August 26, 2009 Teleconference Minutes

TO: LHA Board Members
FROM: Bob Dieterich, president
Sue Jacobson, secretary
RE: LHA Teleconference Board Meeting
DATE: August 26, 2009

CALL TO ORDER: 7:10 CST

ATTENDANCE: Bob Dieterich (CA); Sue Jacobson (IL); Randy Wagner (WY); Jerry Peppers (NY); Mike Buettner (OH); Lennie Stubblefield (NE); Shelly Horne (WY); Bob Beaudoin (UT); Jim Bonar (NV); Brian Butko (PA);
Van Becker (IA); Ron Colson (IL); guest-Lyle Henry (IA)
Absent: Jeff LaFollette (IA); Jess Petersen (UT); Al Pfingstl (NJ); Mindy Crawford (PA); Kay Shelton (IL); Jim Peters (MA)

MINUTES: Secretary Jacobson had sent the minutes of the last meeting, plus the New Board minutes to the board. Randy Wagner made the motion to accept the minutes, seconded by Jerry Peppers; carried

TREASURER'S REPORT: In Jess Petersen's absence, president Bob Dieterich reported the Indiana Conference was $4000 to the good. At the end of July there was close to $10,000 in the bank, not including expenses.

LYELL HENRY'S PRESENTATION: "Getting files of state organizations into the LHA Archive at University of Michigan"
At its June, 2003 national meeting, LHA approved the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan as the official archive, leaving it to the Historical Resources Committee to work with that library to implement this new relationship. The library is eager to receive Lincoln Highway materials not only from the national organization and individual members, but also from the state organizations (1) to send their existing inactive files to the LHA archive at the University of Michigan and (2) to adopt a policy that will ensure that organization files will continue to be sent there in the future.
The Types of Items for Inclusion in Files of State LHA Chapters:
1. Formal organization documents (e.g. charter, by-laws)

2. Minutes of meetings

3. Major correspondence (e.g. with state DOT, National Park Service, members of Congress)

4. Official enactments (e.g. position statements,studies, surveys, agreements with state DOT)

5. Membership records (rosters only; nothing having sensitive personal data)

6. Financial records (e.g. annual budgets, financial reports, tax filings older than 10 years)

7. Committee reports

8. Press releases, newspaper clippings

9. Newsletters

10. Other publications (e.g. route guide, brochures)

Lyell also reviewed the following policy that Iowa uses, which had been sent to all of the board members.

Policy On Official Files that was adopted by the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association in 2007 and is offered as a model of the find of policy that is hoped the other state LHA organizations will adopt. (The Historical Resources Committee developed both of these documents in consultation with Kathleen Dow, the Transportation History archivist at the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan.)

IOWA LINCOLN HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION--Policy on Official Files

1. The Transportation History Collection in the Special Collections Library of the University of Michigan, is the official repository of the files of the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association (ILHA).

2. At the conclusion of their terms of service, ILHA officers will transmit their files to their successors for review. The latter will, in turn, transmit these files to the ILHA Secretary after withholding (or making copies of) any items for which they may have a continuing need. Withheld items should be so indicated in the files and eventually returned to the files.

3. The ILHA Secretary will be responsible for holding documents for which there may be a continuing organizational need(e.g. articles of incorporation, by-laws, documents related to tax status)and for collating and sending, from time to time, all other ILHA files to the Transportation History Collection in the Special Collections Library of the University of Michigan, after first removing kinds of items (e.g. newspaper clippings, duplicate material) not wanted by the library.

4. The Transportation History Collection in the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan should be added to the circulation list to receive quarterly newsletters and other ILHA publications as issued.

After the above reviews, Lyell asked for the help of the board in getting the requests reviewed and acted upon by the respective states. He further stated that if the members of their state organizations had any questions about what he was requesting or how to follow through, they were to feel free to get in touch with him by mail, phone or e-mail as follow: Lyell Henry, 921 Bowery St, Iowa City, IA 52240-5609; (319) 354-1386;disorg@mchsi.com. Questions about the transmittal of files or other materials to the LHA archive can be addressed to: Kathleen Dow, Curator of Transportation History Collection, Special Collections Library, University of Michigan, 2000 Buhr, 200 Hill Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1205 (734) 764-9377; kdow@umich.edu In no case should any materials be sent to the LHA Archive without first alerting Kathleen, discussing with her what you are proposing to send, and getting her concurrence.

DISCUSSION:
--State boards make judgment who can use the information that's appropriate
--Asked if anyone opposed to adapting these policies
--Each state make own rules, but let Lyell know
--Any records prior to 2005 be sent to archives (from 2005 to present, state secretary keep them or possibly some stored at Franklin Grove)
--Explain this program/policy to state boards, encourage the state levels to adopt them
--Explain at the 2010 Conference

Randy Wagner made the motion for the adoption of the Iowa Lincoln Highway's policies as an LHA National Policy; 2nd Mike Buettner, called vote-unanimous.

