Museum of Northern Arizona: Trustees Minutes 07Apr2007

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MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA
Annual Membership Meeting
Minutes of June 6, 2007

Board Members in Attendance: Susie Garretson, Chair, Sam Braun, Susan Golightly, David Connell, Sam Henderson, Jack Metzger, Barbara Poley, Katrina Rogers, Carolyn Shoemaker, Miguel Vasquez, Stephen Verkamp

Board Members Absent: Allan Affeldt, Rowena Dickerson, Drew Barringer, Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, LaVelle McCoy, Beverly Miller, Peter Pilles, Wayne Ranney, Octaviana Trujillo

Emeritus Board Member: Frances McAllister, Ben Smith (1990-98), Susan Olberding

MNA Staff Members in Attendance: Robert Breunig, Director; Elaine Hughes, Collections Manager, Kara Kelley, Registrar, Tracy Anderson, Education Director

Sedona Muses Representative: Pat Pauli, President

Guest: Jill Korenek, JDS Professional Services, auditor.

Call to Order
The Chair of the Museum Board of Trustees, Susie Garretson, called the meeting to order at 3:00 PM.

Approval of 2006 Annual Meeting Minutes
A motion was made by Mike Goodwin to approve the 2006 MNA Annual Meeting minutes. This motion was seconded by Cindy Perin. Motion was made, seconded and approved unanimously.

There was a discussion on the gratitude to the members, Board, and Dr. Breunig. The membership is pleased with the slate of new Board members.

Introduction of Board Members present
Susie Garretson welcomed members, Trustees, Museum staff, and volunteers and introduced members of the Board in attendance. Outgoing board members Katrina Rogers and Miguel Vasquez received appreciation gifts for their service to MNA.

Report from the Treasurer – David Connell
Chair of the Finance Committee, David Connell, presented the financial results for fiscal year 2006. The Finance Committee is composed of: Robert Breunig, Lynn Yeager, Susie Garretson, Jack Metzger, Barbara Poley, Steve Verkamp, Drew Barringer, and LaVelle McCoy. Outside expertise includes Larry Fester (audit/accounting), Linn Montgomery (accounting), Dennis Miller (endowment), and Miller/Russell (Portfolio manager). Committee functions include oversight of audit, finances, banking issues, and endowments. The fiscal year was changed from October 1 through September 31 of each year. Jill Korenek of JDS Professional Group gave an update on the financial audit. With the change of the fiscal year, the financial statements had no disagreements on management, and any complications or issues. There was no management recommendation letter this year.

The audited financial statements are timely, with no need for adjustments. Much of this is due to the excellent work by the Museum’s Controller, Ms. Lynn Yeager. There are internal controls in place for financial review. No adjustments to the financial process required. The auditor reviews the payroll processes, donation processes, accounts payables/receivables, -- all been executed correctly. Overall, the audit process went very well. The MNA Endowment Foundation audit is at the same time as the standard MNA audit.

The Museum has recently suspended the activity of MNA-Environmental Services, and the projects for contract research are being run through MNA at this time.

Admissions are growing in revenue, approximately $185,000.00. Memberships are slightly down, as the strategy has been to get current members to renew at a higher level. One of the challenges is to grow memberships outside of Flagstaff; Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Denver, Phoenix, etc.

Since 2003, management has made very important steps to reduce cost of on-going operations. We can’t commit to do things faster than we have the dollars to support it. Steady sources of income are important.

Endowment funds are up over the past five years. Additional contributions and the stock market have helped increase the over-all endowment. MNA holds a conservative asset mix to help protect the endowment. Last year, with the year-end appeal, more contributions went to the endowment fund. MNA met the BF Foundation challenge very successfully again this past year. Donations from members were terrific. Since there was an option for endowment giving in the annual appeal, less money went to the unrestricted fund. There has been a 64% growth from 2002 on the endowment funds.

Current fiscal year – admissions and memberships are slightly above plan, unrestricted contributions slightly below plan. Shop sales are on plan, expenses are below plan. Overall there is a reasonable chance of making budget plan this year.

Noteworthy, the line of credit went from $675,000.00 to $375,000.00. MNA-EF (Endowment Foundation) was incorporated, and their Board has begun to meet. They applied for 501(c)3 status. The Board members include David Chase, Paul Delaney, Cynthia Hazeltine, David Connell, and Beverly Miller. What has impressed David Connell the most serving on this board over the past year and a half is the culture of transparency. Every single thing that is talked about is communicated to the public. There is an amazing culture here, and as someone who has served on other boards it’s unusual, but necessary. The Board and Museum should be commended.

