HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/28/2015 Work SessionCity of Springfield
Work Session Meeting
MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF
THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2015
The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street,
Springfield, Oregon, on Monday September 28, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding.
ATTENDANCE
Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Ralston, Woodrow and
Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City
Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff.
Museum Board Members present were Michael Herron, Raul de la o, and Jeff Thompson.
1. Annual Joint Work Session with Springfield Museum Board and Director.
Benjamin Johnson, Springfield Museum Director presented the annual report to Council. He provided
his background information and experience with museums. He has enjoyed his last nine months as the
Museum Director. He noted the many uses and purposes of museums, and also the challenges and
opportunities of the Springfield Museum. One of the challenges was keeping people engaged and
wanting to come back to the Museum. They worked hard to let people know what the Museum did and
what it had to offer. Beyond the challenges, it has been a place where people came in the past and
there were more positives than negatives.
Mr. Johnson provided some highlights including a new website that will be linked from the City's
website. They have applied for some grants in order to put some of the historical documents on the
website. He discussed the gift store which was moved, allowing more exhibits to be placed throughout
the Museum. They hoped to fill the store in the next year with Springfield based items. They are
working on corporate sponsorships and have been able to increase sponsorships, including raising
almost $5000 over the last 3 months. They need to give the sponsors value for their sponsorship so
was looking at ways to promote sponsors and increase sponsorship. The Museum had over 3500
visitors over the last 9 months and they were trying to develop a better public profile through media
relations to grow that attendance. The City owns the collection and there are just under 9000 items.
The Museum has done an average job of taking care of the collection, but they do have challenges and
are working to improve the care to allow the Museum to prosper. The Museum is its collection and it
takes a lot to preserve it well. Looking forward, they are facing financial challenges, but he feels they
have a good chance to break even in the coming year.
Councilor Pishioneri asked about the expenses and incomes, and noted the difference in the figures.
Mr. Johnson said he tried to give bullet points of the main expenses and revenues. He said he would
send out a detailed budget to the Council.
Councilor Wylie asked if they had help with the finances.
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
September 28, 2015
Page 2
Mr. Johnson said they have volunteers with financial backgrounds, and payroll is done through a
staffing agency. Contractually they need to have an audit, although he has not found one from
previous years.
Mr. Grimaldi said it is required in the contract.
Councilor Woodrow asked if they were still doing the student tours.
Mr. Johnson said he had reached out to the Springfield Public Schools, and a few were able to come
through. He has also been able to provide some reproduction photos to the schools on loan.
Councilor Woodrow said the upstairs exhibit was ideal for children. She sees it as a community
outreach and gets kids interested in the Museum. It might be good to have that on the ground floor,
with exhibits upstairs.
Mr. Johnson said he noticed a Springfield History Book in one of the classrooms and is in the process
of creating a new one.
Councilor Woodrow said a responsibility of the Board when she served was to go out and find
sponsors including the Garden Tour. She asked if they had set goals for the finances and sponsorships.
Mr. Johnson said the current board is renewed and working to get more people involved and raise
funds. They need to get sponsorships for exhibits, but also for events such as dinners, walks, etc. for
general needs.
Councilor Woodrow asked if they would be putting back the store.
Mr. Johnson said it costs a lot to stock up the Museum, but if funds were available he would like to
have a full store.
Councilor Moore asked if there was a Council liaison.
Mayor Lundberg said the City moved the Museum out from under the City and into a non-profit, so
we no longer have a Council liaison.
Councilor VanGordon said more and more Museums rely on the City's contribution and the smaller
sources continue to decrease. He asked if they have a plan to overcome that obstacle.
Mr. Johnson said they need to have a better, more diverse funding stream. Corporate and individual
sponsorships are a big part of that, as well as moving some of the exhibits to other small museums
such as the Smoke Jumpers exhibit. As they go along, that funding stream will be something the
Museum will be able to rely on. They need to find funds outside of City funds through other means.
Councilor VanGordon said this is a marathon not a sprint, and approaching it that way is a good way.
He would like to have Mr. Johnson come back in the next few years with the results from those
efforts. He thought the exhibit line up had been good this year, but they do need some growth to get
back to basics.
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
September 28, 2015
Page 3
Mayor Lundberg said the Board is small compared to the number required. She asked what their plans
were to increase the Board.
Mr. Johnson said within the last month and a half, he reached out to Board members regarding
building up their numbers because the small group can't take on everything that needs to be done. He
was pleased that the three members currently serving are willing to stay on and have stepped up. As a
group they want to get the Board built back up to 9 or 10 members over the next four to six months.
He hoped to be back to that minimum by that time.
