Good afternoon everyone. Um this is uh the meeting of the town of Fort Myers Beach Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board meeting and it is uh Thursday, September 25th at 1:00 and we are meeting for the first time as this advisory board in the new
town hall on Aar Boulevard. Um, I'd like to uh call the meeting to order and begin by standing to give the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Only that were true. Thank you. And I'd also like to rec um recognize that we have someone on Zoom. I assume everyone is in agreement that Carrie can join in on a Zoom call.
Carrie, good afternoon. Hi everyone. Happy to see you guys. The room looks amazing. It's a very beautiful room. I have to say the chambers are spectacular. Um so we'll begin with our wonderful
vice mayor and our advisory board um liaison. Uh roll call. I thought I was going to give a speech. Uh Jim Anderhold is here. Okay. Becky Warner, Sher Smith, Barbara Hill, Ellen Vaughn,
Adam Knight, and Jeff Hoggy. Okay, everyone. Henderson. Great attendance. It's nice to have everybody here. But I also want to recognize the loss of one of our long-term, if not one of the founding members of the advisory board. That's
Betty Simpson, who passed away recently. and we are um very sad that she is no longer part of our advisory board. But more importantly than that, all of the many years of dedication and commitment as a volunteer to help this community
grow since before the inception of its incorporation in 1995. So Betty, we will always miss you. Um approval of the minutes. Um we can um assumably have a motion to approve. Oh, actually you just
received these today. Would you like to take a minute and sort of just um review to see if these meet your approval? Yes, please. Hey, Adam, will you send those to me when you get a chance?
Uh, yes, of course. I just got Oh, okay. Um motion to approve. Oh, and while we're um reviewing the minutes, please if your cell phones uh
please turn them off for this meeting. I made the mistake of having my cell phone on and the phone rang during our board meeting and Matt is not happy. Sorry about that. Well, my my phone is turned off. However, my watch
still rings. So, yeah, I know. I I've had that, too. Actually, you can turn the the phone off on your watch. Uhhuh. How do you do that? I can't show you right now. We'll just pray doesn't happen. Madam chair, while people are taking this time
to review, I have a question. Historically, was Betty on the original cell cab? And was anyone here on the original cell? I think was Lori maybe. Turn your mic on probably was I
was appointed in your turn your mic on. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, I was appointed I think in 2002. Okay. So, I'm close to the but no actual there was another one before me. And did cell cab get created quick or soon after
mount house was created or was there a lapse there between when the moundhouse was procured by the town and open for business and then sell cub or they they had kind of a kind of a a quai type group that would
kind of a board type thing. They kind of appointed themselves aboard and then I'm trying to remember I know they had tours and presentations and things at the mound house, right? But cell cab was there before 202
because I know cuz when I was asked to serve on it, it was in existence already, but there were a lot of people that lived that are not on the island anymore. Okay. So Adam actually has researched SEC CAB because he was telling me the history of it last time we had a talk.
Yes. So Sellcap was formed by town council to advise the town council and the initial leasing of the Mount House property from the uh long estate in 1999 and then the final purchase of the property in 2000 with assistance from the Florida's communities trust. It was
a collaboration of both community members but also neighbors. The original size of cell was I believe it was 14 members. So it was a very large committee and then later it got reformed I believe in 200 one 2002 to be to the to be more in line
with the other advisor very close but uh and I'm trying to think if Betty was on then I'm having coffee with Anita tomorrow I'll ask her for because I think she's been the leazison from the very beginning I think but I don't I'll have
to ask her that. Anita. Yeah. Yeah, she Yeah, she was our Yeah. liaison. She might remember if Betty was on or not, but she was close to that. Okay. Because she was I I do know that Betty was one of the founding members of Borab.
Oh, is that right? I actually read that in her obituary. Okay. Yeah. Her obituary also stated that she was one of and the the founding group that before the town incorporated, she was part of that. She was Yeah. She was on my what they called the transition team. We had the
incorporation committee that got it passed. There were probably about 30 of us. And then once it got passed, we had what we called a transition team. And we had different things for different people to explore and this type of thing to put the town together.
I assume hiring a town manager was part of that actually. Yeah. Very good. And she she was Yes. Uhhuh. So she was on our transition team. Oh, excellent. So good history. Yeah. You know that history ought to be captured in the same way that the history of the moundhouse was captured. We needed to find someone
a willing author to take on the history of the formation of the history of the the founding of Fort Myers Beach and then there would be an emphas you know talk about how the advisory boards came about and what their function is. there is supposed to and I really don't know what um has
transpired because I have Anita got a hold of me and she wants she said in October they wanted to put together Anita and I to discuss oh the origination of the town and then the first council but I haven't heard
anything since and I think that would be great and that would be that could be the basis of of of it being recorded just need to find Yeah. So, I'm looking through all my old material and uh Okay, let's uh let's move on to the agenda. We've got our minutes to review.
Please have an opportunity to review them uh quickly so that we can um have a motion. My I'm entertaining a motion here. I'll make a motion that we accept the minutes as well
as presented. As presented. I was going to give the Okay. Is there a second that Sherry? I will second the motion. Okay. And can I add a friendly amendment that it as each of us has the opportunity to read more closely after the meeting that if we find something that we feel needs connecting we can bring it back up at the next meeting.
Good. I think we can definitely do that. Okay. Um all in favor of the approval of the minutes I I opposed. Um motion carried. Thank you. Uh we will go to the public comment. Uh public comment is open. There's no one
in the audience. closing public comment and begin then with the staff report Adam and Jeff. Uh thank you madam chair uh on your dis and I'll send this to you as well Carrie after the meeting uh just so you have
it. Um feel free to reach out to me as well Carrie uh or anyone here if you have any questions. I'm sorry but could you speak up? My ears are blocked and I'm having a terrible time. Is this better? Old age is it's a maybe one of the better alternatives, but it not all that good
from time to time. So, if you look at the document titled September 1st through September 21st 4th Mount House cell cab um starting the front page goes an overview over the attendance and program participation um
since the beginning of this month on to yesterday. um as well as the current running total for the fiscal year starting October 1st, 202 uh 4. And you can see uh sizable drop in um visitation
during September. Um but programs keep up pretty well compared to uh August um based on my analysis. um events. We had the Sabor Darancho event that was held on September 20th in the evening. Uh
that event was actually oversold out by with 27 people in attendance. Uh that was an evening where we celebrated the MountainHouse and Fort Myers Beach's uh Latino heritage during the colonial period, the Spanish colonial period. um where we had a tour of the site's
Latino heritage, a uh salsa dance lesson, and a Latin American meal right on the second floor of the museum. That was well attended and wellreceived. Um you can see uh we had a dip in merchandise. Um usually we get about
thousands of revenue from merchandise. Uh only about $630 in revenue for merchandise. Adam, could you clarify these columns because NA obviously is not applicable, but I'm not quite sure in what category
these are applying to those um topics. Yes. So the uh sorry that's a error on my part with Excel. So the in the NA are in the same column as the numbers recording under that first column of two
uh the September 1st through September 24th. should just be one column. Is that what uh yes and what that is is that those are the programs that did not occur. Uh they weren't offered um and if they didn't if we offered them and they do occur then we put zero. So for example
um or I guess same effect uh yes so NA means they weren't offered or it wasn't aable for the reporting for September's numbers. Um so for example we had no FDCU tours booked so it's not aable but they're still running total for the
fiscal year. Okay but that but that carries over to the entire the the rest of the the balance of the fiscal year as well. Yes. Okay. Wow. Yes. So, for example, under programs,
the first column, um, so we've had 52 individuals participate in programs and 1,84 people for the year participate in programs. Uh, 52 alone just in September. Um, during events, we had 27 people participate in September events
with 281 people participating for events for the entirety of the fiscal year. Okay, that that's that's helpful. It was just confusing to have that separate column underneath where the attendance was. So, yes.
So, so the merchandise revenue um being below expectations, is that because of the less attendance? Probably le uh probably less attendance for sure. Okay. Yeah. Uh in August we had about 500 visitors and about $1,000 in merchandise
review. So, that kind of tracks out tracks out. September is the slowest month. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Historically, the slowest months for Mountain House and I'm assuming the whole island has been August, September, or excuse me, August, September, October, and then it starts kind of picking up in
November, right? Yeah. So, nothing too surprising. Um, questions on this first page? No, I just want to add and Ellen will I know join me in just um praising you all as
staff to that for that um uh salsa night. It was fantastic. It was really a wonderful evening. Um I met a lot of really great new people who were true advocates for the moundhouse and they will be back. And so um and these there
were people there was one person that came from Newport Richie. No kidding. Yes. And then there were several that came from Asterero, Florida. So these were people off the island. Good. So you're you're actually reaching a new audience which is very helpful.
Yes. Uh we were very proud to have uh the majority of the people there uh firsttime non-members. Um so we'll uh we'll have their contact information. So we'll be inviting them to have uh or join as a member in the future.
Uh continuing on to the second page, uh social media, um decent um marketing, uh no marketing events for September. Um, things of note, uh, if you have not yet heard, I had in on September 9th,
uh, I did turn in my resignation, uh, effective October 1st. So, my last day with the town of Fort Myers Beach will end as the museum manager will be October 1st, 2025. Um, I just wanted to stop and say how thankful I've been for
this opportunity. um and how supportive y'all have been and the town has been in not just the Mount House but also in my own personal work uh at Mount House. So, I'm very grateful for this opportunity and um bittersweet to be leaving but it
was a uh opportunity for a new job in California that I couldn't say no to. Well, congratulations, Adam. You will be missed. You have done such an incredible job in the well in the years since you were thrown into the deep end.
