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
January 8, 2025 – 4:00pm

MINUTES
Present: Jon Halvorson, President, Cynthia Pratt, Vice President, Kendra Hensley, Treasurer, Secretary John Dziedzic, and Trustees Denise Keegan, Cheryl Malkmus, Tim McGuire, Monte Pascual, and Margie Wyllie.

Trustee John Turner was excused. Larry Ganders was absent.

President Halvorson convened the meeting at 4:08 p.m, and acknowledged that a quorum was present.

Agenda/Previous Minutes: M/S/P Secretary Dziedzic moved and Trustee Keegan seconded a motion to approve the agenda as presented The motion was adopted. M/S/P Treasurer Hensley moved and Trustee Pascual seconded to approve the Minutes of the November 12th 2024 meeting of the Board of Trustees. The motion was adopted.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Hensley reported that 89 members paid their annual dues in 2024, and that there were no reimbursement requests to consider. Treasurer Hensley then distributed and discussed: (a) a comparison of actual expenditures for calendar year 2024 with the budget for the period; (b) a comparison of the approved budgets for 2023 and 2024 against the budget proposed for 2025; and (c) an asset report identifying the amounts, interest rates, 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.

A discussion ensued regarding alternatives for reducing certain expense line items, and a request was made to modify the asset report in the future to include information showing the amount of interest earned, year-to-date, on the certificates of deposit. Trustee McGuire reported that as part of the annual review of the Society financial records for 2024, which is currently underway, the CD investments had provided over $7000 in interest during year.

Trustee McGuire moved and Trustee Webb seconded a motion to approved the Treasurer’s Report as presented, including adoption of the budget as proposed.

Secretary Dziedzic moved and Trustee Keegan seconded a motion to amend the motion currently before the Board to reduce the amount allocated to publishing the newsletter by $2500. Secretary Dziedzic spoke in favor of the amendment, arguing that the anticipated income from dues, donations, and CD interest did not support the additional cost of a third newsletter. Trustee Wyllie spoke against the motion, and in favor of the originally proposed amount, arguing a third newsletter was warranted. The motion to amend the motion failed.

M/S/P The original motion was adopted.

Firefighter’s Union request to make a presentation: Secretary Dziedzic reported that a representative of the Fire District #3 Firefighter’s Union had requested permission to make a presentation to the Board of Trustees regarding their proposal to construct a “union hall” at 837 Carpenter Road, within the historic Lacey neighbor, directly across the road from the Safeway grocery store at Carpenter and Pacific. There was no opposition to the request and the Secretary was authorized to extend an invitation for the group to attend the February 12, 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Discussion regarding the Society’s financial future: President Halvorson invited the Trustees to share their individual perspectives on the direction of the Society, in light of the fact that a significant portion of the funding for the Society’s basic operations during the past two years, as well as the current year relied upon the use of reserves. The Trustees present discussed scenarios and suggested approaches ranging from prioritizing membership growth, “project specific” fundraising efforts, and a commitment to striving to reach a sustainability as preferable to over-utilization of current reserves, which lead to the disappearance of the Society within the next decade.

Lacey Historical Commission: President Halvorson announced that Treasurer Hensley had volunteered to represent the Society at the Commission’s January 15 meeting, and observed that the City of Lacey will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its incorporation in 2026.

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

There being no additional discussion President Halvorson declared the meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Submitted by: John Dziedzic, Secretary