MHS Standing Committees 

Development:

The Committee shall be responsible to develop and monitor a multi-year Development Plan to increase long term and short term funds for endowment, capital, and operating purposes.  In the execution of the Plan the Committee, either directly or through subcommittees, will oversee the annual appeal; membership solicitation; the creation and distribution of all advertising, publicity and promotional materials including social media, e-mail and the MHS website.  In addition the Committee, in coordination with the Executive Director, the Board and all committee chairs, will help curate grant solicitations.

Education:

The Committee will be responsible to develop  and manage all activities to deliver on our mission to interpret, and celebrate the stories of our town as told through its people, artifacts, architecture, and landscapes for all audiences.  In the execution of this responsibility the committee will be responsible to organize and produce events and exhibits such as Open Houses, the Frederick Lee Lectures, the History Book Club, exhibits at the Madison Center for History and Culture and Allis Bushnell Museum, History Happy Hours and, in coordination with schools in Madison, tours of our collections and in-school or after school programs.

Finance:

The Finance Committee shall be responsible for managing all aspects of the Society’s finances. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee. Its principal duties are as follows:

• To prepare with the Executive Director or President the Society’s annual operating budget and to approve this budget before it is submitted to the Board for final approval.
• To review actual operating results against the budget and to report regularly to the Board concerning the financial condition of the Society.
• To monitor the Society’s major investments and to make recommendations to the Board for other investments.
• To prepare and regularly review a statement of investment objectives, subject to approval by the Board, and to be responsible for the financial risk management policy of the Society.
• To ensure that appropriate and adequate property and liability insurance coverage for the Society is in place.
• To prepare long-range, multi-year projections of income and expense.
• To investigate the feasibility of long-term and short-term development options.

Properties:

The Committee shall be responsible for developing and monitoring a multi-year Plan related to the security, repair and maintenance of MHS owned buildings, grounds and facilities.  In the execution of this Plan the Committee shall identify and recommend to the Board contractors and suppliers to maintain and repair the properties and coordinate with the Development Committee to ensure adequate funding.

Collections:

The Committee shall be responsible to maintain the MHS collection, complete its documentation and ensure best preservation practices are followed.  In addition the Committee will recommend to the board a curatorial process of accession/de-accession; exchange; purchase and/ or exchange, to increase the collection’s interpretive and research functions and to assist in developing educational programs

Preservation:

The Committee shall promote historic preservation and is responsible for publicizing the Society’s position, as expressed by the Board,  on matters of historic preservation to local officials and the public.  The Committee will be the recipient of Town Demolition Ordinance requests and oversee the Historic Building Plaque Program and will ensure the Board is informed on preservation issues in the Town.