Susie Garretson – Accomplishment of Board Goals
Susie stated that it has been a pleasure for her serving on this board. The board asks hard questions. Life on the Board has calmed down. For the staff it has not calmed down. They have been working under a sustainable budget for 2 years now, with reduced salaries and no raises. The board goals have been met due to the staff. MNA-EF Bylaws were amended and an Operational Agreement was approved. LaVelle McCoy and Helen Yard were appointed to serve on the MNA-ES Board. The Board approved the Document and Retention Policy, Code of Ethics, and edits to the Collections Policy,

The Board approved the location and design for the new Collections Center, and accepted the Historic Structures Master Plan. The also accepted the staff ad-hoc Space Committee Plan. Repatriated items went to the Salt River Tribes and Navajo Nation as per the NAGPRA law. The board accessioned many new items into collections. They approved the 2007 budget of $3.5M with a 5% draw on investments. They approved a Board Staff Commitment which means when new Board members come on they are asked to sign and affirm their dedication to MNA. They accepted a proposal from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA) to increase their student enrollment from 160 to 180 students. They nominated Sara Alemán, Jim Reed, Susan Golightly, Susie Garretson, and David Connell to the slate of new board – will be voted on today. They received interim accreditation from AAM with site visits planned for 2008. There six Board meetings and a quorum was achieved at each meeting; The Board held approximately 80 committee meetings, which was considerably less that previous years. The Board feels lucky to have Dr. Breunig as the director of MNA as there is not a better person to lead MNA. Along with him came Karen Enyedy – a true asset to MNA. Thank you Robert and Karen for your continued support and leadership of MNA. Future Goals include:
Receive full accreditation in the next year
Sustainable budget by August for 2007/8
Continue to improve relationships with past and present tribes and communities
Raise staff salaries and/or restore salaries for those who take pay cuts two years ago
Hire new staff members
Conduct building improvements
Finalize a campus master plan
Finalize plans for fundraising for the new Collections Center
Achieve 100% Board Giving to the general operating fund
Restart the Collectors Club
Form a National Advisory Board

Director, Dr. Robert Breunig’s Report:
Dr. Breunig thanked the Board of Trustees. He said that they are incredibly hardworking, and he cannot imagine a more hardworking group. He sees them here day in, day out, at committee meetings. He especially wants to thank Miguel Vasquez for his service on the board. He helped with thinking through future exhibits. Thank you also to Katrina Rogers, an experienced fundraising professional. Katrina provided a lot of good advice on fundraising over the past years.

Last year at this time the museum went through the draft of the Five Year Institutional Plan. The key point – how have we done? This is a “living document” and MNA is making a good start on significant portions of the plan. The museum has accomplished a good deal this year. AAM has commended MNA for having our plan on its website, which continues the tradition of transparency. Robert then reviewed the progress on the plan over the past year.

Goal Number 1: Build a Sustainable Base
We have held expenses down, and stopped the bleeding, although this has not been easy. We have reduced the debt, and built the MNA Endowment Fund. We hope to keep the momentum going. There were no pay raises this past year. Debt reduction went from $675K to $375K in the past two years thanks to generous donors.

Goal Number 2: Protect and Enhance the Collections
Three years ago, the museum was in danger of having the National Park Service (NPS) pull its collections and put them off the Colorado Plateau. In 2004, we received a generous $3M pledge/gift to go towards a new Collections Center. Since that time, we have strengthened the relationship with NPS, and the collections will stay with MNA. We have incomparable collections, and the new facility will give us humidity control, fire suppression, insect control, etc. The new Center will be passively designed, which will help it maintain a steady temperature and humidity level. With the cost of fossil fuel rising, these design features will be critical. The building will also be LEED certified. It will have a heavily insulated roof – a living roof with native grasses and plantings. There will be space for collections staff, as well as a study room for visiting researchers. We have had conversations with inter-tribal groups who have come here on four occasions to talk with us about what the Collection Center should be and what it should look like. The new center will continue to protect Native American cultural history. We want everyone to come to the building, feel comfortable in the building, and be able to use the collections. Dr. Breunig then showed the model of the new center, and the elevation drawings, etc.

NPS has committed funds for an addition to the building, to be built out in 2010. Construction for the first phase will start in late summer, early fall. The ‘dream’ is that on September 6, 2008, our 80th birthday, the building will be dedicated.

