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Oakland
Museum Of California Board Of Trustees Business Meeting Minutes-
Meeting
Minutes
September 25 2008
MUSEUM RESTAURANT
4:30 P. M. – 6:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Trustees
Steven Anderson, Kellie Abreu, Brian Cherry, Ralph Clark, Quinn
Delaney, Steven Douglas, Richard Edwards, Lori Fogarty, Virginia
Furth, Tamra Hege, Joseph Hurwich, Jerry Johnston, Harold Jones,
Jacqueline Kane, Anita Martinez, Christopher McLain, Mike Moye,
Jennifer Walker, Bruce Westphal, Robert Wilkins, Sandra Wolf,
and Penelope Wong.
Trustees
Excused:
Dale Block, John Bowe, Susan Chamberlin, Richard DeAtley,
Lance Gyorfi, John McDonnell, Steven Read, Winston Wilkinson,
Sheryl Wong, and John Wyrong
Staff
Present:
Ann Dickson, Dorothy Hood, Linda Larkin, Philip Linhares,
Douglas Long, Mark Medeiros, and Maggie Pico.
Volunteers
Present:
Dave Elliot, Dianne Fristrom, Patrick Gaughan, Roberta O’Grady
and Susan Schroeder.
Guests Present:
Linda Crittondon and Christopher Curtis
1.
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS – Christopher McLain
Chair McLain called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. and welcomed
visitors..
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Christopher McLain
On a motion duly made and seconded (Clark/Johnston),
the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, the May 22, 2008 Board of Trustees meeting minutes
are approved as mailed. .
3.
CHAIR'S REPORT – Christopher McLain
Chair McLain opened the meeting for comments from the audience.
As there was no response from the audience, the business portion
of the meeting resumed. .
4.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT – Lori Fogarty
Executive Director Fogarty extended a welcome to the new trustees. She
reported there is an ongoing good working relationship with Cahill Contractors
who are on schedule and are within the budget. Also, several staff members
visited the Dallas Museum of Art to inspect that museum’s new art
interpretive center to determine how the center’s space was used
and material interpreted.
The renovation is now moving into planning for Phase 2 of the
project with the Natural Sciences Gallery being the biggest
component. Because the initial
planning was over budget new drawings are being rendered. The Natural
Sciences Department has applied for a grant from the National
Science Foundation
and has held three sessions meeting with scientist from California; with
Bay Area museum specialist; and with nationally known museum specialist
from across the country.
The museum will be closed at the end of August 2009 to allow
time for reinstallation of objects in the Art and History
galleries and reopen
in March 2010. The
building’s interior and exterior will be given a thorough cleaning
during the closure.
The LA Paint exhibition will open October 4, 2008 and Dias
de los Muertos opens on October 8, 2008. The Natural Sciences
Department is scheduled
to put on a major John Muir exhibit in the High Bay when the museum
reopens in March 2010 and sometime in July 2010 the exhibition Pixar:
20 Years
of Animation will open.
The Capital Campaign is going well with $48.5 million raised
towards the $53 million goal with trustees donating very
generously to the
campaign. The campaign will open for public solicitation beginning
next spring.
Ms. Fogarty briefly reviewed the Board of Trustees Recommended
Priorities report previously distributed to trustees. Representatives
from the
American Association of Museums will visit the Oakland Museum
on October 10 and
11, which is the start of the museum’s accreditation process. In
addition to meeting with various staff members, the representative will
be taken to the museum’s collection center.
Chair McLain said after Ms. Fogarty’s report on the budget a general
discussion, open to the public, would follow; at the end of the meeting
a closed session for trustees only would be held. Ms. Fogarty said the
City of Oakland’s budget deficit is close to $50 million and City
Departments, including the museum, have been asked to cut 15% from their
Department budgets. In addition, the City’s Landscaping funds have
been cut back, which means two museum gardener positions are likely to
be eliminated. Half of the museum’s budget is funded by the City
and the other half by the Foundation, with most of the City’s portion
spent on city staff positions. It has been emphasized to City Administrators
that the museum is in the midst of a Capital Campaign and the renovation
of museum galleries, and in the process of being accredited by the American
Association of Museums. Trustees McLain, Jones, and Wilkins had scheduled
a meeting with Mayor Ron Dellums to discuss the budget but the meeting
was postponed until a later date.
5.
INTRODUCTIONS – Christopher
McLain
Chair McLain introduced new trustees: Kellie Abreu, Mike Moye, Jennifer
Walker, and Robert Wilkins and acknowledged Winston Wilkinson and John Wyro who
were
absent.
6.
EXHIBITS
Chief Curator of Art Philip Linhares gave an overview
of the soon to open exhibit LA Paint. Mr. Linhares said
the exhibit consisted of works from ten major painters
from the Los Angeles area with four different styles – narrative,
surreal/fantasy, abstraction, and lowbrow. The exhibit
is supported by funds from the Women’s Board and
programs in conjunction with the exhibit are supported
by funds from the Art Guild. The opening event for LA
Paint is scheduled for October 3, the same evening as
First Fridays After Five. Mr. Linhares will lead a sneak
preview of the exhibit immediately after the board meeting
and invited trustees to join him.
Evelyn Orantes, Cultural Arts Developer, explained some
of the traditions of the Days of the Dead exhibition
opening on October 8, 2008. The event became popular
during the Civil Rights movement and its purpose is to
celebrate and honor deceased ancestors. Traditionally
November 1st and 2nd is the time that family members
gather and stay over night at the cemetery to celebrate
and honor their loved ones. The Women’s Board will
celebrate its 50th anniversary and its members will make
an altar honoring all past presidents and chairs of the
Women’s Board. Last year seven thousand children
viewed the Days of the Dead exhibition, which is now
a model and is used as a national standard. The Days
of the Dead Advisory Committee works diligently with
staff in planning the exhibit and does much of the legwork.
