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Oakland
Museum Of California Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Regular
APRIL 27, 2006
NATURAL SCIENCES SIDE BAY
4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Trustees
Dale Block, Susan Chamberlin, Matthew Cox, Christopher Curtis,
Rich Edwards, Lori Fogarty, Virginia Furth, Lance Gyorfi, Anthony
Harris, Melvin Harrison, Daryl Lillie, Judith McKee, Marianne
Robison, Deborah Roessler, Katherine McKenney Shea, Sandra Wolfe,
and Sheryl Wong
Trustees
Excused:
William Chiasson, Richard DeAtley, Harold Jones, Jacqueline
Kane, John McDonald, Christopher McLain, Missy Nelson, Phyllis
Pfeiffer, Margaret Russell, Timothy Silva, Brian Washington,
and Penelope Wong
Staff
Present:
Dorothy Hood and Mark Medeiros
Volunteers
Present:
Marilyn Couch, Mary Reynolds, Jean Levin, and Helen Tryon
Guests
Present:
Linda Crittondon
1.
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS – Lance Gyorfi
Chair Gyorfi called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Lance Gyorfi
After a quorum was established, corrections to the March 23,
2006 minutes were made under Section 10, Nominating Committee
Report. Second paragraph, first and second sentences were changed
to read, “Ms. Lillie said the committee is working on
updating the board manual and all trustees will be sent a copy
of their background information currently available in
the packet. Trustees will be asked to review and update any information
as appropriate.”
On a motion duly made and seconded (Harris/Wong), the following
resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that the minutes of the March 23, 2006 Board of
Trustees meeting are approved as corrected.
3.
CHAIR’S REPORT – Lance Gyorfi
Chair Gyorfi said work on the MOU has been reactivated and a
new City Attorney has been assigned to complete the task. The
MOU has a minor boilerplate language that needs to be finalized.
Trustees Katherine Shea and Margaret Russell are working with
Mr. Gyorfi to follow up with the City Attorney on this.
Chair Gyorfi advised that he had requested a review of our
D&O
insurance for premium and coverage to protect trustees and the
foundation’s insurance broker has been asked to increase
D&O insurance from $5 million to $10 million. The new increased
coverage has a slightly lower premium but retains the same provisions
of “prior acts” etc. along with the increased liability
coverage.
Mr. Gyorfi met with Bruce Beasley to review some of the preliminaries
regarding Mr. Beasley’s Charitable Remainder Trust. It
appears there will be enough funds to support level 1 (maintain
facilities), level 2 (curatorial exhibitions and programs), and
possibly level 3 (education programs).
4.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT – Lori Fogarty
Executive Director Lori Fogarty reported that the Board of the California Cultural
and Historical Endowment has approved the grant awarded to the Oakland Museum.
The license agreement between the City and Foundation, required for final release
of the funds, has been completed and will be presented to the City Council for
approval. Also, Ms. Fogarty appeared before the Landmarks Commission where approval
was given for the rehabilitation of the museum galleries. The Aftershock earthquake
exhibit has received very good press coverage and has drawn in approximately
10,000 visitors. The Disney exhibit, which opens Saturday, May 6, 2006, is almost
completely installed.
Ms. Fogarty said the museum is up for accreditation
very soon and museum staff must do an intensive
self-study. Usually museums are reviewed for accreditation
every ten years; however the Oakland Museum is having a 5 year re-accreditation
because the museum did not have a suitable Collection Center at its last review.
Ms. Fogarty reviewed the previously distributed proposed Strategic Planning
process
composed by Senior Staff at their retreat. The plan consists of several components
including mission and vision statements, goal areas, and processes for applying
the plan to the ongoing work of the Museum. The goals are aligned with the
accreditation process. It is hoped the Strategic
Plan will be used to tie into the annual planning
and be completed by the fall. Trustees were encouraged to give their feedback
on the planning process.
The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
has awarded a grant to the museum which is to be
used for diversity training. The first project
that
will
be funded from this grant will be the special presentation entitled “Diversity
and Institutional Change,” a panel discussion with Bonnie Pitman and Julie
Johnson. Also an Innovation Team consisting of museum staff from various departments,
and facilitated by Roberto Vargas, have been holding meetings to determine various
ways the museum can become more diversified. An OMCA Diversity Statement composed
by the Innovation Team was presented to the Board of Trustees for its endorsement.
On a motion duly made and seconded (Furth/Edwards),
the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that the Oakland Museum of California Foundation
Board of Trustees unanimously support the OMCA
Diversity Statement and 3-Point Strategy.
The Diversity Statement will be interwoven into the
Strategic Plan. The Foundation’s
endorsement of the statement means that it also applies to the composition of
Board of Trustees members.
Senior Staff have established a process regarding exhibition
planning and evaluation. The goal is to have a
balance of programming during
the course
of each year
with more historic and contemporary exhibitions, or some more popular
programming balanced with scholarly exhibitions. Curators will present
exhibition ideas
at
monthly staff meetings. If there is support for an exhibit, the next
steps will be to discuss it with the preparation staff and registrars,
and then
presented to the Audience Development Committee as part of the review
of overall exhibition
planning and attendance assumptions.
Also, Gallagher and Associates are ready to move forward
with the Art Gallery plans and will have the History
Gallery plans in the
next few
months. On
Friday, May 12th consultants will meet with staff to review the
plans and look at the
use of space, technology, language, and usage.
Ms. Fogarty reported that Harvey Jones, Senior Curator
of Art is recovering from a heart attack and surgery
and is now out of the
hospital. Mr.
Jones will be
sent flowers on behalf of the Board of Trustees.
5.
WOMEN’S
BOARD REPORT – Deborah Roessler
Trustee Roessler reported the Women’s Board elected new officers.