Yes. Thank you. Yes. Yes. And and you know what I really thought you brought to the table which was so needed was the professionalism of our programming and the um new insights
into the field of archaeology and um with regard to what is the best practices of the museum. So, I am personally grateful for that. Um, which shows tremendous growth uh to get us to
the the right place in terms of offering programs that are excellent and in keeping with museum standards. So, I appreciate that, Adam. And I' I'd like to build on that and say that you had filing in gaps on things that we had very little information
about the the the in particular the Spanish years. Mhm. from the Kousas leaving until the early I mean there were hundreds of years there and you're filling in the gap so hopefully that work can continue. Yeah. Okay. And I was going to do it after the
staff as part of the staff report but I just want to thank you Adam. Um you know when we first started to talk when you when you took over the museum um museum manager job. We had a couple things that we wanted to accomplish and one was outreach. Um you know getting out there getting our name out. A lot of times
when you heard Mound House, it was where is that or um no, I've never heard of that where I think uh one of Adam's focuses was getting out in the community, getting out in the surrounding in Southwest Florida and getting our name out there um and telling our story a little bit more. And I think that has shown with visitorship
to um maybe people just coming to the grounds and maybe, you know, enjoying the greenery and maybe people that uh wanted to the history. But one of the things that that Adam did really well is is the outreach part of it. Um, and then also the professionalism, um, getting us
on the right track for, you know, best museum practices, especially with the maps program. Um, that's just going to carry forward and and to make the museum, um, and the grounds a better place. So, um, you will definitely be missed and and, um, big shoes to fill whoever is next, but we'll we'll find
somebody to to You've got a big job ahead to try and find a replacement. We do. Yeah, it is. I believe it's posted now. So, if anybody's watching and wants to give it a whirl to apply, uh we'll be we'll be interviewing soon. Any thoughts for um Adam? Yeah.
Yeah. I'm I'm going to miss him, but I think I've always enjoyed our conversation because there isn't anything that I couldn't ask Adam and he would know. I mean, I keep going, Adam, you have to go on Jeopardy. And now you now you're
in California, you're even closer. But I have enjoyed I've enjoyed our friendship and I've enjoyed everything that you've brought to the Mount House. I'm gonna miss you, but you'll love California. Thank you. I just want to say ditto. All of the above.
I would just say, Adam, I've always considered public service a calling. I just wanted to thank you personally for answering the call. Appreciate your service. Thank you. Um, thank you, Adam. Any more to report? Yes, of course. Yes, there are more. There's more. I just wanted to get that one out of the
way. Um, uh, the visitor service aid for Mount House was transferred to town hall. Uh, you might be able to see her, Sandra. Uh, she's currently covering, uh, town hall. Um, she's been doing that since September 1st. So, since September, excuse me, September 11th,
pardon me. um Briana, myself, uh Karina, and the new hire, uh our new education coordinator, Emily Ton, has been uh rotating to cover um the uh museum store in Sandra's, uh temporary absence at
here at Town Hall. Um so, as I said, uh our new education coordinator, who was hired to replace Franklin to make it a little bit simpler for everyone, um she was uh hired September 8th and she's now fully trained. uh she comes extremely well-versed and knowledgeable in
especially environmental science. She's very much enthusiastic about school programs and a lot more environmental programs both at Mount House and at Newton Beach Park. Um so you all are have a really good well-trained staff um left at Mount House. And actually to
that point, Adam and Jeff, maybe next month when we have a new employee, because not every one of us goes and volunteers at the mound house, it would be helpful if maybe they have an opportunity to come and introduce themselves, tell them, you know, tell us a little bit about who they are so we
can kind of get the face and the name together. Um, so maybe that new person can next month. We'll try to make that happen. We'll see what staffing looks like. Oh, yes. With coverage, but uh yeah, we'll uh but be a good opportunity for you guys to
stop by too and see what she's up to and and say hi as well. Uh there's been uh some like everywhere else in the town, some very um serious budget cuts. Um so um it doesn't look
like we'll be able to fill that second education coordinator position um to replace Ashley. Um so it looks like uh Emily um will be there. Um now Emily as the sole education coordinator now um we
have scal scaledback programming. So we're going to continue as it says in the continuation of this report. We're gonna continue with just one kayak tour a month or one kayak tour a week, excuse me. Um at 9:00 am on Saturday and then
we'll be cutting back to doing one guided tour um on at noon Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Um so while we are cutting back in terms of the programs and services um Emily and Briana who um is our collections manager
registar she's uh going to be stepping in um to help Emily with some of the educational programs as well especially when it relates to field trips. Um so they're both very passionate about education and sharing archaeology and environmental science. So, um, we're not
going to be cancelling any of our, uh, field trips or group tours that we have booked up. Um, but in terms of our regular scheduled programming, that that's has been has been reduced. Um, our operating budget has been cut um,
from about last year $77,000 to $34,000. Um, this is just everything basically except staff salary, staff benefits, and insurance on the property itself. So that's office supplies, paper, um things like that. Thankfully, we have additional funds from uh Lee County's
Tourism Development Council, the TDC funds. So that helps supplement some things. And of course, we're extremely thankful and fortunate to have the Friends of Mount House also help supplement some of those uh um cuts and uh shortfalls.
uh especially regards to um things like uh staff training, education materials, um materials for the collection, uh marketing, things like that. Um so it's going to be uh some very tight belts um
going forward at Mount House, but um Karina, Emily, and Briana are extremely passionate. uh they're very flexible and they um they're fully understand what's uh going to be happening and they're going to pivot very well so they're
prepared for that. Adam, if I could just ask a procedural question, uh if we're unable to fill a position by the time of your departure just from a process standpoint, Jeff, do you become the interim director or do you appoint one of Adam's staff members as an interim director? Who would one
turn to for if they had a question? I'll I'll still be the director. I'm not the interim. What's that? I'll still be the director. Are you the director now? Yeah, he's the museum manager. So, we we'd um we'd give a a probably an interim museum manager tag to somebody
uh in the meantime. But, uh I didn't mean director. I meant director of the museum. So, but you call museum manager. I see. Yeah. So, it's okay. Yeah. So, you'll you'll you'll you'll basically assume you you'll maintain that role. Yeah. Yeah. We'll uh we'll do it. And actually, it's, you know, the timing is
is not great, of course, but with all without the cuts, we'll have we're going have to do some adjustments anyway. So, we'll uh we'll kind of work through it as we go. Okay. Thank you. Um that kind of leads into um a lack of volunteers continues to be an issue,
especially in critical issues that the moundhouse needs, especially field trips, uh outreach, uh kayak tour aids, um but especially the field trips, um and outreach volunteers. Those are the two uh roles that are critical uh moving forward as I see it. Um so highly
encourage everyone to uh if you're interested in volunteering, please reach out uh to the moundhouse, reach out to Jeff, the town. Um anyone here on the board, please stop by to uh volunteer time to help um guest or a field trip or
outreach. Um, as I said, uh, with three staff, it's going to be, uh, very tight, um, coverage even just for, uh, keeping the museum open. Um, let alone having additional programs like a field trip. Um, so if you're interested, please reach out, um, to me, Jeff, as I said,
anyone. We'll be more than happy to get you all the information or help you out and really help fill your needs and desires and wants in terms of uh, giving back to the community. Um a uh design firm did submit a scope of work for damages to Mount House from
Hurricane Milton. Uh the basically we're still in that processing of the design proposal. Um and it hasn't really gone the next step would kind of be accepting or rejecting or editing that design proposal and then moving forward with
actual repair work. But basically there was some internal structural damage to the museum from Milton. um where some of the joists appear to be failing um and some compression damage. The mound house itself. Yes, the the historic William H. Case house. I'm sorry. The the case house.
The case house. The mound house itself. The house. You just discovered these joists that are damaged now. They've been It's been basically because there was internal damage. We didn't see it at first. There was some sight slight
shifting. There we go. of um the ceiling and wall after the hurricane that were noted by a structural engineer. That's after Milton. After Milton. Oh. And it was kind of okay. the house just shifted and then gradually it's been getting a little bit more progressive
through uh compression damage to the point that over the summer with all the rain it appears to exacerbated um some of that existing damage to where it was visible to the point that we could move forward with um kind of putting it on the front burner. So by not dealing with it, it's just
going to get worse and worse and worse. So this is something that is going to have to be in the critical path. Uh, in my opinion, I'm not an engineer or construction worker um or contractor, but I would imagine it would be a high priority. Yeah, I did I did receive some correspondents today. Um, they are going
to be uh the K2M designs will be in town, I think it looks like October 3rd to do some assessments. So, we'll meet with them over at Mountain House. Um, says the third or possibly the second. So, we're working on a date here in the next couple weeks to have them come and assess and see what what the next steps
are. So, um, is there money in our budget to fix this? We'll have to see how much. Um, it says 26,000. Is that just sort of a rough estimate on what it's going to
cost or is that for the design work? Yeah, that's the design. Yeah, that's just the design. That's not for the actual repair. Yeah. So, we'd have to do some digging after. I mean, we just had the budget hearing last night. Yes. Um, as everyone probably knows. Um,
so we'll have to see if we can maybe claim it even on the FEMA side of it possibly or, you know, we could try running it through insurance maybe, too. So, there are maybe a couple avenues we can we can try before we we try to uh
get some budget money out of it. But, um, after last night, we have to do a little digging to see which pot that would come out of. So, can you specifically talk about where this damage is, where this joist
area is more specifically? Uh, yes, there was some separation throughout the house in regards to masonry damage as well as damage to the uh the joints in question that caused the the most concern. And that's on the second floor exhibit, the ancient
people's exhibit along the south facing wall. So, the wall on the second floor that faces the small parking lot. So, right when you walk into the mouth, that sidewalk that's on your way from the front of the mouth to the museum store, if you look up, um you won't see
it, but if you go inside, it's um in that corner where you have some of the replica tools that the people can see. So, it's along that that corner. Okay. And that's also part of where the gift shop is down below. Uh opposite opposite opposite. Yeah. Yes. The gift shop is facing the south
east direction and this is kind of the southwest corner. Yeah. Okay. And some of the damage is visible on the porch itself, isn't it? On the on the Yeah. Yeah. Uh on the porch. Yes. There is some additional damage to the floor joist in the ancient people's exhibit as
well as the uh where there's some sagging and appears to be some additional damage from the floor joist um outside on the second floor porch. And you can kind of also see if you go on the second floor porch and look in the corner all the way to the end, you can see where there's some separation
from the porch structure, which as we know was added later on to that original the older part of the house structure. Is it just is it just the second floor? Is there anything in the foundation area? Uh no, the found uh well there is no
foundation for Mount House, which is part of the part of the problem, right? Um so it's all wind damage caused by Milton the Milton and um potentially precipation based damage from the wood swelling especially on the first floor around the masonry
but in terms of the joist are shifting in terms of the compress the compression damage we're seeing where the walls kind of starting to bow out a little bit. Um most of that is coming basically from the wind damage onto the the structure given it's a historic structure built on a shell mount with no foundation. So,
it's kind of the building shifted and perhaps it shifted a little too far during Milton and it's that compression damage was just kind of a side effect of that internal damage, but we don't really know the full extent until after there's been more professional analysis. But the building is structurally safe if you're worried
about that. Um, we've had two separate structural engineers come out both immediately after Milton and then again when the problem was presenting itself as compression damage in the springtime. Okay. So, I'm I'm sorry, Adam. Let me ask again. Has the insurance adjuster actually been on the premises
to inspect this or is that something you're planning to do? We had um Title Basin, but I don't know how that Yeah, not not actually insurance. Um we have to get them out there after we'll have to do an incident report um and get that to HR to get our insurance to come
and take a look at it. Um but we had um we had a site inspection on it after Milton and then Tidal Basin came back out and looked at it again. Um, and I think we sent them some pictures. So, um, it's on our damage inventory list. Um, and then FEMA came out as well. And then, yeah, then FEMA did a damage
inspection, too. So, it's on the list. Yeah, we're going through it. It's just Okay. steps are being taken. We need the the capital to be able to pay it to get reimbured for it. So, yes, but you reference 9 million, but I was guess the town's insurance. I mean, you referenced FEMA, which is
certainly worth exploring, but the town has insurance as well. Would they be able to send an adjuster out to take a look at it? Yeah, we have to get to that process. Okay, gotcha. Okay. Um, go ahead and continue. That's that was a big one. It was um it's been an ever evolving
situation over the summertime. There was, you know, we didn't meet a few times and then also um we didn't really all that took place kind of after our August meeting. Um all those meetings and site visits. So, I couldn't really provide a detailed update last time. Um, so, uh, this isn't this didn't really
happen in September. This is just like a, um, I guess a loose thread that I just wanted to, uh, tell everyone here so it doesn't get forget forgotten or left on the wayside. And Jeff and I have had conversations about this. Um, it's kind of just something that needs to be
kind of, uh, addressed or taken care of. Um so the artifacts we have the artifacts but there's uh in the museum field there's documentation and providence and they kind of act like the pedigree you can say for your artifacts.
