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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-09-08 JHC MinutesG:\Everyone\Jack House\Minutes\2008\Jan 09 Min.DOC Jack House Committee MINUTES Parks & Recreation Administration Office Wednesday, January 9, 2008 5:30 PM CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chair Gerry Johnson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Committee Members Patrick Mayeda, Betty Stockton, Kathi Settle and Kylie Hatch. ABSENT: Ron Batterson & Bob Gordon GUESTS: Toni Kincaid & Marilyn Darnell STAFF: Christine Wallace, Barbra Lynch & Todd Beights PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: There was no public comment. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES AND FINANCIAL REPORT: The minutes of November 2007 meeting were approved. The November 2007 Financial Report was approved. Agenda Items: Item #1: Setting Policy on Age of Free Admission – Johnson • Stockton shared background information on past Jack House free age admission. o In a Jack House advertisement, December 2007, it stated that children under the age of 3 admitted for free. o Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a “child”. o County museum admits kids under 18 yrs old for free. o Jack House handbook policy 80-1 states fees are waived for educational tours, no age was referenced. o Jack House handbook states Jack House volunteers should work towards and allow for the greatest use of the house. o By allowing all kids under the age of 18 in the Jack House for free will encourage more visitors. o Teenage visitors will not generate a significant amount of revenue. • Kincaid asked for feedback from docents on this topic. She stated that 90% of docents feel children age 12 and under should receive free admittance. • Mayeda doesn’t think the $2 entrance fee will be prohibitive or will keep people from visiting. Settle made a motion to set a policy for free admission for any child 12 years or younger. The motion was passed 4:1. Stockton cast the dissenting vote. Jack House Committee Minutes for January 9, 2008 Page 2 of 3 G:\Everyone\Jack House\Minutes\2008\Jan 09 Min.DOC Item #2 Sale Price of Marilyn Darnell’s Book The House That Jack Built – Johnson The author, Marilyn Darnell, shared her thoughts on the sale price of the book. o If the book is sold at $10 each the profit would be $6 per book. Could offer a wholesale price of $8 per book. This will allow the owner of Novel Experience to sell the book at $10 and still make the necessary $2 profit per book. o Darnell would like to keep the book price the same everywhere it is sold around the city or county. o No price was printed on the book and $10 is a nice price point. o Difficult process to get a book sold at Barnes & Noble • Johnson stated the book is already selling for $10 each at the Jack House gift shop, but the gift shop is closed three months of the year and limited weekend hours. Would rather have book price be consistent everywhere in the city and county. • Settle asked if it was a problem selling the book for less at the JH gift shop. • Mayeda prefers the $10 price and feels it should be same in all book stores. Mayeda made a motion to set the retail price for The House That Jack Built at $10 each retail and wholesale price at $8 each. The motion was passed unanimously. Reports and Updates • Monthly Activities – Staff/Public Works Christine Wallace reported on the following: o Work has begun on the Jack House picket fence. o There was vandalism damage to the Jack House gazebo and it will be fixed soon. o The Jack House banner that hangs over Marsh Street to promote the Christmas open house was damaged by recent wind storms. A new sign will be needed for next year. o Parks & Recreation Department received notice about the foundation & sprinkler projects being delayed several months. This may cause a closure of the Jack House for Christmas 2008. Updates will be provided as needed. o The city clerk’s office has new informational brochures available for Jack House Committee recruitment. • Public Works Department - Barbara Lynch & Todd Beights o Public works representative(s) will try to attend Jack House meeting once a quarter. o The foundation repair work on the Jack House will most likely be started in October 2008 and the sprinkler project will follow in Q1of 2009. o Public Works Department staff met with Rotary members and Rotary members will be taking care of keeping fence area clean for visitors during fence construction project. • Docent Activities Toni Kincaid reported on the following items: o The Christmas open house had 193 visitors. This is lower than the number of visitors in 2006. Jack House Committee Minutes for January 9, 2008 Page 3 of 3 G:\Everyone\Jack House\Minutes\2008\Jan 09 Min.DOC o Want to discuss what can be done to increase visitor numbers for next year. Asked for this issue to be placed on agenda for discussion in 2008. o The recent docent trip to the Stowe House went very well. Seven people attended the tour. It is Kincaid’s observation that the Jack House is the most modest of all the sisters’ homes. o Toni is taking advantage of the house closure to give the hanging garments a rest. She has laid out the clothes on the beds so they are not stressed during the house closure. Also, items were wrapped in tissue to help with preservation. o The docents will meet at the Jack House once a month for their meeting starting in February so they may check in on the house at least once a month while it is closed to the public. o Darnell – Attendance numbers for the Christmas tours is so much lower today than five years ago. It may be the new norm due to so many other community events at or around the same time. Would like to have new plans in place for 2008. • Member Comments o Johnson – Asked if Parks & Recreation staff visit the Jack House during the winter months when the house is closed to the public. Wallace assured committee members it was checked and maintained regularly. o Settle stated the Jack House looked great at Christmas time. Too bad other city events were scheduled during the same time. Other events may have taken away from the Jack House visitor turn out. o Stockton mentioned a special addition to the Sunday of a holiday open house. She invited Camp Fire member to make a mobile for Jack House. A young gentleman, in Camp Fire, did create a mobile using all the cattle brand symbols of San Luis Obispo County. He stayed during the tours and presented mobile information to all Jack House visitors. It was a nice opportunity for him to participate in Jack House activities. o Settle asked if the committee wants to consider selling decorative items during the Christmas open house as a fundraiser for next year? • Communications No communications were presented. Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m. to the February 13, 2008, 5:30 pm at the Parks and Recreation Administration Office.