The Minnesota Streetcar Museum

DRAFT MINUTES

Board of Directors meeting
9:00 a.m., Saturday, April 16, 2005
4816 Nokomis Avenue

Attendance:

Rod Eaton, Director
Dave French, Director
Louis Hoffman, Director
Jim Vaitkunas, Director

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order by Chair Jim Vaitkunas at 9:24 a.m.

Approval of Agenda:  The agenda was approved with e-mailed additions.

Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of the March 12, 2005 Board of Directors meeting were approved.

Discussion of amendments to Organizational Memorandum:  The amendments to the Organizational Memorandum (addition of items from the former Traction Division’s Rules of Organization) was discussed and approved

Discussion of membership numbers and honorary memberships:  Honorary lifetime members one through eleven, as discussed previously and as will be published in the Minnegazette, were confirmed.  It was agreed that Art Pew would also be named an honorary lifetime member as number twelve. 

Discussion of policies:  Discussion of the Collections and Member Conduct Code and Disciplinary Policies as well as of creation of a list of and action plan for other policies was deferred.

Recruiting committee chairs and members:  Audit Committee:  no appointments made, defer to December meeting.  Development Committee:  Executive Committee will serve as Interim Development Committee (Hoffman is currently preparing an application to the Onan Family Foundation).  Education and Interpretation Committee:  Bill Graham and Mike Miller will be asked to Co-Chair the Education and Interpretation Committee.  Executive Committee:  as constituted in the Organizational Memorandum and Policy with the addition of Hoffman.  Finance Committee:  as constituted in the Organizational Memorandum and Policy.  Bob Johnson will also be asked to serve.  Marketing, Public Relations, and Special Events Committee:  Charles Barthold and Bruce Kobs will be asked to serve.  Membership Development and Services Committee:  Mike Coffey will be asked to serve along with John DeWitt.  Operations Committee:  as constituted in the Organizational Memorandum. Hoffman will write an article or series of articles for Currents about each committee and the interests and skills needed.  The Board also discussed appointments to the Board and decided to ask Bill Arends, Scott Heiderich, and Bob Johnson to accept appointments (to be called by Eaton, Vaitkunas, and Hoffman respectively).

Report of Interim Finance Committee:  There was no report.  Directors indicated that they had reviewed the financial information sent by the Bookkeeper.  The Executive Committee will prepare the 2005 budget.
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.  Specifically, (1) the annual meeting will be held in March 2006, (2) management structure was established with the adoption of the Organizational Memorandum and Policy, (3) the Board deferred the issue of appointment of a Business Manager, (4) the Board noted that committee formation was pending, (5) the Board noted that although no retainer has been signed, the Museum has the option of working with Borenstein and McVeigh should the need arise, (6) the Board discussed establishment of a savings account and discussed but did not resolve the issue of how much of existing funds and what future funds would be transferred to the savings account, (7) the Board will ask the Treasurer and Bookkeeper what provisions exist for backing up computerized financial data, (8) Hoffman will ask Mark Digre if he would be willing to obtain a bulk rate postal permit, (9) Hoffman noted that brochures are being printed and that the first batch of name badges will be ordered on April 18, 2005.

Other business:  Louis Hoffman will discuss a possible cooperative venture with member Phil Epstein, who owns several former TCRT General Motors TDH-5105 buses that are stored at Richfield Bus Company that would permit the Museum access to and use of buses in exchange for payment or participation in insurance, maintenance, and restoration.  Any such agreement would be presented to the Board for its consideration and approval.

            The Board approved offering to host the Association of Railway Museum spring conference on April 7 and 8, 2006.  Louis Hoffman will be the contact person.  The Board also approved offering to host the 2011 ARM annual conference and meeting but would host the 2008 event if the Canadian Railway Museum declined.  The Board approved a list to receive the Museum’s copies of ARM’s Railway Museum Quarterly (see attached) to include all directors and officers.

            The Board decided not to pursue add alternate A to the TEA-21 project and will proceed with the base project.  The Board accepted SRF’s offer to complete the TEA-21 project construction supervision for an amount not to exceed $20,000.00 payable on October 1, 2006.  The Board also expressed its appreciation to Chief Engineering Officer Keith Anderson for his kind offer to perform on-site inspections.

            The Board discussed the $6,000 balance paid by MTM to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the Excelsior Carbarn and agreed to continue discussions with the Museum of Lake Minnetonka.

Adjournment:  The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m.

Next meeting: 

9:15 a.m.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Linden Hills Community Center