AUBURN’S HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITES COMMISSION
Meeting minutes from June 24, 2003
Present: M. Alberici, T. Bridenbecker, J. McCormick, B. M. Lewis, P. Anderegg, M. Weitekamp, S. Craner, P. Wisbey, S. Marteney, J. Bryant, T. Hussey and J. Kline
Excused: M. Goodelle, M. Vanek, P. Johnson, E. McHugh and D. Lamb
Absent: D. Dempsey, C. Carter, and W. DeWitt
Chair M. Alberici called the meeting to order at 3:40PM. B. M. Lewis read the Commission’s mission & vision statements.
I. Approval of the Minutes
M. Alberici asked for approval of the May minutes. T. Bridenbecker made a motion to accept the minutes as submitted, seconded by J. McCormick. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Committee Reports
II. Resource & Development Committee
D. Lamb is installing the “Made in NY” show, no report.
III. Marketing Committee
As for leads from ads, J. Kline said during June 1 - 23 the Tourism Office responded to 2,206 inquiries; Better Homes & Gardens produced 976 leads, AAA produced 354, Internet 65, Midwest Living 255, Country Home 97, Ladies Home Journal 400, Traditional Home 36 and unidentified sources 23. The Marketing Committee is finishing up with the pedestrian signage. The prototype of the sign is ready and Sign Guys have been paid to create 6 vinyl maps that will be delivered to the City Public Works Department to be adhered to sign blanks and installed.
IV. Community Outreach Committee
S. Craner things are nearly done with the Commission display. Since the money has been received, the display will be delivered in the next 3-4 days. The photographs have been laminated and mounted, and there are plexi brochure holders with Velcro to display brochures. The only missing link is creating name placards for the sites and the Commission. M. Alberici asked if the display could be set up at the Summer Celebration event. J. Kline said she would help with that. P. Wisbey asked if the display could be set up at their Garden Party. Everyone thought that was a good idea. T. Bridenbecker offered to have the display set up at the Chamber while its not being used. Everyone agreed.
S. Craner said the National Main Street Institute’s session on, “The Business of Tourism,” in Washington, D.C. is no longer up on the website. She will keep a look out for it, but now that our budget has been cut there isn’t funds to pay for someone to attend.
Passport to History
E. McHugh was excused from the meeting. M. Alberici said she thought as far as prizes were concerned, the savings bonds did not generate as much excitement as the bikes. Even having the bike on display at the school could stimulate more interest. (But security would be a problem.) M. Alberici said, this year 13-15 students from each school visited all the sites, whereas last year it was only 3-4 students. P. Wisbey thought this year’s program’s longer timeframe helped increase attendance. M. Alberici said they were going to print passports to last approximately four more years out of this year’s budget. As an aside, fourth grade classes are getting bigger.
V. Quality Assurance Committee
Committee Chair W. DeWitt was absent, no report.
VI. Prison Museum Study Group
P. Wisbey said the group had not met but he had been in touch with Tom McCarthy, Auburn Correctional Facility Historian. P. Wisbey had scanned correctionshistory.com and thought the Auburn section could be added to. J. Kline asked whether Leadership Cayuga had finished generating a feasibility study on public reaction to the prison museum idea. P. Wisbey said he hadn’t seen it, although the program ended in May. J. Bryant said the Social Justice Task Force was also exploring the prison topic and they have coordinated a lecture series. Pat Schwartz is doing a segment on inmate poetry at the Cayuga Museum. T. Hussey said he saw the segment on the History Channel and it was very informative.
VII. Other Business
Common Threads
M. Alberici said the brochure is in its second round of edits and should be ready in mid July. It will be delivered the Schweinfurth. There are various speakers and programs scheduled and they are looking for additional venues to display quilts. T. Bridenbecker said if T. Hussey wanted, the Arts Council could show them at the Chamber during that time. T. Hussey thought that would work. T. Bridenbecker offered to include the Common Threads brochure in the Chamber’s October mailing. She would need 500 brochures by the second week in September. S. Craner she could also include the Common Threads events in their newsletter. S. Craner asked if a placemat was being done again, J. Kline said yes. Maybe the Auburn Family Restaurant would want to help subsidize the cost of printing since they use so many of them.
Retreat
J. Kline said we need a date for the Board retreat. The group thought that fall would work, either September or October. (Facilitator Barry Warren has since decided on October, and that site directors should definitely participate.) Depending on attendance, the retreat may have to be held someplace other than the Willard Chapel. Ideas included the Holiday Inn, Springside Inn, Knights of Columbus, Sunset, and Lasca’s. It was agreed that the Downtown Auburn BID, the Chamber of Commerce and the Office of Tourism should invite their Boards to participate, and that lunch should be included. P. Wisbey anticipated four of his Board members taking part. J. Kline said one option could be to have the retreat in lieu of the monthly meeting. J. Kline said she would e-mail the other site directors for feedback on topics to be
covered during the Board retreat. S. Marteney said Elaine Buffington of Fagliarone Group came to the CCCVB meeting and discussed Board responsibilities, and it was very informative, and Barbara Bowen also does a Board development workshop if we wanted to add that in. Reminder the Commission retreat will be held September 22nd from 10AM – 3PM at the Willard Memorial Chapel.
Budget
M. Alberici said unfortunately the Commission’s budget was cut $25,000. J. Kline circulated copies of the ’03-’04 budget draft. Many things had to be cut obviously, including the Summer History Corps program. M. Alberici said John Salomone thought he might have someone to sponsor the program, but it fell through. J. Kline paid as many invoices for upcoming expenses as was financially possible. These included the passport reprinting, some of the fall print advertisements, the facilitator’s cost to host both retreats, etc. Approximately $200 was left at the end of June. J. Kline is still waiting for the month end report. J. Kline said the advertising schedule was revamped and ads that weren’t producing a large number of inquiries were cut. These included the I Love NY Travel Guide, Buffalo News
and others. Plus, we will not be able to explore new opportunities to advertise, such as the Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Directory. J. Kline said we also needed to find finances to pay for another reprint of the brochure. Ten cases of the first run were picked up from City Hall and there are about a dozen cases left from the second run at the Schweinfurth, which should last us through the year. We will need to reprint the brochure in early spring. S. Craner made a motion to accept the draft of the ’03-’04 budget as submitted, seconded by T. Bridenbecker. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Other Business
P. Wisbey distributed copies of the latest Seward House newsletter. He said they have been developing curriculum materials for elementary and middle school students using primary documents and photos. The materials were created to fulfill NYS Learning Standards. They also received a grant from the Snow Foundation to create themed pre- and post- site visit materials. T. Bridenbecker said the Chamber is hosting a Business Before 8AM this Friday at O’Hara Farms on Chamberlain Road. They will have a continental breakfast and wagon rides. S. Craner said sales have been great for the downtown Auburn posters ($8) and postcards (.50). Their stock of 200 is almost gone. P. Anderegg said Malcolm Goodelle is very ill. He had complications with his spleen that led to coronary issues, but he is recovering. J. Kline said P.
Johnson was having problems with her arthritis and couldn’t make the meeting.
With no other business to discuss S. Craner made a motion to adjourn, seconded by P. Anderegg. All were in favor and the motion carried. The Commission adjourned at 4:55PM.
The next Commission meeting is Tuesday, August 26th
at 3:30PM, 3rd floor meeting room in City Hall.
Please call the Office of Tourism (255-1658) if you cannot attend the meeting.
Recorded by Jesse Kline
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