Chair McLain thanked Ms. Orantes and Mr. Linhares.
7.
WOMEN’S BOARD – Tamra Hege
The Women’s Board contributed another $100,000
to the Capital Campaign, which now brings the total to $850,000 the
Women’s Board has contributed to the Campaign. It is hoped
the total will reach $1 million after the next White Elephant Sale.
The White Elephant preview sale will be held on Sunday, January 25,
2009 and the general sale on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March
8, 2009.
The Women’s Board funded three projects for a total of $234,000
as follows: Days of the Dead for $74,500; Phase II Website Redesign,
$35,000; and LA Paint exhibition, $124,800. After 30 years, the Collector’s
Gallery will close permanently as of October 5, 2008 and the space
will be available for museum use sometime later in October
8. DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE – Quinn Delaney and Sandra
Wolfe
Trustee Wolfe reported that she, along with trustee Delaney and
Development Director Maggie Pico, have established the Development
Committee goals. Some of the goals are to develop a long-term
strategy for fundraising goals throughout the museum; develop
a prospecting program and protocol utilizing board members, guilds,
and other friends of museum; and give input to staff on corporate
giving program working with corporate board members. Trustee
Delaney said the committee is geared towards getting potential
trustees excited about the museum and involved in the museum.
Recently appointed trustees were asked to refer people who they
believed would be good candidates to work with the museum.
All Donor Forum members were sent a letter explaining what the
museum has to offer them and later will be sent a survey. Preparations
are being made for going public with the Capital Campaign. Two
representatives, one a Women’s Board member and the other
a docent, were instructed on how to ask for contributions
9. FINANCE COMMITTEE – Richard Edwards
There was a $207,810 surplus for Fiscal Year 2008 and the committee
commends Executive Director Lori Fogarty and staff for an excellent
job that was well managed operationally. There was a loss $1.3
million in investments and the committee suggests cash that is
not needed for the next three to six months be moved into safer
investments, such as government bonds and T-bills.
One of the objectives of the Finance Committee is to determine
how to stabilize the annual funding from the City. The auditors
have completed their work at the museum and will issue their final
report in October. Earned revenues are tracking on budget and the
Development Department goals are on track.
10. AUDIENCE COMMITTEE – Ralph Clark
The committee has scheduled five meetings for fiscal year 2008-2009
and each meeting will have a theme. The first meeting held in September
established a base line, with each meeting thereafter starting
with a marketing dashboard report. Some of the committee objectives
are to act as an advisor to the Marketing and Communications Department;
review and recommend strategies for audience development; and assist
in development of an Audience Research Plan. The next committee
meeting on October 15, 2008 will focus on a detailed plan for the
new brand rollout. Marketing research and target audiences will
be addressed at the January meeting; pricing and admissions policies
at the March meeting; and strategic recommendations for attracting
new audiences from the museum’s interdepartmental audience
development task force, will be given at the May meeting.
11. RENOVATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE – Lance Gyorfi
In the absence of Lance Gyorfi, committee member Christopher Curtis
reviewed some of the committee goals for 2009, such as, to resolved
design issues regarding visitor flow; to have discussions on the
entry and store locations; to develop Phase II elements; and to
develop plans for “beyond” items. Mr. Curtis reported
that trustee Gyorfi obtained an opinion from the City Attorney’s
office that clarified the term “D&A” which has
allowed necessary flexibility where charges are accumulated and,
as a result, more funds are available for design work.
12. COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES – Anita Martinez
The Committee on Trustees has scheduled five meetings for the fiscal
year. The committee will play a significant role at the Board of
Trustees retreat and new trustees were encouraged to join the committee.
Chair McLain said Trustee Martinez is involved in the recruitment
of new trustees and worked on updating the recently distributed
Board of Trustees Manual.
13. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE – Harold Jones
Trustee Jones said the committee would meet as needed. Each committee
member is assigned a city or state representative who will be contacted
and informed of the needs and activities of the museum. The best
tool the Foundation has is the Management/Operations Agreement
between the Foundation and the City, however, trustees who know
people in the City were requested to help. Although the committee
is preparing alternatives in case there are budget cuts, trustee
Jones is very optimistic.
14. INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE – Joseph Hurwich
The Investment Committee was reestablished in June 2008 and its
current charge is to update the investment and asset policy. The
committee recommends the hiring of a financial consultant and is
currently pre-interviewing several consultants. Once a consultant
is hired, the Foundation’s assets will be reallocated. There
are four members on the Investment Committee and other trustees
were invited to join the committee.
15. AUDIT COMMITTEE – Matthew Cox
In the absence of trustee Cox, Chair McLain said the purpose of
the committee is to be the interface between the Foundation and
the independent auditors and review the auditor’s report
and recommendations. The current audit has gone very smoothly and
costs have come down from previous audits. Committee members will
meet with the auditors sometime after the completion of the audit..
16.
ADJOURNEMENT – Sheryl Wong
Chair McLain
said future
board meetings
would not
have many
committee
reports;
the next
meeting will
focus on
the renovation
plan.
There being
no further
business
Chair McLain
adjourned
the meeting
at 5:55
p.m. followed
by a closed
Executive
Session.
 .
Christopher
McLain
Secretary
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