West Central Reporter

City of Jacksonville Area Museum Board met Nov. 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The November board meeting was held at the Jacksonville Area Museum (Old Post Office) with a teleconferencing option available. The meeting was called to order at 5:14 p.m. by Chairman Allan Worrell. Those present included Dave Blanchette, Chad Boehlke, John Clancy, Nick Little, Lisa Hall, Diane Hollendonner, Rebecca Houston, Kyla Hurt, Jo Ann Nelson, Laura Marks, Jim Pisell, and Allan Worrell. Absent were Patsy Erickson (Emeritus), Brittany Henry (Ex-Officio), and Judy Tighe (Ex-Officio). Also present were Manager McKenna Servis and Consultant Steven Varble.

The minutes of the October 3, 2024, board meeting were approved as distributed.

Treasurer Laura Marks presented financial and attendance reports for October. In October, the museum received $95.00 in visitor donations, $12,230.00 in memberships, and $2,981.09 from MAC Foundation as reimbursement of ½ of the manager’s salary. Expenses totaled $6,853.41 which included $210.32 in operating expenses, $301.92 for LEGO exhibit decorations, $379.00 for marketing/advertising, and $5,962.17 for salary and benefits. Balance at the end of October was $42,810.45. It was voted to approve the treasurer’s report as presented.

Laura reported that the response to the annual membership letters has been good. Museum attendance totaled 61 visitors for October with $95.00 in donations.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Administrative: It was voted to add the nomination of the slate of officers for 2025 to the agenda: President, Allan Worrell; Vice President, James Pisell; Secretary, Diane Hollendonner; and Treasurer, Laura Marks. Voting will occur at the December meeting.

Manager McKenna Servis will be stepping down to transition to a new, full-time job. Dave Blanchette reported that the board will be working with the MAC Foundation, Jenny Barker Devine, the Illinois Association of Museums, and contacts in the museum industry to hire a new manager. In the meantime, volunteers will be scheduled for hours when the museum is open. Jo Ann Nelson will represent the MAC Foundation during the interview process.

McKenna reported that shirts/hats were delivered to be monogrammed. George Alarm installed the alarm box in the wrong place and will move it, will order a new alarm speaker and install it, and will order a new control screen. Neff-Colvin will fix the hole in the wall.

Exhibits: Nick Little reported that there is strong interest already in the LEGO exhibit and plans for the layout of the display will start after the Hard Hat Tour. New props and decorations have been ordered to enhance the display.

Fundraising: Allen and Dave reported on the presentation to the City Council. There were lots of questions raised by the council members. WLDS featured an interview about the museum. Laura reported that the JAM Foundation is developing a “naming rights” schedule for major donations. Laura is working on talking points for the exhibit areas as members move through the proposed exhibit areas during the Tour.

Building and Grounds: The contractor will perform clean-up after the punch list is completed, but additional cleaning may be needed. McKenna contacted a cleaning company but hasn’t heard back from them. There have been security concerns with people sleeping on the steps and leaving trash in the bushes around the building. It was decided to remove the porch furniture and cover the outside electric outlet.

Collections: It was voted to accept the following donations to be accessioned: a tooth with a gold filling done by G. Vardiman Black (Susan Weller) and a collection of maps, atlases, letters, and newspaper articles plus a flash drive with a listing of cemeteries and Tunison family obituaries (Bill Tunison). Also accessioned were items purchased at the Jack Lukeman auction, including Wareco and Merrigan’s memorabilia and a soapbox derby car. Laura reported that she was able to bid successfully on about $7600 of items thanks to several generous donations.

Promotion: Steve reported that the podcast featuring Bob Freesen moved up to first place after he passed away recently. Ads and stories for the LEGO exhibit have appeared in The Source, the Jacksonville Journal Courier, and WLDS.

Dave received information from Ben Cox at Elm City Radio and will check with him about advertising or promotions.

OLD BUSINESS: Dave gave a construction update. The HVAC needs to be “balanced” and filters changed. Several items were added to the punch list including fixing wall holes and touching up the paint. Steve reported that the trac lighting has been ordered for the exhibit space. Shelves need to be set up in the new storage area, flooring needs to be fixed in the office area, and a few items need to be moved from Turner Scientific. Diane will send a thank-you note to Turmer Scientific for donating the shelving and office furnishings.

NEW BUSINESS: None.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, December 5, 5:15 p.m., at the Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State Street. A call-in option is available upon request.

With no further business or announcements to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

https://www.jacksonvilleil.com/government/agendas___minutes/index.php