HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistorical Commission 03-20-19
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
March 20, 2019
The voting meeting was called to order by Stephanie Miner at the Alexander Blue
House at 6:35 PM.
Present: Deanna Brown, Carrie Budzinski, Nancy Frye, Lindsey Hakala, Barbara
Mansfield, Stephanie Miner, Sandi Pritchard.
Other Attendees: Emily Tchorz.
I. Review and approval of minutes: Nancy Frye, Secretary
January 16, 2019 Voting and February 20, 2019 Non-voting minutes reviewed. 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 February 2019 report was presented.
Hinbern sales ($305.89), Church rentals ($500), Meeting House rentals ($1220), Hill
House rentals ($300), Donations ($425), Valentine Tea ($344), Happily Ever After
Tickets for LHPC ($540.00). Total income: $3094.89. Wedding supervisors ($50),
Meeting House supervisors ($60), merchandise ($191.21), supplies ($56.09) and food
for Valentine Tea ($941.50) Total expenses: $1298.79. Net profit: $1796.10.
Motion 03-01 made by Nancy Frye and seconded by Deanna Brown to approve the
2018-19 General Expenses. This increased the advances for teas, etc. from $1000 to
$1200 per event.
III. Reports: Commissioners reports of activities, building reviews, participation:
Chairman's report (Stephanie Miner)
a. Welcome to Lindsey Hakala, our newest commissioner. The commission is
now filled.
b. Asked about building evaluations. Because of weather issues, none done yet.
Carrie Budzinski:
a. Attended State of the City.
b. Asked the Civic center library to include Greenmead as a bonus destination for
their summer reading program. The library was also open to doing story times at
Greenmead during the week.
Mary Cambridge:
a. The history/caretaker's cottage is almost organized and it was cleaned by
probationers. Farmhand’s house basement is done. Probationers will clean the
house. Shaw house is done. Kingsley upstairs is done. Working on Kingsley
basement. Bungalow is done. Geer store was straightened up. School is
done. DUR is done. Hill House is organized. Carriage house is almost done.
Hinbern-- working in basement. Print shop--books organized, photos and papers
to go through still. Wedding room on second floor of Blue house is organized.
Took pictures of things stored in completed houses and made a list of all the
collections in them.
b. Continuing to sort, clean, sell, and price jewelry for the Jewelry Sale.
Nancy Frye:
a. Creating a slide show for two presentations on Greenmead in April—NARFE
and Livonia Towne Club. Can be used in future.
b. Attended the State of the City.
c. Started gathering other local museum information. Invited and attended
established local area museum group meeting hosted by Westland.
-Local museum group formed by Flat Rock who joined the American
Association of State and Local History, StEPs program. Share progress,
solutions to problems, etc. Uses CMU Campfire "website" to stay
connected. Meets first Thursday of the month at 7 pm, location rotated
among museums. Also in attendance were Wayne, Flat Rock, and Dearborn.
-Various fundraising and events they had done or were planning on doing were
discussed. Also, Grant sourcing was discussed. All use EventBrite to advertise
and sell tickets and highly recommended this free service. Cost of ticket sales
(minor) usually passed on to purchaser. All got people from further away than
normal. Most used Square for purchase in their gift shops.
-Westland has flow chart to help decide to access something or not.
-Flat Rock rep knew preservation methods for items to include wood.
-Flat Rock did a Facebook query and found most people wanted the
museum open on Saturday instead of Sundays. When they did that,
attendance tripled. Most were doing admission by donations and felt this
had upped their income. I told them we had the same results.
-Flat Rock was looking for brass chandeliers. I advised the group we had
excess school desks, church pews, candlesticks, and radiators. Plus, a lot
more to be determined. Sounds like they all had excess stuff too and
were getting smarter at thinning their acquisitions out.
-Best offer of the night—Westland based Great Lakes Ghost Hunters of
Michigan would love to do a fundraiser with us. $1600 in profit. We both
advertise and they get fans from all over SE MI. $40 tickets, 40 people.
Go to 4 sites on the grounds. Have time in October this year. All they
want is to come out earlier and find our "ghostliest" sites. Could also
repeat in different houses in future.
-Next meeting is at Wayne on April 4 at 7 PM. Nancy Frye and Stephanie Miner
plan to attend.
IV. Greenmead Supervisor report: Emily Tchorz
a. Maintenance Update:
1. Greenhouse. Total cost to repair is $103,324.80. Break down:
$57,626.40 for greenhouse. Carriage house work $20,820. Additional work to
clean out greenhouse, extend flooring, add gutter on west side, replace all siding
on west side of carriage house, repair and refinish two doors, repaint west side,
install H channel is $24,818.40. City Council to approve on Monday and work
should start soon after. Motion 03-2: Barbara Mansfield made the motion and
Sandi Pritchard seconded it to fund the additional work. Approved unanimously.
Friends of Greenmead want to do opening ceremony at Garden Walk. Danny
Budzinski will take photos of the greenhouse before and after the restoration.
2. The Livonia Community Foundation awarded us a Grant to repair the
stained-glass windows in the church. The amount of the grant is forthcoming.
Emily Tchorz is researching costs of the work. Scheduling of the work will be
deconflicted with weddings, probably in January/February. LCF acceptance
ceremony is April 11, 2019.
3. Bungalow window—has handyman lined up to repair, awaiting quote.
He may also work on the DUR door.
