The Minnesota Streetcar Museum

MINUTES

Board of Directors meeting
9:00 a.m., Saturday, March 12, 2005
Linden Hills Community Center

Attendance:

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order by Chair Jim Vaitkunas at 9:08 a.m.

Approval of Agenda:  The agenda was approved.

Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of the February 19, 2005 Board of Directors meeting were approved.

Discussion and approval of Organizational Memorandum:  The Organizational Memorandum was discussed and approved.  The discussion included questions about the need for the former Traction Division’s Rules of Organization.  Louis Hoffman will review the By-laws, Organizational Memorandum, and Rules of Organization and recommend amendments to the documents as appropriate at the next Board meeting.

Discussion of membership drive and publications:  Currents will be e-mailed on Sunday and mailed on Monday or Tuesday.  The Minnegazette will be mailed in about two weeks.  Both publications will have membership information.  A flyer, printed at MSM expense but mailed at Shore Line expense, will be sent with the spring or summer issue of First and Fastest to about 1,000 Chicago-area electric railway fans.  There was a discussion of whether memberships should be for a calendar or other one-year period or whether memberships should expire at the end of the month in which the member joined.  There was also a discussion of what to do about MTM members whose memberships expire before December 31, 2005 and for ensuring that duplicate Minnegazettes are not sent to persons who are members of both organizations.  It was agreed that there should be a discussion of these issues with John DeWitt and Aaron Isaacs with a report to the Board. 

Discussion of policies:  The Collections and Member Conduct Code and Disciplinary Policies were discussed.  It was agreed that language relating to abusive and profane language and political advocacy should be included in the latter policy and that both policies will be reviewed and approved at the April 16, 2005 Board meeting.  The list of proposed policies was discussed.  It was agreed that, among the sample policies suggested by Dave Kettering, audit, expenses, and travel should be included in Financial Management.

Report of Interim Finance Committee: the Chair turned over banking information to the Treasurer.  The Treasurer and Bookkeeper are working on setting up the Museum’s financial systems.  Chair Jim Vaitkunas reported on his meeting with MTM Treasurer Dave Schultz.  His report was provided separately to the Board.  The Board’s expense policy was amended to permit the Treasurer to pay those bills arising out of the normal course of operations.

Review of Action List:  Chair Jim Vaitkunas distributed an updated Action List, which was discussed.  It was noted that excellent progress has been and is being made.  He will distribute an updated list.

Other business:  Louis Hoffman reported that he met with representatives of the Bakken Museum and the Minnesota Historical Society about possible cooperation in exhibits at those museums.  He also reported progress on brochure redesign and printing and manufacture and installation of banners, directional signs, and informational signs.  He also asked that others report inaccurate links to the MTM website to webmasters whose websites should be linked to the MSM website.

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 11:25 a.m.

Next meeting: 

9:15 a.m.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Linden Hills Community Center