Oak Ridge
Heritage and Preservation Association
April 12, 2007 page 1
(Corrected April 26, 2007)
Attendance: Sara Gillespie, Jim Gillespie, F.K. Shook, Harold Jernigan, Rachel
Vowell, Judy Clevenger, Bill Henry, Lisa May, Bobbie Martin, Mick Wiest, Jane
Shelton, Wanda Hagood, Don Hunnicutt, Emily Hunnicutt, Dave Miller, Heidi
Miller, Ted Lollis, Anne McBride, Martin McBride, Betty Stokes, Lloyd Stokes,
Margaret Allard, Irene Pinkston, Bill Wilcox, Sheila Hutchison, Ed Westcott,
Keith McDaniel, Howard Harvey, Liz Batchelor, and Martin Fischer
The meeting began at 7:10 PM in the Wildcat Den room of the Midtown Community
Center. President, Keith McDaniel presided at the meeting. There were 31 people
present (see attachment 1 on file).
The minutes for the membership meetings on Feb. 8 and March 8, 2007 were
accepted into the record as written by acclimation of those present.
Secretary, Anne McBride reported the totals on the Treasurer’s Update for March
31, 2007. We are currently without a Treasurer. Anne McBride and Keith McDaniel
are covering the treasurer’s duties. As of March 31 we have total deposits for
March to checking of $2,626.33 and total withdrawals for expenses in March were
$1,935.32. The total funds available on March 31, 2007 were:
Checking 15,106.65 (This includes funds in 2 Checking Accounts)
CD 10,000.00 (Reserved for Museum set up in the Midtown Com. Center)
Total 25,106.65
The ORHPA 2006 taxes were completed by Tracy Larrabee, CPA, signed and mailed to
the IRS on March 14. ORHPA did not owe any money to the IRS for the 2006 tax
year.
Harold Jernigan, Membership Chairman, reported we currently have 97 members who
have paid dues for this year. We have mailed dues reminders to about 90 more
past year members.
Bill Wilcox, PKP Co-Chairman, reported the Partnership for K-25 Preservation is
building community support by taking their message to various community
organizations and most recently to the Department of Energy. The PKP group will
have an exhibit in the A and B rooms of the Civic Center with the ORHPA exhibits
during the Secret City Festival on June 15 and 16. The PKP group will also have
an exhibit in the American Museum of Science and Energy from June through
August. PKP Co-Chair, Cindy Kelly of the Atomic Heritage Foundation will also
have an exhibit on the Atomic Heritage Foundation Activities in the A and B
rooms of the Civic Center with the ORHPA exhibits at the Secret City Festival.
Bobbie Martin, Secret City Festival Chairperson, reported the ORHPA Secret City
Festival Committee is working on our exhibits and will be providing a free
Souvenir Visitor’s Pass to all guests to our exhibit rooms this year, as we have
done in the past two years. The A, B and C rooms in the Civic Center will be
filled with our exhibits on Friday, June 15 from 11 AM to 5 PM and Saturday,
June 16, from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Minutes – ORHPA Membership Meeting April 12, 2007 page 2
Mick Wiest, Preservation Committee Chairman, reported we received a good
response to the advertisement we placed in Preservation Magazine regarding the
Alexander Inn. Several people contacted us for more information. An architect is
looking at the stone pillar bridge between our building and the High School to
see if the structure can be made to have more integrity. We will begin working
on this year’s preservation award after the Secret City Festival. We are
considering expanding the award to include a Federal property.
Betty Stokes, Chairperson for Product Development and Fundraising Sales,
reported on the status of our sales. We are currently reprinting Gus Robinson’s
book. This will be the third printing. We expect to be selling it at the Secret
City Festival along with cookbooks and the photo book, Then and Now. Betty
reported a total of $9,066.75 of fundraising products were sold by ORHPA during
2006. The sales were made up of cookbooks, the photo book, Then and Now, the
Robinson book and a few prior year calendars.
