MINUTES

ORO VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

First Meeting of Society Members and those interested in Preserving Oro Valley’s history

 

September 22, 2005

Sunshine School  6:30 PM

 

  1. The meeting was called to order by President Jim Kriegh with introductions by all participants.

 

2.  Current membership and financial report by Secretary/Treasurer Pat Spoerl. 

           Funds in Account total $3,795.00.  Membership list was distributed.

 

  1. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws distributed to participants

 

  1. IRS 501©(3) status has been approved.

 

  1. Deed of Gift – Jim Kriegh provided information that the collection of George Pusch’s historical materials is being donated to the OVHS by Henry Zipf.

 

  1. Jim Turner, Arizona Historical Society, spoke to the group regarding starting a historical society.

Topics included: 

*  “don’t reinvent the wheel”

*  Recommend “Starting Right”, a publication of the American Association of State and Local History.  Recommend that OHVS join.

*  Start with a Mission Statement that every member should know -- to create a focus and common understanding.

*  Connect with civic groups, merchants, etc., (is a continuous process).

*  Marketing is important (eg. Mugs, T-shirts, articles and photos in newspaper, “this week in history”), “history minute” at Town meetings, “history of” series

*  Museums are about “Stuff”, real stuff.  People want to see the real thing

*  Museums need sufficient storage space for repair/restoration.

*  Museums need a collections policy

*  Starting a Museum is usually a 3 year process – year 1 – building, year 2 – stuff,- inventory, itemize, year 3 – exhibit design.

 

  1. OVHS logo  -- committee volunteered to initiate logo considerations (Georgia Hollinger, Joyce Rychener, Judith James)

 

  1. Possible Projects and Volunteers:

**  Twink Monrad – keeper of membership roster

**  Lyra Done --  accounting coordinator for expenditures to meet IRS requirements.

 

**  President Kriegh provided information on the possibility of a highway historic monument and interpretive area at the Steam Pump Village development, asked participants to start thinking about volunteer work to inventory the Pusch historic records and the scrapbooks and papers regarding the Town’s history, and suggestion of OVHS T-shirt (discussion with logo considerations)

 

** Kriegh announcements included:

-- Meeting space at Sunshine School donated; School could use floor tile if anyone has extra.

-- Letter from Tohono O’odham Chair regarding grant of $206,000 to Town of Oro Valley for protective fence around Honey Bee Village Site.

-- Canyon of Gold by Barbara Marriott has recently been published.

-- Bob Shelton, former owner of Old Tucson, may be interested in an Oro Valley location for old western movies memorabilia.

 

**President Kriegh briefly described the properties and places listed in Agenda item 8f for participants.  He also noted that a priority is to identify the amount of space that may be needed/used by the OVHS at the Steam Pump Ranch site and provide this information to the Town.

 

**The OVHS will have a booth at the Oro Valley Arts Festival at the Riverfront Park on October 29th and 30th.  Volunteers will be needed.

 

9.  The next meeting is scheduled for October 20th  (later changed to October 18th).

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:30.