Marsh House board of trustees minutes for Feb. 21 meeting
February 21, 2022, 6 p.m., meeting by Zoom
Present: David Boyle, Josh Chapman, Connie Forester, Joan Fowler. Davene Nichols, Jan Shattuck. Mary McConnell, Sharleen Robinson, by proxy. Proxies were to David Boyle.
David Boyle presided. The Minutes of the Marsh House Board of Trustees for December 20, 2021, were approved unanimously on a motion by (1) Joan and (2) Jan.
The Treasurer’s reports for December 2021 and January 2022 were received. The balance in the Bank of LaFayette account at the end of December was $12,485.57 and at the end of January was $15,923. The endowment value is $48,798.13. Major sources of income in both months was Friends memberships, Candlelight Tours in December, and rentals in January.
OLD BUSINESS
Update on county purchase of the north lot. No activity. David Boyle will try to initiate the sale process since the Board of Commissioners has voted to do it.
Update of Friends Membership Campaign, excellent response this year for $6,133 and some still arriving.
Update on January Planning Retreat. See summary below. Some immediate projects.
NEW BUSINESS
Annual Business Meeting. A motion to approve all board actions of 2021 passed unanimously on a motion by (1) Joan Fowler and (2) Davene Nichols.
Board members are encouraged to attend the Clayton Bell Scholarship Fund Reception at the Marsh House on Sunday, March 27 at 3:00 pm. Virginia Rushing will be describing the program. Applications are being accepted. Forms are on the website.
A motion was made by (1) Joan and (2) Josh Chapman to reelect two board members: Sharleen Robinson and Jan Shattuck (through 2024), passed unanimously.
WORK AREA REPORTS
Administration/House management. Waiting for county workers to move the display case which held the Gift Shop items. David Boyle will be meeting with the new
facilities manager for the county, Todd Bird, tomorrow to show him the Marsh House.
Looking for a few new docents. Connie has invited members of the Woman’s Club to consider serving. We are now open by appointment and tour duties are not frequent. A Mother’s Day Tea Event, Saturday, May 7, was discussed with the possibility of offering a Fashion Show using recently donated period outfits and involving home economics students from LaFayette High. There will be a Colonial Dames Tour, May 21, luncheon and historic tour of the LaFayette Cemetery. Connie Forester will assist.
Building and Grounds: Porch remodeling plan — another door was donated. Materials are onsite. Plaster/wallpaper damage in formal parlor—pending repairs. Grant for new walkway to Duke Street is assured, $4000 from Georgia Civil War Commission.
Connie Forester is trying to set up the mystery tour in May for the WCHS. Looking at a possibility in Center Post.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Next board meeting: Monday, March 21, 6:00 pm on Zoom. At the Marsh House and hybrid on Zoom.
SUMMARY OF JANUARY 16 RETREAT DISCUSSION (ON ZOOM)
We shared some news: sale of piano this week, rental of the house for filming last week, record-high giving to Friends of the Marsh House. Also, two of our members were sick and unable to attend.
We reviewed the Strategic
Plan and chose some directions which have already been approved or can be researched:
1. Begin 2022 cycle of recruitment of interns for the Clayton Bell Scholarship Program with an eye to using them to do some technology and social media work. Include Dalton State in recruitment. Plan to use interns to upgrade our Facebook posting with features like stories of furnishings and snippets of videos of tours.
2. Encourage Building and Grounds Committee to go ahead with installing protective film on windows in west-facing rooms and to look at what is needed for protecting the cabin, including daubing the cracks between logs to seal out animals.
3. David Boyle is to work with city and county to get signage to the Marsh House on major turns into La Fayette from highways.
4. Look at budget with the $300/month freed up from yard contract toward some paid staff.
5. David to begin discussions with Back Alley Theatre about the historical drama about the Marsh-WarthenAllgood family that Connie Forester has written.
6. David to write a letter and grant application to the GA Civil War Commission for CARES Act funding for museums for the walkway to Duke St. and correction of drainage on the back lot. We are assured of a $4,000 grant.
7. Board to discuss an appreciation event for docents/volunteers.
This was an envisioning meeting.