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Meeting Minutes
Chandler Museum Foundation
Regular Meeting
August 21, 2023, | 5:30 p.m.
Chandler Museum, Saguaro Room
300 S. Chandler Village Drive., Chandler, AZ
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Barbara Meyerson at 5:30 p.m.
Roll Call
Board Member Attendance
Staff Attendance
Barbara Meyerson, Chair
Jody Crago, Museum Manager
Joan Clark, Vice-Chair Tiffani Egnor
Tom Escobedo, Treasurer
Kim Moyers
Adam Turneer
Lizzie Olson
Brenda Abney
Calvenea Malloy
Jacki Ryan
Martin Sepulveda
Rich Feely
Absent
Al Quihuis
Joshua Askey
Scheduled and Unscheduled Public Appearances
None
Consent Agenda
1. June Board Meeting Minutes
Brenda Abney made a motion to approve the board meeting minutes of the Museum
Foundation Board Meeting of August 21, 2023.
Page 2 of 6
Joan Clark seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously (8-0). The minutes
were approved as written.
Action Agenda
2. Assign Board Members to the Museum Foundation Mission Workgroup
Joan Clark made a motion to assign two board members to the Museum Foundation
Mission Workgroup.
Brenda Abney seconded the motion.
After board discussion, Barbara Meyerson amended the motion to assign just one
board member to the Museum Foundation Mission Workgroup.
Rich Feely seconded the amended motion. The Amended Motion carried
unanimously (9-0).
The board member assigned to this workgroup will be Jacki Ryan.
3. Appoint Board Members to the Celebration Plaza Review Committee
Brenda Abney made a motion to appoint board members to the Celebration Plaza
Review Committee.
Tom Escobedo seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously (9-0).
The two board members appointed to the Celebration Plaza Review Committee are
Martin Sepulveda and Calvenea Malloy.
Briefing
4. Museum Store End-of-Year Report
Lizzie Olson provided a presentation highlighting statistical data for the Museum
Store for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23.
This was the first full year the Museum Store (the Store) was under the Foundation.
Some highlights from the presentation:
o The number of products carried in the Museum Store is 319.
o The top two grossing items were the Tumblestone Earrings (net revenue of
$633.67) and the Chandler History Book (net revenue of $502.70).
o The top selling items: bottle of water (81), cactus button (42), and cactus pen
(37).
o There was a total of 1,890 merchandise transactions.
o The average transaction amount per customer was $11.08.
o Net sales for FY22-23 were $20,235.69.
o Profit was $5,790.93.
The Museum Store Committee meets quarterly and is comprised of 4 Museum staff
members and a board liaison. Staff members include Jody Crago, Tiffani Egnor, Lizzie
Olson, and Janet Castorena. The board liaison is Joan Clark.
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Clark praised how well the Store is managed; the efficiency of the quarterly meetings;
and the comprehensive Museum Store Manual kept at the Front Desk for personnel
to reference when providing coverage at the desk.
There is a process if someone wants the Museum Store to carry an item.
Clark mentioned if board members have ideas on merchandise for the Store, they
can let her know, and she will bring it to the Museum Store Committee.
o Jody Crago added there is a challenge for gift/museum shops of finding
products in which men are interested in purchasing.
Martin Sepulveda asked what the average age was of those who purchase items from
the Museum Store.
o Tiffani Egnor replied there is no way to currently track that information with
the system the Store uses.
o Lizzie Olson announced that most of the buyers are Senior Citizens.
City staff will email the Museum Store End-of-Year Presentation to the board.
5. Strategic Framework Discussion
Joan Clark recently reviewed the Strategic Plan information from the June Board
Meeting, including the timeline for completing a draft plan.
Clark encouraged board members to review this information as the board is moving
forward with the creation of the Strategic Plan and as the tasks listed in the Strategic
Framework document begin to be completed.
The tasks outlined in the framework document are:
o Complete Mission Statement
o Create Awareness and Visibility
o Gather Research and Community Input
o Define First Draft Goals and Strategies to Implementation
Some of the listed dates on the framework document may be amended as the tasks
are worked on and completed.
6. Financial Update (New Financial Report Format and FY22-23 Audit Schedule)
The Financial Report for July was reviewed by Tom Escobedo.
The fiscal year-end financials for FY22-23 will be presented at the September board
meeting.
Tiffani Egnor informed the board that the ticket sales for the “From Where to Here”
shows were put in Line 3289, but that revenue will be moved to the Programs line.
o That adjustment will show in next month’s financial reports. That amount is
approximately $1,000.
A more in-depth financial report will be provided to the board biannually.
o The dates of which board meetings that report will be presented is still being
discussed.
Page 4 of 6
o Most likely, the report will be presented at the January board meeting (for the
first half summary of the fiscal year), and at the August board meeting (for the
full fiscal year summary).
Jody Crago informed the board the FY22-23 audit has started.
o Heinfeld Meech is the firm conducting the audit.
o Once the audit is completed, a summary will be provided to the board.
o The audit will be every-other-year. The next one will be in 2025.
o The cost of the audit is approximately $20,000. The Foundation will need to
include that in the budget for the years when the audit is performed.
