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Oakland
Museum Of California Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Regular
SEPTEMBER 22, 2005
LEARNING CENTER
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Trustees
Dale Block, Susan Chamberlin, Matthew Cox, Christopher Curtis,
Richard Edwards, Virginia Furth, Lance Gyorfi, Melvin Harrison,
Jacqueline Kane, John McDonald, Christopher McLain, Missy Nelson,
Marianne Robison, Deborah Roessler, Katherine McKenney Shea,
Brian Washington, Sandra Wolfe, Penelope Wong, and Sheryl Wong
Trustees
Excused:
William Chiasson, Richard DeAtley, Anthony Harris, Harold Jones,
Daryl Lillie, Judith McKee, Maria Ochoa, Phyllis Pfeiffer, Margaret
Russell, and Timothy Silva
Staff
Present:
Barbara Henry, Dorothy Hood, and Mark Medeiros
Volunteers Present:
Lois Corrin, Marilyn Couch, Mary Reynolds, Susan Schroeder,
Katherine Seabrook, and Helen Tryon
1.
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS – Lance Gyorfi
Chair Gyorfi called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. and
welcomed new board member Richard Edwards. Mr. Edwards previously
served on the Board of Trustees.
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Lance Gyorfi
Corrections to the minutes were made as follows: Under the
Women’s Board Report it should read the Women’s
Board 50th year celebration will be held on September 14, 2005
(not August 14, 2005). Also corrected was that trustee Roessler
presented Dennis Power a check for $250,000 for the Capital
Campaign and another check for the Baseball as America exhibit
in the amount of $273,000 will be mailed (not Ms. Roessler
distributed two checks to the museum).
On a motion duly made and seconded (McLain/S. Wong), the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that the minutes of the July 28, 2005 Board of Trustees
meeting is approved as corrected.
3.
CHAIR’S REPORT – Lance Gyorfi
The Executive Search Selection Committee met and narrowed the
number of candidates to six. On October 17th and 18th these candidates
will be invited to the museum for additional scrutiny after which
the field will be further narrowed down to two or three candidates
who will be invited back for more intensive interviews/meetings
with various stakeholders. A new director should be identified
by the end of the year.
Chair Gyorfi said he determined that it would be proper to hold
the Annual and Board of Trustees meetings at the off-site conference
because the meetings are open to the public. The conference agenda
is as follows: Friday evening a trustees’ dinner will be
held; Saturday morning the Foundation Annual meeting and then
Regular Board meeting. The afternoon offsite session with trustees,
staff, and consultants from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. with the first
half of session dedicated to discuss the vision and mission strategy
and the last half to discuss museum branding. After the meeting
there will be cocktails at the home of Daryl and John Lillie
followed by a dinner at Rombi’s; from 8:30 am. to noon
on Sunday Sheryl Wong will lead a discussion on the Capital Campaign
with trustees and staff. The conference will close after the
Capital Campaign discussion is completed.
4.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT – Mark Medeiros
Acting Director Mark Medeiros gave a short report on the Baseball
As America exhibit and said the press party held was very successful
and directed the trustees’ attention to the packets of baseball
brochures and press releases distributed at the meeting. The City
of Oakland paid for the cost of large banners advertising the exhibit
and hung them throughout various parts of the city.
Mr. Medeiros visited and met with representatives of the Ford Museum
to discuss the Disney show and the plans are moving along smoothly.
Also, progress has been made regarding the CCHE grant and the next
step is for the CCHE and City of Oakland attorneys to meet and
finalize the agreement.
Mr. Medeiros said Board approval is needed to hire a scriptwriter
for written material that will be used in the reinstalled art
and history galleries. Gallagher recommended scriptwriter
Sharon Barry
be hired for this project. The total cost of the contract is
$225,000, with $150,000 allocated for history and $75,000
for art. Ms. Barry’s
hourly rate is comparable and at the lower end of other scriptwriter’s
fees. As a way of cutting costs, the curators will write the scripts
and Ms. Barry will edit them. Cost of travel is included in the
contract amount and will be modest because most of the communication
will be done via email.
On motion duly made and seconded (Furth/Curtis) the following
motion was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that Sharon Barry is to be hired as the scriptwriter
for the written material that will be used in the reinstalled
art and history galleries at a cost of $225,000. Funding for
this work
will be from Measure G.
Mr. Medeiros reported that the City Council approved the
appointments of Susan Chamberlin, Richard Edwards, and
Sandra Wolfe to the
Oakland Museum of California Board of Trustees.
5. TREASURER’S REPORT – William
Chiasson
In the absence of trustee Chiasson, Chair Gyorfi reported
there was a year-end fiscal deficit of $192,000, which
is better than the forecast of a year-end deficit of
$300,000. The endowment investment portfolio had a $443,000
unrealized gain. Annual expenses were brought down almost
$1.0 million from the previous year. Overall, the endowment
performance is satisfactory with a majority of the investments
in the Dodge and Cox funds doing very well while funds
outside of the Foundation’s control (Maier Trust)
have not performed well. Mr. Gyorfi will contact Cornell
Maier to determine if he would be agreeable in following
the Foundation’s investment policy/strategy.
6.
RENOVATION OVERSIGHT – Lance Gyorfi
Design and Administration (D&A) cost
are at $304,000 and applying the D&A definitions per
the City Attorney’s office it appears that there are
$3.1 million in Measure G D&A funds left to be allocated.
The contracts with architects Mark Cavagnero and Michael
Willis have been signed. A kick-off meeting with the architects,
city representatives, staff, and some trustees was held
September 19th. The pre-design list was reviewed with some
items being
eliminated. Mr. Cavagnero expressed concerns that by placing
as many walls in the galleries as planned will make the
space feel more compressed and possibly uncomfortable for visitors.
