HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.16.25 MAB Minutes
Board Members Present In Person: Susan Barbee, Stephen Fortlouis, Ben Ivey, Tim
Pinnick
Board Members Present on Teams: Rick Andrews, Dana Crater, Lucy Holman,
Eileen O’Malley, Commissioner Dane Scalise
Others Present: None
Absent: None
Staff Present: Kate Baillon, Barbi Baker, Sandra Cintron-Goitia, Heather Yenco, Kitty
Yerkes
The Cape Fear Museum Advisory Board held its bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday,
July 16, 2025, at Cape Fear Museum and via Teams. The meeting was called to
order by Eileen O’Malley at 4:02 pm.
Consideration of Absences: Barbi Baker
• No absences.
Approval of Minutes: Eileen O’Malley
• A motion to accept the May 21, 2025, minutes was made by Fortlouis,
seconded by Ivey, and approved without opposition.
Board Updates & Slate of Officers: Kate Baillon
• Baillon noted that an in-person quorum will be required to conduct Museum
business at future meetings once the bylaws are updated.
• The commissioners will meet on Monday, 7/21 to appoint 3 new members
to the Museum’s Advisory Board.
• The new slate of officers for FY2025-2026 were presented to the board: Rick
Andrews will serve as Chair, Lucy Holman as Vice-Chair, and Tim Pinnick as
Secretary.
Budget Update: Kate Baillon
• The new county budget has been passed by the commissioners and can be
viewed on the website here: https://nhcgov.com/2784/Fiscal-Year-2025-
2026
• Casual part-time positions across county departments were eliminated as
part of the FY2025-2026 budget process.
Cape Fear Museum Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
4 pm, Cape Fear Museum & Teams
2015-16 Board
David Ball
Stuart Borrett
Gwen Brown
Melissa Collins
Will Oden, III
Dan Owen
Tim Potter
Nancy Pritchett
Bill Terrell
Allen Trask, III
Rob Zapple
NHC
Commissioner
Ex-officio:
Mike Hudson
CFMA, Inc.
2024-25 Board
Rick Andrews
Susan Barbee
Dana Crater
Stephen Fortlouis
Lucy Holman
Ben Ivey
Eileen O’Malley
Tim Pinnick
Dane Scalise
NHC Commissioner
Ex-officio:
Toni Pence
CFMA, Inc.
Jessica Loeper
Assistant County
Manager
Kate Baillon
Museum Director
Barbi Baker
Museum Manager
Operations
• The Museum’s budget includes four new full-time positions for the opening
of Project Grace: Exhibit Technician, Visitor Services Coordinator,
Development Assistant, and Planetarium Supervisor.
• A current CPT position is being promoted to the full-time Visitor Services
Coordinator to ensure continuity of operations at our current location and
throughout the move.
Associates Report: Kitty Yerkes
• Yerkes noted several active prospects for fundraising and naming rights
including GE, REV Credit Union, Duke Energy, Live Oak Bank, and Bank of
America.
• GE and REV will be joining the Museum team for a hard hat tour of the
project site on Monday, 8/11.
• We are in the final stages of securing the Corning $200,000 partnership for
the Science Matters gallery. Paperwork should be completed in the coming
weeks.
• The new date for the grand opening gala is August 15, 2026.
Collections Outgoing Loan: Heather Yenco
• Yenco shared information about two potential outgoing loans.
• Parrot shell and rifle to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum beginning
August 2026 with an annual renewal contract.
• Postcard reproductions to the High Museum of Art and Whitney Museum of
American Art for an exhibition The Lost World: The Art of Minnie Evans.
These would be on display November 2025 through January 2027.
• A motion to approve the outgoing loans was made by Barbee, seconded by
Holman, and approved without opposition.
Collections Management Policy: Sandra Cintron-Goitia
• Cintron-Goitia shared a one-page document with a list of updates and
changes to the Museum’s Collections Management Policy. The policy better
align with museum best practices and American Alliance of Museums
standards (accrediting body).
• This document is shared with the minutes.
• The collections committee will meet next month to vote on the policy
changes.
• The full Collections Management Policy will be shared with the board once it
leaves committee.
Bylaws & Code of Ethics: Kate Baillon
• Baillon noted the Museum Bylaws and Code of Ethics are also being updated
to better align across county departments and to meet accreditation
standards.
• The Code of Ethics will need to be signed by all board members and staff.
• Both documents are included with the minutes.
Project Grace Update: Kate Baillon
• Baillon noted the Museum has reached a major milestone with 100% design
development drawings complete for all galleries at Project Grace. We are
now moving into the fabrication phase of the project.
• Baillon shared a brief PowerPoint overview of the Museum galleries with
updated graphics.
• Barbee asked about the film for the 1898 theater. Baillon noted we are
creating a custom film and there are sponsorship opportunities.
• Ivey asked about the athletes section and noted Leon Brogden as a winning
coach from Wilmington. Baillon noted that the exhibit content is complete
but there may be a future exhibition or program opportunity to share
information about him.
• Brief discussion ensued about oral histories and what is currently available.
The NHC public library has several available and you may access them here:
https://libguides.nhcgov.com/CFMOralHistories
• Ivey asked about WWI and WWII content in the new museum. Yenco noted
that both wars are included with artifacts.
• It was also noted that the Hannah Block Historic USO is hosting an 80th
Anniversary of the End of World War II event on Thursday, 8/14 from 6 to 8
pm. More information may be found here:
https://wilmingtoncommunityarts.org/classes-and-events/v-j-day-80th-
anniversary-commemoration/
America 250 Film Screening: Barbi Baker
• The NHC America 250 committee is hosting a free film screening premiere of
The American Constitution at UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium on Thursday, 8/21
from 7 to 9 pm.
• The filmmaker has organized a VIP reception and panel discussion as part of
the evening events.
• All board members have been included to receive an invitation.
• You may also reserve tickets here:
https://uncwarts.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=2099
Old Business: Rick Andrews
• No old business was discussed.
A motion was made by Fortlouis, seconded by Barbee to adjourn the meeting. With
unanimous consent, the meeting ended at 4:59 pm.
The next board meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 4 pm
at Cape Fear Museum and via Teams.