The membership meeting was held at the home of Diane Oestreich, 816 22nd Street. There were ten members present.

President - Linda Anderson called the meeting to order.

Vice President - Pam Saunders: The meeting schedule for the next two months will be as follows – Pete & Teri Cone, December 15, and Linda Anderson, January 19. The December meeting will be more social, with everyone asked to bring an hors d’oeuvre or dessert to share.

Secretary - Diane Oestreich emailed the minutes of the October meeting.

Treasurer - Terri Cone reported a balance $4,851.63 after a check for $55.50 for Summit Graphics for the Hauberg prints. Our CD balance: $1,323.14. We get 1.08% interest.

Corresponding Secretaries - Martha Dismer published our quarterly newsletter that included a great article about window repair by Pete Cone It was suggested that it would have been nice to have photos or illustrations. If the printer can receive the newsletter electronically, there would be no degradation of images due to double printing (on Martha’s printer).

Committee Reports/Business

1. Neighborhood Partners:
   Terry Anderson & Diana Alm – Diana has lots of city preservation and neighborhood materials left over from the event last Sunday at Black Hawk Park if anyone wants something. Linda and Pete Cone have been attending the School-Neighborhood Task Force meetings as they try to ensure that the brick streets in Highland Park are not impacted by the new school. Terry noted that all the task force chairmen had been reelected. Some of our Highland Park members are also attending the Safe Routes to School meetings. Linda noted that access was not adequately studied during the planning process for the school and suggests that it should be an important ingredient in any use, especially those that are different from what is nearby.

2. Website:
   Pete Cone. Discussion of how to improve the website included things like creating a Facebook and Twitter presence, enhancing the front opening page, using more links to historic neighborhoods, etc. As a short term goal, Pete will try to make the opening page more interesting with a special feature each month – perhaps a postcard article or building history from our pre-digital archives. It was also suggested that he add a link to current minutes on the main page. It was agreed that the RIPS website serves a more archival purpose than typical neighborhood websites. One suggestion was to add more downloadable MP3 files of our tours as was done for our Watch Hill tour. Diana will work on a file as an example.

3. Endangered Properties /Preservation Projects:
   Linda passed around a sketch of the arch and its surrounding brickwork from architect John Gere. She has also made contact with a Villa alum, Victoria Green, in Iowa City, who is related to Fr. Mackin, a priest who was instrumental in the founding of the Villa. Ms. Green is very interested in seeing what can be preserved of the Villa and may be a good contact resource. Linda is preparing an illustrated letter for Villa alums that she hopes can be sent with an annual mailing to them. Pam suggested “selling” bricks or a plaque to list the names of donors to the arch restoration.

   Clayton did check with Shannon, who lent us many postcards in the past, to see what he had in Villa archival pictures. Shannon said that he was in the process of moving and that they’d been packed away for a while. We can check with him in the future and see if we can create a library display with copies.

   Linda gave Jody Zwiefel contact information to check on the school needs that would be compatible with our goals and Jody has contacted.

4. Awards:
   It will be time to evaluate candidates for our annual awards before we know it. Suggestions were solicited but only two were made. Diane will keep a running list of all suggestions.

5. Hauberg Art:
   The prints from Summit Graphics are in and they look wonderful. Some members purchased copies as well. Diane showed a frame that will work for Hauberg. She’ll ask a couple of our members who have the skill if they’d consider doing the matting. We’re under our allotted budget, so we can afford materials. How and when we present it to the Parks and Hauberg remains to be decided.

6. Hauberg Tree Decoration:
   Linda checked with Debbie Weston and found out that some of the ornaments may have been discarded. Diane will go and look to see what is still available. Linda has purchased five dozen crocheted snowflakes that we can use. Diane had a gold sprayed hydrangea as a suggestion. Clayton will get burgundy ribbon and use them with hydrangeas, some perhaps artificially colored, to add to the three. Terry and Faye Anderson have additional hydrangeas and will drop them off at Clayton’s. Clayton will also check into tiny picture frames so we could perhaps frame some of the MOSUS buildings if it’s ok with the city. We would need digital pictures so we can make them small. Decorating is to be done on Thursday, Dec. 3 between 9 and 11 or on Friday after 9. Pete and Terri Cone will represent us in costume at the Winter in Bloom open house on the following Sunday.

7. Rodman House Artifacts:
   Diane was able to visit Old Lincoln School with Chief City Inspector Tom Ayers. She did not see anything that she recalled having been put there from the Rodman House (buffet front, marble piece from fireplace specifically). She also contacted Barbara Young-Nesseler, former RIPS president, who had helped clear the site. Barbara did not have any better recollections. There is a tremendous amount of junk stored in the old school but not recognizable as belonging to RIPS or of having value. Mr. Ayers is aware of our interest and would let us know if these things turn up.

8. Other Business:
   

Announcements & General:
Diane said that the rebuilt tower had been placed atop the Smythe-Jackson House at 824 20th Street last Wednesday. The process can be viewed on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFEy8w0pQJ4

ADJOURNMENT - by consensus

Diane Oestreich
(309) 788-1845
blueskies78900@yahoo.com