THE
MONTICELLO
ASSOCIATION

1996 Annual Meeting Minutes

Minutes
Treasurer's Report

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
MONTICELLO ASSOCIATION
OMNI HOTEL - CHARLOTTESVILLE
May 12, 1996

     The meeting was called to order at 2:00 P.M. by President Randolph Taylor Lougee, and the members were asked to write their names on the yellow sheets provided for roll call purposes. The President then cited the minutes from last year's meeting and asked if we could dispense with the reading of the minutes, and this was passed.

     The Secretary reported first with a count on new members, which was 5 adults, 21 minors and 2 new Life Members. He thanked the members who had written him with family information, and for making his job easier. As Trustee, Gerald Morgan reported that our Trust Account was valued at over $147,000 as of April 30, 1996, and that it had grown dramatically in recent years. Edmund R. Taylor, Treasurer, reported that we were in good shape financially, and his report is published separately. Bob Coolidge reported as Historian that 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson was living at Monticello, and was persuaded somewhat against his will to run for President, which he did in November of 1796. Mr. Coolidge stated that Margaret Shaw was endeavoring to get the process of computerizing the genealogy started, and that we needed some computer-knowledgeable family members to assist her. We would like to expand our information to include such things as places of birth, marriages and deaths. The following spouses of members were proposed for Associate Membership.

     Leon John Russo, III, husband of Kathleen Rochele Burgess Russo
     Bennett Austin Keister, husband of Margaret Austin Walker Keister
     Sheila Walsh Bankhead, wife of Malvern Miller Bankhead
     Lisa Canfield Moss, wife of Daniel Lee Moss

Gerald Morgan proposed these names and Randy Lougee asked for a motion to elect these people, which was passed.

     President Lougee then asked George Esser as Nominating Chairman to name the following slate of officers:

     For President:  Randolph Taylor Lougee
     For Vice-President:  Robert M. Gillespie
     For Treasurer:  Edmund R. Taylor, Jr.
     For Secretary:  Gerald Morgan, Jr.

     All were elected unanimously. Under Committee appointments, President Lougee named the following members:

     Jane Rotch:  Custodian
     Robert T. Coolidge: Historian
     Nancy Morgan: Welcomer and Greet
     Jack Taylor: Special Events (a trip to Poplar Forest is a strong possibility)

     Under unfinished business, the President discussed the fence and its urgent but not critical need for repair. Rand Esser is in charge of getting repair estimates. We need a long range plan to both repair and increase the size of the graveyard, and we are starting to develop such a plan.

     Concerning the memorial trees, paid for by contributions from the Randolph and Eppes branches of the family, one (the Randolph Tree) is healthy, but we don't know about the other one. Under new business, Pres. Lougee stressed the need to collect and collate any and all old records of the Association. Any members having such records should send them to her. These documents are widely scattered and the President would like to develop a list of them.

   The last item on the agenda was the budget for the 1997 calendar year:

  The President called for a motion to approve the budget, which was seconded and passed. The budget vote concluded our business and the meeting was adjourned at 2:35 P.M.

Treasurer's Report

     I am happy to report that our finances are still in good shape. We started 1995 with a balance of $16,048 and ended it with a balance of $18,226. Unfortunately, this year may not do as well since we enrolled a large number of Life Members after last year's dues payments. It is important to remember that contributions from regular members and associates and the fact that the officers do not in general use their budgeted allowance permits us to show a year end positive balance.

     Orders for the reprint of the Vol. 1 of the Collected Papers now total 75, with the Monticello Gift Shop evincing interest in stocking them. There have been orders for 51 copies of Vol. II so far this year. I will be happy to take orders for either book if there are other takers. The Association owes a debt of gratitude to Jack Taylor who has been good enough to do the reprinting of Volume I. It goes without saying that a debt is owed to George Green Shackelford who wrote so much and handled the thankless details of both Volumes.