They give them cultural and sometimes financial value as well. Um so there there are no documents to associate with the artifacts. Um, based on institutional records, um, it appears
that as from internal investigations from 2011, um, I was thinking that maybe after former museum director Teresa Schoberg left, maybe she had copies that she would be able to help us out and fill in those gaps. Um, and she does have she
actually has the originals. Um, and we don't have copies. Um, so, uh, someone will have to reach out to her in order to get, um, according to an email she received where she said that she has these records in her custody. Um, so that'll have to be an evergoing conversation.
And I think at one point you did reach out to uh, attempt to get those records back and that didn't work out well. Yeah, that was my first email when she said she had them. Right. So if anyone knows Teresa and would have
the opportunity to have her return them to because obviously she was on staff at the time that those documents were gathered which means that as a staff person those become the staff property not personal
property. Town property. Yes. Tom Town property. Yes. Yes. Yes. Exactly. So, um, we need to, um, get them back. I think a, uh, that might be a good conversation to have with our town
attorney. Just make a gentle gentle, uh, uh, query, shall we say, to see if that could be accomplished. I I have to add in Teresa's defense that her leaving was horribly handled by
the town. It was disgusting and it was disgraceful. Exactly. And that's all I'm going to say about that. Yeah. So, there's probably some bad feelings in there. That's why I say a gentle call. A gentle Yeah. Um, so yeah, just want to put that out
since I'm leaving. I didn't want any that on the record that this is something we do need to follow up on. Agreed. As are all these other areas as well. Um, and then just more procedural things, less dramatic ones. Um, beachwalks at Newton Park are being moved Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Starting next
Tuesday, uh, the 29th, if I'm getting my days right, Tuesday, uh, September 29th at 9:00 a.m., Beachwalks will start on Tuesdays. They were on Fridays, but, uh, due to staff shortages, um, we're moving them from Fridays to Tuesdays at 9:00
a.m. Um, kayak tours, as I said, they're going to be offered once a week on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. due to staff shortages. Uh, guided tours will be cut to once a day Wednesday through Saturday at 12 PM due to staff shortages. Can those all be handled by by Emily? Emily.
Yes. In addition to uh social media, um, research and grants, um, field trips, group tours, FGCU outreach, and volunteer coordination. Okay. Any questions, um, for Adam with regard to his staff
report? The one thing on the beachwalk um is that at Newton like it was yes at Newton. Sorry I should have clarified. The beachwalks are at Newton Beach Park. And who is doing it? Emily. Oh, Emily. So Emily will be doing everything educational wise. Everything educational
education volunteer um and social media. Yes. Okay. And then Brianna will continue working with the archives, the exhibits um all that. Um, and then Karina will continue working in administration, uh, purchase
order, the finance side, development, and marketing. Adam, if I could, those those beachwalks at Newton Park, they're they're great. And and I just one of the tools to get the word out. The the the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce has a email
blast list that they give updates on things that are going on in the community. And if maybe Nicole or somebody could just do a little little one pager, they they sure they would slide that into their deck. And yeah, that reaches every short-term rental. It reaches the hotels. It reaches everybody. And that might might help
gets get the word out because that is a nice uh a nice service. Yes, we'll do that for sure. Thank you. Uh and she's and Nicole's done a really amazing job with those Fort Myers Beach Town announcements. I really like the feedback that I'm getting on a regular basis and the way she formats it. It's easy
for the chamber to pick it up and put it into their bl email blast every come out every other day usually and with all kinds of good information. Exactly. Have a huge mailing list or have a huge email list. Any other questions for Adam with regard to his staff report?
Um I have a question with regard to the shortfall uh which we sort of expected uh which was sort of codified last night at the budget hearing um and your um um conversation about the uh need for
friends to kind of augment our short shortfall. To what extent is there that commitment from the friends with regard to this upcoming fiscal year with regard to funding? Uh so not to spoil things uh but I had I
had conversations with uh uh with Ellen uh while she was still uh president of the friends. Okay. um and has stayed on of course as a member of the friends uh to assist in fundraising especially and um I have a presentation and uh we just basically
have to set a date for the staff to make that pitch and there's been already a u of the the existing and current board members of the friends of mouse um a uh a willingness to entertain the ask uh we're going to be asking for uh $25,000
to kind of help make up as close as possible to what we had last year. Most of that being in um education, collections, um office supplies and um staff training. And I can just interject that the the
incoming board of directors, so that would be Beverly Milton is the president and Mike Hughes is the vice president and also the secretary and Nancy Smith remains the treasurer. and they all are in support of whatever the ask is and if
the ask needs to be augmented they're entertaining that idea as well. Great. Wonderful. Is if is Beverly planning to have sort of a presentation to our advisory board because I think now that there is a changing of the guard at the
friends we need to kind of again you know kind of review the goals and and working together. I will certainly talk with her about that. I I can't imagine that she wouldn't want to do that, right? I would think because I I think now that you know she's president, I'd like to know what her plans are both
short and long term. I think we'd find that all very interesting and maybe she's in a position to uh reach out to the friends membership and get volunteers for the moundous. We we've discussed that as part of our transitioning of of responsibilities and
I am staying on as chief fundraiser. Fantastic. Oh, the best that's that's what she does so well. Yes, she has. And yeah, I would like to say if I could just that Ellen has done a fabulous job as far as fundraising and
just as in charge of the friends. I don't know where she gets her energy, but you know, it's like, oh, let's do I'll take care of it. I'll do it. And and it's done. So, she is and she does it. She's just a little Energizer Bunny. And I want to thank you for all the hard work you put in.
It's a labor of love. It's true. Much appreciated. Much appreciated. Um, and so, thank you, Adam. And we're we're um delighted with this sort of to-do list, even though we don't have an
official strategic plan. It's nice to get this on our um in our file so that we can follow up um appropriately and working with Jeff obviously until a new director comes into play. Now, before I go on to the museum assessment report,
which I know Adam is going to be in charge of, I'd not really on the agenda, but it needs to be. I'd like to have a conversation about the um Newton Park. Jeff, what is the um what is the plan or no plan?
