The Minnesota Streetcar Museum

MINUTES

Board of Directors meeting
9:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20, 2005
Linden Hills Carbarn and Shops

Attendance:

Bill Arends, Director
Rod Eaton, Director
Dave French, Director
Louis Hoffman, Director
Aaron Isaacs
Bob Johnson, Director
Jim Vaitkunas, Director

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order by Jim Vaitkunas at 9:09 a.m.

Approval of Agenda.  The agenda was approved.

Approval of minutes.  The minutes of the June 18, 2005 Board of Directors meeting were approved (minutes as adopted are attached). 

Construction Report.  Keith Anderson was walking the line with the contractor to measure for materials used for purposes of final billing.  After a two to three-week delay, the line is reopening today at 12:30 p.m.  Welding of rail bonds is substantially complete (it was completed before the start of service) and temporary platforms are being built.  Numerous adjustments and corrections need to be made and Museum forces need to do a variety of jobs like adjustment of the overhead wire, building more temporary and then permanent platforms, and work on switches.

Closing with Minnesota Transportation Museum, Inc.  The closing happened on Tuesday, August 16, 2005 at approximately 3:00 p.m.  The Museum will get a complete set of documents from Mark Larson, MTM’s attorney.  The amount paid by MSM to MTM, originally said to be more than $12,000 by MTM, was reduced to $5,200 by correcting inaccurate accounting and splitting legal fees 70 percent MSM and 30 percent MTM.  At issue is TEA-21 funds held in MTM’s account (the $41,000-plus held by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority is not at issue).  MTM’s books indicate more than $6,000 in the TEA-21 account in June.  The closing documents, however, require MTM to pay MSM all surplus TEA-21 funds.

Treasurer’ report.  In the absence of Treasurer Graham, Chair Vaitkunas distributed and reviewed financial statements prepared by Accountant Russ Olson with the Board.  Vaitkunas noted that $2,000 must be transferred to the restricted fund representing the $2,000 grant received from the National Railway Historical Society for Winona No. 10’s seats.  This has not yet been spent because Brad Martin in Fort Smith, Arkansas has not yet sold the Museum his surplus seat parts.
The Board needs to decide what financial information it needs on a regular basis.  Vaitkunas suggested a one-page report by month and year-to-date showing total income and expenses and income and expenses by category, actual income and expenses versus budgeted income and expenses, and current balances in each fund.  Hoffman suggested that there should be a budget process as well.

A savings account at US Bank has not yet been opened.

Acquisition of Mesaba Railway interurban No. 16 and disposition of Mesaba Railway interurban No. 10.  Directors French and Vaitkunas and Treasurer Graham visited Mesaba No. 16 and showed the Board the photographs that they took.  The conclusion is that while not in pristine condition, it is in good condition and certainly much better condition than Mesaba No. 10.  At issue is whether the Museum has the funds to demolish the structure around No. 16 and move it and whether there is a suitable place to store it.  The owners are aware of the Museum’s financial condition as respects this acquisition.  Ironworld, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, the East Troy Trolley Museum, and the Seashore Trolley Museum have declined our offer to donate No. 10.  The Illinois Railway Museum has not responded to our offer.  Louis Hoffman will write a letter to the owners asking them to donate the carbody to the Museum and pay $2,000 towards demolition (their cost to demolish and remove the entire carbody would be $6,500) with the proviso that the Museum would not remove the carbody until Spring 2006.  He will also ask Dick Stoner to serve as project manager, make a donation to the project, and arrange for temporary storage pending the disposition of No. 10.  If the Museum acquires No. 16, No. 10 will be offered via Railway Museum Quarterly and, if not taken, will be scrapped for parts.

Repairs to TCRT No. 1239.   The carbody has been jacked up and the trucks have been removed from underneath the streetcar.  No. 1239 will not return to service until the 2006 season.

Review of Action List.  Jim Vaitkunas handed out an updated Action List, which is substantially complete. 

Proposed policies and determination of which policies are needed.  Members who have not done so agreed to submit comments to the proposed Operating Rules and Regulations.  Director Arends will ask his wife to edit them for consistency.  After appropriate editing and revisions, they will be distributed by e-mail to the Board and approved after an e-mail vote.

Director Hoffman will draft a communications policy and will e-mail the draft Collections Policy to Aaron Isaacs for completion.

Note:  The meeting was temporarily adjourned to permit the Board to conduct an inspection of the line.  The Board welcomed George and Florence Isaacs and Bill Olsen.

Discussion of proposal to acquire TCRT motor buses No. 1145 and 1503.  The Board decided not to pursue this acquisition because of lack of money and volunteers.

Recommended Practices for Railway Museums, Railway Preservation News article, and Winter Planning Retreat.  It was agreed that the Museum must live into the organizational plan adopted earlier as policy.  That is to clarify and separate the duties of Chair and General Superintendent.  It was agreed that Chair Vaitkunas will hold a planning retreat to consider broad and long-range issues facing the Museum and that General Superintendent Eaton will hold a planning retreat to review the 2005 season and plan the 2006 season.  Because the season will last until December 18, 2005, these retreats will be held after the first of the year.

Review and adoption of amended budget.  The budget was adopted as amended (budget as adopted is the same as the budget sent to you with the agenda).

Minnegazette.  The Board decided that after the last Minnegazette of 2005 is published, Aaron will approach MTM leadership as Editor and on behalf of MSM and ask MTM, again, whether it is interested in publishing the Minnegazette jointly with MSM.  If so, an appropriate agreement will be drafted and agreed upon.  If not, Aaron will resign as Editor and publish a Minnegazette-like quarterly magazine for MSM beginning in late Winter 2006.  MSM will send a letter to all current and former MTM members announcing this and soliciting their membership.  Aaron will provide costs for the Board to consider and the Board will revisit this issue at its next meeting or by e-mail.

Appointment of delegate to Association of Railway Museums annual meeting in Strasburg, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2005.   The Board appointed Vaitkunas as its delegate to the ARM annual meeting.

Other business.   The Board approved holding the Como-Harriet Halloween Ghost Trolley from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday through Monday, October 28 to 31, 2005 and also approved the concept of the Como-Harriet Holly Trolley from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only from November 26 to December 18, 2005.  Important issues in starting Holly Trolley are obtaining entertainment and arranging for cleaning of buildings and streetcars and keeping the line clear of snow.  The Board deferred a discussion of the Mike Mackner and Bill Olsen book collections.

Adjournment.  The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m.

Next meeting:

9:00 a.m.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Linden Hills Carbarn and Shops