Minutes of the 11 February 2009 Meeting
of
The Fort Smith Historical Society 

 The Ft. Smith Historical Society met on Feb. 11, 2009, at 5:00 PM at the main library.  Those attending were Al Whitson, Clara Jane Rubarth, Jerry Akins, Nancy and Jimmy Ciulla, Elvin Frick, Joe Wasson, Rena Westbrook, J.P.Chancey, Bill Kirk, Jo Ann Campbell, Jerry & Wincie Hendricks, and Chloe Lamon.

The meeting was called to order by the president, Clara Jane Rubarth. 

Wincie Hendricks gave the membership report.  Our membership total is now 362.  She reported on a meeting between FSHS committee, and Ben Boulden and Leisa Gramlich at the Fort Smith Museum of History to work out a joint membership proposal to submit to the respective Boards of the Fort Smith Historical Society and the Fort Smith Museum of History.

The proposal is as follows: "Starting January 1, 2009, any individual annual membership costing $100.00 or more will be considered a Joint Membership and will include both benefits from Fort Smith Museum of History consisting of unlimited admission for 2 specified adults and immediate family members - Newsletters - invitations to 2 annual membership events plus gallery openings, and programs – along with a 10% discount in the FSMOH Gift Shop and will entitle the member to 2 subscriptions to the Journal of the Fort Smith Historical Society published in April and September.

The maximum shared amount of such a Joint Membership will be $100 and will be split on a 60/40 basis with the organization that recruited the member and sells the membership receiving $60 and the benefiting organization receiving $40. This is considered a trial program and will be reviewed annually by both organizations to determine its viability and to make any necessary adjustments to the program.”

Each organization would report monthly by email the number of memberships received and keep a tally, then settle up the accounts quarterly, to keep bookkeeping at a minimum.  Each organization will contact each other prior to contacting or sending out information concerning the Joint membership."

If someone has already paid their dues, and wants a joint membership, they would just have to pay the difference.  Or, someone can still join just the FSHS, and not the museum if they choose.  Lifetime members would have to join the museum on their own. A motion to accept the joint membership proposal was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.

Al presented a statement outlining the Mission, Values, and Vision of the Fort Smith Historical Society.  A motion to accept the proposal was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.

Nancy gave the Budget report.  We had a net income of $2,378.20 in 2008.

She reported that there had been several donations in memory of Carole Barger's daughter who was killed in a car wreck last month.  Also, there were several other memorials.  Nancy showed us the new, first ever, Historical Society Budget.  We have never had a budget before, and needed one to be drawn up since they are required when someone applies for a grant.  A move to accept the Treasuers Report and the Budget Report was made, seconded, and passed unanimously. 

Carole was sick, so she e-mailed Joe the report on the progress of the Journal.  All things are set - we do need someone to do the 100 year news.  Wincie voluteered to do it.  Joe read a list of Oral History Project Grants and Donations, Memorials, Donations, Honorariums, and In-Kind Donations.  Also, added to the list were grant requests that were not funded.  And, he read a card from Carole and Floyd thanking the Society for the peace lily.

Clara Jane reported on the relationship between the editorial board and the students at UAFS in the writing department.  Interns have been helping Carole put things together.  These are students who will do this for a career.  They are supervised by professionals on campus and receive no pay. Clara Jane will be the liason.  They will get college credit.  This process could be used in production of the Journal time after time.  The interns names will be in the Journal.  The Journals will come out March 31.

The next executive committee meeting will be at the library on March 11, and the next quarterly meeting will be April 16th.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by the president.

Respectfully submitted,
Chloe Lamon, Recording Secretary