The current plan is we're still going through the CDBGDR. Um we have about $3.5 million um of funding that we got passed through from the county um which is actually passed through from HUD. the county got it from HUD. Um so we're
currently um we put it out for design. We had five um people that had expressed interest uh in doing the design. So but we had then found that there was a a little bit of an error in
the the bid. So we had to rebid it um again. So, uh, luckily there are five people that want to design it. Um, which is different than one for the south north tower and one for the pool. That
at least we have options. So, once that goes through, um, we we'll have an advis or our selection committee will rank them. Um, and then, uh, we have to do two public interviews with them. It's a little different than the normal bid process. HUD and and Lee County require
us to do public interviews um and not just select the one that we we think is most responsible and best. That doesn't always mean lowest bid. That means mo most responsible um that we can get. And uh so we have two public hearings. We already had that for the north tower um
and we had one for the the pool um which are are are recorded meetings um that where we ask a series of questions to see if we feel that they qualify. um as a designer. So, right now we are still working through that process. It's been
I want to play it nice. Um it's been a longer process than we had hoped. It has to go from us to it goes well from HUD to the county to us and then kind of in reverse and if there's any changes with the contracts, it goes in the reverse
again. So, it it's double checked um I'd say a number of times and with all of our CDBGDR projects, it's uh we'll just say not going as quick as we we had hoped. We are still following the process. Um we still have that money earmarked for us. It's just going
through this process has been difficult um as far as the paperwork goes. So, it's it's not something we're sitting on the paperwork or they are. It's just the shuffling of it um just to get the bureaucracy out to get everything posted and bid the right way um is taking a
long time. So So the Newton Park is folded into those two other projects so that they're they're separate. We had three different projects that were were approved. Um that is that's a standalone where we're going to be redoing Newton Park. That's 3.5 million just for Newton Park. Um we did have that concept plan that we kind
of liked from the R2P2 um that we did get community input from. Um, so that should be one of the quicker ones we can get done as far as design because we already have kind of a conceptual plan. There's not a building structure going in. Um, you know, like obviously the
pool or the north water tower that's going to be a little more with design and engineering. Um, this one shouldn't have as much. That's the one. Would it be well I guess what I'm getting at is would it be helpful to have a public have have members of the community show
up and say this is important to us. I'm not sure how that would speed up the process, right? Um we've been pushing as much and they they push back on stuff we we give them. So it's it's kind of a you know it's not one one place holding up the other. It's
the process that's holding it up. Does that make sense? We were hoping, you know, we'd get the money right away and we were all excited and we still are excited for the opportunity. I mean, we don't have any other funding for those for those projects. So, this is kind of it um to do it. So, it's it's and I know
it's with the pool in the north tower, too. It's I get emails all the time and and I want it to go quicker and it's not from the lack of us trying. We meet um twice a week on it. once with the county, once internally to try to make sure we have our ducks in a row and it's nothing we're doing as staff to to slow
up the process. It's just a process and and we knew it was I mean we knew we probably could have someone on staff just working on this grant alone. Um so it it we're all working on it as a team. There's not one staff that's doing it on their own. Um we have a team I
think of five or six of us that meet with Tidal Basin and the grant funding department there. So, I just want to rest assured that we are going through the right steps. Um, it's not going as quick as anybody wants and I even the county, you know, they they want this to to proceed a lot quicker,
too. But it's just we've we've ran into some stumbling blocks at no fault of probably anybody but the system in the process. So, um, right now we just put a a better fence up so no one drives into it. I don't know if you noticed that. Some temporary fencing um just just to
be safe. We don't, you know, we we had two people try to pull into the Strand View side and pull in and got stuck. So, um, and it's also, I think, uh, Chad is going to be using it, our environmental, um, manager for the dune planting. He'll be using that. Okay. So, they're still using that
property for the dune plant. Yeah, they'll use it a little bit. They haven't been needing it as much, but once they get down to that way, I think they're at Palm Avenue right now, so they have their trailer and stuff set up there. But, um, so yeah, that's kind of the process. And I'm sorry it was a long explanation about Newton. Um but I don't want people
to think it's kind of dead in the water. It is we're still working through the process and I really can't give you a timeline on it. But I think my hope and I think that that will be one of the quicker projects to take actually take off and finish because it is a lot of vegetation there.
Um it's not a whole lot of actual construction construction going on besides the parking lot. So, um I know this is a um topic that is near and dear to Car's heart. So, I'd like to know what Carrie wants to um add to this conversation.
Um I mean, I I like the explanation. I'd like to get it done sooner, of course, which I think everybody would um just because it's so close to our home and it's been empty forever and you know, at least we don't have trash piled up on it anymore and all the other stupid stuff that was there. So, that's happy to
know. So other than that, I mean, if I can help move things along or anything that I can do, I'm here to help you guys. Yeah. And I do want to just I guess on that point, Carrie, um yeah, we've been we've been taking care of it, but also I think everyone that uses it takes care of it, too.
Um with the restroom, we we knock on if this is even wood. Knock on wood. We haven't anything wrong with the restroom trailers. Um you know, we're Palm Avenue, we've had the door ripped off several times. Looks like somebody took a hammer to the inside of it. It just gets trashed. And
the one at Newton people are really taking care of. Um so I I hope it's, you know, the neighbors around there that are really kind of taking care of it and using it appropriately, but uh that that site has been definitely a lot better than than some of the other ones. And uh we want to get it back to to what Newton should
be for sure. Yeah. And I think that everyone, you know, just remembers how Newton Park was. even people that are on their boats in the back back there, they talk about it all the time and they utilize going to the beach that way. So, um I I know that we had a little bit of an issue
with homeless person, but um that was taken care of. So, yeah. Okay. Thank you, Carrie. Um any other questions? I just had a quick question for Jeff. Jeff, the uh the RTD RTD2 uh conceptual
design, how does that differ than the design work that's currently out for bid? Is that to make it more shovel ready or it's just a con just a conceptual design. Um your question was so you said you're waiting for this this
bid for design work but we already have the R2-D2 design work that that's not granular enough. Is that No, that it's basically just a sketch of there was a there was conceptual. Yeah, it's conceptual. Um it it doesn't have any types of any detail to it.
irrigation. Um, you know, the actual plants that are going to go in there, the spatial issues, it was somebody at the R2P2 that was drawing it up as we as we were, uh, discussing. And then so once that that bid is let and the design work is done, then we'll have another bidding for the
construction work. Correct. Gotcha. Thank you. And that 3.5 million covers the cost of this new design firm. Is that just under the same scope of services? Yep. The whole the whole whole service. So, uh, actually, um, Vice Mayor, you brought up a good point. And I have a
question about that as well because I do recall that was kind of our, um, commu communal thought, a consensus that we agreed upon with regard to what that park was ultimately going to look like. And what do you think the design firm, this new design firm would bring that
would radically shift that? They need to put it into construction bid. Oh, okay. So, a design team will Yeah. will put in, you know, linear fence, setbacks, those kind of things where that if you look at the drawing, it how great it was and how much we love it. And I that's the design, the conceptual design I want
to go with. We don't have an actual design that can go out to bid. Got it. Um, you know, it there's things in a design that isn't just a picture. You know, there's, you know, especially with the parking lot, we got to know, we got to engineer how many spots can be there based on, you know, the size of the lot.
Um, those kind of things, how many ADA spots have to be on there. So there there's a there's and working within the budget as well. Yeah. I mean elevation plans, those kind of things. None of this had that. It was just it was a picture that we liked and uh conceptual drawing of how the layout was. But yeah, it wasn't uh a design by
any means. It was more conceptual. So it's really the the specifications have to be set. Correct. Yeah. For so when we go out to bid, that's how people bid on the the construction part of it is is how those are set. So I mean we can we can look at a picture and say I think that's a you
know that that's a C grape but I don't know what's it shows on the picture but uh so it's it's more in detail and and those kind of things. Is it a three gallon or is it a whatever right? Yeah those specifications. So yeah as much as we like the design and want to go with that it's still going to have to be designed to go out for bid.
And I guess Jim probably asked the question too does that 3.5 million cover those swings? Well, well, that key point of course, but but I think but but but the 3.5 covers the design work and the construction, correct? The whole project. Yeah. Thank you.
Yeah, but and the uh the swings are in the picture if you've seen it. Yeah. Okay. Do you have any concept that that's enough to to do what we want to do? I don't right now. Um we're kind of we're hoping that that that's probably
going to be it. kind of what we envisioned when we we kind of set out for the ask, okay, was that that would be plenty to to make it how we wanted it. We knew there wasn't going to be, you know, obviously a cottage there anymore, um historic building. So, um we did add in some
bigger things like some bigger cheeky huts, those kind of things that that can provide shade for weddings or parties um for that. So, yeah, that should be now with cost rising. We we saw that how that happened with Bay Oaks. I know you hope it's it's good, but at least this
we're not necessarily building anything per se. We're going to do a couple walkovers over some some uh holding holding ponds there and some some swailes, but nothing major. So, this should be it should come in budget. So, that original idea of an open
pavilion is now off the table. No, that's the open pavilion. Yeah, it'll be more of a big cheeky hut. So, you're calling that a cheeky hut. Okay. Okay. because that would hold maybe you were thinking 100 people or something. No, they were thinking there was a the pavilion and then there was a grass area
even back. And when they did the the R2P2, they said something around like 300 people could be under there. Yes. As far as a wedding goes, I don't I don't know the exact number, but it was well over a hundred. Yes, it was pretty sizable. Yeah. Yep. So that was that was and then
if on the the grassy area I mean we can get into that later that you know if we want to get a tent for it or somebody could rent a tent uh if they wanted more shade that they can do that. Um for subsequent advisory board meetings can you have the Newton Park uh part of the agenda? Sure.
Uh on a regular basis so that we can get updates as get additional information and of course if there's no additional information we can then move on but we can have that you know officially as an agenda item. I think that's important also for the community to recognize that we haven't just dropped the
conversation. It's important for the community to understand that we're we're we're on it to the extent that any bureaucracy can be. No, I agree because we do the same for the pool. Um because that's that's another one that we want to just kind of say it's moving. It's moving at this pace, right?
