Tyrconnell Heritage Society
Board Meeting Minutes
March 19, 2015
Potluck at 6pm with Meeting at 7pm
Present: Robert Ellis, Ken Reinke, Paula Grafstein, Susan Chapman-Reinke, Janice Ellis, Austin Pitcher, Betty McLandress, Isabel Lewis, Angela Bobier – Cultural Manager and Rhonda Card - MNR
1. Adoption of the Agenda – Isabel Lewis moved to add item 9 a) Harassment and Abuse Policy to the agenda and approve them. Janice Ellis seconded. Carried
2. Election of Officers - President – Paula Grafstein moved that Robert Ellis be President and Ken Reinke seconded. Carried. Janice Ellis moved that Ken Reinke be Vice-President and Paula Grafstein seconded. Carried. Austin Pitcher moved that Susan Chapman-Reinke be Secretary and Ken Reinke seconded. Carried. Janice Ellis moved Paula Grafstein be Treasurer and Robert Ellis seconded. Janice Ellis moved that Robert Ellis, Ken Reinke and Paula Grafstein be the signing authority. Isabel Lewis seconded. Carried. Ken Reinke will take minutes in to both the Thamesville Credit Union and Royal Bank.
3. Minutes from February 19, 2015 – Janice Ellis moved to accept the minutes as read and Austin Pitcher seconded. Carried
4. Business Arising from minutes – none
5. Correspondence - two emails came in from members asking for the AGM minutes and financial audit which were promptly sent out to them.
6. Financial Report – Paula Grafstein gave the financial report. Susan Chapman-Reinke moved to accept and Robert Ellis seconded. Carried.
7. Cultural Manager’s Report –
DAYS OFF NEEDED – require Sept 25, 26, & 27, 2015 off work. Volunteers or pay a summer staff person to open and do tours those days? The $2/hour Rural Summer Jobs Subsidy could be utilized in this case as well.
Staffing - Kelsey Conway has completed her hours from Young Canada Works in Jan & Feb. Ad for summer positions in the Chronicle for 3 weeks and will interview in April - 12 resumes so far.
Funding Applications - Summer Experience Program 2 staff requested for 44 days of employment each.
Westminster College Foundation $7350 to develop Grade 3 field trip programming.
Rural Summer Jobs Subsidy $2/hour for 312 hours total (up to 3 staff from April 1 – September 30)
Speaking Engagements, Workshops & Education
Feb. 20 - spoke on CMOG requirements to the Elgin Museum Partners.
Feb. 22 - Guest speaker at the West Elgin Genealogical & Historical Society Meeting about Dutton Dunwich Tours project with Jenny Phillips.
Feb 28 - Susan and I attended a RootsTech Workshop in Brampton put on by their branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.
March 7 - 12 of us attended the Wallacetown Fair Dinner and Auction on behalf of the THS and museum.
March 16 - 4 of us attended the Municipality of Bayham’s meeting regarding the Ojibwa Sub’s financial issues.
March 25 – will be guest speaker at the Elgin Historical Society Meeting on the history of Dunwich Township.
Website - We should be able to go live by March 26.
Deaccession
2015.01.02 Private D. Soulter (Soulier) WW1 Certificate to be donated to the Royal Canadian Regiment. Susan Chapman-Reinke moved to deaccess the Private D. Soulter (Soulier) WWI Certificate #2015.01.02 to the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum and Janice Ellis seconded. Carried.
Accessions: Values to be approved by Board
New items have been donated to the collection by Ruth Bedford and Mel Smith, but the donors do not want charitable tax receipts.
Volunteers Needed
March 20th – furniture moving starting at 3pm and help at 1pm to hang pictures & move smaller items.
Cleaning and paint crew for the old exhibit room needed any time after March 20th.
