Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Minutes of Past Meetings
MINUTES
August 26, 1987
Members and guests present: Kevin & Carol Burke, Rob Gannon, Rob Fisher & True Fisher (Treasurer), Royce Venay, Joyce Hagen (Arts Coordinator), Judith Schardt, Gay Dunne (Secretary), Anne Jacobs (President), Tracey Benson, Claire Kimmel. Later - Peter Schneeman. Much later - Melady Kehm (Vice-president).
The meeting was called to order at 8:25 P.M. With a motion by Rob Gannon, seconded by Claire Kimmel, the minutes of April's meeting were approved, with the correction of Ms. Towner's first name to Mary (Old Business,IV.6.). Rob Gannon included a compliment to the secretary on her literate minutes with his motion.
Treasurer's Report - delivered by True Fisher
$2980.12 savings account balance as of 8/25
488.50 checking account balance as of 8/25
$3478.62 total account balances
10.00 membership - 8/26/87
$3488.62 total assets as of 8/26/87
Old Business
I. Fundraising
A. Historic plaques.
Rob Gannon reported that he obtained several cost estimates from plaque manufacturers ranging from $60-90. Representative designs were not available for comparison for the meeting but could be examined at the next meeting. More hard data will be provided when Peter Schneeman locates a misplaced file containing prior accumulated information on this project.
B. Garver Fund
Joyce Hagen read her letter of application for funding of the Arts Coordinator's position for BHCA's approval. The application request was for $2500, the amount required for BHCA's grant match. The letter was summarily approved.
C. Square dance
Gay Dunne remarked that this fund-raising idea still held merit, but remained unexplored. It should be reconsidered next spring.
II. Gamble Mill Gallery
A. Anne Jacobs reported that our Local Government Grant program had awarded $1400 to the Gallery for the coming season's operational expenses ($975) and for track lighting ($425). The lighting allocation could not pay for illumination of the entire space, so Rob Fisher proposed that most of the lighting be placed in the main room with a short strip in the adjoining portion of the L-shaped room. Because BHCA desires to maintain its amiable relationship with the Gamble Mill, terms of ownership of this property were carefully discussed and summarized as follows:
BHCA would like to purchase track lighting for the Gallery portion of the Gamble Mill, if the owner will install it. Since this lighting is funded by a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant, which prohibits use of its funds for improvements to existing facilities, the lighting must be considered to be on extended loan as long as the Gallery is in existence.
B. Anne Jacobs announced that the Gallery's 1987-88 season's shows have been scheduled. She plans to reprint last year's announcements for bulk mailing again this year, varying the ink color. This stimulated discussion on revising the postcard design; all suggestions were rejected from a practical standpoint except for enlarging the print size of Gamble Mill Gallery. A meeting of all dedicated persons was scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, to discuss tailoring BHCA's mailing list to a smaller, gallery-prone audience.
III. Sound system
Rob Gannon announced that the Boro does not currently intend to underwrite a sound system for use in the Summer Sounds concerts. A motion introduced by Robert Kepler to purchase a sound system was defeated because of the assumption that BHCA would own the system. The pros and cons of ownership were debated by BHCA members, who decided against it. Rob Gannon will inform Mr. Kepler of our decision with the hope that he might reintroduce the motion. Melady Kehm reported that the Summer Sounds 1987 season was a flourishing one, with regard to both contributions and audiences. Donations exceeded $400, yielding an estimated profit of $200, and audience numbers were increased over 1986.
IV. Student walking tour
Melady Kehm had conducted one such tour over the summer and felt that it was a rewarding experience.
V. Bulk rate permit
This issue has not yet been investigated, much less resolved. The individual who volunteered to deal with the sticky details of this bureaucratic red tape reaffirmed his good intentions.
New Business
Melady Kehm described a midnight tour of Bellefonte as a proposed fundraiser. Groups could be conveyed by van, beginning in the late evening, with stopping points of the cemetery, the Big Spring gatehouse (a former holding place for drunks), and several other appropriate sites, concluding at the Gamble Mill. The idea was deemed to be a good one, but lead time was too short for this Halloween.
The meeting was adjourned several times, but never officially.
PLEASE NOTE: The October BHCA meeting will be held on Thursday, October 8th, 8:00 P.M., at the Jacobs, 237 W. Linn St.
Respectfully submitted,
Gay D. Dunne
Secretary