Um we all want it open tomorrow. Yeah. You know, but it's not off the table. it's not off the table and we luckily we have funding for it. For a long time we didn't have funding for these things. This one kind of just stuck um luckily and we got it
funded. So we want to keep moving the ball forward so that funding doesn't go away for some reason. So and this is not budget related. That's the other nice thing. This was all through additional funding. Correct. Yep. It was through additional funding and not a match grant which was even better that we don't have to match
those funds. Okay. Thank you, Jeff. Okay. So back to Adam and we're going to have a conversation about the museum assessment report and the postaction plan and um to that extent
you really put together I think a really nice I'm trying to find the report here should be synopsis the postmap action plan. Yes it is the postmap action plan itself. So we'll go through this one. Yes
three-page document. So basically um as it says on the top instead of uh combing through the entire I think it was 100 page uh plus which is what this is. Yes, exactly. Um the uh the folks um
with the American Museums and the Institute of Museum Library Services um they proposed this which a side note we're very lucky that we got accept this year because they're not doing it again this year. There's no funding uh through the Incity Museum Library Services to fund this program. So, we're actually
pretty pretty lucky. We got in last year when they still had funding because had we applied for it, we would not have been able to work to this. Wow. Yes. Good. So, you know, it was an awkward time with Milton and Helen and everything and um we have a good road map and this is
kind of what it is. It's kind of a road map especially because we don't have a strategic plan. Exactly. Um this is kind of a pre-strategic plan. uh a plan to help us get to the stage where we can get to have a strategic plan. And in the last meeting, uh Madam
Chair, you asked if staff would prepare um and list which of the recommendations uh were already accomplished by staff since it had been the report was initially submitted to the town on November 29th, 2024. Um so staff were
able to get those more lowhanging fruits and cell uh helped with that as well. Um, so we can kind of go line by line and these again are all the recommendations just to clarify that are in the map report that the American
Alliance of Museums, the National Accrediting Institution that provides which museums are and are not accredited. Um, which of course opens the doors up for funding for grants. Um and as a really a mark of prestige that
an institution is doing everything that it's supposed to do under best practices is kind of a signal for organizations and especially like for example many uh museums like we talk about exhibits and rotating exhibits and attracting new
people. If you're not accredited, most other museums that are accredited will not loan to your organization because you don't have that stamp that shows you have all the procedures that will take care of their artifacts that they're lending to you on display. So,
it kind of is a they don't have to ask questions or poke or prob or read through our our policies and procedures. This accreditation is a map that this is a museum that is doing everything by the books, by procedure, by policy, by the best practices of science and research
in the field of museum science. So, um, this will be a very helpful resource for staff, for cell cab members, for the council, um, for community members, for volunteers to kind of see which of the recommendations the American Lights
Museums recommended to council and the town, um, which ones will be accepted or rejected. Again, it's these are all recommendations. They're not mandates, but if they are all accepted, which is the recommendation from staff um to accept the recommendations from the
American Lights Museums, it will definitely place the mount house in a very strong position to apply for accreditation. Um any questions so far about that kind of preamble? No. Okay, we can go kind of just line by
line. Um the first recommendation uh is write and approve a new strategic plan. Uh now that one's kind of on hold especially as the town is working on a strategic plan. So, from my understanding, it's kind of waiting for that larger townwide strategy plan to be
finished and then for the moundhouse staff, uh, the museum manager specifically, um, and cellcap to work on developing a strategy plant specifically for Mount House. Um, as of course, the
town being a municipality might not have all the fine details that would be needed for a museum specific strategic plan. Um, but we'll have a good framework in terms of especially overall direction from the council and the overall foresight of this multi-year process. Do you have any sense of whether the
town has it on their to-do list is to create a strategic plan for the town? It's going Oh, Jim, I'll let you I mean, you know, probably you you probably sit in those meetings, Jeff, but it's ongoing. It's phased in over the next few months. Tracy Kohler, our assistant town manager, has taken the
lead on that and there's a whole schedule for it to be implemented and it's it's been formalized. But Jeff, do you know Yeah, we've been going through going through the process. Um, of course with when you hire a company, there's there's a process that goes. So, we've gone through the community process. We've
gone through the staff process. Um, I want to say they're getting close to wrapping it up as far as the process goes. Sorry, I keep saying process, but to write the actual, you know, to to start writing the strategic plan. Now, I don't know what that what that entails after they get gain or get all their
their information from all these different entities, but um I know they are working at it that way. And I know the the staff one, the staff input was one of the last ones as far as um you know, where where they're sitting, but I don't I don't know how long it'll then
take to write a strategic plan. So Jeff, you were saying that they have already gone through the community input. What kind of community input did they get with regard to the mount house? Those are the ones that were down at Bay Oaks. Um Oh.
Oh, okay. Yep. When they had that artist there, the the consultants that Yep. So that was that group participated. We did. Yes, you both. Yes. But I don't know that that was specifically geared to Mount House or even Bay Oaks except they wanted it
open. But again with regard to the details of a strategic plan, I think the intent was that we would dovetail these into their larger strategic plan. So I just want to know what conversations going on with regard to that.
Yeah. So I don't I don't remember and I think I think Mr. suggestion, Madam Chair, is maybe we invite Tracy to our next Cellcap meeting and she could give an update and figure out how to marriage what she's doing with what CECAB's needs are. Wonderful. What great idea. Yeah.
Yeah. Because right now it's not even really it's not an internal staff conversation. Um, you know, they're just putting the pieces she's putting the pieces together to to get this. She's extremely well organized and well spoken and she'll be I think she could really help. It would be good to have that
conversation with her as a committee. Yeah. Yeah. So, I'll I'll invite her to the next one. Yeah. Thank you. That would be wonderful because then we can get a better idea of of um because I think that was what our conversations were months ago about, you know, because we don't have a strate
strategic plan. We didn't want to work on one until the town was doing theirs. So, we would be in sync with them. And vice mayor, do you remember the first the initial one we had and they said how long that was going to take and we were I have to confess there's two or three
different strategic planning exercises that have occurred and they get a little inter but Tracy could delineate. Yeah, we we'll let Tracy do that because I I want to say it was initially longer than we were obviously hoping and we were trying to cut that number down.
Yes, that's absolutely true. Yeah. Okay, good. so she can be on hopefully next month's agenda. I will ask Dr. Coler to be on next month. Great. Thank you. Uh so the next one would be to uh rewrite the existing collection
management plan. Uh I wrote one uh part of a class um uh with a Dr. Aaron Richards um through the American lines of state and local history. And then the peer reviewer recommended to add just basically two
things. one and by the far the largest would be um an insurance policy. Uh so currently the moundhouse only has a building insurance. Uh all the artifacts are not insured. Uh so we need the town should look into um I know bad timing uh
with the time of the year but a additional assurance policy for the artifacts especially what's known as a fine arts insurance policy. Uh the best example is um Mount Vernon has an insurance policy for the building and then they have a fine arts policy for
George Washington's chair. If you had a normal insurance policy and the chair broke, your insurance company would say, "Oh, we're going to write you off a wicker chair." A fine arts policy say, "No, that's George Washington's chair. It's made from this fabric. It's made from this material, from this artisan, from this
time period. It's assessed at a much higher value. so you can get a better replacement or at least a monetary compensation for that. Um, so currently we just have kind of a Florida wallto-wall insurance coverage for the Mountain House. We don't have a fine arts policy for any of the insuranceances, uh, let alone insurance
that would cover any loans, uh, for traveling exhibits. Um, so that needs to be added and Brianna's Brianna and I have already worked on that extensively. And that again and that again would be another cost that we cannot incur this
year because of budget cuts. So even if we you know identified say Huntington Tu who is a finite art insurance firm they're very pricey because I've worked with them in the past that you know while it's a great idea and they are
they're wonderful we can't hire them. We simply can't afford it. But it is a game plan for future action. Yes. So again with best practices they're the best practice. That's what we're always striving to achieve. Um you
know there's you know the Met MoMA some of these you know the British Museum there are some things they're lacking. You know whenever I did my training at the Smithsonian there are rooms in their collection storage that didn't have fire extinguishers at the Smithsonian. And this was in
December to give better before budget cuts. So it's it's not that if we don't do all of these things and we're not 100% perfect, we're not doing a good job. Working towards it is doing the good job. The process. That's the process again.
The process. It's the favorite word these days of mine for. Um and then going on um explore staff contracted or volunteer marketing and events coordinator uh for MountainHouse. um probably more on the volunteer side
uh given the budget constraints. Um reclassify the museum's collections as cultural assets rather than financial assets. That's kind of almost already been done in terms of conversations. Um I had conversations with Joe with the
peer reviewer. He met with the finance department. Um it's always good to and right now they're not considered as uh cultural um they're considered um I forgot the exact terminology but they are safe. So there was a concern and
there's always a concern that um artifacts would get lumped in with like computers and chairs and if something bad happens inventory and you know there's goodness forbid knock on wood something bad to happen financially dire to the
town the town has to start selling assets off that the town doesn't start selling off artifacts. Um, so that's kind of a safeguard and it's kind of more of an administration thing that you just put it to another Excel comma column and the finance department have confirmed that the artifacts are like
and everything at mount house and the mount house property especially because it's through the Florida communities trust that it was purchased through state grants that the town can't get rid of it. They would have to give it back to the state for nothing. They can't sell Mount House or sell artifacts. Um, same with Newton Beach Park. Those
are very special properties that the town got through grant funding. um with the county and the state. Uh so everything at Mount House because their artifacts are tied to it, they're safe as well. Um and then collection storage that has been accomplished. We had a
meeting about that in cell cab in um late fall or early spring this past uh spring where we had to where we moved the collection into the artifact preservation center that's in the museum itself to provide better access and
safety. Uh we've purchased museum grade cabinets and we have stored them and Briana is starting the process of getting everything set for the actual cataloging because we have no inventory for the artifacts. Um we have again the
artifacts and we have bags with smudged and faded uh expo marker from the first excavation but they haven't it hasn't been maintained. It hasn't been some of the bags are dissolving. So we need to start rebagging, rewriting and placing them in proper uh boxes. So that's a
ongoing process that Briana and the team will start doing um with the cataloging process. So as we're going through hasn't she already begun? She's she's basically gone through the documentation and sorted what we have and what we don't have especially um and
we have the room and the shelving. We just have to do basically the individual baggies. So each of those large banker boxes, right? They should be museum grade boxes that aren't cardboard. And each of those big bags um have smaller bags. Inside those
bags are even smaller like dime bags. And some of them are really detailed with code and number that we have no reference towards. So like AL5-V that without documentation or the the actual records for the inventory, the
excavation logs from the initial excavations from the early 2000s, it's meaningless. It doesn't mean anything. Um you need to have that code to disco decode the information. Um so those bags haven't been written since you're supposed to basically rebag your
artifacts every year. That was never done. Uh they were bagged initially, so everything's still in the grab bags. So it's a it's a lengthy process and Brianna will be looking for volunteers. Um especially um there's going to be a lot of bagging and sorting and keeping
everything straight so we don't get anything separate or mixed up. Um so that'll be in the process. But in terms of the storage cabinets and the the room itself that we actually can safely and securely perform this work, that's already been accomplished per the peer
reviewer's recommendations. Um, and that kind of goes into the next one. Investigate the possibility of full-time collections internships or fellowships. Um, given the budget year, that probably won't happen anytime soon, but volunteers especially. She's already had she's already reached out and got
successful feedback from professors, various archaeological professors at universities across the state who have offered even as far away as Boaron at Florida Atlantic University to bring their students over for the day and help uh do a whole cataloging day with the artifacts.
