The Stanley Area Historical Society’s April 24 meeting featured a discussion on planning for the future of the local historical organization.  To that end, a Long-Range Planning Committee was appointed to broadly study the organization’s needs for future leadership, maintenance, future building needs, and establish short and long-range plans for going into the future. The committee is expected to further refine its mission at its first meeting. Serving on the appointed committee will be Jamie and Chris Dusick, Paul Smith, Tricia Smith and Betty Plombon.

     Another major topic at the meeting was a proposed renovation project that would result in enclosing the digitization work area and establish an enclosed area for working on and laying out special projects.  It was voted to support the effort which will only require materials, as volunteer labor for construction and design work has been obtained. A budget for the project was established at $5,500.

     The meeting also provided an opportunity for Adam Smit, of Adam Smit Investment Management to go over the organization’s Trust Fund investments that are held by his firm and for attendees to ask questions.  Following Smit’s presentation the secretary and treasurer reports were received.  In his treasurer report, Jim Ericksen, noted the income and expenditures for the First Quarter of 2023, with no out of the ordinary entries.  It was reported that the 2022 audit of the treasurer’s records was completed and all accounts were found to be in good order, and that the annual report to the state of Wisconsin and Federal Form 990 have been completed, thus fulfilling the museum’s non-profit status requirements with state and federal authorities.

     Reports included the work that Sharon Wundrow and Connie Pozdell have done in providing consultation and instruction on “Digitization of a Museum’s Collections” to the Rusk County Historical Society and the Grantsburg Area Historical Society. Notes of appreciation have been received from both organizations. It was announced that Melanie Schmidt, a graduate student at UW-Eau Claire, will be returning as museum intern this summer.  She will again be working weekends, opening and closing the museum, providing tours and working with docents. She will also be assisting with digitization, exhibiting, research and accessioning. A major new exhibit that is being worked on is businesses located south of the railroad tracks on Broadway and Maple Streets in the 1950’s and 1960’s and it will be located in the North Exhibit Room.  The summer work schedule has been pretty well set.  However, there is still a need for four or five volunteers to complete the schedule.  Any former volunteers who have not been contacted and would consider working, or any new volunteers, are asked to call 715-644-5880.

     In a discussion on renewing ancestery.com this coming summer, it was noted that few people used the resource last summer.  SAHS would be interested in hearing from its membership, and the community in general, on their providing this resource.  Anyone with thoughts/opinions is encouraged to talk to the officers or make their thoughts known on the museum website. In the end it was voted to again provide this resource for six months.

     Announcements included the Clark County Historical Society will hold their June meeting on Saturday, June 3, at the Colby Rural Arts Museum and the next SAHS Quarterly Meeting will be Monday, July 24 beginning with a potluck beginning at 6 pm, with the meeting to follow.