There have been tremendous strides in collections management. Through a series of grants, we are doing an inventory of collections and systematically going through our collections and tying records to every object. The Collections Department team has been very successful acquiring two federal grants for cabinetry to house the collections. One through “Save America’s Treasures” is a program started by Hillary Clinton when she was First Lady. These grants go to very selected projects. There were over 400 applications, and only 41 were approved for funding. MNA received a $550K grant from National Endowment of Humanities for storage case. This was a peer reviewed grant – comments from the peer reviewers determined that the collections at the heart of this project were “unequal depth and breath”. Reviewers also said that: MNA is heavily involved in contemporary Hopi and NA crafts through shows, festivals, etc. We are enthusiastic about this type of partnership between MNA and the artists. There is systematic, scientific collecting on Colorado Plateau. MNA is a designated repository in the state. Ethnographic vessels and documentation are “unparalleled resources”. MNA’s katsina doll collection is a “humanities treasure”. “Incredibly impressed with the planning for the proposal”

Goal Number 3: Build Exciting Programs and Exhibits, using a mix of Art and Science
MNA has created a five year Exhibit Plan, which is a “living document” and changes regularly. Over time a person can see and learn about the Colorado Plateau from many exhibits. In a few weeks, Dan Namingha will return with his son Arlo for a summer exhibit. Dan returns 30 years later after his first solo exhibition at MNA.

This fall, in September, the Therizinosaur exhibit will open. It is a wonderful, creative exhibit. David Gillette, Victor Leshyk and the team did a wonderful job putting it together. A grant from APS was received to ensure that we can get Flagstaff school children to the exhibit. It will run through March 2009.

Goal Number 4: Foster Excellence in Research
Key things; we have filled the Danson Chair of Anthropology after 15 years. In collaboration with NAU, Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin has become the Curator of Anthropology. She is working on a number of projects including the Hopi Iconography project. MNA has also filled the Curator of Conservation and Ecology with Dr. Larry Stevens. His specialization is the biodiversity of the Colorado Plateau. Dr. David Wilcox has moved to the position of Sr. Anthropologist, continuing to work on a number of projects. On July 14th, The Archaeology of Perry Mesa and Its World will be released. This pulls together work on Hilltop sites in the Perry Mesa area. Zuni Origins will be published in December. That work is the culmination of years of work in collaboration with David Gregory from the Center of Desert Archaeology.

There is now a GIS workstation in the Research Center. This is a new geographic information system to MNA. It allows much more powerful analysis of archaeological sites.

Research Science continues with a five-year project on the Archaeology of the Grand Canyon. There are nine sites along this corridor that the research science group will excavate and catalog.

The library is staffed and is open. They are completing a project of computerizing the MNA publications within the library.

Goal Number 5: Improve Stewardship of our Grounds and Facilities
Over the last year we have completed the Historic Structures Master Plan and Historic Inventory of our grounds. Now we will develop strategies to renovate properties within the campus. There is a major job to paint the Homestead and the Colton House initiative. There is a ton of deferred maintenance – repave parking lots, repair on buildings, improve handicap accessibility. Millions of dollars of work is needed to keep the museum properties in shape.

Goal Number 6: Invest in Staff and Volunteers
Three years ago MNA had to cut salaries to senior staff and it’s time to address that. We have great people, and don’t want to loose them. We have made it our major goal to increase salaries.

Goal Number 7: Develop Strong Partnerships
We have incredible partners in the community, including Coconino Community College, NAU, the Hopi Tribe, the Havasupai and Navajo Tribes, and many advisory committees. MNA is out in the community working in partnerships to increase the quality of the community and MNA.

Goal Number 8: Operate at the Highest Standards
MNA has received interim accreditation from AAM. We hope to satisfy AAM that MNA is operating as an accredited museum. Final steps will include the 2-day visit by the visiting committee. This will be two individuals from peer institutions who will visit later this year or early next year. They will come and make an assessment based on their experience. They will be looking at us from top to bottom and writing their final report to the accreditation committee that will hopefully grant full accreditation in 2008.

The W.R. Leigh painting, Desert Country, sold in 2002, was recently reacquired. The painting was “reintroduced” to the members

Dr. Breunig asked the Staff to stand up, Docents to stand up, and all Volunteers. Thanks to all of them, as the museum could not exist without them.

Election Results: To assure the membership the slate of nominated board members was based on guidelines of the AAM, MNA received 356 absentee ballots, 13 ballots today; 369 votes in total. Members remain involved and want a voice in the activities of the museum. Candidates must be willing and able to devote time over the next 4 years and remain a member of MNA for the 4 years. It is important to be a working board member and take leadership roles. The results of the election are five elected trustees for June 2007-2011: Ms. Sara Alemán, Mr. W. David Connell, Ms. Susie Garretson, Ms. Susan Golightly, and Mr. James Reed.

She thanked all for coming, for their interest and passion for the museum. A reception immediately followed the Membership Meeting.

Respectfully submitted,
Pats Shriver
Museum of Northern Arizona.

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