Um next, writing an emergency preparedness plan specifically for Mount House that's been accomplished and added to the larger town emergency management plan. So the town has their larger emergency plan, but then also the Mount House staff have their own specific emergency plan specific for the Mount
House property. Um, next one, writing an integrated pest management plan and housekeeping plan. We have a housekeeping plan, but we don't have an integrated pest management plan. That's the second part of the collection management policy. Typically,
some organizations do it separately. Some organizations have it as a part of the larger collective management policy. It's kind of just dealer's choice on that one. Um, but that one has to be investigated a little bit more. Um, a daily walkthrough checklist that kind of
was folded into the housekeeping plan for the museum. Uh, the next one is to recruit new cellcap members. um which we have uh a surplus of applicants uh from my understanding in conversations with the clerk's office. So we have really
uh new applicants and returning applicants um as well to uh apply for cell cab. Um so it'll be a tough choice for council. So council would get a chance to the race is on. Well, the last time I was with Amy, I did not see that. Adam, there are more applicants than there are positions
from Myers. Yeah. Yeah, I think we're we have I think there's it's a plus one. Plus one. Yeah. So, we got a we have a choice. I did not see that. Now, we you have a choice. Nine times out of 10, I'm going with the incumbent. How's that? One one of the nice things that I
learned was um a member of FPAN, Natalie, the one that gave a talk here last month. um not actually in this building, but during our last meeting, she's interested in um filling a a vacant position. She
So, she would be wonderful. Yeah. A real a real benefit to Cellcap. And you know, you don't have to live on the island to And I'm sorry, she has made the application. Yes, she has. Forgive me. What was her name again? Natalie. Okay. Thank you. And in fact, I think you've got it in
the um it was in the minutes above. So she Yes. In the minutes of last month's meeting, her name is is Nari Deator Salas. And Betty Betty's position is now
available because she she was her position was not up until next year. That's true. So we have two there. So there are four open positions and five applicants. Oh. And and obviously with Betty's passing that means there would be one
short one position short for the applicants then right? Uh that that's a part of the four openings. Thanks. So you all will be voting on that in October. It's my understanding that'll be October 6 at our Monday meeting.
Okay. And then that would be then for our next cellcap meeting. They'd be coming to the next very next meeting. Yeah. Yes. The the new cellc cab. It's for the next cellc cab meeting. October the, you know, election of officers and everything. Okay. October next cell cab meeting. Since
we're on that subject, I don't want to forget this. When is the next cell cab meeting? Just to confirm. I didn't look. Shoot. I don't have it. I have it in my phone. I I won't be here. You marked that off your list already. Already deleted. was going to say, boy,
it should be the 23rd. It should be October 23rd. October 23rd. And that'll still be at 1:00. Yes. Yeah. Yes. It's on the town calendar as the October 23rd at 100 p.m. It's every fourth Thursday except for
thanks for November and December, then it's the third okay Thursday. Okay. because uh Thanksgiving and New Year Eve or or one of So in November in November it'd be on the 20th then correct? Otherwise the 27th is
that is correct. 20th November 20th 1 p.m. In December it would be on the 18th then right? That is correct. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thank you Carrie. You're welcome. I've even got a calendar in front of me and I can't figure it out. And on November 20th, we're up against we're up
against the sand sculpting contest or not. I mean, it's not contest, the sand sculpting event. It's a contest. Contest. They vote, right? That's right. There's a prize and they are extending it. It's going to be really good this year. Okay. Adam, I'd like for you to for you to continue the um report, please.
Yes. So, uh recruit. So the AM recommends recruiting new cellcap members and recruiting new friends and members as I said um to engage new people and new audiences and keep and engage new members of the community with the running and operations of moundhouse
so that we can continue growing the operational pool and the people who are passionate uh with the museum. um involve uh the next recommendation was to involve council cell cab and friends in regularly visiting and meeting with the
staff at the museum. Um that was a recommendation. Um this one is a recommendation for the friends actually. Um but he put it in there since the the u the governance was a focus of this uh
tasking the friends of recruiting new members. Hey Carrie. Yes, if you're typing, can you mute? We can hear your clacking on the Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Your fingers look like spiders. It's kind of fun.
I'm putting in all my dates for the meeting. Move the screen. Uh, so I know the friends Sorry, I just I was hearing the background. Thank you, Jeff. Thanks. Uh so I know the friends are uh have have been even
before the peer review been seeking and recruiting new friends members. Um the next one would be writing and approve a code of ethics specific for the museum. Um I don't know if the town has a code of ethics. I haven't checked. I forgot. But uh there are there are four
documents needed for accreditation for the American lines museums. You need a strategic plan, values, an emergency or yeah well I guess five mission and values statement. your mission, vision and value statement, your strategic plan, collection management policy, emergency management
plan, and lastly a code of ethics. Uh so a common code of ethics, for example, a volunteer staff member, someone who's involved with the museum can't be collecting, you know, the same stuff the museum might be trying to collect. So we're an
archaeological environmental museum. volunteers and staff can't ethically uh under a code of ethics cannot collect have own personal collection while they're employed or involved with the museum because that's competition and a conflict of interest. So that's just one example of what a
code of ethics might look like. Um uh approve emergency management plan kind of going into that already. I think it hasn't it's been submitted but I don't know it's been approved uh by council. Do you know? Yeah, I'm not I'm not really sure. It's
I think it's finished. I just don't know if it's got to the approval part on the the council yet as far as the updated one for specifically the mount house or for the town in general. Uh the mount house one is added as an addendum I guess uh or an appendex for the town's larger one. It's in the back. I don't believe it's come before the
council at least best of my knowledge. So, just to be clear, the the CMP the the emergency uh document he's talking about has a townwide one and then at the end has each department has their own um specific, you know, so the moundhouse has their things they need to do to
prepare seven days in advance to a storm or posttorm. Bay Oaks, they do the same. Moringfield has the same. So, that's that's kind of what we're talking about. Okay. So, that really is developed by the museum manager and then we get that to approve. Is that why we're cellcap is
listed? Yes. So, ideally the the museum man the museum manager the uh peer reviewer um as we've been doing um and how is he interpreting the uh the town ordinances the staff brings something like policy
recommendation to the advisory board. The advisory board votes to recommend that to council and then council accepts that recommendation or not. Okay. And as far as the emergency management, we've had that in there
throughout. Adam just refined it um and did a better job of, you know, the next steps instead of just a lump sum kind of thing. And was there, excuse me, was there an emergency management plan for the moundhouse prior to your arrival, Jeff? Yes.
Okay. Yeah, there there always was. It wasn't very robust. Okay. in any department. We really, you know, even, you know, no one no one really thought of it like even to put into a plan, take pictures of all serial numbers of everything you have, you know, cuz after Ian, we had to go to
try to find all that where if we would have just had it in one spot, it just something that we had to go we went through and is now as part of our plan. So, okay, it sounds simple, but but I think everyone knows too as with with their belongings, no one had all their
belongings categorized. I suspect after every storm there has been additions made to whatever the plan is because you find Oops, we forgot. Yeah, after every year it's supposed to be reviewed by staff. I I bet things were learned after they were probably learned after well Donna then we weren't
in town but after but after after after Charlie after Irma after we have all the ones in between whose names we forget. Agreed. Uh so yes that would um I'm assuming would be a future agenda item for cell cab just like the collection management
policy uh since it at least the one that's specific to uh mount house. Um and then the next recommendation is explore federal state grants for programs, collections, internships, and preservations. Um
I didn't mark yes, but I have explored those left. It's a short list uh on the state and federal side for arts and culture. Um they're far and few and far between. There's a couple private grants, but overall the peer reviewer
stressed he saw the grants we've really only been applying for has been through the friends the the local county grant, but he challenged us to go beyond the county to look at state and federal grants and grants at larger organizations like the Knight Foundation
or the Bloomberg Philanthropy uh organization. Bloomberg, the Ford Foundation. Yes. Um the American Association for Archaeology has grants specific to um archaeological sites. Very small grants, $5,000, but uh it does help out especially um overall.
And then so that'd be the museum manager and staff doing that. Uh installation of another Brown historical sign halfway down Connecticut, basically right at the stop sign. Uh we've actually ordered that sign already. Um we just have to have it installed. Um Excellent. not a brown sign, but it's a
um a sign that says similar to the ones that already out on the road. Actually, it is a brown sign. Um it just like the ones on on aero that have mount house the mount the museum logo and then the arrow will have the same thing just with an arrow pointing forward cuz you drive
down Connecticut street you see the open parking lot and you actually cannot see any signage until you get literally in front of the house museum because of the vegetation and foliage and how far back the mount house sign is set back into the small parking lot. So, you know,
just having that extra sign to continue people forward because even GPS's get it wrong sometimes. I can't tell you the number of times I've watched waiting for a bus FGCU and I see them coming in from Shellmount where they got lost somewhere in the Shel neighborhood
and and then they get turned around and there's no signage because all they see when they come down is houses, residential houses and vacation rentals and a big sign that says dead end. Oh. And there's no sidewalk. So, the sidewalk ends. So, it's a little confusing. You said that that sign's been ordered and delivered but not
installed. Is that correct? So, why has it not been installed? It's just on the the the list list of things to do. Yeah. The public works director needs to um but public works director. That's why I said it. That's why I said it quietly and mumbled.
Adam, at one point you um I had a conversation with you where you talked about reorientating the entrance because even once people get into the small parking lot, their space is available. They still get confused. Mhm. Yeah. So, I haven't done any way finding studies. That's one thing I wish I could have
done in my time here to do a full visitor science evaluation study on the way finding, how people navigate the site. But just from being there for 5 years, 5 days a week, um you're right, people, and as you all have pointed out and can attest to, people get lost.
You'll get people you'll be standing waiting for the restroom and people will walk into the the garage the office and say, "Is this the moundhouse?" There there's I bet have even had staff from the town hall come to deliver something and they're parked right in
front asking where's the museum? Mhm. And when you only have two buildings, um, and it seems obvious to us because we're familiar with the site, but for an outsider, you know, there's people who are kind of hesitant to come in and say, "Is this private?" Because it looks like a private house. There's
no signage. There's no, and we have done a little bit with that with some of the wayfinding, the uh the lovely rocks. Uh um and uh but in terms of reorienting uh there could be a whole bunch of things that can be done. One idea would be to
basically force people to drive down the shell loop Dan Hughes way to basically have them enter the uh bay side of the shell loop, drive in front of the mouthouse so they get a view of the property pass the kayak launch around
and then orient the parking and move the do not enter signs from the gate to the road whereby people have to drive around through the loop and then park so they get a better understanding of the property instead of parking. Even when I first visited in 2019 for a lecture uh
series, me and my husband, we parked and we stopped and we saw the small parking lot and then we saw a sign and we saw it's different loading only. So, even when we first visited before I was hired, I was confused. So, you know, maybe making that loop one way and force people to take the loop. Um, conversely,
you can, you know, close the loop. You know, that kind of restricts kayaking though and like unloading and lo unloading. Um, so that's like one easy fix, just moving those signs from the vehicle gate on the exit of the shell loop forward to
the exit and now formerly entrance of that small parking lot. So, you can kind of make it one way. So, that's one idea. Um, you there's a couple things you can do, play around with it, but things like that can make it a little bit easier to navigate. Is there is there any concern that additional traffic on that on that shell
road would damage the the roaded itself? Um, no, that's a short answer. Okay. Um, we don't have that much volume and we already have people driving around. We already have buses. That's how buses unload and offload because the small
parking lot isn't big enough anyway. Um, so I would say no. I don't think it would be think it would be net. Okay. Um, is is that something that you've documented so that your your your successor will be aware of your thinking on that or or I guess you
This is sort of not only for us but also for the new museum manager is sort of the to-do list of things that still are ongoing. Yeah. Yeah. I do have a presentation as well as my in my documents. Um, it's labeled wayfinding and outdoor signs.
