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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Museum Of Science And History Advisory Committee - 08/04/2011 RECEIVED MINUTES SEP 0 2 2011 Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History Advisory Committee Meeting cm(SECRETARY'S OFfICE August 4, 2011 The Museum Advisory Committee met in the Museum's DeDietrich Conference Room at Noon on Thursday,August 4, 2011. Members Present: Jonda Holcomb, Kathy Juneau,Tom Kimes, Shannon Madden,Jim Moloney, Luci Sosa, and Linda Tomo. Also present for part of the meeting was Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza. - Upon motion by Tom Kimes and seconded by Kathy Juneau the minutes of the June 9, 2011 regular meeting were approved as presented. Business: 1. Upon motion by Linda Tomo and seconded by Kathy Juneau, the Committee unanimously approved the deaccession and disposal of an empty container that once held water from melted Antarctic ice. 2. Jim Moloney reported on a meeting that he and Allen Borden had with new assistant City Manager Rudy Garza on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Museum. This report was given before Mr. Garza arrived at the meeting. (The following is a synthesis of the reports that Jim(and Allen)gave to the Friends Board and the Advisory Committee which are combined so that both bodies can stay in synch.) a. The Museum archeologist position was not funded in the proposed FY 2012 budget. In response to the Friends desire to complete the analysis and final report of over ten years of field research by the Museum Archeologist, Mr. Garza agreed (with the concurrence of the City Manager) that the City would continue the position for two more years and fund the cost of benefits, if the Friends agreed to fund the salary cost. b. The decline in admission revenue feeds the City's continuing practice of cutting the Museum's budget. A more businesslike approach would be to encourage the CVB to use a portion of city funding they receive to advertise the Museum to help increase attendance to the levels experienced in the '90's. Mr. Garza indicated that he recognizes the issue and will do what he can to address it as the City Manager's representative on the CVB board and as the person responsible for administering the City's contract with the CVB. c. The City Council set a course that will detach the Columbus ships from the Museum. Therefore the Museum must revise the Appelbaum conceptual plan which featured the Columbus ships as the exhibit centerpiece. Mr. Garza offered to participate with the Friends and the Advisory Committee in revising the plan. d. An emergent issue for the Museum is the need for a succession plan to replace Rick Stryker when he retires. Mr. Garza suggested that this should be among the SCANNED • y issues addressed through a broader strategic planning process. e. The decline in support by the City is likely to continue. Mr. Garza suggested that strategic planning ought to investigate privatizing aspects of the Museum operation,perhaps even shifting governance to some private entity while retaining City support at a reduced and perhaps fixed level. f. There was a discussion of the issues of visibility and accessibility that have plagued the Museum District and contributed to the declining attendance for all cultural entities. The area plan developed for the City(in 2006)by Gignac/Sasaki recommended that the City construct a street(roundabout)through the Watergarden from Shoreline connecting to Port. They also developed a Downtown/Museum District way-finding plan that is still on the shelf. The Museum Conceptual Plan developed for the Friends by consultant Ralph Appelbaum firmly warned (in 2007)that these issues should be addressed before the Museum makes major investments in new exhibits. Mr. Garza indicated that the Museum has done what it can by placing these issues on the CIP,but there is great competition for limited capital project funds. g. The Friends Board will hold a special planning meeting later in August prior to getting together with the Advisory Committee. Rick shared with the Committee copies of the packet of information that he had been asked to provide for Friends Board members prior to their meeting including a piece on the Appelbaum concept and a variety of other data about mission and the Museum strategic plan. 3. Rick Stryker reported on operational changes and staff restructuring associated with the adoption of the FY 12 budget. With the loss of Bonnie Laya's position the administration staff was reduced to just the Museum Director. The City Manager has approved a review of the Gift Shop Manager position to incorporate more administrative responsibilities. Also approved for review is the Maintenance Mechanic Foreman position which is proposed to include exhibit project management responsibilities. The education position left vacant and eliminated with Sandra Linderman's retirement has in part been filled by amending the job duties of Museum Registrar Elizabeth Martin and Museum Librarian Jesenia Guerra. Summer programming levels have been maintained through this strategy. However,the primary functions of the Registrar and Librarian positions will suffer in the long term. The changes are largely undetectable by the public. 4. Rick reviewed attendance and revenue data. Preliminary data shows that FYI I revenue is $40,000 under budget. A chart showed that paid attendance dropped very near the FY 04/FY 05 low points. School attendance was also down from the previous year. School economic issues are beyond Museum influence—school tours are already free. CCISD comprises 45% of the school audience; other Corpus Christi schools account for 18% and 63 other towns in South Texas comprise 38%. The only local school district that did not bring their students to the Museum was Calallen ISD. 5. Staff Reports Y a. The Summer Family Programs are doing quite well with July paid attendance up significantly from last year. Linda Tomo commended Maggie Medrano, the new science educator, for doing an excellent job. b. Rudy Garza is responsible for Business Support Services including the Department of Tourism comprised of the Museum department and City contractual relationships with the CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau) and SMG(which operates the American Bank Center). He was invited to talk a little about his new job and the City reorganization. He said that the Museum is clearly in transition with declining City funding driving the issue of privatization, the separation from the Columbus ships which is driving the need to amend the Columbus ship focus of the Appelbaum Concept Plan, and the impending retirement of the director which requires the development of a succession plan. Mr. Garza intends to help the Museum and do what he can through this transitional period. c. A report on the completion of the La Belle Project was postponed. The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.