THE
MONTICELLO
ASSOCIATION

1994 Annual Meeting Minutes

Minutes
Treasurer's Report

BUSINESS MEETING OF THE MONTICELLO ASSOCIATION
May 15, 1994, at the Omni Hotel
in Charlottesville, VA

     The meeting was called to order at about 1:00 P.M. by President Margaret Shaw, who requested everyone present to sign the attendance sheets. She then asked if there was a motion to dispense with the reading of last year's minutes. The motion passed.. Susan Stein then made a short appearance and updated the membership on what was happening at Monticello. The President then asked for the report of the Secretary and the Trustee, Gerald Morgan, Jr. As Secretary, he reported 6 new adult members, 15 children and one new life member since the first of the year. he reported current expenses of $3,236.16, most of this figure for printing and mailing the Annual Report. Expenses for the rest of the calendar year should be minimal. He requested genealogical information of any and all kinds from the membership. He thanked the members for their contacts and communications, and also thanked Randy Lougee for her help in proofreading the Annual Report copy and for the detection of many errors in the copy. As Trustee, he reported some loss in portfolio value of about $3,100 since January first, the first time we've experience this problem since he's been the Trustee. The one change in the portfolio was selling 287 shares of the Fixed Income account and buying 429 shares of the Value Equity Fund. This gave us a total of 329 shares of the NationsBank Fixed Income Fund, 1481 shares of their Value Equity Fund, and $11,633 in money market funds, with a total value of $98,341 as of May 11, 1994. The account has been put on a calendar year basis to coincide with the calendar year of the Association.

     The Treasurer, Edmund Taylor, Jr. reported that we were in good financial shape but had about $10,000 less in our account than at this time last year due to the $10,000 donated to the TJMF last year for their massive fund raising effort. Contributions from the members produced an additional $13,850 in funds to the "Tree Campaign". Our drive will end on December 31st and there will be no further solicitations. We still have a backlog of the Commemorative Volumes to be sold and the Gift Shop periodically buys lots of 24 from us. Even so, we still have a lot of the Volumes left. Robert T. Coolidge reported as Historian that the Genealogy has finally started to be computerized by John Works after some 10 years in the planning. We should be able to get it finished in two or three months. After that report, President Shaw asked for nominations for Associate Membership of qualified spouses, who were:

     John Alexander Diffey, husband of Martha McMurdo Diffey
     George Roger Gielow, husband of Diane Decker Gielow
     Carrie Wilson, wife of Alexander Newbold (keeping maiden name)
     Rhonda Goodman Newbold, wife of Peter Jefferson Newbold
     Matthew Raymond Pearson, husband of Maryanna Keevil Gillespie Pearson
     Suzanna Lynn Tompkins Richards, wife of Dr. Bartley Ruark Richards
     Marie Louise St. Onge, wife of Thomas Newbold, Jr. (keeping maiden name)

All were elected to Associate Membership.

     Moncure R. Taylor recognized Tim and Maggie Sams and Mary Anderson as his graveyard assistants, who helped to restore the gold medallion over the main gate to its original gold color. Margaret Shaw thanked Mr. Taylor for his efforts as Interments Committee Chairman. She also thanked Randy Lougee for all of her work on the arrangements that made the weekend so successful. We then started a discussion of the reception at Monticello, which was combined with a boxed supper, which we were trying out for the first time. Most of the members present approved of the new arrangement, but there were some problems about going through Monticello due to the limited time the staff could accommodate us. Some members who wanted to go through the house after supper could not, as the staff needed to close up and go home. We may have been remiss about explaining the situation to the members, which could  have been prevented by explaining better at the table where the name tags were handed out.

     Margaret Shaw commented on the legal opinion we had obtained last year establishing, that we as an Association could safely donate funds to the Foundation without jeopardizing our tax exempt status. As reported earlier, we have donated $10,000 to the Foundation.

     George Shackelford asked how the membership could be best advised of burial services at the graveyard, having missed Leigh Taylor's service by not knowing about it. He suggested that Jane Rotch put notices in the local paper about such services, but Jane Rotch responded that such would have to be done by the family of the deceased or by their funeral director acting on the family's requests. She felt that it was not up to her to make announcements of burials in her capacity as custodian. Mr. Shackelford also suggested a "telephone tree." No motions were made on the subject.

     The budget for the next calendar year (1995-1996) was presented as follows:

A motion was made, seconded, and passed approving this budget.

     After inquiring if there was any old or new business to be discussed, Margaret Shaw asked for a motion to adjourn, which was passed at 2:30. Rand Esser volunteered to serve on the new fence committee.

     After adjournment, Margaret Shaw mentioned the new Jefferson Commemorative silver dollar and provided a number to call for orders and information. George Shackelford announced that his JEFFERSON'S ADOPTIVE SON, WILLIAM SHORT can be purchased at the Monticello gift stores, or through him.

Treasurer's Report

     It is good to be able to report that in 1993 we were able to cover several unusual expenses thanks to the continued generosity of the membership. Both the graveyard sign and the donation to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation were financed by dues and contributions. The former most especially by Mrs. R. Bolling Hubard's memorials.

     We go into 1994 with a smaller bank balance but with some income continuing to exceed outgo by a comfortable margin. This has enabled us to avoid using the Trust Fund for last year's two projects.

     The "Tree" campaign has done well and we should thank Vee Shackelford for all that he has done to bring the project forward. Vee has subsidized a major part of the mailing cost.

     The Collected Papers are still selling at a modest rate with no shortage likely in the foreseeable future. Copies are available today for anyone who may want one.

     Finally, if any of you are involved with companies that donate matching funds, please remember that we are usually eligible for such gifts.