HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistorical Commission 09-19-19
HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Dennis Wright
Greenmead Historical Park
MAYOR
20501 Newburgh Road
Livonia, Michigan 48152
Linda McCann
(248) 477-7375 DIRECTOR
Fax (248) 426-8568
Emily Tchorz
PROGRAM SUPERVISOR
Community Resources Department
33000 Civic Center Drive
Livonia, Michigan 48154-3097
(734) 466-2540
Livonia Historical Commission
September 19, 2019
The voting meeting was called to order by Stephanie Miner at the Alexander Blue
House at 6:34 PM.
Present: Deanna Brown, Carrie Budzinski, Nancy Frye, Barbara Mansfield, Stephanie
Miner, Gary Pritchard, Sandi Pritchard.
Absent: Mary Cambridge, Lindsey Hakala.
Other Attendees: Emily Tchorz.
I. Review and approval of minutes: Nancy Frye, Secretary
August 21, 2019 voting minutes reviewed. Motion 2019-09-01: Barbara Mansfield
made a motion to approve the minutes and Sandi Pritchard seconded it. Minutes
approved unanimously.
II. Treasurer’s Reports: Mary Cambridge, Treasurer
The August 2019 Report of Expenses was presented by S. Miner.
Hinbern sales ($340.72), Geer Store sales ($198.80), Church rentals ($1300), Meeting
House rentals ($970), Donations ($988.86), Tours ($29.20), Highland Games ($9395),
Touch a Truck ($720), Flea Market ($2295). Total income: $16,237.58. Wedding
supervisors ($320), Office ($100), Meeting House supervisors ($30), supplies and food
for Highland games ($143.62) Total expenses: $593.62. Net profit: $15,643.96.
III. Reports: Commissioners reports of activities, building reviews, participation:
Chairman's report (Stephanie Miner)
1. Congratulations to B. Mansfield, S. Pritchard, M. Cambridge on running their
final flea market. Since 2002, the meeting house flea market sales have brought in
$26,391.28. Job well done for many years!
2. Worked Flea market check in and meeting house sales. –8 hours.
Deanna Brown:
Worked selling Flea market hot dogs.
Carrie Budzinski:
1. Called on caterer for volunteer appreciation dinner.
2. Created a booklet on our rental opportunities. Will hold posting it until our
website is updated.
3. Gave us an update on our social media—we have 3300 Facebook likes which
is high. We gained 250 follows in last month. The Highland tea was big hit.
4. Updated our Facebook profile.
5. Worked tour supervision on August 28.
Mary Cambridge:
1. Worked Flea market meeting house sales set up, sales, clean-up--19 hours.
2. Worked organizing the basement of Hinbern and the Church.
3. Continued with jewelry pricing.
Nancy Frye:
1. Gave Greenmead presentation to Livonia Rotary.
2. Worked with Parks and Rec to get Greenmead on the list of Parks for
community spring and fall clean up. C. Budzinski suggested posting a request for
volunteers on Facebook in the future.
Lindsey Hakala:
Worked tour supervision on August 28.
Barbara Mansfield:
Worked Flea market meeting house sales set up, sales, and clean-up—37 hours.
Total number of volunteer hours on the meeting house sales this fall was 177 (+) hours.
Proceeds were $1170. So, our return was about $6.61 cents per hour. We should look
to see if we want to continue doing this. It is a lot of work for a limited return of income.
Gary Pritchard:
Worked the Flea market.
Sandi Pritchard:
Worked Flea market meeting house sales set up, sales, and clean-up—16 hours
IV. Greenmead Supervisor report: Emily Tchorz
a. Maintenance Update:
1. Greenhouse: On going still, final inspection and minor details to rectify
are in work.
rd
2. Church Window Repair: Still waiting for a 3 quote, contacted 4
companies so far. It will be about $4K per window to completely repair it or we
could do 3 windows and just structurally support them for same price. Also, we
will have to look at the time for windows to be out. We also need to look at
plexiglass protection. Can we have a volunteer artist paint a stained-glass scene
on the old plexiglass for wedding photos, etc?
3. Geer Store Window Repair/Replacement: $4500 approved to do work.
4. Roof Repair/Replacement:
a. South Barn Roof is completed.
b. Chicken Coop Roof was added to the south barn roof job when
the condition was noted during the barn roof repair. It is completed.
c. Hinbern Roof: City council approved $19,800 and hope to be
done before winter.
5. Bungalow Back Porch: Started Monday, work being done by Built-By-
A-Girl. It is nearing completion with paint being done in the spring.