This also authorizes the national secretary to sort out pertinent papers and information from the national files.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP:
--At the 2009 Conference, it was discussed to raise the present fee of $750 to $1000. Discussion:
--Reasonable increase in today's world
--Time payment still available if first payment of $250 made by Jan. 1,2010
--This is a special fund to be used only in emergency
Jerry Peppers made the motion to adopt this increase, 2nd by Ron Colson, no objections; motion carried.

FUND RAISING:
--Bob Dieterich announced the general fund needs to get money now as well as long-range possibilities such as wills.
--Discussion to put a suggestion in the Forum to consider LHA in wills
--Have a mailing such as OCTA's direct mailing to membership
--Members doing so would need to contact their attorney
--Tom Lockard's proposal in Forum

Bob has had some discussion on the above matter with Tom, and decided to include Tom's input in an earlier e-mail for the board's information. Tom's quote is as follows:

"As far as your questions are concerned, I'll try to answer, blending my professional fund-raising experience and what I know about the LHA in the time I've been a member.

I think that a general operating fund appeal would probably generate very little results. Based on our mid-Ohio group, who are not even all willing to pony up the small annual fee and join the national group, most of our national members probably feel that their membership dues are all that they need to pay to help keep the group afloat. I know that you have done some end-of-the-year appeals. but am not sure what those results have been.Generally there needs to be a good reason for folks to put pen to checkbook, and we walk a fine line in coming up with one. Usually a plea from a position of weakness is not a good one--and with a membership of around a thousand old road souls with a less than flush treasury, that's the place we're in. Mind you, I'm not suggesting that with the proper message, it couldn't be successful, but will unlikely raise the kind of money you are looking for. What we really need are what the LHA needed at its inception---large corporate sponsors. Again, though, even this approach is likely to be a tough one because of our very small total membership. And most corporations are looking for some sort of return on their investment. Henry Ford didn't think that the Lincoln would help sell his cars, so he passed on helping Carl Fisher and the LHA. It was probably one of the few times in his business life that he was wrong! But the reality is, that every successful fund-raising attempt starts from the top down. In other words, go after the big gifts first, then the smaller ones. Often a challenge fund is effective and could be to our members. For example, a letter of Forum insert might say "XYZ corporation had agreed to donate $$$$to the LHA if members of the group will match that donation over the next year." We surely have a few members with the connections needed to flush out a heavy hitter or two. It also helps when the large donor is known. The $100K gift we got a couple of years ago was great, but might have actually helped to generate some similar donations if it had not been anonymous. In our case at Kenyon College, alumnus Paul Newman always wanted to be anonymous, but we finally convinced him that his name would help almost as much as his money---and it did! I could go on for much longer, but I think you get my drift. We really should talk more about this at length, because I really don't want to see the LHA fade into oblivion

About the wills. Yes the payoff will not be immediate, but if we don't start now, there simply won't be one at all!! And such a pitch doesn't really affect what you may request as far as a cash give now. In my opinion and based on the age of many of our members, the "will ad" could possibly be very successful.

As far as your Forum vs. mailing question, I would opt for the mail. My guess is that an LHA envelope that doesn't outwardly look like a fund-raising appeal, would at least get opened and read---and that's probably most important. A return envelope should be included, though not necessarily stamped.

Again, our small membership number makes any appeal a crapshoot, simply because the standard return percentages would make the returns much smaller than if you were dealing with almost any college, the AARP or some similar group with a much larger base.

We'll be on the Lincoln again through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa next week on our way to Des Moines to visit the grandkids, but I'm usually on the computer once every couple of days and look forward to helping in whatever way I can."

Bob asked for input on the above ideas of Tom Lockard.
--People more apt to contribute to a special project
--OCTA; commitment to save the trails
--Ours would be to save the Lincoln Highway and it's amenities
ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
--Fisher Monument; Tentative date of dedication Oct. 3, 2009 according to Rollin Southwell
--Turn off area paved by UDOT is done

All American Road Status decided at conference. Possibility to ask for donations to this project.
--Put insert in Forum along with info about wills/estates
--Need to keep repeating request for a year
--Forum is late being published; possibly look for a new one

Jim Peters is really pushing to have state by state brochures; ask for sponsors with ads to help finance the brochures. Brian Butko's new "Lincoln Highway Companion" is a great source. IA has a map pack, OH's Buy-Way brochure has maps through each section, NE also has a brochure with mapping. Lennie suggested Paul Gilger be contacted due to his diligent work of mapping for the 2013 conference.

An inquiry from a gentleman about a book of Doug Pappa's. Sue sent the request to Bob Dieterich and Russell Rein. Jerry Peppers has a copy. Sue contacted Kathleen Dow at the archives and returned a message that she is in contact with Doug's mother and felt she would give us permission to make copies.

Sue received the talk of Lighting the Lincoln Highway presented by Amy Herdman Minnick (many pages) at the LHA Conference in South Bend. Sue had an IL member bind it and it is now at the headquarters in Franklin Grove.

Meeting adjourned 8:30 CST

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Sue Jacobson, secretary