4. South Barn roof purchase order is in. Waiting for weather to start work.
5. Hinbern carpet cleaning -- scheduled for May. (2019 motion 01-01).
6. Newspaper scanning progress – Phase 1 complete, all that fits on
current scanner. Phase 2—researching equipment to do larger pieces in work.
7. Annual window cleaning: Motion 03-3: Barbara Mansfield made the
motion and Lindsey Hakala seconded it to request bids from "I Know a Guy" to
clean the windows at a cost of no more than $1500. The windows to be done, in
and outside, are all tour buildings in the village. Work to be done before tour
season. We will not have the barriers inside the houses done. A separate bid,
not to exceed $1500 will be requested to do the windows at Hill House (in and
out, storms included) prior to the Greenhouse opening after reconstruction.
Tentatively late May or early June. Motion approved unanimously.
8. Building cleaning—Motion 03-4. Barbara Mansfield made the motion
and Deanna Brown seconded it to contract with Top to Bottom to clean Shaw
and Kingsley first floors and both floors of the Bungalow before tours start. Costs
should not exceed $1500. A second bid, not to exceed $1500 will be requested
to clean both floors of Hill house prior to the Greenhouse opening after
reconstruction. Motion approved. Decided to have probationers/volunteers to
clean school and church. Questers are planning on cleaning the Geer Store.
Motion approved unanimously.
9. Additional maintenance needs
a. City inspectors will come out shortly to report on Bungalow and
HInbern roof, so the work can be prioritized as it will be expensive.
b. Contacted Jerry the Handyman to replace rotten Kingsley porch
boards.
c. Supervisor will look at Church railing to see if work needed.
d. Boy Scout Projects, Devon contacted us. He will plant the
roadside signs where we designate when weather improves and
repaint meeting house porch.
e. Contacted the Glass Doctor to evaluate window repair in History
house, Kingsley, Print shop.
f. Contacted Ken Brock about North Barn door.
g. Met with AM Rotary representative. They may be interested in
funding the replacement of the 8 Mile and Newburg Greenmead sign.
h. Since Kingsley upstairs is now cleaned, suggest a sewing and
textile exhibit. We have a volunteer who is a part of a sewing
group that may be able to look at the the loom. Demonstrations
maybe. Floors upstairs need refinishing.
i. ABH rear railing needs work. Supervisor will research.
j. Maureen Casey suggested using the Metro Times for publicity.
Commission discussed and felt it wouldn't hit our target audience.
b. Rental Income to Date (2019 FY):
Church: $3,960.
Meeting House: $910.
c. Nankin Mills School House update: No final inspection yet, so holding last
payment ($12K) until Mr. Hanna says all is in good order. Waiting on contractor.
d. Budget Status of the Trust Fund: $137,954.66 is available. This excludes
$56,757.91 held in a restoration account and $18,007.87 in the trust being held for the
Greenhouse work. Preservation funds held in the Trust: $4,301.90. We still have
$9203.86 in city funds left this year.
V. Review of Events & Planning for Future Events:
a. Happily Ever After, March 7, 2019: did not sold out. Preservation event.
b. Livonia Historical Society, March 18, 2019: Michigan Shadowtowns Revisited.
May—Detroit river and maritime traffic.
c. New Volunteer Orientation, April 2, 2019
i. Carrie Budzinski contacted CAPA at Churchill to invite students.
ii. We need to get publicity out on Nextdoor and Facebook.
iii. Barbara Mansfield to contact Bill Joyner to get it in the Musings.
iv. Nancy Frye will contact Mike Marihugh to publicize it at Madonna.
d. Previously Enjoyed Jewelry Sale, April 27, 2019: set up is Friday at 10 am,
sale starts at 10 am on Saturday.
e. Volunteer kick-off date. TBD Tuesday in May. Emily Tchorz to look at
calendar and offer date. Pizza and salad for refreshments.
VI. Additional Business & Action Items:
a. Motion 03-5: Sandi Pritchard moved and Carrie Budzinski seconded a motion
to buy and install a solar flag light for the flagpole, not to exceed $75. Lindsey
Hakala will purchase and install. Motion passed unanimously. Barbara
Mansfield will talk to Historical Society as she thinks there is a warranty on the
flag itself when it needs replacing.
b. Motion 03-6: Barbara Mansfield made the motion and Deanna Brown
seconded it to purchase 20 outside "Mud Rugs" for our building entrances.
Purchase not to exceed $300. Motion passed unanimously. Nancy Frye to
purchase rugs.
c. Discussion on using EventBrite to electronically sell tickets to our events.
Carrie Budzinski will write up an explanation of company to present to the city.
d. Discussion was held on the potential for doing Saturday vs. Sunday Tours.
While a good idea, there will be roadblocks with weddings and other bookings. Further
discussion needed.
e. Nancy Frye suggested looking at Michigan Labor Company for small jobs.
f. Nancy Frye has a potential volunteer (software engineer) interested in
helping us with our social media. Carrie Budzinski is also interested working this.
g. The washer is hooked up.
The next official, non-voting meeting will be Wednesday April 17, 2019.
Adjournment: Motion 03-7: Deanna Brown made the motion to adjourn the meeting and
Lindsey Hakala seconded it. Approved unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at
8:37.
Respectively submitted,
Nancy Frye