Month: November 2013

Commissioners Meeting Minutes

November 11, 2013

8:00 pm

Academy Office

 

Present: Michael Acierno, Katherine Farquhar, Sue Daley, Susan Johnson, Sandy Heiler, Andrea Scanlon, Diane Teague

October minutes: Approved

 

Fundraiser Dinner update: Madison Supper Final gross was approximately $37,000.00 including proceeds from silent auction and 2.3% fee for credit cards. The net proceeds are approximately $11,167 and there are some payments still due from a few. Some need to collect their auction items.  Estimates are that 1110 volunteer hours can be used to match for grants.  Need to give hours to Michael Yesenko.  These funds are discretionary and not subject to grant constraints.

 

2014 Bicentennial Commission Assistant Position: There isn’t much to do now that Madison supper is over. Once the letters are out the event coordinator and publicity person will be handling the reunion, other events and most of the duties of the assistant. The current salary is too much for what is being done and could be spent on the consultants. 

Discussion:  The assistant could be kept for intermittent, as needed projects and paid hourly. Many areas in town need to be cleaned up, weeded, mowed etc. before the events next summer.  Assistant could coordinate that project.  Current assistant will be notified of change in the position which will be followed by a letter from the commissioners.  November will be last month of salary. Sandy will direct work on clean up.

 

Managing grants: Susan Johson requested a need to clarify duties for expenditures and correspondence with regard to grant management.  Susan will write checks from appropriate accounts but not be responsible for correspondence or administrative tasks.  Susan will request that Michael Yesenko keep track of and control grant payments and reimbursements and write letters. Town will compensate him for his time if necessary.

 

Brookeville Archives: There are many artifacts from the Academy clean out that need to be housed somewhere. Some are of great value and at least one needs conservation. Some could be hung in the Academy. There are four other possibilities for relocation:  

·       SS Museum: It has the right kind of storage but no staff, no transcription service and no access to an item once it is there. It is good for items needing safe space. They will take anything. Need to determine if things already at the Sandy Spring Museum should be moved.  Should discuss and determine what things need a different repository.

·       Montgomery County Historical Society: Doesn’t have enough museum quality storage but very good staff.  Can’t do transcriptions but everything becomes accessible once it is there.

·       Md Historical Society: Anything of great value should go there. Letters, account books etc.

·       MD State Achives: Should receive anything that is paper and/or needs transcribing and made available on line.

 

Review Budget: Approved

 

 

Academy Report: Calendar is suddenly busy. Andrea attended Taste of Olney and donated rental for event. Maintenance: Friday annual inspection for elevators and fire extinguishers.  Propane Tank and new Park Service Plaque: Have approval from MD Historic trust for both.  HAWP is needed for tank and Andrea will find out if HAWP is needed for sign.  Next step is cursory review with Planning C.  Tank will also need mechanical permit and possibly fire permit. Andrea has incomplete quotes to replace rented 500 gal. above ground tank with an owned 1000 gal. below-ground tank. The plan is to bury new tank and switch over after old is empty and get it done before ground freezes.  Advantage of owning tank is that you can chose propane vendor.  New tank is $2K. Total will be close to $5k-$5.3K.  Approved to move forward.

 

School House Rental: Roberta Staat is interested in renting the School House for one year as a painting studio and to store and lay out work.  She is willing to sign a contract Dec 1 and agrees to vacate the space for Heritage Days and the Bicentennial.  She doesn’t want to use the existing heat. She can’t use the wood stove but will supply an electric heater of her own. She was informed that the town will not be liable for damage to property.  Andrea will check with insurance carrier.  Katherine suggests possible advantage to have building occupied.  Roberta would like to rent a portable toilet however it is not reasonable to have permanent portable toilet on the property. Other issues were holding workshops and parking. Decision is that workshops should be held at the Academy not School House.  Determine how to pay for electricity because of electric heaters. Approve given insurance and electricity issues addressed.

 

Sidewalks Renderings: Email to residents

 

SHA bypass Meeting Dec 9.  The purpose of the meeting is to initiate the Partnering-In-Design process for the MD 97 Brookeville Study project, review the goals and expectations of the group during the partnering process, and revisit the current project scope and status. Information will be made available as it comes in.  No schedule for funding yet.

 

Open Discussion:

·       Holiday Party: Dec. 7th. Susan will forward supply list from last year. Send email reminder and mail invitations. There will be a Food Drive. Will get missing people for directory at party.

·       Ask for Hospitality Volunteer in newsletter. Someone to make Welcome Baskets purchased by the town.

·       SSO: WSSC informed the commissioners about the failure. They found it quickly therefore it was only 200k gal.

·       People want to know what is going on with the Angel.  Susan will update the website. 

 

Adjourn: 9:42 pm

 

Respectfully submitted by:

Diane Teague