Howard Harvey, Co-Chairperson for the ORHPA Building, reported he is working
with a volunteer, Pete Scott and the Reunion Class of 1967 to complete repairs
on the pavilion behind our building in time for their reunion in June, during
the Secret City Festival. Howard is recommending we have electrical outlets
placed in the pavilion for future use with outdoor lights. We need to be aware
the air conditioning unit on the north end of our building will most likely be
in need of replacement this summer at a cost of about $5,000. Howard put in a
request to Home Depot for a grant to replace the Alexander Room floor. The
Children’s Museum has several display cases we may be able to acquire and
utilize to begin setting up a museum area with artifacts on display in our
building.
Judy Clevenger, Co-Chairperson for the ORHPA Building, reported the lady who
cleans our building has resigned as of April 18. A replacement needs to be
found. Judy needs volunteers to help with opening and closing the building
during times the building is being rented out to community groups.
Lloyd Stokes, Government and Public Affairs Chairman, reported the PKP team is
doing a complete refurbishment of the K-25 Overlook. A prospective Eagle Scout,
Logan Adkins has proposed to do his Eagle Scout project as a Landscape Plan for
the Midtown Community Center. Lloyd will be working with him on the project. As
Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Lloyd reported the committee has
unanimously recommended ORHPA member Sheila Hutchison, an accountant at Robert
Weir and Associates, to be elected to our Board of Directors and be our next
Treasurer. The Board of Directors will vote on her appointment on Saturday,
April 14. (Additional note: Sheila was voted by unanimous acclimation of the
board to the positions on Saturday, April 14.)
Dave Miller, Archives Chairman, asked that anyone who has been keeping ORHPA
archives in safe places outside the Midtown Community Center, please return them
to the building so we can have a complete updated record. He would like the
Archive Log Book placed in his care. Those who have worked on ORHPA archives in
the past should get in touch with Dave. Keith McDaniel said he is currently
storing 20 boxes of old copies of The Oak Ridger newspapers he received from D.
Ray Smith, which should be placed in the archives.
Minutes – ORHPA Membership Meeting April 12, 2007 page 3
Keith McDaniel asked us to remember that during this political season, we need
to be aware that as a 501 (c) (3) organization we do not take political
positions. All individuals and groups that use our building during the campaign
season, do so for a set donation or fee.
Keith McDaniel introduced our special guests for the evening, the Rev. Martin
Fischer of High Places at the Grove, Community Church and Liz Batchelor of the
Oak Ridge Arts Council.
Martin Fischer spoke about his interesting journey, going from being an Oak
Ridge High School graduate, Class of 1970, to becoming the minister for a
community church located in the old Grove Theater. His journey covered several
decades and several regions of the country culminating in a passion to provide a
place for Oak Ridge’s youth to explore their positive talents. His congregation
decided to purchase the old Grove Theater in February 2004. In their pursuit to
renovate the theater for community use they became partners with the Oak Ridge
Arts Council.
Liz Batchelor, Oak Ridge Arts Council Member, gave a brief overview of their
goals and objectives in cleaning up and refurbishing the Theater for use by
local arts organizations.
They first had to remove the old air conditioning and heating systems from the
structure. Morgan County prisoners removed these. Next they took down the
ceiling and put in a two way sprinkler system. They intend to paint the walls
and extend the stage. A California company will be refurbishing the seats. They
will be selling the seats to local individuals as a fundraiser for the cause.
At the present time Oak Ridge does not have a full size stage for our symphony
and band to perform on. Completing the renovation at the Grove Theater will
provide our city with a full size, indoor stage. The acoustics in the theater
are excellent. There will be about 600 seats in the auditorium of the theater
when it is complete. They need to raise $80,000 to finish the renovation. The
goal is to have the project completed by August 27 of this year.
A suggestion was made by Martin McBride to have the Grove Theater Renovation
Project included in our exhibits at the Secret City Festival. Bobbie Martin
agreed this was a good idea and would be pursued.
The next ORHPA membership meeting is scheduled for May 10 at 7 PM. The June 14
membership meeting will not take place as this is the opening night of the
Secret City Festival. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM. Refreshments were
served.
Minutes respectfully submitted,
Anne McBride,
Secretary,
Oak Ridge Heritage and
Preservation Association