It's uh basically a whole photography for what a visitor would do if they parked at the overflow parking lot and some of the logical directions they might see when they first park. Um because there's a lot of little signs that you, you know, they kind of blend into the background, but there's a whole presentation on this
as well in addition to the document in front of you. Now, you did label that road as Dan Hughes way. I just heard. Yes, that's the official name. It is. Yes. And how would the public know that that is the name? Uh they wouldn't I guess. Uh so I think
the resolution passed just before Ian if my memory serves. I'm a little rusty on that. Anything before Ian is a little rusty. Um I know everyone actually a lot of things after Newton were rusty uh as
well. Um, but yes, the council did pass a resolution naming that to Dan Hughes way loop. I don't think we actually there was actually in the proclamation what it was. I think it was just named after Dan Hughes and there was talk put about putting a
little sign there. Um, so that's that's something that can be done. Uh, and that just Mayor Ray Murphy asked me about it recently. So yes, I had a feeling and it happened right relatively soon before Ian. Maybe 6 months.
Yes. Before I So but he's wonder you know what does uh what what's going on with that. So that might be a small sign we can add at some point. Okay. Uh just continuing um do a yearly walkth through with the sheriff, neighborhood
services, uh EMS, fire. Um that's really good in terms of emergency management. Just so if there is an emergency 911 call, the fire department knows if they can't get into the building because your first natural instinct would be the
front door is the front door of the mount house and that being historic door and you know the fire department if they need to get into a building they will get into a building. Oh yeah. So they'll they'll break down the door. They'll break in the French doors no problem. Um because someone's life could
be in danger. So, kind of I already did a walk through the last time we had a false alarm fire with some of the crew and the fire inspector about, you know, you can break down the gift shop door. This one is not historic. If you need to get in, it's really wide and everything for y'all. Um, and I've
walked through and I've had conversations with Tom, um, the director of emergency preparedness at head of neighborhood services as well. Um, but that's something to do on a yearly basis with uh Lee Sheriff, neighborhood services, the fire department, EMS. You know, if they don't know where the observation pier is, that's going to be
a little bit hard. You know, if you think visitors are having a hard time navigating the site, how about a sheriff's department responding to an emergency? They're going to have a hard time navigating the site. Sure. And this year, the vegetation is so dense, you really can't see the observation period till you get there,
which is lovely to have dense vegetation. Yeah. And really, you know, Moundhouse specifically too, but all all of our properties should have that done as far as walkthroughs. So, I know they're going to do it at this building. We do it at Bayo. Mound should be definitely a
part of that. Um, as just a government entity anyway. Um, this next recommendation, this goes into a larger conversation. Um, slightly larger. Uh so the peer reviewer he found he the only thing he could think about
is if we purchased a large gas generator and a large industrial pump to install on top of the mound next to the house um to basically be an active pump to replace the small subpump for the
underground exhibit to keep it from flooding. Um so that's he he gave his recommendation. I think there was even a question about what he thought about the underground. And this was also just to give you more context. This wasn't after Milton. This was written in September.
He visited September 2024. So he visited only a week before Helen and two weeks before Milton. So he was kind of thinking this as a way to prevent any future Ian damage. Um, so that's kind of his recommendation um on like a possible solution to have this large gas
industrial generator and a large gas industrial pump built on uh on top next to the house near the gift shop entrance. Um what that might look like, I don't know. Uh might ruin some sight lines, but um that's a conversation for y'all to have. Uh the next
recommendation, have Mount House staff train and facilities maintenance for smaller issues. Seth Arbury worked with Seth in doing this. Uh Seth is the um from public works assigned to Mount House and he's um showed us all the tools, you know, what happens if we do
this, what do we do if there's a if the sprinklers break open and kind of, you know, water shut off, electrical sh power shut offs, things like that. Um the smoke alarms going off, the alarms going off. Um this there's a there's a piece of wood protruding. there's, you
know, a safety issue and on Saturday there's limited staff uh in the town and sometimes mount staff are uh some of the make up half the staff uh for the town on Saturdays. Um so some so we have definitely have to
have uh a way for the mount staff to take care of facility maintenance issues that can be addressed until Monday whenever there's a larger staff that can help us. And you know, Adam, we haven't really talked about this one, but we do have some public works staff that just work weekends. So, we should get them um trained at moundhouse, too, if we
haven't already, just so they're familiar with it. So, if there is an emergency, we can call them and have them go out there, too. But, um yeah, that that's that's good, you know. And Adam had shared with me that Seth is the one that came up with the idea of taking the mural from the underground and installing it on the garage, which was just a wonderful idea,
and I think he's to be commended for being that thoughtful. Yeah, he does a great job. And just as a side note, um Seth is the one I just tasked with putting up that brown sign on Connecticut just in on the task board. So, um as we speak, as we speak, it got uh it got tasked.
That's a can do move, Jeff. Well done. Uh the next one looking for grants for a virtual classroom setup, but that's when we had two educators and they were Ashley and Franklin were driving to do off-site programming for Beach Elementary School when they're at San Carlos. Um but traffic is always an
issue. Um even before Ian especially, you know, buses would get stuck or they wouldn't come because of the traffic issues. And there's a lot more schools. Um there's schools all over the state. You know, what we're doing can be taught to schools in St. Augustine and
Gainesville as easily as they can be in San Carlos Park or Heights Elementary School. So having virtual classroom setups to do a virtual field trip uh for individuals um to also help expand revenue and outreach opportunities for the museum and kind of set up the
orientation gallery. Uh probably be the best space since it already has an AV setup um for that setup. Um on page three, develop a process for evaluation for programs and exhibits. So, a way to actually have almost like
smart goals, measurable goals in whether or not you're meeting those goals and if there is education, how are you measuring education? Sure, you can have a personal antidote of this couple came in and they had a great time, but having that concrete data can really help you
in terms of applying for future grants saying we have had, you know, based on evaluation, we had x number of people do this and we had this percentage do that. That can definitely help in terms of uh making us stand out in the very competitive grant field. Um creating
audio tour. Um, so we, this peer reviewer recommended Blueburn, Blueberg Connects, excuse me. Um, they're not taking on any new clients. However, just recently, uh, Karina did a lot of late work and Karina Britz, the museum development coordinator, uh, from Mount
House, uh, she found a very affordable app and got the town an amazing deal, um, for a, uh, web-based program of an audio tour. So basically we're going to be working with um Briana and Emily are very excited to do this as kind of a
passion project and once that gets implemented that's when the and excuse me sent live we're going to be collaborating with the Simol tribe of Florida and the Mikosuki tribe of Florida Indians and the Florida Public Archaeology Network in the University of Florida and developing the content and
we'll be and through this we can have uh an audio tour which will help with the staff shortages if people want to go around by themselves. and especially increase linguistic diversity, you know, Spanish, French, Spanish, German, and Haitian Creole especially.
Um, and then they can have 99 languages and they can add them at any point. So, if we have, for example, a Korean bus group showing up with, you know, 30 Korean speakers, we can change the app within 24 hours to have a Korean version. So, that's how customizable the
app is. Um, and you can also have multiple tours. So there could be a tour of just Mount House. There could also be a tour that could be for the whole town's history and the whole island's history. There could be one for Newton specifically um to help complement um those existing
and uh existing signage and again promote that you know linguistic diversity uh for visitors. Um so we're very excited about working on that project. Uh next recommendation making a light meter to measure and control lights. The exhibit lights are currently
H hallogen lights. They're too hot and too bright for exhibits. They're causing a lot of light damage. We need to upgrade to have LED lights. Um, again, funding is an issue. Perhaps there's assistance we can have from outside entities. Um, the next one,
getting clarification on the sunshine laws regarding cell cabin friends. That's been taken care of through the town attorney uh through her very detailed uh sunshine law training presentation. And I must say, not only did the attorney um you know um speak at
length with regard to the constraints, but I also have to commend the friends for being very proactive and um making shifts so that there wasn't the duplicity of efforts with regard to transparency. So congratulations to them
the friends is really what I want to say. Congratulations. Yes, definitely uh taking that you know that first peer reviewview meeting and kind of taking upon themselves and hearing some of that feedback and you know hearing the um potential conflict of interests or conflicts of interest uh between cell
members and friends being the same individuals right and kind of taking that charge onto themselves and that that issue is kind of no longer an issue. It's no longer an issue at all. So, um, much applaud to the friends organization
and the well, I guess y'all cuz, uh, it's the issue of being on CellCAB and meeting outside, not being a Friends board member and being on CellCA, it's being on CellCA. Um, since we're public a publicly appointed organization.
Um, so that's um, uh, really great progress. That was an accomplishment. Big check. Yes. Uh, the next one, change in the flow of exhibits. So visitors see the history of the building first. So he recommended basically swapping uh out the living
room exhibit into more of an orientation gallery on you know why is there a house on a mound and kind of getting that right there because right now it talks about the case family but it's talk about like okay but why do they build a house on the mound? Who are the kuso? Where am I here? So kind of you know going into
that existing old strategic plan about updating uh and rotating exhibits um cost a lot of money. And again, funding uh funding is an issue, but there are a lot of exhibit things that can be done for cheap. Um
so, for example, the the there's not a lot of signage in that room to begin with. There's the big panel, but if you remove the furniture and the big panel, you can have signs made for under $100 with images and text, and that can be a
rotating exhibit room. You know, there's a lot of possibilities. You could move the gift shop to the orientation gallery and make the gift shop the tutor style kitchen. Maybe that can be in a temporary exhibit space. So, there's a lot of moving parts. There's a lot of different, you know, possibilities with
um changing the exhibit flow. So, it goes more in a chronological order instead of, you know, house and then you go upstairs and then you see the you know the orientation room too. That's Yeah. The orientation gallery being second, right? That should be first, right?
