Kelleher reviewed ASK report from Watson. Discussed the possibility of having an intern work on getting materials ready to digitize AIMA papers. ASK is money well spent. Bent: Moved to explore the opportunity for a summer intern at OSV to develop index and digitize materials for adding to ASK;Smola Second. Discussion of costs, $1500-2000 plus housing provided by OSV. To be finalized in Fall Board meeting. Crawford and Kelleher to supervise. Voted and approved.
  1. Watson requested additional funding for ASK work. It was determined that there is still sufficient money in the budget for this year.

Fellowships

  1. Free-wheeling discussion of Kelleher’s questions: Are we achieving our goals? Are we offering too many? Herlihy largess has apparently disappeared; Continuing work of Marie-Sophie.Summary: Generally,we agree to support new attendees (first-timers, emerging professionals), although we are willing to explore a speaker’s award to support veterans with little institutional support. How would we advertise that to the membership? Not clarified at this point.

2017 Conference

  1. Diaz presented an updated conference report. Details of conference were shared.Her mobile number is 585-703-6471.

Marketing

  1. Kelleher distributed the new ALHFAM rack card. Drew our attention to the marketing report distributed by Heidi Schlag. Arenz spoke of the Blog asking for someone to take over; she will take subject up with the communications committee; looking to recruit bloggers. Editors have been Arenz and Katz-Hymen. Seems appropriate to continue with facebook advertising. Other items from Schlag’s proposal? Marketing ASK should be a focus – look for those communications. Tom will direct Heidi’s work.

Website manager

  1. We returned to the question of whether we should have a website manager separate from the Cherry Valley contract. This position would be responsible for updates and transfer funds;seemed more appropriate to be “Website manager and membership services”; registration for conferences. Clancy moved that we create the position of website manager who has responsibilities for membership services and conference registrations; Smola seconded. Reid will work on draft job description to share with Miller and Baker to communicate with Heidi Schlag. Voted and approved.

Mentor program

  1. Lynch reported that for this year’s conference sixteen requested, thirty-two offered to mentor. Suggested that the program continues. What is connection between fellowships and mentees? Suggested that First-timers guide be reviewed.

National Council for Public History

  1. Reid reported and strongly suggested participation in the future; great exposure and a good PR move.Arenz also suggested a great connection with AASLH

Webmaster report

  1. Discussion of Schlag’s recommendations from website report. Reviewed the several different letters already being sent from the website for member renewals.

Communication Report

  1. Board discussion of questions to review with Communication Committee report. We reaffirmed that we are good with Print on demand. Approved of plan to pursue CreateSpace; No to OmniPress. Kelleher will follow up with libraries. ALHFAM-L is still being used – a lot of lurkers – but social media is taking over and may replace older technologies. Do we need a social media plan? Who is in charge? Authorities, admin rights, editing rights. Questions raised but not answered at this time.

Replica Resource List

  1. Dickson reported on work to update and modify the “Replica Resource List” to make it searchable on the website. Suggested we change name? Living History Resource List. Member’s only. Who’s authorized to determine if the merchandise meets our criteria. We thanked Dickson for her work on this project.

New Business

  1. Arenz presented a gift from the board to President Kelleher to thank him for his years of leadership.

Directions goals and strategies

  1. Tabled till Fall board meeting

Fiftieth Anniversary planning

  1. Topic was raised but no action was taken.

Communications Committee

  1. Committee chair Marth Katz-Hymen and Editor Katie Boardman joined us to report and discuss. Letter of agreement with Cherry Valley Group was presented reflecting a change with a separate letter of agreement with Heidi Schlag for website management and membership services.
  2. Proceedings for 2016 will soon be finalized. Reid will finish and C. Jones will format.
  3. No printed version of the BULLETINwill be created. We will accommodate those who tell us they must have a printed document by printing out individual copies on an institutional printer.
  4. CreateSpace is the recommended vendor for printed copies of the PROCEEDINGS. They will hold the digital files and do all production and marketing.
  5. How do annual meeting committees interface with the various standing committees? Getting publicity out needs to a function of the AM Committee; Martha is happy to help, but she is not the only point person available.
  1. Bent:Moved that we accept the CV proposal to provide editorial services as defined in the proposed letter of agreement (after some clarification) for 1 June 2017 to 1 June 2018 not to $14,800. Marchand Seconded. Voted and approved
  1. Smola: Moved that we seek to pursue a letter of agreement with Heidi Schlag to fill a new contract position as Website manager and provide membership services to be defined by Job Description yet to be developed. Lynch Seconded. Voted and approved. Job description and negotiation will be under the care of Arenz and Miller.

Move to adjourn at 5:05 pmSmola, moved; Taylor second

Respectfully submitted,

Edward Baker, Secretary-Treasurer