Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Board

Conseil du musée-village du patrimoine de Cumberland

Minutes 10/ ProcÈs-verbal 10

Monday, 17 January 2005 - 7:30 p.m.

Le lundi 17 janvier 2005 - 19 h 30

Orléans Client Service Centre

Centre du service à la clientèle d’Orléans

Present / Présents : Randall Ash, (Chair / Président)

Councillor Rob Jellett

Nicole Boily-Zayadi, Dan Brazeau, E. Christine Corrigan, Jeannie Smith, Russ Thomas, Malcolm Whittall

Others Present / Autres personnes présentes:

Gilles Séguin, Program Manager, Heritage Development,
Community and Protective Services Department

Elmer Pilon, Manager, Museum Services

M. J. Beauregard, Committee Coordinator,

Corporate Services, Secretariat

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

DÉCLARATIONS D’INTÉRET

None filed.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

RATICATION DU PROCÈS-VERBAL

Minutes 9, 29 November 2004 were confirmed.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Chair Randall Ash acknowledged the presence of two newly appointed members, Madame Nicole Boily-Zayadi and Ms. Christine Corrigan, and he welcomed them to their first Board meeting.

M. ANICET ARCAND

Chair Randall Ash read a letter from Mr. Anicet Arcand, thanking the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Board for acknowledging his contribution to the Museum, and for the framed photograph of the Train Station he received from the Board at a recognition ceremony held in October 2004.

Chair Ash informed the Board with regret that Mr. Arcand passed away early in 2005.

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

ARTICLES À L’ORDRE DU JOUR

1. UPDATE ON THE 2005 DRAFT BUDGET

Verbal report from the Program Manager, Heritage Development

The Program Manager, Heritage Development, Gilles Séguin, provided information on the status of the 2005 Draft Budget process, noting that there are no recommended cuts to heritage programs in this cycle. The Board discussed strategies and mechanisms to ensure that heritage gets funded in 2005 and in subsequent years.

The Ward Councillor, Rob Jellett, encouraged members to fill out the questionnaire contained in the public consultation package as a means of identifying for City Council, areas where spending should or should not take place.

Action: Board members encouraged to respond to budget questionnaire.

2. MUSEUMS SUSTAINABILITY PLAN – INTERIM STATUS REPORT
ACS2005-CPS-CSF-0001

Gilles Séguin, Program Manager, Heritage Development, presented the report which requests Council approval for the functions and shared service delivery model for the city-supported museums and for staff to undertake a Competitive Service Delivery Review. Both the MSP and the report on the Competitive Service Delivery Model (Item 3) will be presented to Council in June 2005, to get direction on a mandate and service delivery model in anticipation of the 2006 budget.

The Board discussed this and the next item concurrently. Member R. Thomas did not see the merit of getting this report to Council, since it does not give councillors something they can “sell” to the community, nor send a strong message about the benefits of investing in museums. He also felt that the focus should be on capital costs. He asked whether the budget documents contained any information on capital investments to prevent the further deterioration of artefacts. Having heard from Mr. Séguin that a preservation centre is being recommended, Mr. Thomas emphasized the importance of an immediate start on this facility.

Responding to questions from Member M. Whittall, Mr. Séguin indicated that the Competitive Service Delivery Review would compel staff to develop ways of measuring success for individual museums. Member Whittall noted that, in her report, Catherine Cole states that administrators need to be able to look ahead more than one year and he felt the Board should be able to look beyond the 2005/06 horizon.

Councillor Rob Jellett expressed the belief that the report on the Competitive Services Delivery, to be presented in September 2005, would clarify the future of museums in the City.

Board members were encouraged to attend the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee budget deliberations and to make presentations to the Committee. The following Motion was then put forward:

Moved by Malcolm Whittall, seconded by Jeannie Smith

That the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Board endorse the recommendation contained in the Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services’ report dated 12 January 2005 as they relate to the Museums Sustainability Plan and the Competitive Service Delivery Review.

