LACEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (LHS)
PO Box 3324 Lacey, Wash. 98509-3324
‘To be a voice for the early citizens of Lacey, and to be their stewards
protecting the historical heritage they have given us’
BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING
February 12, 2025 – 4:00pm

MINUTES

Present: President Jon Halvorson, Vice President Cynthia Pratt, Treasurer, Kendra Hensley, Secretary John Dziedzic, and Trustees Larry Ganders, Denise Keegan, Cheryl Malkmus, Monte Pascual, John Turner, Paul Webb, and Margie Wyllie.

Trustee Tim McGuire was excused.

President Halvorson convened the meeting at 3:45 p.m, and acknowledged that a quorum was present.

Agenda/Previous Minutes: M/S/P Vice President Pratt moved, and Trustee Keegan seconded, a motion to approve the revised agenda as presented. The motion was adopted. M/S/P Trustee Webb moved, and Treasurer Hensley seconded, a motion to
approve the Minutes of the January 8, 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees. The motion was adopted.

President’s Report: President Halvorson shared a summary he had written based on the discussion regarding the Society’s financial future that had occurred during the January trustee’s meeting, characterizing the discussion as having focused on three strategies: (1)
a sustainability option which anticipates concerted fundraising efforts and a commitment to maintaining a dedicated “nest egg” reserve balance; (2) a “spend down” budget approach which would likely deplete existing assets over an indefinite period; and (3) a “structured”
plan of ultimate dissolution at a “date-certain” in the future which would include the donation of significant portion of the existing reserve to one or more non-profit organizations dedicated to historic preservation, such as the City of Lacey’s Historical Museum and Cultural Center. President Halvorson also distributed information regarding the nature of the fiduciary duty owed by the Board of Trustees to the membership, and pointed out that either option (2) or (3) would require a vote of the membership. Discussion ensued.

Presentation by Lacey Firefighters: President Halvorson announced that he had been notified by Mr. Hulse, the Firefighters Union representative, that he was unable to attend today’s meeting. This agenda item was rescheduled to next month.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Hensley reported that more than 50 members had already paid their annual dues for 2025, which has resulted in the receipt of nearly 85% of the budgeted non-interest income for the year.

At the recommendation of Secretary Dziedzic, the Board of Trustees, by consensus, agreed to recognize as members for calendar year 2025 an additional 18 members who had renewed their membership in November, even though their dues payments had been attributed to the 2024 budget year.

President Halvorson announced a goal of reaching a total of 100 dues-paying members by the May meeting (the Society has typically had between 75 and 115 members each year since 1990). To achieve that goal, President Halvorson asked Secretary Dziedzic to distribute to each Trustee a list of recent former members who have yet to renew for this year, and he encouraged each Trustee to recruit at least one new member each month until the goal is reached.

Treasurer Hensley then distributed and discussed: (1) a comparison of actual expenditures for calendar year 2025 with the budget for the period, noting that the post service and State Farm insurance had notified the Society that the expected costs of the society’s post office box and liability insurance had been increased; and (2) an asset report identifying the amounts, interest rates, interest earned year-to-date, and maturity dates associated with the Society’s certificates of deposit held by the Washington State Employees Credit Union and Olympia Federal Savings and Loan, calling attention to the approaching maturity of the OlyFed certificate in mid-April. There were no reimbursement requests to consider.

Secretary Dziedzic moved, and Trustee Pascual seconded, a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report as presented, including adoption of the proposed revision to the 2025 budget.

Trustee Professional Liability Insurance: President Halvorson circulated a two-page article describing insurance protecting officers and directors from liability arising from “errors and omissions.” Discussion ensued. Trustee Ganders moved, and Trustee Turner seconded, a motion to (1) approve an increase in the budget for liability insurance from $631 to $816; and (2) authorize the Treasurer to pay the increased amount to the current insurance agency before the current coverage lapses; and (3) cause a search to begin to determine whether
a different agency can provide similar liability insurance coverage in the future. The motion was adopted.

Financial Audit Status Report: This agenda item was re-scheduled to next month’s meeting due to Trustee McGuire’s excused absence.

Communications Strategy: Secretary Dziedzic provided a written comparison of various estimates to publish three newsletters during 2025. The comparisons show that based on printing fewer copies (+/- 300 vs 500+) per edition, using slightly lighter weight
paper, and the more careful location of full color photographs, the cost of two 12-page newsletters and a 16-page newsletter would average about $1000. Secretary Dziedzic argued that changing the budget to reflect these lower costs would allow the Society’s
budget to be balanced, with total projected costs being less than the expected income from dues, donations, and interest earnings.

M/S/P Vice President Pratt moved, and Trustee Ganders seconded, a motion to amend the amount allocated to publishing the newsletter to $3000, a reduction of $2000. The motion was adopted.

President Halvorson directed the Communications Committee (comprised of Secretary Dziedzic, Chair, and Trustees Ganders and Wyllie) to meeting on a quarterly basis to develop and implement a strategy that better coordinates the Society’s messaging over the existing communication channels: the “legacy” printed newsletter, the Facebook page postings, and information available on the webpage.

Lacey Fire Department commemorative emblem: Trustee Webb shared a color photograph (attached) of a newly designed logo that is slated to appear on an engine operating out of station 31, the department’s headquarters on Franz Road. The logo pays tribute to both (1) the Elephant’s Club, the non-partisan service group that raised the funds in the 1940s and 50s to establish Lacey’s first fire department; and (2) a Maltese Cross made of red brick, in recognition of former Mayor Al Homann’s brick-making plant on Pacific Avenue and Ulery Street, part of which served as the department’s second fire station.

Lacey Historical Commission: President Halvorson announced that Secretary Dziedzic had volunteered to represent the Society at the Commission’s February 19 meeting with future meetings being staffed by Trustee Webb (March 19); Trustee Turner (April 16); Trustee Malkmus (May 21).

Next Meeting: The next meeting is March 12, 2025 at the Lacey Fire Department main station.

There being no additional discussion President Halvorson declared the meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

Submitted by: John Dziedzic, Secretary