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
June 11, 2025

Minutes

Present: President Jon Halvorson, Vice President Cynthia Pratt, Treasurer Nancy Miller, Secretary John Dziedzic, and Trustees Denise Keegan, Larry Ganders, Cheryl Malkmus, Tim McGuire, John Turner, Paul Webb and Margie Wyllie.
President Halvorson convened the meeting at 4:03 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 Vice President Pratt moved and Treasurer Miller seconded a motion to approve the Minutes of the May 14, 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees. The motion was adopted.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Miller distributed a financial statement as of May 31, 2025, which indicated that there were five certificates of deposit (CDs) scheduled to mature before the next Board meeting in mid-August. M/S/P Secretary Dziedzic moved and Vice President Pratt seconded a motion to combine the two smallest CDs, which mature on August 3 and 5, 2025, and to re-invest the total proceeds into a single CD with the Washington State Employees Credit Union, at the best rate and term as determined by the Treasurer. In a separate motion, after acknowledging that the balancing of the annual budget depends on the cash flow availability of all funds received from all interest-bearing instruments, M/S/P Secretary Dziedzic moved and Trustee Turner seconded a motion to similarly authorize the Treasurer with the discretion to reinvest the total proceeds of the three CDs maturing on June 17 and 18, and July 17.

It was reported that there were now 125 members in the Society, including Life members, exceeding the previous highest number of members (118), which was set in 2021.

M/S/P Trustee Webb moved and Trustee Keegen seconded a motion to increase by $137 the amount authorized for the construction of a 3D-printed miniature statue of Dr. Ehlers (see March 12, 2025 minutes) to reflect in inclusion of sales tax. The motion was adopted.

Treasurer Miller also reported that a debit card had been acquired to facilitate electronic payments, such as are currently being made for webpage support and the storage unit.

M/S/P Trustee McGuire moved and Trustee Turner seconded a motion to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. The motion was adopted.

Board of Trustee Vacancy: President Halvorson introduced Ed Sorger and Yvonne Burroughs, who had expressed interest in being considered to fill the unexpired term created upon the recent receipt of a letter of resignation from Trustee Pascaul. Trustee Turner nominated Mr. Sorger, a long-time member of the Lacey Lamplighter Lions, to fill the vacancy, and Trustee Webb nominated Ms. Burroughs, daughter of former fire Commission Oliva. There being no additional nominations, the Board then adjourned to Executive Session to consider these nominations and vote. Mr. Sorger’s nomination was approved.

President Halvorson then suggested that opportunities were needed for greater participation by members who wished to support the Society, but were not able to commit to volunteering to be a Trustee. To that end, he proposed an Advisory Committee be formed, with Ms. Burroughs as the inaugural member, and that the size of the Board of Trustees permitted to be expanded. M/S/P Secretary Dziedzic moved, and Trustee Keegan seconded that President Halvorson’s proposal for the creation of an Advisory Committee be adopted. The motion was adopted.

Dr. Ehlers project update: Secretary Dziedzic reported that the project committee would like to request an audience with the Nisqually Indian Tribe for the purpose of briefing the Tribal Council about the project, including providing an opportunity for the Council to view the statuette of the doctor, and to request its approval for the appointment of a representative of the to participate with the Honorary Advisory Committee, the initial meeting of which was scheduled for Saturday July 19 at the offices of Capital Development Company. M/S/P Trustee Turner moved and Secretary Dziedzic seconded a motion authorizing the planning committee to make the described request. The motion was adopted.

Annual Membership Meeting: President Halvorson reminded the Board that the Society’s Annual Meeting was scheduled for September 9, 2025, from 5-7 p.m., at the Lacey Community Center, and that the Annual Meeting planning committee was scheduled to meet July 16 to discuss the program (recognizing the 20 recipients of the Ken Balsley Lacey Historians of the Year) and logistic details.

By-law Amendment: As President Halvorson had mentioned previously (see Board of Trustee Vacancy section, above), M/S/P Secretary Dziedzic moved, and Trustee Turner seconded that an amendment to the By-Laws be submitted to the membership at the September 9, 2025 Annual Meeting to revise Article 5 to read, in part, as follows:
“The affairs and business of the Society shall be managed by a Board of up to fifteen Trustees, of which four members shall be the officers of the Society and the up to eleven additional members shall be members at large.”
The current language specifies that the Board must be twelve members, eight of which are “at large.” The motion was adopted.

City of Lacey activities: President Halvorson announced that the next meeting of the Lacey Historical Commission was scheduled to be held June 18, 2025. He also reported that the city’s 5-year fundraising plan for the construction of a new museum had disappointedly been postposed to 2027-2032 Capital Improvement planning schedule.

Next Meeting: M/S/P Vice President Pratt moved, and Trustee Keegan seconded a motion to cancel the July 9, 2025 meeting be cancelled. The motion was adopted with one abstention. The next, therefore is scheduled for August 13, 2025, at the Lacey Fire Department main station.

There being no additional discussion President Halvorson declared the meeting adjourned. The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Submitted by: Secretary Dziedzic