Naper Settlement Museum Board

City of Naperville 400 S. Eagle Street Naperville, IL 60540 Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, December 14, 2023 8:00 AM Meeting Room B Naper Settlement Museum Board Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 A. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Scott Wehrli called the meeting to order at 8:10am and acknowledged lack of quorum. He requested the meeting continue with no formal business, votes or motions until quorum is obtained. Quorum was obtained at 8:26am with Alan Tang joining in person. B. ROLL CALL: Also Present - Marcie Schatz, Assistant to the City Manager; Phillip Petti, NHS Board Member; Creighton Getting, NSMB student representative Staff Attendees - Macarena Tamayo-Calabrese, President & CEO; Harriet M. Pistorio, Chief Operating Officer; Alexandra A. Atkinson, Director of Finance; Brittany Tepper, Director of Marketing; Diane Fornek, Administrative Specialist Present 4- Josh McBroom, Lee Quillinan, Alan Tang, and Scott Wehrli Absent 3- Erik Long, Leanne Meyer-Smith, and Julie Schremser C. PUBLIC FORUM: None D. OLD BUSINESS: City of Naperville Page 1 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Receive an update on the 2024 budget Attachments: - NS 2024 Operating Plan as of 112123 - FINAL for NSMB NS 2024 Operating Plan Expanded as of 103023 - FINAL for NSMB NS Planning Assumptions 112123 - FINAL for NSMB Expenses over $10K NS for NSMB Alexandra Atkinson explained that City Council approved the Naper Settlement budget with the following changes. Removal of the two requested full-time positions (Preservation Specialist, and the Grant Specialist) reducing salaries by $200K. Also removed was $92K for R&D bus tours. Totaling a $292K reduction in the operational budget. City Council approved the operational transfer of $1M from the food and beverage to meet the budgeting needs of NS without increasing the tax levy. The tax levy approved was $3,897,251. E. NEW BUSINESS: Approve 2024 NSMB meeting dates Attachments: NSMB Meeting Dates.1 Quorum was met with the arrival of Alan Tang at 8:26am; Mayor Scot Wehrli asked the board to entertain a motion to approve the 2024 meeting dates. Motion to approve by Al Zucco, seconded by Lee Quillian. Motion carries 5-0 This matter was approved Aye: 5- McBroom, Quillinan, Tang, Wehrli, and Zucco Absent: 3- Long, Meyer-Smith, and Schremser City of Naperville Page 2 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Receive introduction of new board member and student representatives Macarena Tamayo-Calabrese informed the board of Al Zucco’s departure and thanked him for his years of service. Tamayo-Calabrese then introduced Phillip Petti, Chief Intellectual Property Council for USG, who is replacing Al. Phillip is a long-time resident who has raised his three sons in Naperville, and has been engaged in the community through Boy Scouts, the Naperville Park District, and others. Both Al Zucco and Phillip Petti took a few moments to thank the board. Al Zucco said it has been an honor to serve on both boards and a pleasure to see the growth and progress of Naper Settlement over the past 10 years. Zucco indicated the NHS team has been wonderful to work with and that he feels that NS is set up for a great future. Philip Petti expressed his excitement at being asked to join the NSMB board and the importance of the unique relationship. Mayor Scot Wehrli thanked Al Zucco for his years of service and welcomed Phil to the NSMB board. Tamayo-Calabrese then introduced Creighton Getting (CJ) the student representative for the NSMB board. CJ thanked the board and expressed his excitement at what’s ahead. CJ is an 11-year resident and a Junior at Naperville Central High School. CJ expressed that Naper Settlement is at the top of his list of what makes Naperville so great. Mayor Wehrli took a few moments to thank CJ for his participation and eagerness to serve. City of Naperville Page 3 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Receive update on October events Attachments: 2023 Event Season Recap_FINAL Harriet Pistorio provided an update on Oktoberfest, All Hallows Eve and Howlin at the Moon. October events met or exceeded revenue goals. The Marketing department performs market research and analytics after each event. Feedback was positive and NS is currently working on the 2024 lineup. Mayor Wehrli asked if it possible to determine the cost per patron. Brittany Tepper, Marketing Director, will do so in the future. Oktoberfest and Howlin at the Moon exceeded revenue goals and All Hallows Eve broke even. All Hallows Eve has seen a change in demographics in recent years. The age group attending has shifted from pre-teens to younger children with families. NS is doing its due diligence for the future of the event. In 2023 NS did receive a DCEO grant for $187K, half the funds were used to support 2023 events. NS will be using the remaining balance in 2024 and has also applied for the DCEO tourism grant again this year. If awarded the grant NS will look at possibly having a free-standing haunted house on site to draw the older crowds and increase revenues. City of Naperville Page 4 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Receive marketing