Historical Records Commission Minutes December 12, 2024

Members present:
Robert Chase (Vice-Chair)
Seana Gause
Steven Lovejoy
Margaret Purser

Members excused:
Michael Mueller (Chair)

Associate Members present:
Amanda King, Secretary
Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor & Registrar of Voters
Jaime Anderson, Collections Services Division Manager, Sonoma County Library
Jonathan Kajeckas, Information Systems Records and Information Manager

Guests present:
Zayda Delgado, Supervising Librarian, History & Genealogy Library
Melonie Gonzalez, ISD Records Analyst

1. Call to order 4:06 pm
2. Introduction of Guests
3. Approval of Minutes
   1. November 14, 2024 minutes
      
      1. Motion to approve by Seana Gause
      2. Second by Margaret Purser
      3. Approved
      4. Abstain by Robert Chase
4. Budget Discussion
   1. Balance is $3,615.09
5. Business
   
   1. HRC Commissioners Report
      1. Robert's report:
         • No report
      2. Seana's report:
         • No report
      3. Steven's report:
         1. No report
      4. Margaret's report:
         • No report
   2. Library Commissioner Liaison Report
      1. Update from Eve Goldberg by email:
         • LC’s big news is that Measure W has passed. Measure W (the successor to Measure Y) provides 40% of the Library’s funding, so this was a super-big deal. The passing of Measure W means that the Library can stay open 7 days a week, fully staffed, with robust collections, programs and special events, and effectively respond to community needs with changing technology. 
           Against that very positive backdrop, the LC did have a minor short-fall in terms of sales tax revenues this past fiscal year, so the Library’s financial team will be making some small budgetary adjustments for this coming year.
           And finally, the independent accounting firm of Pisenti & Brinker LLP has completed their annual audit of the Library. Their analysis gives the Library a glowing, 100% positive, report.
   3. Library Report
      1. Library Director Report
         • Library Update by Jaime Anderson:
           • The library celebrated the official passage of Measure W with 68.08% voting in favor of renewing the sales tax.
           • The renovations of the Petaluma and Healdsburg Regional Libraries are on-track and continuing. The Windsor Library will close Jan. 6 for approximately two months to get new carpet, shelving and furniture. We don’t have a start date yet for HVAC and ADA project at the H&G Library – the HVAC equipment has been ordered and is being built. We are waiting to hear about a delivery and installation date to be able to plan for the H&G closure.
           • The Groundwork Grants are in the final stretch with all items ordered either received or expected to be received by the end of December. The grants totaled $40,378 and were received by H&G, the Wine Library, and the Petaluma History Room to assist with emergency preparedness and disaster recovery.
         • Archives Operating Agreement Update
           • There is no update on the Archives Operating Agreement with the County
      2. History and Genealogy Library Report
         
         • Update by Zayda Delgado via email:
           • Had leaks with the recent rains and was able to be addressed with the grant money and supplies delivered the week before for emergency preparedness.
           • H&G is working with the Russian River Historical Society on a grant application to preserve, document, digitize and provide access to LGBTQ materials. The Russian River Historical Society would be grant lead, and the library would serve as a partner to provide access to digital content. H&G expects to hear about the status of the application in early 2025.
           • Working on the expansion for Playback Memory Lab into audio cassettes.
           • Working on the A-space work and merge records.
           • Upcoming Events:
             • Playback Memory Lab appointments: https://events.sonomalibrary.org/events/month/2024/12?program_types%5B306%5D=306&page=1
   4. Archives Activity Report
      1. Update by Zayda Delgado via email:
         • Five (5) resources requested in the month of November from one county agency and zero community requests.
   5. Retention Schedule Review
      1. County of Sonoma Common Accounting and Administrative Retention (CAAR) Schedule, version 9
         1. Motion to approve by Margaret Purser
         2. Second by Seana Gause
         3. Approved
   6. Collections & Archives Recognition Awards
      
      1. Now accepting Nomination Forms until January 8, 2025.
   7. Outreach
      1. “Researching the History of a Sonoma County Property” pamphlet update:
         • Commission to review pamphlet in March 2025 for updates to be published in June 2025.
   8. Strategic Planning
      1. No update
   9. County Recorder update on the status of the Restrictive Covenant Modification Program
      1. Documents January 1964 through April 2005 have been sent through the system for OCR
         1. Staff is currently reviewing documents from late-September 1997 that include keywords clues.
         2. 4,339,723 documents have been reviewed
         3. 13,014,571 pages have been reviewed (of an approximate 24+ million)
         4. 49 Restrictive Covenant Modifications have been recorded for 1964-1996
   10. Legislative Updates pertaining to public records
       1. Assembly Bill 1785
       2. Continuing to monitor legislation
6. New Business
   
   1. Reminder to Board of HRC Election of Officers in January.
7. Public Comment
   1. Library Commission meeting, January 8, 2024, 6PM, Rohnert Park Library
   2. Sonoma County Heritage Network Meeting, January 9 2025, 10AM-12PM, TBD
   3. Museum of Sonoma County Exhibits:
      • Sonoma County Stories, September 9, 2023-Ongoing
      • Light, Clay, and Copper: Mid-Century Arts and Crafts in Sonoma County, September 9, 2023-Ongoing
      • MSC Collections Gallery: New Acquisitions, June 15, 2024-ongoing
      • Tattooed and Tenacious: Inked Women in California’s History, November 16, 2024-February 23, 2025
      • 35th Annual Artistry in Wood, December 7, 2024-February 2, 2025
8. Meeting adjourned at 4:53PM

Next Meeting - January 9, 2025 - 4:00PM

• In Person: County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, Sonoma Room, 585 Fiscal Dr Rm 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
• Virtual: Guests may also join virtually. Please see the meeting month’s agenda for login information.