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Unapproved Minutes / Marlow
Historical Society / Executive
Board Meeting / February 07, 2006
The meeting began at 6:45 PM. Mary Blank, JoAnn Hartwell, Loisanne
Foster, and Candy Wiggum were present.
Loisanne read the minutes of the Jan. 10 Executive Board Meeting,
and, by request, the part of the Jan. 19 General Meeting regarding
taking over the food venue at the town meeting. The minutes were
approved as read.
Mary Blank gave the Treasurer's Report. We have a current balance
of $1,182.37 of which $770.32 is tagged for Murray Hall, leaving $412.05
in the general fund, with more coming in daily from the membership
mailings. The Treasure's Report was approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
Food Venue at the Town Meeting:
We discussed the details of the operation, and things are falling
into place. We have been pledged help from the Marlow Women's Society
and from others as well. Candy has talked with Maria Baril and Jeanne
Kennedy about organizing the sale. Maria Baril will call members of
the Women's Society. Candy will fix a big pot of chili and contact
Sharon Davis to ask her if she would organize four volunteers to make
soups. We will ask four or five people to make a loaf of sandwiches
each. Candy and Mary will be on hand, and Roxanne MacConnell will help
out all day. We will need one or two others to help.
Insurance:
Our insurance bill from Massin was to have been $1,026.00 this
year. We have been researching to see how this can be reduced. Ellis
Insurance through Zurich will charge us $799 for liability and
property insurance on The Grange (Murray Hall). Ellis handles many
historical properties. This cost is for actual cash value (down from
the $1,026 Massin was planning to charge us for replacement
value,($140,000.00.) By accepting "actual cash value" which
is replacement value minus depreciation, we could continue with Massin
at a rate of $815.00.
Since insurance drains the MHS budget heavily, we debated the
wisdom of continuing the property insurance and considered keeping
only the legally required liability insurance, a cost of $500.00 (
underwriters minimum premium. Candy pointed out that the $300.00
difference would go a long way toward helping paint The Grange.
Loisanne said that the difference amounts to $75.00 a quarter or
$25.00 per month. In the end, we voted to continue the property
insurance, as well as the liability insurance for now and to engage
Ellis Insurance Agency for it at a cost of $799.00 per year.
Mary said it would be good to have sponsoring memberships, people
who would pledge certain amount per year. This would enable MHS to
take care of these operating costs such as insurance and free the
membership's money to be used mainly for preservation and restoration.
We agreed that it would be wonderful.
Candy noted that we need to find a way to raise funds without a lot
of the small fund raisers, such as food sales and tag sales, which net
only several hundred dollars each, but dissipate our energy which
could be better used for the real purposes of MHS. Loisanne mentioned
grants (again) and we agreed that they take time because the base must
be laid first, and Candy expressed concern that, because of natural
disasters and political realities, sources of funding will be drying
up.
At Candy's suggestion, we decided to include in our newsletter how
much we spent on Murray Hall in 2005 and since 2002 and what we will
need to fulfill our goals for it this year. ( these were mailed with
the renewal and life member letters)
Posting the MHS minutes:
We will do this on Dave Stewart's Marlow site rather than on the
Forum which is intended for other things. We decided to go back just
to January.
Grange (Murray Hall) Painting:
Guy Lounder has not yet been heard from for his estimate. Mike
Menino from Newbury will make an estimate soon. He has insurance. He
suggests that the painting be done in July so the building will have
time to dry out first.
He suggests an oil primer and latex paint. Any rotten boards which
need to be replaced, he will do for $25.00 an hour. Al Blank has
volunteered to reglaze the windows. We will be responsible for putting
linseed oil on the sills, and we will need to pay someone else to do
the flashing.
NEW BUSINESS:
MHS Youth Group:
JoAnn Hartwell said that we need to split the Youth Group, that it
is not working having the high school students mixed with the
elementary and middle school students because it is imposing on the
older students to be baby sitters for the young ones. She is looking
for someone to take over the junior set.
JoAnn explained that the Youth Group wants to go to Mississippi to
help the flood victims. This would be under the umbrella of the
Methodist Conference through the Methodist District, and Bob Sweet
would accompany them and be with them at all times. They are planning
a food sale to raise money for the trip and are hoping for donations
to support their effort.
The Youth Group will help us move new acquisitions to the museum
and organize them. Ben Levesque will help with these materials as part
of a Scouting project.
Next Program:
We will show the video, "The Magic of the White City
Expo," a film about the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 narrated by
Gene Wilder. Mary has checked with the producer and learned that, as
long is this is one showing and we do not charge admission, it is
legal to show to the public.
The Budget Hearing and Jones Hall:
Because our February meeting coincides the budget meeting in which
Warrant Articles are to be discussed, and because of our concern for
Jones Hall, we agreed to cancel the February 16 MHS meeting so that
those who are interested may attend the Budget Hearing. (The Chicago
World Fair film will be shown at our March meeting.) We will ask
questions such as, "What problems have been identified?" and
"How will they respond to these problems?"
Brian Gallian of Ironwood Restoration, preservationist, will assess
the problems with Jones Hall roof for us for free. John Salo will join
the team, and Charles Strickland has also been invited to join in the
occasion. Since Jones Hall is on the National Register, any work done
on it must follow the Secretary of Interior's Standards.
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Loisanne Foster
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