The Friends of The Markham Museum Foundation Board

Meeting No. 2

TOWN OF MARKHAM
Markham Museum

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 – 5 p.m.

MINUTES

Attendance: Members Present: Councillor Moretti John Buie, Chair Bob Baird Gunter Langhorst Martha Mingay Ardy Reid Glenn Schick Staff: Cathy Molloy Janet Reid (minutes)

Absent: Randy Barber Genny Landis Vince Tortorici John Ryerson

1. CALL TO ORDER & OPENING REMARKS

Meeting called to order at 4:58pm with John Buie presiding as Chair.

· The Chair welcomed the members

· The Chair noted that this evening’s agenda was developed by the Executive Committee and more typically reflects the format that will be used for meetings. Each month the meeting will include an education component, typically presented by a staff member of the Department or other resource person that can aid the Board to build their understanding of the Museum.

· The Chair reminded the Board of a recent email circulated by the Public Programs Supervisor requesting donations of baking for the annual Winterfest Event on February 15, 2010. Board members able to make donations are requested to deliver their contributions prior to 10 am on the event day. Items should be child friendly and easy to eat while walking about the site.

2. BOARD EDUCATION

The Museum Manager presented the board with examples of the literature distributed by the Town of Markham and other organizations that promote our activities, including:

York Region Discovery Guide – prepared by York Region – includes event listings and a coupon

Department of Culture Brochure – prepared by the Town of Markham – produced by the Department. This is the most recently created material featuring all three of the Department’s venues – theatre, gallery and museum.

Directory – prepared by Markham Arts Council – includes 2010 event listings

Living in Markham Guide – prepared by York Region News Group (Metroland) – includes photos of our events, information about rentals and a full page on ‘Art in the Park’

Markham Life Guide – prepared by Town of Markham – general descriptions and listings of all leisure programs published by season (Councillor Moretti noted that she intends to review with Corporate Communications (the produced) their choice of images to promote the Museum)

Summer Camp Guide – prepared by Town of Markham – specific brochure for the summer children’s camp programs

Artifacts Canada – hosted by the Canadian Heritage Information Network – site features descriptions and images of objects in public collections. The Museum recently participated in training session provided by the Ontario Museums Association. We are contributing our first 26 objects to the program and they will be available on-line shortly at URL GOES HERE.

3. REGRETS

The Chair confirmed that the following members submitted their regrets for this evening’s meeting:

R. Barber, G. Landis, V. Tortorici & J. Ryerson

4. APRROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

MOTION:

Moved by Gunter Langhorst

Seconded by Bob Baird

To approve the minutes of the January 13, 2010 meeting of The Friends of the Markham Museum Foundation Board with the following corrections:

• Correct the Name of the Foundation
• Correct the spelling for ‘Troops’ (Item 8) ,
• Delete ‘indicated’ (Item 13), CARRIED.

5. ADDITIONS / CHANGES TO THE AGENDA

Amend the Name of the Board

9.1 Treasurer’s Report

6. DECLARATIONS

None

7. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

None

8. DIRECTOR’S REPORT

The Museum Manager tabled a report outlining activities at the Museum and other projects of the Department and the Town of Markham that affect our operations. The report includes information submitted by members of senior staff.

Work on the Collections Building continues on schedule

Curator working with Asset Management has identified more that $1 million in lifecycle maintenance required in 2011 for our heritage buildings. The management of this work will require some strategic review.

Winterfest will be a family-focussed event with many community groups participating in an information showcase at the Transportation Building

Rouge Park will be hosting a gala event at the Museum – more news on this and our developing partnership will be distributed to the Board as it becomes available.

The Museum is attracting interest of the graduate Museum Studies program at the University of Toronto. This interest is an indication of the significance the museum community is placing upon the shift in our interpretation program.

The past month is the busiest January for public programs in the past four years and offers a further barometer for public engagement in our new direction.

Event planning for 2010 is well in hand. The Museum’s volunteer pool is taking shape under the leadership of the Public Programs Supervisor.

The Museum Manager tabled a copy of the Collections Policy of the previous Advisory Board that was approved in March 2006. This document must be revised and approved by the Foundation Board.

MOTION:

Moved by Martha Mingay

Seconded by Gunter Langhorst

To receive the Director’s Report for the February 3, 2010 meeting, CARRIED.