At last the Women’s Board meeting a discussion was held on how to improve
the White Elephant Sale and a panel was appointed to review the suggestions.
Volunteers will be working at the warehouse on May 16, 17, 18, and 19 and donations
will be accepted beginning June 17, 2006.
6.
CAMPAIGN CABINET REPORT – Sheryl Wong
Trustee Wong said she met with Lori Fogarty, Lynne
Heinrich, Catherine Millar, and Linda Larkin and discussed
the direction of the Capital Campaign. Ms. Wong met with
trustees Edwards and McKee who are working on the solicitation
of individual donors; and met with Jerry Daviee and Lori
Fogarty to discuss the various foundations. Ms. Wong
is also working on scheduling a meeting with the Corporate
Cabinet.
The Campaign Cabinet agreed to retain the services of
Lynne Heinrich of Marts and Lundy as Campaign Counsel.
Ms. Heinrich was very helpful during the absence of
an executive director and a development director. Ms. Wong
asked that Ms. Heinrich contract be renewed.
On a motion duly made and seconded (Curtis/McKee),
the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, that the Oakland Museum of California Foundation
Board of Trustees unanimously approves the renewing
of the contract with Lynne Heinrich, of Marts and
Lundy, who will provide fundraising counsel. The
fee for this
service will be a $1,450 monthly retainer and $2,600
per day for onsite visits. Total contract costs
should not exceed $75,000. Either party may terminate the
contract
with a thirty day written notice.
Chair Gyorfi thanked Ms. Wong for becoming the
official Chair of the Capital Campaign. He also
announced
that trustee Susan Chamberlin and her husband
Steve have
pledged $500,000 to the Capital Campaign. Mr.
Gyorfi thanked
the Chamberlins for their generous support. The
Development Committee will review board goals
and members who
have not been contacted will be contacted by
Mr. Gyorfi
with the intent that all Board solicitations
for the Capital
Campaign will be completed by the end of June.
7. DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE REPORT – Virginia Furth
Trustee Furth said the Development staff reported
at the end of the fiscal year the department will have reached about
98% of projected budget; an additional $56,000 will put them on target.
Ms. Furth encouraged members who have not given their board gifts
to do so before the end of the fiscal year. Ms Furth emphasized the
importance of the participation of 100% members. She also asked that
members write notes to friends and acquaintances asking for contributions
to the campaign. The Development staff is working on upgrading membership
levels, i.e. update from Patron at $500 to Donor Forum at $1,000. 8. GALA REPORT – Dale Block,
Missy Nelson, Sheryl Wong
Trustee Block said the Gala is sold out with 650 people
expected to attend. Both the attendance goal and gross
income goal of $320,000 were surpassed. Pixar is one
of the lead sponsors who purchased a table for $25,000.
Diane Disney Miller purchased an additional table and
also made a $50,000 contribution. The Port of Oakland
paid for the printing of the invitations and Gala programs
and Ms. Block acknowledged their important assistance.
The Development staff, Linda Larkin, Lauren Adams, and
Nicole Leventhal have been very responsive to the Gala
Committee’s needs. Membership Manager Ann Eisenberg
has created special Gala boxes with enclosed museum memberships.
There will be a raffle for three trips, plus free Southwest
Airlines tickets. Ms. Block also thanked the guilds,
councils, and Women’s Board for purchasing tables.
A list of trustees at various Bay Area private foundations,
who are considered as some of the top prospects for
the museum’s capital campaign, was distributed to members.
Members were asked to identify and make notes about the
people they knew and what the relationship was.
9. RENOVATION OVERSIGHT REPORT – Lance
Gyorfi
Trustee Chris Curtis, along with Susan Chamberlin and Mel Harrison,
have been very instrumental in moving the CCRC project at 450 Lancaster
Street towards completion. Trustees Curtis and Harrison have met
with city representatives to encourage them to purchase the building
and the City’s Finance Committee agreed that the City will
purchase the building. At the first Circle of Judgment meeting
the consensus was that Phase II may be the last step and there
may be no Phase III.
Chair Gyorfi reviewed the CCRC Overall Project Summary and
the Capital Campaign Project 3 reports and noted about
$ 4.0 million
of Measure G funds was spent on the CCRC. The city is to be paid
$1.2 million for its role as City Project Management, as no money
from Measure G funds can be spent on city employees so the $1.2
million has to come from privately raised funds. City staff has
been very good and the city Project Manager Jeanne Zastera has
been very responsive.
10. NOMINATING
COMMITTEE REPORT – Daryl Lillie
No report. 11. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT – Rich Edwards
Trustee Edwards reported that operations have generated
a surplus for the third month in a row. As of the end
of March, visitors to the museum totaled 135,830, which
is 32% ahead of last year and puts the year-end goal
of 160,000 visitors on target or surpassing target.
However, the current projection indicates there will
still be a year-end deficit of about $9,000. During
this budget cycle the budget will be reviewed on a
monthly basis. Executive Director Lori Fogarty and
staff will review earned income policy issues and make
recommendations as to whether the museum should run
the store or restaurant.
A special thank you was given to trustee Timothy Silva
regarding his willingness to discuss how the $25,000
contributed by Wells Fargo Bank could be spent. Mr. Edwards acknowledged
Licia Wells and Development staff for the excellent job
in producing the Annual Report.
12.OTHER
Members were invited to attend, after this meeting, the opening exhibition of
the 100 Families exhibition at the African American Museum and Library. The exhibit
will be shown at the Oakland Museum in January 2007.
13.
ADJOURNEMENT – Lance
Gyorfi
There
being no further business
Chair Gyorfi adjourned the
meeting
at 5:55 p.m.
Christopher
McLain
Secretary |
