The meeting was called to order by Billy Higgins, president.
Barger made a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Akins. Minutes were approved.
Swafford presented the treasurer's report. Motion to approve the
treasurer's report was made by Akins, seconded by Davis, and the report was approved. Swafford asked for a discussion at the next meeting of the CD due on October 22, 2005, which will be rolled over. She suggested that we include the current Life Membership money received into the CD.
Davis mentioned the success the Boy Scouts have had in requesting people to include the Scouts in their wills, and suggested the Fort Smith Historical Society might work at this.
J.P. Chancey reported on the committee meeting to revise the Constitution
and By Laws. Raney discussed the suggested revisions and asked for
comment and recommendations. Among items discussed were term of board members and absentee board members. . We need to discuss the uneven distribution of terms on the Board, and develop a plan to remedy that situation.
Chancey asked for a meeting the last week in September for the one agenda item, and that is to study and vote on recommended changes to the Constitution and By Laws. The By Laws committee will meet a week before that to have everything well organized. At the meeting October 19th,
we would not want this item to be on the agenda, thus giving more time for other committees and actions. We would like to schedule the October
meeting at 2:00 pm in the Darby Room of the Fort Smith Museum of History.
A special called meeting of the whole membership of the Society in November would be specifically to vote to accept these changes to the Constitution and By Laws.. This meeting needs to be announced in the September 2005 issue of the Journal. The meeting will be in the library at 6:00 p.m. to allow more members to attend and to approve the changes. This approval would allow us to act upon the changes as necessary before the April 2006 meeting of the Society. It was agreed that this was an opportunity to get our Society much more active, more visible, and thus be worth more to the community.
Barger reported on the SOS photo contest and asked for volunteers to photograph sculpture in various locations around town. It was decided to set the closing date for the contest at January 31, 2006. It was agreed to
add a youth division to the contest. Bedford's Camera and Video will offer
prizes to youth winners as well as those in the adult division.
Higgins had to leave the meeting early so asked for Swafford to act at
chairman of the meeting in his absence.
Davis asked for recommendations for organizations to include in the membership of an alliance of historical organizations in Fort Smith. Those that might be interested and who might contribute to the alliance in some manner were listed. The alliance would promote the history of Fort Smith.
Akins reported that there is grant money available to organizations which participate in the Fort Smith Frontier Fest. It was agreed that we should take advantage of that opportunity, and be sure that the Historical Society is included in the Fest activities.
Wasson reported on progress with the September 2005 Journal. He will be able to start setting the pages up in Quark on Friday, and complete this work in time to get the Journal to the printer by August 15th.
There being no more business Swafford adjourned the meeting at 3:00
p.m.
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Billy Higgins, President
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Carole Barger, Acting Secretary
Gallery