CARRIED

3. UPDATE ON COMPETITIVE SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW FOR
CITY OPERATED MUSEUMS
- Verbal Report from the Program Manager, Heritage Development

See previous item for the Board’s discussion of this item.

4. OVERVIEW OF THE 2004 SEASON AND BOARD FEEDBACK
-Verbal report from the Program Manager, Heritage Development

The Program Manager, Heritage Development, Gilles Séguin, circulated copies of Daily Statistics for the Cumberland Museum for 2004, noting it reflects the way museums have agreed to record their numbers. The Board also received statistics covering walk in clients, groups, rentals and other programs, for the period 2000 to 2003.

Board members held a general discussion on the 2004 numbers, and made the following observations.

Chair Randall Ash said he thought there had been a reasonable attempt at volunteer management early in the spring, but it had ended by the summer. He felt this aspect needed to be improved to prevent a potential loss of volunteers in the coming year.

Member Jeannie Smith thought that the Museum should be more involved in the Navan Fair, that summer camps should be offered and that there needs to be improvement on volunteer coordination and on their perception of the value of their contribution.

Member Russ Thomas suggested consideration be given to the concept of “work days” for volunteers prior to the museum opening. Volunteer contacts should also be built up.

Member Malcolm Whittall averred that proper volunteer management is critical to the success of the museum and volunteers have to feel they are trusted. He also felt that the past difficulties related to advertising events should be addressed.

In reply to Member Thomas, Mr. Séguin said staff would provide an outline of planned activities for 2005 at the next Board meeting. He added that staff would benefit from Board member’s feedback in this regard.

Councillor Rob Jellett pointed out that, based on the numbers presented, the Museum did better in 2004, but he felt that the Christmas programming had been a weak point.

After further discussion, the Board received the 2004 Daily Statistics for information.

5. 2005 WORKPLAN

- Verbal report from the Program Manager, Heritage Development

The Program Manager, Heritage Development, Gilles Séguin, circulated a proposed work plan for 2005. He indicated that, while some of the proposed target tasks might have to be adapted, it was important that the desired results be reasonably close to being achieved.

Member Malcolm Whittall requested that the information about the revised policies to qualify for the Community Museum Operating Grant (CMOG) be provided to Board members ahead of time.

6. MEETING DATES FOR 2005

-Verbal report from the Program Manager, Heritage Development

That the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Board approve the following meeting dates for 2005:

Monday, 28 February; Tuesday, 29 March; Monday, 25 April; Tuesday, 24 May;

Monday, 27 June; No meetings in July and August; Monday, 26 September; Monday, 24 October; Monday, 28 November; December, date to be determined.

CARRIED

OTHER BUSINESS

7. RESIGNATION OF MEMBER DAN BRAZEAU

Board Member Dan Brazeau tended his resignation from the Board, effective immediately. Chair Randall Ash thanked Mr. Brazeau for all the work he has done in the past.

8. ELECTION OF BOARD VICE CHAIR

Chair Randall Ash asked that Board members consider whether they are interested in serving as Vice Chair. He also requested that information be provided on the role and responsibilities of Board members.

9. GENERAL INQUIRIES

Member Jeannie Smith asked for information / updates on the following items:

· status of the Bob McNarry acknowledgment letter;

· access to the McRae Letters;

· status of the Ellis printing equipment;

· acknowledgement of the artifacts provided by the Duford family;

· the quantity of Cumberland Historical Society note cards sold in the store.

Chair Randall Ash requested confirmation of the arrangements for the upcoming season with regard to the note cards.

The Museum Manager, Elmer Pilon, will follow-up on these inquiries.

10. STATUS OF THE CUMBERLAND HISTORY BOOK

Chair Randall Ash reminded the Committee Coordinator of the Board’s request for this to regularly listed on upcoming agendas.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

____________________________ ___________________________________

Coordinator Chair