GDHS MEETING MINUTES                                       September 16, 2004

 

·        730pm – President Ron Botterbusch brought the First Annual Members Meeting to order.

·        The President introduced the Board of Directors: Jan Eisenhart and Randy Worley who could not attend due to a prior commitment, Gayle Heagy who will be arriving a little late, Kay Stitley and Madelyn Shermeyer who were in attendance.

·        Director Shermeyer spoke about what has been accomplished for the year: the IRS granted our Non-profit status as a Society on June 24, 2004 and we became Incorporated on September 10, 2003 which is the reason for this meeting - our one year anniversary. Maddie explained that we filed with the Bureau of Charitable Organizations so we are able to apply for grants for our projects and we have also filed with the PA Department of Revenue to become sales tax exempt.   She also explained the duties and obligations of a Board of Director and told the attending members that the Board would shortly be working on the 2005 budget.

·        President Ron then introduced the Officers of the Society: Kay Stitley Vice President; Susan Forrey Secretary and Robert Merkert as Treasurer. [We inadvertently forgot to mention Dr. Charles Drawbaugh Archivist and Norma Botterbusch Historian.] [The Executive Staff is Gayle Heagy Assistant Archivist and Joyce Law our Bookkeeper].

·        The Secretary read the minutes from the August 19, 2004 meeting. Motion to approve made by Cindy Snyder and Mel Miller. All members agreed.

·        The Secretary informed the members of the 2003 volunteer hours. They were as follows: Officers 856 hours and Executive Staff 518 hours for a total of 1374 hours. The members volunteered 1874 hours for a grand total of 3248 hours – which represents a very active volunteer force. When compared to other Historical Societies – our Society is ranked among the top.

·        Bob Merkert gave the Treasurers report. The balance as of August 31, 2004 was $3674.79. Tonight eight bills were presented for payment: Ron $37.00 postage; Printed Image $100.32 for the newsletter, $148.39 for raffle tickets and $27.03 for member tickets for 2005 for a total due of $275.74; J&K Mowing $50.00; York Building Company [haul stones for foundation of Archives/storage bldg at Alda Ketterman Park] $161.16; Office expense for Secretary $53.56 and Capital Self Storage Rent for unit I-21 for one year $143.10 for a total bills to be paid $720.56. Motion to pay the bills made by Cindy Snyder and Larry Law. All members agreed.   The Carnival totals were as follows: Quilt raffle tickets $246.00; Bicentennial Coins $19.00; Brookside Books $40.00; Trash Bags $64.00; $10.00 donation from Taylors Treasures [sold 2 crocks]; almost $400.00 in dues and donations; $352.50 is the sales tax refund from Black Bear Structures [tax was paid twice] for a total of $1213.50. Motion to approve the Treasurers report made by Cindy Snyder and Terry Koller. All members agreed.

·        Bobs annual report as the Treasurer gave the pledge amounts - $5290.00 was pledged to the Society and to date $3670.00 was paid.

·        Archivist Dr. Charles Drawbaugh read from a prepared text. He explained the original procedure for accepting donated Archive items versus today’s forms that are used. Dr. Drawbaugh stated that he would like the future Archives to be housed in one area; temperature and climate controlled and have a workshop for the preservation of donated items. Stating from Dr. Drawbaughs prepared text “ There is so much to be done and so little time to do it. We cannot relent.”

·        Joyce Law gave our annual web page report. She showed a picture of the GDHS home page and explained each category listed. She noted in the future that the Education/Kids Page and the Committee assignment category will be started.

·        Historian Norma Botterbusch told the members about the scrapbooks she has maintained since the first meeting of the Society. The scrapbooks show the history of the Society, information about its Directors, Officers and Members, projects, meetings from newspaper articles and other media sources.  Norma, who is also on the refreshment committee, gave a report about the 2nd annual Society picnic held July 15 at Lehr Park. There were plenty of homemade foods along with Jack Wynn’s broasted chicken and potatoes and Cindy Snyder and Louis’ rotisserie hotdogs. A small group of coffee drinkers stayed after the picnic to talk but had to cut it short because Norma took the coffee pot away! It was noted by a number of members that the coffee pot will be the last thing to leave the picnic from now on. The Secretary has noted for the record Madelyn Shermeyers objection to the availability of coffee to certain members – but she was over ruled and the coffee pot remains.

·        It was at this time that President Ron  asked the members if they had any questions.

1.     Terry Koller asked how many members does the Society have? The answer is 140 active members.

·        Susan Forrey reported on the Blacksmith Shop. [see attached papers] She reported that hopefully the weather will hold for Saturday September 18 [the rain date is September 25th] so the wood can be removed from the Spahr barn to the storage building at Alda Ketterman Park. The rain date is September 25th.  Next spring the building will be erected with the help of Ken Brown Construction Company and our members. The forge will be re-built per the original drawings and once completed, a number of area blacksmiths would like to use the shop for smithing.  They will be making the hand-made nails and anything else we need to re-construct the Davidsburg Distillery.

·        President Ron gave a report concerning the Davidsburg Distillery or the Spahr Springhouse. Ken Brown Construction Company will cable the roof rafters for the winter and in 2005 remove the front steps because they are pushing the building into itself. From that point, we will fix the stones and re-construct the building. An estimated cost at this time to bring the building into National Register status would be between $75000.00 and $100,000.00. The fees for registering and other costs would be about $10,000.00. 

1.     Cindy Snyder asked how old the building was? The answer is: to date, per the whiskey tax records, the recorded date is 1752.