updates Attachments: Museum Board Summary_Exhibit and Camp Naper_Final Macarena Tamayo-Calabrese then introduced the Director of Marketing, Brittany Tepper who provided marketing updates. Brittany Tepper has experience with tourism and with private/public partnerships. Tepper worked with the Walt Disney Company and for the Chicago Loop Alliance in the SSA district which focused on State Street and Wabash Ave under the downtown alliance for the City of Chicago. Tepper referenced the material in the packet that the marketing team does which includes pre-emptive research before exhibits and camps even begin. The review surveys reflect the demographics, likes and dislikes, etc., to see what PR and advertising opportunities best align with the exhibit and camps. She referenced the Infrastructure 19th Century Clothing Then and Now exhibit as a perfect example of the impact of changing the marketing strategy. The focus for this exhibit was on partnership opportunities. Marketing worked with Fox Valley mall who provided Naper Settlement a $22K in kind opportunity to advertise the exhibit with a huge banner in the middle of the mall and window displays. In turn NS listed Fox Valley Mall as a sponsor. The partnership yielded 1.7 million people viewing the exhibit through the mall in a 5-month period. Additionally, NS partnered with Bernina Corporate and Bernina local. They lent NS sewing machines and the local Naperville chapter of Bernina came to NS and offered sewing classes. Tamayo-Calabrese added that part of this exhibit timing was strategic to tie into the popularity of some period shows on Netflix, like Bridgerton. Camp Naper was very successful this year. Camps sold out by April. Marketing focused on themes of the camps and partnered with the City of Naperville Page 5 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Naperville Moms Network. The moms network expanded their reach throughout the western suburbs sending dedicated emails and social media posts on NS’s behalf. Naper Settlement provided goody bags at the Mom’s Network events and listed them as a sponsor. Lee Quillian asked about partnering with the Naperville Library. Tepper stated she will look into that, especially for the upcoming fire department exhibit scheduled for 2024. F. REPORTS: Receive and approve the minutes from the September 22, 2023 NSMB board meeting Attachments: 9.22.23 NSMB Board Minutes Legistar Format Mayor Wehrli asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the September 22, 2023, NSMB board meeting. Motion to approve by Al Zucco, seconded by Lee Quillinan. Motion carries 5-0 A motion was made approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- McBroom, Quillinan, Tang, Wehrli, and Zucco Absent: 3- Long, Meyer-Smith, and Schremser Receive and approve the Naper Settlement financial reports as of October 2023 Attachments: NS Notes for month ending October 31, 2023 NS Operating P&L Oct 10. NS 2023 projections as of October 31 through December Alexandra Atkinson highlighted a few areas within the Naper Settlement financial reports. Operating revenue has exceeded the annual budget by close to $60K, which is approximately a 16% increase. Savings are projected at roughly 4% for 2023. Mayor Wehrli asked where that money goes, and Harriet Pistorio explained it goes to the City. Mayor Wehrli asked to entertain a motion to approve the financial reports. Motion to approve by Al Zucco, seconded by Lee Quillinan. Motion carried 5-0 This matter was approved City of Naperville Page 6 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 Aye: 5- McBroom, Quillinan, Tang, Wehrli, and Zucco Absent: 3- Long, Meyer-Smith, and Schremser Receive update on upcoming exhibit, Santas Around the World Attachments: Santas Around the World Exhibit Reception Invite Electronic The new holiday exhibit Santas Around the World opened on December 6th. The opening had a great turnout. This exhibit will run from December 6th through the end of the year. Mayor Wehrli suggested NS work with DNA for cross promotion. Lee Quillinan wanted to take this opportunity to recognize Naper Settlements front page cover story in the Naperville Sun newspaper regarding the new exhibit. Tamayo-Calabrese shared that Naper Settlement received a national award from the National Agri-Marketers Association (NAMA), for the Field Watcher Program offered in the Mary & Richard Benck Family Agricultural Center. Receive CY23 Attendance Demographic Tracking report for October Attachments: CY23_Master_Attendance Harriet Pistorio noted that partly due to the Fox Valley Mall partnership Naper Settlement has exceeded the projected attendance numbers for the 2023 year. G. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Wehrli asked for a motion to adjourn the NSMB Board meeting at 8:40am. A motion to adjourn by Al Zucco, seconded by Councilman Josh McBroom. Motion carried 5-0 This matter was approved Aye: 5- McBroom, Quillinan, Tang, Wehrli, and Zucco Absent: 3- Long, Meyer-Smith, and Schremser City of Naperville Page 7 Printed on 3/26/2024 Naper Settlement Museum Board Meeting Minutes - Final December 14, 2023 /S/ Diane Fornek Diane Fornek Administrative Specialist H. CLOSED SESSION: None City of Naperville Page 8 Printed on 3/26/2024