7. Executive Subcommittee Report (Spending Policy, Directors & Officers Liability Insurance,
and FY23-24 Budget)
Barbara Meyerson provided a summary of the August Executive Subcommittee
Meeting.
o The Museum Foundation needs a Spending Policy. This policy will outline how
money is spent. It is a required policy that the auditors inquired about. Adam
Turner will work on this and present to the Executive Subcommittee before it
is brought to the full board.
o Tom Escobedo is working on getting quotes and options for the Directors &
Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance. This insurance protects the individual assets
of the Board of Directors. More information is forthcoming.
It was asked if the City of Chandler and/or the Chandler Cultural
Foundation have D&O Insurance coverage that the Museum
Foundation can use as a guide.
City staff will inquire about this and inform the board of the findings.
o The Executive Subcommittee will discuss the FY23-24 Budget for the Chandler
Museum Foundation. A draft budget will be presented to the full board at a
future board meeting for review and approval. Additionally, a schedule of
when the budget process is to start will be created for future fiscal years.
8. Workgroup Report-outs
Board Binder Workgroup – Brenda Abney
o Documents discussed at the June board meeting have been included. Some of
these documents include Board Contact List, Bylaws, Memorandum of
Understanding,
Board
Member
Responsibilities,
Foundation
Retreat
Summary, and Conflict of Interest policy (to be added).
o The binder will be reviewed by the Executive Subcommittee and then
presented to the board for additional ideas of what should be included.
Page 5 of 6
Membership/Friends of the Museum Workgroup – Rich Feely
o Various museums’ membership programs were reviewed.
o Many of the museums provide membership benefits for the various levels.
o The HD South’s Gilbert Historical Museum has a building campaign currently
running for renovation and expansion of the museum. Thus far, that campaign
has raised $1.5 million of the $2.6 million estimate needed for this project.
o Sponsorships from corporations, trustees, and others is another avenue for
raising funds for the Museum Foundation.
Mission Workgroup – Jacki Ryan
o The Mission Statement defines the Foundation’s purpose and primary
objective.
o A draft of the Mission Statement will be sent to the Executive Subcommittee
team for review, and then brought back to the full board for review and inputs.
9. Museum Moment – Agenda Format Discussion
Jody Crago reviewed the new agenda format.
In order to follow the Open Meeting Law and still provide an opportunity for board
members to share ideas or talk about something for the Foundation to possibly
pursue as a future project, the Member Comments/Announcements will now be two
separate sections.
Member Comments will now be the section where board members can share ideas,
suggest a future topic, etc. Discussion cannot ensue due to board meetings being
public meetings, but staff or the executive subcommittee will follow-up on the topics
introduced in this section.
Member Announcements will now be the section where board members can share
an announcement that does not require a follow-up or is a future discussion item.
An example is “I attended the X show at ABC location, and it was great.”
10. City Update
The Museum Storytelling Coordinator position has been reopened and will be open
until the end of August. It has been posted on a variety of sites. This position has
been vacant for a year now.
The Exhibition Hall is currently closed as Museum staff begins installing two
exhibitions that will be open soon.
There were four “From Where to Here” performances. It was a very successful and
positive feedback has been received. A full report will be presented at the September
board meeting.
Museum staff has begun working on the Chuckwagon Event, which will be held on
November 10th and 11th (2023).
The design and grading at Tumbleweed Ranch are being worked on as the City moves
forward with this project.
Page 6 of 6
Member Comments
Barbara Meyerson asked if the board would be interested in holding a board meeting at
Tumbleweed Ranch after the weather has cooled. Jody Crago and Tiffani Egnor mentioned the
meeting could be held in one of the rooms at Tumbleweed Recreation Center or in the Parks
Administration Building, then a tour of the Ranch will be offered.
Joan Clark spoke about a new speaker series, “Chandler Chats.” Participants can broaden their
knowledge about City government, meet elected officials, learn about resources available to the
community, and other topics. As the board continues to work on its Strategic Framework, Clark
thought it might be good to have a speaker attend a board meeting to present on (the City’s)
Strategic Framework. City staff will follow up on this and update the board at a future board
meeting.
Tom Escobedo shared that a mural is being painted on the wall border located at Espo’s Mexican
Food Eatery. This mural will contain the names of the original residents of the Hightown
Neighborhood.
Member Announcements
Barbara Meyerson commended the Museum staff for all of its accomplishments this past year,
especially since they have been short 25% of their full-time staff.
Calendar
The next Museum Foundation Executive Subcommittee Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday,
September 5, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., at the Chandler Museum, Saguaro Room, 300 S. Chandler
Village Drive, in Chandler, Arizona.
The next Museum Foundation Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 18, 2023,
at 5:30 p.m., at the Chandler Museum, Saguaro Room, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, in
Chandler, Arizona.
Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 6:47 p.m.
______________________________
______________________________
Barbara Meyerson, Chair
Jody Crago, Staff Liaison