2.     Dr. Drawbaugh added that Richard Spahr told him that the peach trees on the property were used to make peach brandy in the fall.

·        Kay Stitley talked about how the Historic Walk became a reality. Nine years ago a teacher at Leib Elementary approached Kay asking her if she would be willing to talk to her students about life in Dover. Kay agreed and the rest is history. The children that took the first walking tour of Dover are now seniors. Many students over the years have involved themselves in Dover such as the class that collected pennies to pay for a marker for the jail site [that was a math study skills project] or the students who still inquire about the disposition of the Blacksmith Shop.  A new walking tours pamphlet is in the process of being completed with corrections and new sites added. About five years ago the GDHS got involved and sponsored the Annual Walking Tour of Dover. Every year more people attend the walk. [To date, the Society is trying to determine how to involve the school students in the reconstruction of the Blacksmith Shop. [Update to follow.]

·        Gayle Heagy, Assistant Archivist showed an item  from the Archives and asked the members what is it? It was an antenna used for radio reception. The item came from the Spahr springhouse. Gayle also showed the members a large pair of black leather mittens/gloves that were used by her great-grandfather when he drove the horse drawn hearse.

Joyce Law then showed the members the 1908 York County Tax Assessment book that she compiled and copied from the original records that were donated to our Archives.

·        Maddie stated that Gary Ishman will visit the Davidsburg Distillery and determine if a drainage ditch can be constructed to take water away from the building.

·        Norma Botterbusch told the attending members the history of the quilt raffle. Society member Doris Burger, who is a member of the Library quilters, approached the Society about three years ago and asked if the quilters could make a quilt for the Society. Last year Norma’s sister, who won the quilt, donated the quilt back to the Society so we could hang the quilt in our museum, when we get one.  This years quilt pattern is called Lovers Knot. The tickets are $1.00 a piece or 6 tickets for $5.00. President Ron asked the members if they liked the idea of selling raffle tickets for a quilt. The members liked the idea.

·        President Ron stated that at next years carnival we will need to get a small games of chance license.

·        The Trash bags that we ordered – were not the bags we received. They are 33 gallon with the Greater Dover Historical Society Inc,  Dover Pa writing on the bags but they are not 100 to a dispenser box as we ordered. We are selling 25 bags for $4.00 or 1 case, 200 bags, for $30.00.

·        The store website will soon be selling Dover crocks of varying sizes and Christmas Balls. As soon as they are received, Joyce will take a picture and put the picture, description and price on the website.

·        At this time President Ron asked if there were any questions.

1.     Terry Koller asked about the Bloodroot books. The answer is that teacher Joe Marks will be contacted by Madelyn Shermeyer and she will make arrangements to make sure he gets the books.

2.     Cindy Snyder asked if it was going to take this long for him to make the books? The answer was no. He has a timeline and deadline to work with.

3.     Terry Koller asked about the War of 1812 headstones. The answer given was that we were waiting to become a legal entity before we could do anything about procuring the gravesite. The headstones will remain as they are now – in the ground, not standing upright.  Since the headstones are in good shape, the societies energy at this point is the Blacksmith Shop and the Davidsburg Distillery.

 

A ten-minute break for refreshments, conversation and looking at the displays was done at this time.

 

·        At this time President Ron asked if anyone would be interested in being appointed to the Nominating Committee. The Secretary read, from the by-laws, what the nominating committee is to do. No one at this time has agreed to be on the committee.

·        President Ron then read a description about each committee and asked if anyone was interested. He explained we need to begin these committees to meet our non-profit status per the IRS regulations. They are as follows:

1.     Newsletter/Media

2.     Official Society Photographer

3.     Walking Tour of Dover Committee

4.     Fundraising Committee

5.     Grant Writer

6.     Our Town Characters Committee

7.     Landmarks Committee

 

·        Maddie told the members the Dover Township Board of Supervisors voted to donate to the Society the tax books that are now housed in the township safe. The books came from the Wehler family upon Mr. Wehlers death. The books will remain in the safe till at such time we can take possession.

·        Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Cindy Snyder and Harry Shermeyer. All agreed.

 

After the meeting, attending members approached a number of Officers and stated which committees they would like to serve on or jobs they would like to do. The following is that list:

 

·        Newsletter/Media:

1.     Editor – Susan Forrey

2.     Managing Editor – Norma Botterbusch

3.     Typists / Data Entry – Glenda Lentz – Bob Schlag – Lori Koch

4.     Submission to Borough/Township Newsletter – Susan Forrey

 

·        Official Society Photographer:

1.     Norma Botterbusch – Joyce Law – Sharon Kemper

 

·        Walking Tour of Dover:

1.     Chairperson Kay Stitley

2.     Terry Koller – Sam Herman – Joyce Law – Lori Koch

 

·        Fundraising Committee:

1.     Quilt Raffle Fundraiser – Chairperson Norma Botterbusch

2.     Trash Bag Fundraiser – Chairperson Ron Botterbusch

3.     Blood Root Book Fundraiser – Madelyn Shermeyer

4.     Website Store – Chairperson Joyce Law

 

·        Grant Writer:

1.     Susan Forrey

 

·        Our Town Characters Committee:

1.     No chairperson has been named to date.

2.     A number of members have signed up for the class to be held November 20th from 9am to Noon at the Calvary church. At this meeting, members will sign up for this committee.

 

·        Landmarks Committee:

1.     Gayle Heagy is the chairperson

2.     Sam Herman – Terry Koller