The Lower Merion Historical Society
Executive BoardMeeting
January 21, 2010
The Lower Merion Academy
Present:
Absent: Andrew Amsterdam, Max Buten, Barbara McElroy, Dennis Montagna
The Minutes of the November 10, 2009 executive board meeting were unanimously approved as written.
Announcements:
Lower Merion Academy Trustees change in leadership:
Mike Weilbacher, Executive Director of Lower Merion Conservancy for over 10 years, has given notice of his resignation.
TreasurerÕs Report Ð Jack Hagner
Copies of the 2009 Financial Statement and budget were disseminated and reviewed by the board. Net assets came to $163,201, with sales tax paid.
Cynwyd Train Station Update Ð Jerry Francis
Subcontractor work has been delayed because of the holidays, inclement weather, and scheduling with other jobs.
A meeting with Township Manager Doug Cleland was arranged with Jerry, Sarah, and Ned Stumpo on Tuesday, January 26th to discuss who will be responsible to utility charges at the station going forward, and to urge the Township to follow up with SEPTA regarding the sewer work they had committed to complete.
A review of the budget will be sent out by Broadlands this week: according to the report, we the project is 83.2% complete.
Ned Stumpo has committed to remaining within the $190,000 budget to complete the first phase. He has agreed to personally absorb any overages.
Leon Levine inquired about the estimated date of occupancy: while it all depends on SEPTA, we are hoping to get the caretaker moved in the second floor around April of 2010. First floor occupancy may not occur until next year.
Sarah reported her work with Shift Space Design LLC, a design firm that had committed to donating their services in the design of a rainwater harvesting system for the train station. She had met with their architects and had given them a tour Ð a scope of the proposed work is expected by next week.
Cynwyd Heritage Trail Update Ð Sarah Francis
We had over 200 volunteers on the Trail over the course of MLK weekend: photos and updates have been posted to the cynwydheritagetrail.com
The study committee had their last meeting January 8th to discuss the latest design concepts. The next, and last community design meeting is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, January 26th, at 6:30 pm at the West Laurel Hill Conservatory. Major discussion topics include: different potential activities to have on trail; trail width in different sections, and paving materials (gravel, asphalt, pervious); the possibility of running a 1/2 mile section of the trail between Barmouth Station and the Connelly site closer to the creek, thus incorporating the Westminster Cemetery area into the park; designing to avoid conflicts between high speed users (bikers) and low speed users (walkers). The design schemes propose various solutions including constructing two equal sized paths separated by a planted median. The planted median would separate activities and also capture stormwater; looking at 3 potential locations for a dog park. The first location is by the entrance to the Barmouth Parking lot, the second location is between the trail and Bala Cynwyd Park (a long run between the tennis courts and the trail) and the third location is in the Connelly site. Each of the sites has its own advantages and each site will require more evaluation before a final site is selected.
Ongoing discussions on how to promote and integrate the historical aspects of the trail Ð main component of Preserve America
Discussion on re-staking the perimeter of CleggÕs Mill, possibly using GPS locators.
Station Capital Campaign Ð Steve Selinger
Steve presented campaign timeline. We can start scheduling tours and events before completion to rely message and show urgency.
Steve starting to engage civic association contacts.
John Maki will be providing a sample draft of the campaign brochure in about 2 weeks.
Annual meeting will be used as fundraiser Ð Cynwyd Club as possible venue. Bruce will follow up with Club as an entrŽe to research possible dates. Ross will be head of meeting organization sub-committee, along with Joanne and Sarah. Fundraising goal for event is $10,000.
Education Ð Ted Goldsborough
Ted presented the list of 2009 lectures and events. We now coordinate tours with individual schools, so we are now only doing bus tours with Gladwyne and Belmont Hills. The intergenerational interviews are now organized by the school district.
Library Ð Jerry Francis
Jerry gave an update on LMHSÕ new exhibit at Academy with Milestone and Skull and Heap map. We moved the flat files and the Hexamer drawings from File Room into the General Reference Room, so that all maps and atlases are in one room. New shelving is planned for the File Room.
Website Ð Jerry Francis
In 2009, we had 125,041 visitors to our website. The Reference Section is still being maintained by Rod Keller. The Buildings Section is being maintained and updated by Max and Ted. Currently, this collection includes 3,751 photos of 1,141 buildings with another 2,127 to be added. The Cynwydheritagetrail.com was launched in August 2009, but stats only started being tracked in November. The site is averaging about 30-40 unique visitors a day. This site is being maintained and updated by Sarah.
Membership Ð Denise Francis
2010 Membership Renewal letters were sent out on January 15th. There were 187 Not Paid, 5 Pre-Paid, 25 Life, and 68 Complimentary for a total of 285 members.
Public Relations Ð Sarah Francis
The Cynwyd Train Station was featured in the January 2010 issue of Main Line Today, as well as the LM ConservancyÕs Landmark newsletter.
Sarah and Jerry have signed a contract with Arcadia Publishers to put together a postcard book Lower Merion and Narberth, with all royalties going toward the capital campaign. We will receive 8% royalties through Arcadia and 50% profit from selling through our own gift shop.
Sarah, Jerry and Andy Amsterdam are currently writing a scope of work and contract for the self-publishing of an illustrated historicalatlas based on the 1913 atlas.
Jody Marcell, Kathleen Abplanalp, and Andy Amsterdam are discussing the possibility of using the LMHSÕ La Ronda collection to publish a coffee table book on La Ronda, with some of the royalties going toward LMHS.
Upgrade to HVAC Ð board agreed to proceed with what was approved in June 2009 board meeting.
New Business Ð
á Jerry appointed the Budget Committee comprised of Jack Hagner and Jerry Francis.
á The Financial Review Committee would be Phil Bagley and Ann Bagley.
á The Nominating Committee, to select Directors, would be Ted Goldsborough, Jerry Francis and Ross Mitchell. The slate will be announced at the Annual Meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 9:07 pm.
The next meeting will be at our Annual meeting in April 2010 Ð date and location to be determined.
Minutes submitted by Sarah E. Francis.