Agreed. Um and then mission and vision needs to be reviewed. Um that should be done anyway, part of the larger strategic planning process. Um but our current the current mission for the mouth house is quite lengthy and uh frankly oddly
specific especially the usage of 2,000 years. Um in my opinion that 2,000 years can be taken out. It doesn't serve too much of purpose. Um is also confusing. What 2,000 years? 2,000 years kousa. 2,000 years from now, 2,000 years in the
future. Um, so like right now the mission is any takers. Takers on the mission. Yeah, it's 2,000 years of history, environmental history of of Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida.
Yeah, it's uh the whole mission is to preserve, share, and interpret 2,000 years of cultural and environmental history of Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida. So it's pretty lengthy. There's a lot of. So, a general rule of thumb, mission should be able to be remembered verbatim
on the top of the head for anyone making decisions about it because your mission is if you're making decisions about the organization, you should know what the organization is. And then another rule of thumb, a lot of organizations, they put on the back of their business cards. That forces them to have a short mission
that's easily rememberable, but also one that's always present. Another place to post your mission. And we've actually added our mission more prominently on our website and on our newsletters. And then lastly, revisit strategic planning process quarterly. Uh so it's not just a
a one and done. And you guys were already doing that before hurricane Ian revisiting the strategic planning process. It's just getting back in that groove. Yeah. But other than that, that's all his recommendations. Okay. So I think what what I'm hearing, Adam, is that you know this has been
such a comprehensive uh report and obviously a game plan going forward, but also now that you are leaving uh it gives, you know, the the next museum manager a a um a menu of things that now
are on the front burner. Maybe not budget-wise, but something that should not be forgotten. But this was based on the recommendations from the map um reviewer that came and then we've had I know we had our meeting last
month. We reviewed part of his recommendations and finalizing this. I think the the before Sherry leaves has to leave. I'm sorry and I know it didn't say this in the agenda but this is actually requiring board action. So, I'd like for CellClab
to make a motion that we uh accept this plan that Adam um developed uh for us uh moving forward to um for short and long-term goals. Um so, may I have a I'd
like to entertain a motion. So, moved. Okay, Becky. And I will second it. And you'll second it, Ellen. Okay. It's been moved and seconded that the um plan that Adam um presented for future action
on behalf of Cellcap and council and staff um be implemented. So this will go to council next. Correct. To be adopted to be adopted. All in favor? I oppose. None. Unanimous vote for Thank you.
Sorry I have to leave. I have appointment. I know you do. Uh, thank you um for being here. Anytime. Thank you for waiting until the vote. Yes, anytime. Just for the record, I'd like to add the idea that I just want to flesh out a little bit. There's no quorum anymore.
I don't think there's a quorum anymore. Oh, but we had a quorum when she was still here and voted. Yeah, but we can't have we can't continue the meeting. Oh, right. Well, even with even with um Carrie
Yeah. She has a count as a vote. as in person. So I don't she she counts. Well, actually, we we we can continue. We just can't vote on anything. That's right. That's it. Oh, okay. So, let's let's go that route. Okay. It's a good conversation. It's Adam's last meeting. We might as well extend it.
We don't we stay here forever. You're right. I I just wanted to clarify not clarify just for when you say look for grants for a virtual classroom, are you thinking about having a vehicle of some type? Uh great question. the virtual classroom. So using like Zoom or Teams
or a webinar situation, so using technology to have a a class log in from Georgia or Iowa uh through Zoom or virtually just like Carrie's doing um like a community wouldn't need a vehicle. No, it wouldn't be a vehicle. Uh we have
a a very nice Maverick uh that's the utilities department is letting us use. Well, I I mentioned transferred over to you guys. Yes, I was involved with the children's museum in Ann Arbor and we actually we had we had a mobile classroom and I was thinking that's something that you could go to an automotive dealership
and get them to sponsor something. I mean get them to sponsor it, but I mean there there are sources of that. So if that would be of interest, I think that would be something that an organization that wants to help raise money might be interested in helping with. There we go. Yeah.
Well, we have to have one. event. Yeah, we used to have a I don't know if you want to anybody wants to talk about that with a wall or a It was a cart. Yeah, we had the uwards an award-winning from in 2011. It was the Kousa carts.
Yes. It was basically a mobile moundhouse um in that it had actual um shell mitten material that would be organized as uh a way for people to see the various layers and it'd be taken to
uh festivals and it would kind of be towed like a trailer uh around and it was uh very popular. I don't have any real documentations what happened to it. I found pieces of it uh over the years in the shed. It was kind of disassembled from my understanding. It was I think we lost
the ability to tow it and we didn't have a way to tow it and then it got it was way too heavy especially for volunteers cuz it was I think it was like steel steel on steel. Um and it was quite a lengthy setup. So uh even like two volunteers would have a difficulty setting it up at festivals.
So I think it got phased out. Um, we also have, so we have the the Maverick, a truck that we use to drive out that we load up with our tent and tables and replica artifacts that we would drive out to like the Buranga Festival, um, Naples Pride, all these large festivals that get hundreds, thousands of
visitors, um, that we engage with and hand out information, upcoming events, general awareness. And then, um, from Hurricane Ian, we had two vehicles, um, that we had the insurance money from. Um, we had a electric uh cart, an
electric buggy that was for one of the maintenance workers when we had two maintenance workers assigned to mount house. Um, and then we had a six passenger electric shuttle bus cart thing. Um, mobile
uh basically basically um so that's um it we didn't do it bring it to outreach. Uh, we basically would only run it from the outreach parking off-site parking lot to mount house. I think its top speed was 12 miles an hour. So, um, and
it turned on a nickel. Did somebody write that down? Yeah, it's all in the records. the financial department has um that uh so yes, we just haven't replaced it because we haven't had a need um for for either vehicles, but that
insurance money is earmarked uh for Mount House specifically. Okay. Um anything more, Adam? That's it. No, that's Does this Does this report go to Matt in
any way in terms of your final communication with Matt before you leave? Uh, no. That ended back in June. Oh, okay. Um so that communication is basically my well unfortunately from my understanding um unless they're watching
and they can email me. Uh the MAP program because it was funded through including the employees that were hired through the Institute of Museum Library Services. I believe they were um laid off in the federal bud budget cuts in the springtime to um the National
Endowment for the Humanities as well as the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is the federal IMLS uh the federal agency for museums in the United States. Um so I think they lost their job. They sent an email basically saying we're going to try and stay in contact as long as possible. We
don't know what's going to happen, but um reach out to am if you have any help or need. And then the peer reviewers are always there to help you. Always reach out to Dr. Scott Neil. I have his contact information. Jeff has it. Karina has it. Um so if you need anything, questions,
advice, Dr. Neil has offered that as well. Well, that's lovely. Um AAM is always there as a resource. Um but uh basically it's in our game again. They they were there to give us a review. They gave us a They did an
assessment and this is all on us. Okay. So, we're on our own. Yep. Got it. Got it. Okay. Any more questions for Adam that we can move on? We're good to go. We're I'm just I'm a little slow. So, so that means because of these federal issues,
we'll never we won't be officially accredited. We'll just do these things as best practices then. Uh that's a great question, Mr. Vice Mayor. So the federal cuts affected the museum assessment program in terms of its operation which is kind of a pretest for accreditation. So it's
a separate program separate from accreditation. Thankfully uh the accreditation process is in the hands of a nonprofit organization and that's the American Alliance of Museums and that's still on track then that's they're still doing accreditations and reacredititations in
that process. Um I think for the accreditation process there's a um the next step is a um a document review and then a site visit and then the only thing the town would have to pay for is basically the transportation and lodging
for the site visit of a day or two and that I think that's the only cost. Um they used to have it covered um and before the MAP program this last year they were able to get extra funding to cover Dr. Neil's accommodations and transit. Um, previous years. So, we were
really lucky because if we did it a year before, we would had to pay for Dr. Neil's uh room, board, and travel. Um, and then uh so now the MAP program is on pause right now, but the accreditation process since it's outside of the federal oversight, that process can
still continue on. So, and obviously your recommendation is to continue on because that accreditation, if we achieve it, will help us get other potential grants down the road. Correct. Absolutely. Okay. Very good. Absolutely. Okay. Um, thank you, Adam. Um, member uh
reports items, do you have anything, Carrie? No. Okay. Thank you, Ben. Be No, no, nothing. Um, Ellen, I I will just enter into the record that I've officially resigned my position as
being president of Friends of the Mountain House. I'm staying as I mentioned earlier in the meeting I'm staying on is chief fundraiser and Beverly well I think I already read this into the record that Beverly is the president and Mike Hughes is the vice president and and treasurer no excuse me secretary and Nancy Smith res remains
treasurer and we have and we are also shrinking the number of of um oh Mike Hughes I think most people understand is is an attorney he's not licensed in Florida he's licensed in in in Illinois um but he fs all of our records. So now he will
be on board as a as an officer and we'll be filing all those records. So we'll be we'll be all legally official official officially right. Okay. Thank you. Um anybody from staff have anything
further to add to our meeting? No, just again thank you to Adam. Um you know he's been here longer than I have for sure. and went through all the same storms that we all have and and has stuck it out and really gave us a good game plan of where we need to go next
with with the mound house. And so, thank you very much for for all you did. Uh, thank you. Um, thanks for all your support and um I'll be rooting from California and on the great successes the town and Mount House is sure to have. Well, hopefully we'll have good things
to report. We've got some constraints now obviously with our budget, but we'll do the very best we can. All right. And so Jim, do you have anything further to add? I don't have anything additional. Thank you, Madam Chair. All right. Thank you. Um, we're there being no one in the audience, we will
no, we will not need the public comment. So I'd like to now have a motion to adjurnn. I will move to adjourn. Thank you. Uh, Ellen second. Second. Okay. All in favor? I motion approved and the meeting is now
ended at 2:54. Thank you all. Thank you. Byebye. Minutes to go.