Humanities & Historic Preservation Evaluation Panel Meeting- Special Meeting

031312 minutes (86 KB)

Arts, Humanities & Historic Preservation Grant Evaluation Panel
HUMANITIES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Minutes of the Special Meeting
March 13, 2012

Panel Members Present: Linda Borleske, Dale Jaedike, Mike Jacobs, Verlyn Mueller, Paul Wolter
UWEX Staff Present: Sue Nagelkerk
Others Present: Judy Ashford, Don Nobs, Donna Stehling

Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 AM by Nagelkerk and the requirements of the Open Meeting Law were met.

Introductions

Election of Chairperson
Motion made by Mueller, second by Jaedike to have Paul Wolter serve as chair of the panel for the meeting. Motion carried.

Review of Process Procedure
Wolter gave panel basic decision-making guidelines:
• The proposals stand by themselves, based on their own merit
• The funding is solid
• The event must take place in Sauk County
• In kind 50% the first year, 25% second year


Consideration of grant awards and development of recommendations
The panel reviewed all nine grants and discussed the pros and cons of each application.
The following are the funding recommendations and comments for each application:

A.) Aldo Leopold Foundation requested $2,771 and the panel recommended fully funding for this project.

Pros:
- Positive return
- Creative
- Outside/moving
- Family – inside and outside Sauk County
- Phenology
- Staff time/volunteers
- Partnerships; letter from DNR
- Experienced personnel
- Enhances
- Gives a reason to go
Cons:
- No private donations
- Plan for future
- Specifics would be nice

Comments:
- Alert local schools; target students


B.) Baraboo Range Preservation Association requested $1,000 and the panel recommended fully funding this project.

Pros:
- Grassroots
- Winter timing
- Family
- Locations: Baraboo Library, UW Baraboo/Sauk County, West Square Building
- Positive topics
- Available to Sauk County residents
- Podcasts
- Proven success
- Letters of support (specific)
Cons:
- First two already happened; just one session left; “we hope to have…”
- Year after year
- Mention as a sponsor
- No sustainability
- No private donors
- Apply for money ahead

C.) Circus World Museum Foundation requested $5,000 and the panel recommended partially funding this project at $1,500.

Pros:
- Educational outreach
- Slickest application!
- Excellent idea (history)
- Increased interest
- Would appeal to all
- 1910

Cons:
- No discounts for Sauk County residents; how about first 100 Sauk County residents free?
- Kids for free?
- Needs future sustainability
- No community partnerships, no specific partnerships
- Is there a NEED for the money?
- Gives a return on investment; could do without grant
- Public accessibility
- Nothing for in-kind

D.) Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society requested $2,090 and the panel recommended partially funding this project at $1,100.

Pros:
- Rural project
- Grassroots
- Written value
- Geared for grade schoolers
- Realistic timeline
- Preserve and document history
- An end!!

Cons:
- Combination of books and website?
- No partnerships
- $750 not Society
- Supporting letter from the Board
- Letter of support from school
- Booklets for students - foresee them just going in the trash
- Website instead?

E.) Lake States Railway Historical Society requested $4,870 and the panel recommended not funding this project. .

Pros:
- Preservation
- Intern program
- Purpose
- Great group

Cons:
- Doesn’t give a good return
- High costs
- Administrative
- Unknown/low collaboration/partners
- Limited audience
- Needs something to benefit Sauk County residents
- Shelving is a capital expense; doesn’t meet requirements of the grant
- Rent – why not advertise the collection?
- What about next year?

F.) Reedsburg Area Historical Society requested $825 and the panel recommended fully funding this project.

Pros:
- Good idea
- Tour book for people
- School groups/public
- Expanding on previous booklet
- Great for teachers
- Positive attendance
- Useful
- Color printing

Cons:
- One person project – most appropriate?; need more details
- No partnerships/collaboration
- No timeline
- Website
- Needs more outreach outside of Reedsburg
- Promote! Promote!
- Consider Smartphone
- Would signage be an option? Or an addition?

Comments:
- Sell for more than it costs to make

G.) Taliesin Preservation, Inc. requested $1,500 and the panel recommended partially funding this project at $805.

Pros:
- Local people involvement
- Packets for teachers
- Positive participation
- Schools in place
- Free use of Taliesin
- Educational outreach
- Take great project to students – school districts might not have the money

Cons:
- Asking other counties?
- 500 Sauk County 4th graders; make Sauk County involvement clear
- Budget exceeds 50% limit; based on total income

H.) UW Baraboo/Sauk County Campus requested $5,000 and the panel recommended delaying a decision on this project and having them resubmit on the current application form and getting it signed.

Pros:
- Fantastic!
- Old/young partnership
- Creative
- Local involvement
- First-hand knowledge
- Film

Cons:
- $400 missing; numbers didn’t add up
- Old financial form
- Application is not signed
- Murky; can’t pay salaries; honorariums better
- Theater funding?

Comments:
- Remit to full committee in March
- Use the correct form and have it signed
- Pay the person doing the project; call it an honoraria
- Can’t fund more than 50% of projected income
- Extremely enthusiastic about the project!

H.) Wormfarm Institute requested $3,000 and the panel recommended fully funding this project.

Pros:
- Partnerships
- 4,000 – 8,000 people
- County-wide
- Rural
- National support
- Sauk County promotion

Cons:
- Financially sustainable?
- Shows the hard work of farmers
- Disconnect between art and the reality of farming
- Partnership with a farming group

Final Recommendations: Projects were prioritized in the following order:
1. Aldo Leopold Foundation
2. Wormfarm Institute
3. Reedsburg Area Historical Society
4. Baraboo Range Preservation Association
5. UW Baraboo/Sauk County Campus
6. Harrisburg-Troy Historical Society
7. Taliesin Preservation
8. Circus World Museum Foundation

Adjourn
Motion by Jaedike, second by Mueller to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 12:17 PM.

Submitted by,


Sue Nagelkerk
Sauk County UW Extension Family Living Educator

SEN/lkz