The architects, staff and Gallagher will review and make
the necessary changes.
Trustee Christopher Curtis reported that work on the CCRC
is well under way. The roof sheeting is finished and
completion of the roof installation should occur by the end
of September.
Plumbers and electricians are also on the job. An additional
cost of $6,000 was incurred because steel pylons had
to be used instead of wood pylons. An effort is being made
to get
in-kind services for security at the building. Chair
Gyorfi thanked both trustees Curtis and Chamberlin for their
outstanding
work on this project.
7.
WOMEN’S BOARD REPORT – Deborah Roessler
Trustee Roessler reported volunteers will be working
at the warehouse several days in October and October
8th has been designated as a day for the public to drop
off donations. The Women’s Board awarded $19,795
to the Art Department for Enrique Martinez Celaya’s
Works on Paper exhibition and awarded the Marketing Department
$100,000 for advertising for fiscal year 2005/06.
The City of Oakland was granted an easement for a bike
path and the City has agreed to take care of the graffiti
on the warehouse building. The Women’s Board celebrated
its 50th anniversary with a luncheon at the museum with
founding members in attendance. Also, Councilmember Nancy
Nadel sent a proclamation noting that the Women’s
Board has raised over 11 million dollars for the museum.
8.GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT – Brian Washington
Progress has and is being made regarding the MOU with
some minor changes being made to the MOU. Trustees
Gyorfi and Shea met with City representatives in
August and there are a few issues to be worked out.
Chair Gyorfi thanked Mr. Washington for all the work
he put into developing the MOU and Ms. Shea for her
for advice on how to work within the system of the
City.
9. CAMPAIGN CABINET REPORT – Sheryl Wong
Trustee Wong distributed the minutes of the Campaign Cabinet’s
September 13th meeting. The committee will begin soliciting
trustees this month for Capital Campaign contributions.
Additional Capital Campaign information will be provided
at the off-sight conference.
10. DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE – Virginia
Furth
Trustee Furth reported a museum donor recently established a Charitable Remainder
Trust for about $700,000 with the museum as the sole beneficiary. Ms. Furth complimented
the museum’s well-written newsletter, @California, edited by Licia Wells
and also requested that trustees distribute the literature for the Baseball as
America exhibit.
11. GALA
COMMITTEE – Dale Block
Trustees Missy Nelson and Sheryl Wong are co-chairing the Gala along with Ms.
Block. The Gala will tie in with the Disney exhibit and the daughter of Disney,
Diane Disney Miller, has agreed to serve as an honorary chair and will loan some
of her memorabilia to be used in the exhibit. The Gala invitation will be designed
by Gordon Chun and through trustee Harold Jones the Port of Oakland will underwrite
the cost for the invitations.
As funds raised from the Gala are specifically
earmarked for educational programs, an effort
is being made to reach out to young people
and have them participate
in this event. The least expensive ticket is $300.00 with tables costing $3000,
$5000, $10,000, and $25,000. Tom Kalinske, CEO of LeapFrog, has agreed to write
a letter asking corporations to support the Gala by purchasing tables. Trustees
were asked to suggest the names of corporations that could possibly be a lead
sponsor at $50,000 or more.
12. NATURAL SCIENCES GALLERY PROTOTYPE – Mark
Medeiros
As renovation work will not be proceeding on the Natural Sciences Gallery this
year, Tom Steller suggested that prototype work be done for the gallery. Three
prototypes have been established to focus on three issues. One will focus on
the graphics being proposed for new gallery; another on the environmental issues;
and the third will work on field stations, developing specific prototype ideas
and pose questions to visitors. This prototype work will keep Natural Sciences
in the reinstallation process. Prototype work is estimated at $96,000 of which
salaries will about $46,000 and materials $50,000.
On motion duly made and seconded (Shea/Edwards)
the following motion was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that the funding for the prototype work
for the Natural Sciences Gallery at a cost
of $96,000 be approved. Measure G will be the
funding source.
13. AUDIENCE COMMITTEE REPORT – Anthony
Harris
The committee continues their work on developing an audience and trustee Deborah
Roessler has agreed to join the committee.
14. WHAT’S
GOING ON? EXHIBITION SURVEY – Barbara
Henry
Chief Curator of Education Barbara Henry gave a
presentation on the survey results for What’s
Going On? (WGO?) exhibition. Museum docents conducted
an exit survey of 110 visitors in order to get
an understanding of how the exhibit impacted visitors.
There was a 50/50 ratio of male and female participation
with 74% being over the age of fifty. Although
51% of participants said they usually seek information
through newspapers and 27% through the internet,
48% said they heard about WGO? by word of mouth.
Forty-five percent said they came to exhibit because
they lived through that era. The majority (59%)
spent one to two hours in the exhibit; 29% two
to three hours; and 5% more than three hours.
Forty-nine percent found that documentary artifacts
such as protest objects, posters, and photos
to be very compelling and 27% found the personal
artifacts,
i.e. refugee personal belongings, to be compelling.
Forty-five percent found exhibit techniques (films,
layout, videos, etc.) to be the most interesting
and 42% found specific topics (personal stories,
protests, etc.) to be the most interesting. Ninety-six
would recommend the WGO? exhibit to others for
such reasons as it is a good history lesson;
helps to teach young people; and very human
and moving.
After the presentation trustees discussed various
ways on improving the marketing strategies
for such ground breaking exhibitions as WGO?
Chair
Gyorfi thanked Ms. Henry for her presentation.
15. ADJOURNEMENT – Lance
Gyorfi
There being no further business Chair Gyorfi adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.
Brian
Washington
Secretary
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