Mayor Lundberg said the number of members is in the Bylaws so they are currently out of
compliance. The City owns the building, pays the utilities, provides computers, internet and phones,
and takes care of building maintenance. That in addition to the $45,000 is coming from the City. She
would like to see the budget that includes all components, including the cost of the building and all of
their expenses against that. She noted that the contract says the Museum will display a minimum of 8
exhibits per year, but Mr. Johnson was asking to lengthen the time of exhibits. That would reduce the
number of exhibits per year so that needs to be addressed.
Councilor Wylie said she understood he came in when things were not in good shape. New board
members will bring energy and creativity. Part of the excitement is having a challenge. The City
website and Chamber website could be used to advertise for Board members.
Mr. Johnson said the City Manager's Office and others have stepped up together to get the word out.
Councilor Ralston discussed the number of exhibits and the budget figures.
Councilor Woodrow said she understood the time it takes to get exhibits up in a professional way. She
was willing to go to less than 6 if needed during the transition, but would like to see it back up to at
least 8 per year in the future. She agreed that they needed to get the Board back up in numbers to get
more energy and share the work.
Councilor Pishioneri said 8 exhibits should be manageable. He asked if financial reports were
presented by the 15th as required in the contract.
Mr. Johnson said a detailed report was sent to the City Manager's Office about a month ago.
Councilor Moore said she thought the 2 Friday Art Walk provided a great opportunity to draw
people into the Museum. She asked the Board to provide their input.
Michael Herron said since Mr. Johnson came into the position with the Museum, there has been a big
difference in a positive way. He is looking at things rationally, thinking things through, taking his time
and doing a great job. Their primary focus is to increase Board numbers, but be thoughtful in how they
go about that in order to get the right people. He feels they can be there in six months.
Jeff Thompson said he had been the longest serving member on the Board. It has been a rugged past
couple of years. It has taken a lot of volunteer hours to get in the position they are in financially and
they now know where they are in regards to finances. When they brought Mr. Johnson in, it was to
get the Museum to the next level. It was unfortunate that they lost some Board members, but everyone
wants only good things for the Museum. As they look for people to be part of the Board, it will create
excitement in looking ahead at what they can do moving forward. They have some people in mind that
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
September 28, 2015
Page 4
they want to be involved because of their experience in Springfield. He is excited about the
possibilities.
Raul de la o said he sees the new energy and vision Mr. Johnson has brought into the Museum as
avenue for institutions to take more seriously.
Councilor Pishioneri said based on the comments from the Board, he feels good about the Museum
and more hopeful. He thanked them for their work. This is a great way for the Museum to move
forward.
Councilor Woodrow thanked them for their candid answers.
Council discussed the number of exhibits and asked the Board how many they felt they could do this
year.
Mr. Herron said he felt the difference between six and eight exhibits was minimal and they could
likely do either.
Mr. Johnson said he would love to be able to put on 8 to 10 exhibits. The only reason they proposed
going with 6 exhibits a year for the next year or two was to build up their volunteer base. He hopes to
have those numbers built up in about a year. He wants to give everything his best effort.
Councilor Woodrow asked if they could do six exhibits between now and July 1, 2016, and then going
back to 8 the following year.
Mr. Johnson gave them a list of the exhibits planned:
• Current exhibit (Smoke Jumpers) ends October 31
• Veteran's exhibit from the National Guard opening November 11 through mid-January of
2016.
Photographic exhibit by A3 instructor in February
Student Art Show in March, April and May
Law Enforcement exhibit in June
Councilor Moore asked if there were other packaged exhibits that would be easier to put on, such as
the history of Scouting, to fill in the gaps.
Councilor Wylie said she would rather have them get financially stable and get more grants first, and
just have six next year between July 1, 2016 -June 30, 2017. She asked if they would be able to put on
8 exhibits next year.
Mr. Johnson said each year could be a bit different. He noted that a significant amount of their time
has to be devoted to collection care and preservation. Since Kathy Jensen left, the record keeping and
collection has not been at the level it should.
Councilor Wylie said the City has a fiduciary responsibility for the funds given, so they must be in
agreement. The City wants the Museum to be successful.
Mayor Lundberg said she is comfortable with the exhibits currently lined up, and then 8 per year
starting in July 2016.
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
September 28, 2015
Page 5
Councilor Woodrow said the exhibits create the interest and ongoing attraction for the community,
who will then support the care of the collection. It is a balancing act and both are important.
Mayor Lundberg said the Council appreciates everyone and their hard work.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Minutes Recorder — Amy Sowa
Lz'��
Christine L. Lundber
Mayor
Attest:
�� JnIUA--
Amy Sow
City Recorder