The Feb. 6 meeting of the Greenwood County Historical Society board was called to order by President Mike Pitko, with the introduction of Taylor Hunt, new board member elected in December 2023.
Pitko explained the updated board roster and the terms of office. Executive directors are elected to serve a oneyear term. Regular directors are elected to serve a three-year term. Two regular directors will be up for re-election every year. The executive directors must be voted on annually.
Those present were: John Bills, Dusty Booth, Kevin Hough, Hunt, Becky Lindamood, Dana Mills, Treasurer Kent Olson, Pitko, Gib Rhodes, Rise Russin, Stan Skaer, Jan Stephens, secretary Sheryl Moody and Museum Director Robin Himes.
The minutes of the Dec. 5, 2023 board meeting were read. There were no changes or corrections. Hough moved to accept the minutes, Mills seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Treasurer Olson handed out balance sheets for December and explained changes in reporting yearend figures.
Board member Bills questioned the donations figure shown on the November profit and loss sheet as there was a difference between the figures on the November profit and loss and the December profit and loss. Bills would like this explained. Olson will talk to Colangelo & Taber about this.
Olson has created a new revenue sheet per Colangelo & Taber’s request. This is to be kept in the secretary’s office, filled out and given to Colangelo & Taber each month. Pitko pointed out the income from museum membership and yearly expenses for custodial work and mowing. There was also a charge for building repairs that he believes was for the sign across the street. Pitko had an update on the situation with Unified Investments. Mills moved to accept the treasurer’s report. Rhodes seconded it. The motion passed.
There was one visitor from Kansas in the two weeks the Museum was open in December.
The Digitalization Grant Committee provided a report. The committee is comprised of Olson, Hunt, Mills and Himes. Other board members are welcome to join the committee and share their input. Olson has talked with the state and the museum is a good fit for this grant. Applications open in May and are due by July. The grant is for up to $3,000. The money can be used for hardware, software, equipment or to hire someone to perform the work on the museum’s behalf. The state needs to know what would be digitized. A sample needs to be sent to the state. The Historical Society will know by September if they are approved.
The committee discussed possible projects – digitizing photos, school records, family files and obituaries. Discussion included creating partnerships with the community to get additional photos, and to ask for community members to volunteer for the work that needs to be done, so the museum is ready to apply. Hunt can work to make the information accessible to the community. Mills suggestedaformthatusers must fill out stating that the information cannot be used for their financial gain or sold for any reason. The information from the users could then become an email list and possibly help to increase membership. Olson will have the grant application ready to share at the April board meeting and submit it shortly afterward.
The SEK Museum Alliance general meeting is Feb. 12 in Fort Scott. Himes will attend. Board members are encouraged to attend also. Mills made a motion for the board to pay mileage and meals for Himes and anyone else who attends. Olson seconded the motion.
In old business: 1. Coffelt Sign Company, Inc. is ready to print the first sign for the dozer blades. Board members voted on the design for the QR Code that will be placed on the sign. It will be a black and white image that will be more easily identified.
Olson asked if QR Codes could be added to signs that are already up in outside displays. This can be done.
2. Questions were raised about adding sites in the county to Google Maps. Hunt is a map moderator. He suggested that it would be nice to have interactive maps on the website with various locations pinned. For example, the GPS coordinates of all the schools in the county.
3. Building insurance – The insurance for this year is $6,867. Pitko had received a quote from State Farm for $7,950. He suggested checking with other museums about their insurance. Himes will do this at the SEK Museum Alliance meeting.
4. Volunteer of the Year – Himes is to work with Olson to create a form for this and the museum will set a time to award this at the April board meeting.
5. Bills and Rhodes had 26 people at the program at the Kansas Oil Museum in El Dorado on Jan. 11. The program was held over the noon hour and had a wide variety of ages present – older people down to kids. A few of the audience members had Greenwood County connections.
In new business: Olson shared information from the Humanities Council (Speakers Bureau). The museum can get up to four speakers per year – it is essentially free. Programs could be done in the afternoon, evening or on Saturdays.
The board received transcripts from last year’s scholarship winner and a check for $300 was sent.
The next board meeting will be April 2.
Rhodes moved to adjourn the meeting.
