The Forney Historic Preservation League held its regularly scheduled January Board of Directors meeting, despite inconveniences caused by the continuing pandemic.
Attendance was almost perfect with just one member unable to attend— Charles Beason (President), Tracy Drane, Jana Garner (Secretary), Donna Hervey (Treasurer), Lawrence Higgins, L. C. Randolph, Debbie Stuart, Don Themer, Margaret Tull, George Venner (Vice-President), and Kendall Milton (Museum Manager).
The meeting was called to order with a quorum at 7:00 p. m. by President Charles Beason, and L. C. Randolph followed with the Invocation.
Minutes from Jana Garner and the Treasurer’s Report from Donna Hervey were presented, discussed briefly, and approved unanimously.
The group remembered with fondness but also sadness two former members (Jess Moore and Randall Martin), who recently passed on. Both had been active and contributing members in earlier years.
Margaret Tull, Andy Parker, and Lawrence Higgins, Nominating Committee, announced that there was a need to postpone the Election of Officers for 2021 temporarily, and this was reset for Monday, January 25, at 7:00 p. m.
Kendall Milton next presented the Museum Manager’s Report and noted that museum visitation in December had been 196 with Gift Shop sales at $133.00. Annual figures showed that attendance had a final tally of 1,679 visitors, and gift shop sales ended at $1,423.00. Both of these areas were “down” due to the ongoing pandemic. The Manager and the Assistant Manager have been busy installing new exhibits in the hallways and windows and are getting back on a regular rotation schedule. Manager Milton also viewed an informative video concerning TRUSTS and began researching costs of mapping and using “underground radar” for continued research regarding Prairie View Cemetery—in addition to meeting with three other members of the Cemetery Committee (Randolph, Garner, and Beason). A few more details about the Prairie View Cemetery Project were also reviewed during Old Business. She also announced that she will soon be moving to Waxahachie but that the move should not greatly impact her work schedule or performance, except for no longer being able to “just walk home and eat or get a booklet or find a report!”
The President’s Report by Charles Beason again made mention of our loss of two valued former members and then moved on to a report about “flaking of bricks on the outside Main Street wall” and a “skinny” crack that is “snaking up the same wall.” An outside professional recommended that “nothing needs to be done about either issue at this time,” and during Old Business, the group voted to follow this recommendation. Beason also related that he, Jana Garner, and George Venner had met to conduct the annual performance review of the Museum Manager, Kendall Milton, and that it had ended with a few recommendations and even more compliments. Later in the meeting, the Board voted unanimously to grant her a raise over last year’s pay and to welcome her back for another year! It was also announced that the Museum Manager had completed the performance review of the Assistant Manager and that he, too, had done an exemplary job and would be receiving a raise and a “welcome back for another year.” At this same time, Mr. Beason also complimented Treasurer Donna Hervey for performing extra payroll duties, bill paying, and record keeping that she had to do during December and for always doing an excellent job! His final announcement concerned several WEBINARS that the Texas Historical Commission is providing free online and his plans to watch them along with any other members who would also like to tune in.
George Venner, Trust Committee Chairman, announced that the trust is doing well and had sent the quarterly checks on time and in the amounts expected and that he hoped to “step back up” trust work as the new year progressed.
As New Business was opened, Tracy Drane, who knows computers and security systems, gave a report that made some recommendations for upgrading our system, and the Board Members were all in favor of her ideas and for letting her be in charge of helping the Manager make the changes.
The idea of a new “Executive Committee” was discussed and drew a favorable response from the group, so that idea will be discussed at upcoming meetings.
The Board voted to again renew our membership in the Forney Area Chamber of Commerce and continued the meeting by proposing a planning session to broaden goals and outreach for the coming year.
The final area of New Business was an explanation of the 2021 Budget, as prepared by President Beason, and some discussion about areas that might be too high or too low. The Board agreed that Beason’s proposals had been really accurate for 2020 and appeared to be just as good for the coming year. The final vote will occur at a future meeting after all members have time to study the proposals at their leisure!
And, as ZOOM was zooming to its end, so, also, did the meting, which was adjourned about 8:30 p. m.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.