Museum Restructuring Committee

Norwalk Museum Restructuring Committee Minutes of Meeting/Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Attendance: Charlie Yost; David Westmoreland, chair; Jim Brown; Judith Bacal; Jim Clark; Mary Roman; Mary-Alice Fitzgerald; David Park, acting secretary. Guests: Ralph Bloom; Isabel Bullen. David Westmoreland called the meeting to order at 5:32 PM. David Park moved to approve the minutes of August 1, 2012. Jim Clark amended the minutes to change the word “is” to “it” in the 5th paragraph reading, “whether it remains.” Motion APPROVED. Mary-Alice Fitzgerald, Mary Roman, Charlie Yost and Jim Brown abstained. David Westmoreland commented that the inside of the Norwalk Museum has been photographed and the silver vault has been opened and the contents are intact which is good news. David Westmoreland began a discussion on the zoning approval of a proposed restaurant by the landlord in the basement area of the Norwalk Museum building. A floor plan was distributed from P&Z. The committee members discussed concerns of locating a restaurant directly below the museum exhibit and storage rooms including fire issues, odors emitting to the upstairs and sound control. The committee will contact the fire marshal and zoning to review the approval process and issues that were addressed. Committee members discussed the probability of a restaurant being built there including economics and the fact that the zoning application was submitted by the landlord and not a restauranteur. David Westmoreland commented that the landlord wants the basement/museum storage areas cleaned out by the end of the year. Judith Bacal has updated the matrix comparison sheets. There was no further review by the committee at this time. David Westmoreland discussed the next steps of the committee including meeting with the mayor, meeting with the Friends of the Norwalk Museums, inviting Janet Serra of the Western CT CVB on tourism and marketing, and using the STEPS program that will help with consulting on the proper moving of collections and archives and can develop both interim and long range planning for the museum. Committee members discussed the importance of developing a business plan by professionals to be included in the committees formal recommendations. Tentatively, the committee hopes to meet with Western CT CVB and the Friends on September 11 and with the mayor on September 25. The meeting was adjourned at 6:10 PM Respectfully Submitted David W. Park acting secretary