9. SECRETARY’S REPORT

The Secretary distributed copies of the Consent and Statement of Qualifications as a Director Form that each member of the Board is required to complete, sign and return.

Motion relating to the indemnification of and purchase of liability insurance for directors and officers

MOTION:

Moved by Martha Mingay

Seconded by Councillor Moretti

that the Corporation indemnify and purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of he directors and officers of the Corporation to indemnify them for personal liability arising from their acts or omissions in performing their duties as directors and officers provided that they act honestly and in good faith in performing their duties, CARRIED

Motion relating to the signing officers for the corporation

In accordance with By-Law #1 and the Memorandum of Understanding, two senior members of staff and two Board members will share signing authority. The staff members are Brenda Librecz and Andy Taylor.

MOTION:

Moved by Martha Mingay

Seconded by Gunter Langhorst

that the Directors holding the positions of the Board of Directors of the Corporation as Chair and Treasurer be appointed as the two Directors to act as signing officers for the Corporation

that for the first business year the two Directors appointed as signing officers are namely John Buie, Chair of the Corporation and Ardy Reid, Treasurer, CARRIED

Action Items:

Confirm the existence/location of the seal for the corporation – Board Secretary

Confirm the arrangements for minute taking with the Clerk’s Department and the keeping of the corporate records – Museum Manager

Confirm that the Finance Department of the Town of Markham is responsible for financial record keeping and the issuance of tax receipts – Museum Manager

9.1 TREASURER’S REPORT

None.

10. COMMITTEE REPORTS

a) Executive Committee – John Buie

The Chair reported on the first meeting of the Committee where the agenda items included: the development of the Board Agenda; a discussion of start up activities for the Board in the areas of finances and operations; rolls of the sub-committees; and commencing work on a Business Plan for 2010.

b) Museum Collection Committee – Bob Baird

The Committee Chair reported that members were polled to help establish the roles of the Committee. The Committee members in attendance this evening will meet following the Board meeting to select a date for their first official meeting. The Committee expects to schedule regular meetings on a bi-monthly basis. Suggested additions to the committee include former Advisory Board members – Jim Wicks and Lorne Smith. The first order of business is the revision of the Collections Policy.

c) Development Committee – Martha Mingay

The Committee Chair will canvas the Committee Members to set their first meeting. The first event for the Committee will be Wine Tasting in September and work will begin shortly on this project.

d) Volunteer Committee – Ardy Reid

The Committee Chair confirmed that a meeting is scheduled with Museum staff to determine the roles and responsibilities. The first meeting of the Committee will be scheduled shortly.

11. BOOK COMMITTEE

The Chair requested an update on the progress on this project form the project liaison, Bob Baird. The project has a new editor, Cathy Brydon, who was retained at the end of 2009. The Book Committee has not met since this change in leadership took place. The project is the third book in the History of Markham. The project is jointly managed by an advisory group consisting of representatives of the Markham Historical Society, the former Markham Museum Advisory Board and Museum Staff. Through this relationship, the previous Advisory Board received regular reports on the book project’s progress.

Action Items:

The Executive Committee will review the project and determine if there is role for the Foundation Board in this venture – Board Chair.

The Museum Manager will review the historical minutes of the Advisory Board to determine the if there was a formal commitment and also to verify the nature of the authorisation required to release the funds maintained as a part of the Museum’s capital budgets.

12. OTHER BUSINESS

The Past Chair reported that the Clerk’s office intends to send letters of thanks to the members of the former Advisory Board.

The Treasurer requested information on the plans for a public meeting concerning the Environmental Assessment of Markham Road at 16^th Avenue. Councillor Moretti and Bob Baird indicated that there will be one additional meeting of the Advisory Committee on February 18^th at 7 p.m., prior to the scheduling the next Public Meeting. Once the date of this session is determined, the Foundation Members will be informed (by the Advisory Board representative, Bob Baird.).

Councillor Moretti informed the Board of another meeting of possible interest concerning the growth strategy for the Town. This meeting that has already been advertised in the Sun & Economist will feature a staff presentation on options for increasing density at different levels in the White Belt area of the Municipality. The meeting is scheduled for February 16 at 7 pm in the Council Chambers.

13. ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Gunter Langhorst

Seconded by Bob Baird

That the meeting be adjourned. CARRIED.

(6:15 p.m.)