HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Museum Of Science And History Advisory Committee - 10/05/2006 11110 NI/ zsz72g‘''9
MINUTES /c1:
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History m
Advisory Committee Meeting ,a
October 5. 2006 v-,_
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The Museum Advisory Committee met in the Museum's DeDietrich Conference Room at .
on Thursday, October 5, 2006. Members Present: Margaret Bolick, Robert Hatherill,Phyl i
Riddle, Linda Scott, and Linda Tomo.
Margaret Bolick had to leave early to respond to an emergency. The minutes of the September
76 meeting will be reviewed at the November meeting.
Business:
a.The election of officers was tabled until the November meeting. Members present were
reminded of the City's Board, Committee, and Commission Reception that will be held at the
Museum on Thursday, October 19 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. hosted by the Mayor and Council.
b. Rick Stryker reported that the cost of electricity was 22%of the Museum budget in FY
2005/06, up from 7% in FY 2001/02. The rise is the cost of electricity and the rise in salaries
accounts for the 37% increase in expenditures over that period. The result is that there are fewer
people doing the same work with fewer dollars available for facility maintenance.
c. Rick Stryker presented a draft revision of the Collection Management Policy. The revised
mission does not include collecting. The previous mission focused on collecting which in turn
drove educational programming and exhibit development. Educational programming and exhibit
development are now driven by the mission to "present the story of the cultural crossroads of the
new world." The objects in the collection will be used to "illuminate our three basic themes and
support innovative programming."
In line with this change, a staff structure focusing on collections is no longer appropriate. The
staff has been restructured and job responsibilities have been rewritten to focus on telling"the
story of the cultural crossroads of the new world"through programming and exhibits. Museum
staff whose primary focus is collections was reduced from six to two people. The other four
people are now focusing on job responsibilities associated with the revised mission.
Two collection positions will focus on collection care, the collection manager and the registrar.
Some important collection responsibilities are no longer addressed by paid staff in this new
structure. It is recommended that policies be developed that will enable the appointment of
honorary curators (as was done in the past), adjunct curators, and/or collection committees.
Many museums are similarly restructuring to address collection needs. The responsibilities
outsourced under this strategy include assisting the director in the development of collection
plans,policies and procedures; recommending acquisitions; performing research and conducting
classes utilizing the collection; using results of research to catalog, publish, and exhibit the
collection; recommending deaccessions and providing input into requests for loan; making
attributions and authenticating objects; making conservation recommendations.
The museum director and the Advisory Committee must decide what strategies should be
SCANNED
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employed to address these responsibilities and the Advisory Committee must adopt policies to
enable the implementation of those strategies.
d. Bids were received on Phase 2 of the Fire Suppression System installation that was funded by
the Bond 2004 Program. A contract for construction should be in place soon.
Phase 2 of the Ship Channel Utility Crossing Project should be underway very soon. This
involves the removal of the old pipes that exit the ground adjacent to the Columbus Plaza.
e. Director's Report
• Columbus Days programming is underway through October 14`h with costumed
interpretation and special programming for schools and the public on Saturdays.
• Public usage of the Museum web site were reviewed
• The Junior Duck Stamp exhibit is up through October 26'h.
• Installation continues on the Real Time Air Quality exhibit
f. Discussion of the 50'h anniversary activities was delayed until the November meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m..