Food Crew for May 16-17 event (booth both days, Saturday pasta dinner, and Sunday breakfast)
Food Crew for June 6 wedding show (strawberries, cake and whipped cream plus beverages)
Food Crew for August 16 Dinner and Conversation with the Colonel (1850’s multi course meal for 30)
Community Partnerships
St. Peter’s Anglican Church would like to partner with us to create a cluster for tourism. They would like the church to be open more often for tours and maybe we could attract more visitors who would stop at both locations. Anna Tokarz and I discussed a pay one price adult pass of $10.00 ($5.00 each). We could rename Homestead Days to Talbot Settlement Days (?) so both locations would be open in July & August Tuesday – Friday 10am – 4:30pm. Both organizations would need to contribute some volunteers and our staff to work shifts to man the church. Possibly we would be given a key for the summer. I am to write up a report and forward to Anna for her to present to their church board.
Dutton Dunwich Tours project – working with Jenny Phillips to provide historic tours of the township through an app called History Pin. Lakeview Line Historic Locations including the museum, Hometown Heroes WW1 and WW2. In order to apply for funding we are asking for a letter of partnership from Tyrconnell Heritage Society, who is a registered charity and can apply for such funding. We would also request the letter include that the society would act as banker to the project if needed. The Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich has agreed to act as banker, but there are some grants we would not be eligible for with the municipal government as a partner. Jenny and I are working closely with CAO Laurie Spence-Bannerman. Janice Ellis moved that the Tyrconnell Heritage Society partner with the Dutton/Dunwich Tour Committee to be the registered charity and the main applicant for the Dutton/Dunwich Tour Project and act as the direct banker. Susan Chapman-Reinke seconded. Carried
Eagle Community Centre board member, Vicky Swain, has reached out to us for advice as they approach some anniversaries. We’ve had a meeting together that also included Anna Tokarz from Wallacetown Fair and St. Peter’s Anglican Church.
Crazy 8 Barn’s – will meet with owner to discuss bus tours and collaborations.
8. MNR Report – road at the park needs reinforcing sometime this spring – she will look after getting a contractor. The sanitation audit will be done in spring as well. Barrel and sink will be removed from the parking lot washroom and hand sanitizer will be made available.
9. Membership Policy Review – change to show price increases, honourary memberships would be awarded at AGM, items 9 to 12 and 15 removed and 14 to show a couple being an individual and spouse or significant other. Paula Grafstein moved we accept this policy as revised and Janice Ellis seconded. Carried
9 a) Harassment and Abuse Policy – Betty McLandress moved to change the Steering Committee to read Board of Directors throughout and the second paragraph of the Formal Complaint Procedure will be changed to Board of Directors may seek the advice and/or hiring of legal counsel, only after approval through Board motion, giving all information they require couched in such language as to protect the privacy of those involved. Susan Chapman-Reinke seconded. Carried
10. Nominations & Elections Policy Review – Janice Ellis moved to remove the wording With current THS Constitution approved on February 7, 2013 up to and including February 26, 2015 on the second page. Ken Reinke seconded. Carried
11. Other Business – Clean-up day April 18, 2015 at 9 a.m. – inside and out.
12. Adjournment – Janice Ellis moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:21 p.m. and Paul Grafstein seconded. Carried
Next Board Meeting is April 16, 2015 at 7pm. Lunch provided by the President.
Dates to remember:
March 24 Family History Club 7pm
March 25 Angela is speaking at Elgin Historical Society Meeting – History of Dunwich Township
March 28 CHA Paranormal Society is investigating the museum.
April 8 Textile Arts Club 7pm
April 18 Clean Up Day & Potluck Lunch 9am
April 28 Family History Club 7pm
May 1 Museum and New Exhibit “Beds, Baths, and Beyond” Opening Day
May 7 EON Meeting at Sparta Church Museum
May 7 Carriage House Rented by Women’s Church Group
May 13 Textile Arts Club 7 pm
May 16-17 The Road to Culloden
May 18 Talbot Toast with Elgin Historical Society
May 21 Carriage House Rented by West Elgin Nature Club
May 26 Family History Club 7pm