6. Hill House Front Porch Ceiling: Fine Line Painting will scrap and paint.
7. Boy Scout Projects:
Jacob and troop painted the picket fence from Blue to the Church.
He has friends needing projects and will refer them to Greenmead.
8. Additional Maintenance Needs:
a. Bungalow roof should be next year.
b. We need a lot of work on Shaw next year.
c. Both barns need painting.
d. We have a new furnace in the school house. Would like to
add a/c in the spring. Make the school more usable all summer.
b. Update on Friends Christmas Walk: There were no houses volunteered for
the Christmas walk so that has been cancelled.
c. Rental Income to Date (2019 FY):
Church: $9315.
Meeting House: $ 5285.
d. City Budget Update: We still have $4,610.27 in city funds left this year.
1. Discussion to ask Lowes for a donation of 10 rubber tree rings to put
around the roadside signs. Previously, Lowes donated half of our requested
donation of door mats and asked us to pay their costs for the other rugs. N. Frye
made and C. Budzinski seconded Motion 2019-09-2 to spend up to $150 for the
tree rings if they are not donated totally. All approved.
2. B. Mansfield made Motion 2019-09-3 to spend up to $600 on volunteer
appreciation gifts and D. Brown seconded it. N. Frye to work with vendor to get
insulated grocery bags with Greenmead logo.
3. Discussion on purchasing a laptop for commission use. B. Mansfield
has one to donate and it may have all the software needed.
4. We still have over $3,500 we can spend this fiscal year.
e. Budget Status of the Trust Fund: $212,112.34 is available. This excludes
$133,836.70 in funds earmarked for the Greenhouse, Nankin Mills Schoolhouse,
South barn work, and Preservation money held in the trust ($5351.90).
V. Review of Events & Planning for Future Events:
a. Fall Flea Market, September 8, 2019: B. Mansfield brought up the issue of a
rude vendor who needs to be removed from the event in the future. M. Casey
has his name. He used foul language and abused one of our volunteers in front
of many people. Commission all supports his removal. B. Mansfield will draft the
letter to send to him. B. Mansfield also brought up that we need more donuts.
We need to go back to original quantities. In the effort to save a few bucks, we
didn't have donuts available for late coming vendors.
b. Livonia Historical Society Speaker, September 16, 2019: Joe Oldenberg
spoke on “Bathtub Gin & Rum Running”. It was very good, over 30 people
attended. E. Tchorz also gave a report on maintenance actions and events in
the last two months. The November meeting topic will be on Faygo.
c. Historical Baseball Game, September 22, 2019: Will be 1-3 on the Farm field.
d. Guns n’ Gowns, September 28-29, 2019: Pretty much set up. Need
Commissioner for Saturday tours. B. Mansfield to take it.
e. Civil War Luncheon, September 28, 2019: Preservation event.
f. Shadows from the Past Halloween Event, October 25, 2019: 5-9. Volunteers
set for houses.
VI. Additional Business & Action Items:
a. C. Budzinski has been updating events on our social media accounts.
b. Frozen Tea Update: Set for February. Can rent Princesses for $400.
c. Next year's event schedule needs to be set in November. Some ideas:
- Scout day in March
- Story time with library starting in March
- April – earth day
- May derby party
- Yoga in the park in summer
- Use greenhouse for plant arrangement
- Outdoor movie—Parks would do one here
th
- 20 Amendment anniversary party. Could invite our first woman mayor.
- Coloring event
- More baseball—Canton want us to be their home field. We will see how
it goes. But sounds good. We could ask them to use our historical family names
or we could use them in our publicity.
d. Greenhouse Joint Highlighter with Garden Club: N. Frye talked with Livonia
Garden Club about opportunities to use Greenhouse. At this time, they have
volunteers to support events but can't take the lead due for anything due to their
2020 flower show.
e. Gift Shop Revitalization Update: Commissioners concerned over overpriced
items, items not of museum quality, and things 5-6 years old on the shelf. We
want more Greenmead branded items and small branded items children can buy.
Branded items should be sold in both the store and gift shop. Old items should
be moved on via flea market or used as door prizes at events. Inventory needs
to be reviewed. M. Casey will be pulling some items and revamping. May need
a committee to run it.
g. November Elections: G. Pritchard will develop the slate of candidates.
h. We have a donor of a school bell. Decided to accept it especially if it can be
rung. Can put in school house and let children ring it.
The next official, non-voting meeting will be Wednesday, October 16, 2019.
Adjournment: Motion 2019-09-04: D. Brown made the motion to adjourn the meeting
and C. Budzinski seconded it. Approved unanimously, meeting was adjourned at 8:32.
Respectively submitted,
Nancy Frye