Merri Peck
Doug Wolfe
Guy Stephenson
Gene Loughran
Daryl Austen
Pete Yuro
Randy Preston

1. Open discussion & information sharing: “History of the Wilmington Fire Department” Did you know…?

• On July 10, 1934 There was a fire in the center of town at Gilbert Coopers that endangered the village?
  
• On July 10, 1924 the Board of supervisors approved the start of the Wilmington Fire Dept?
  
• Only one Wilmington fireman has been killed in the line of duty and that was from falling off the back of the truck.
  
• The WFPA – Wilmington Fire Protective Association – 1906-1919 – was formed before the Fire Department.
  
• Sept 1969 was the first MET – Medical Emergency Tech. In 1973 the Dept of Health changed it to what we now know it as EMT – Emergency Medical Tech.
  
• Wilmington was one of the more fortunate communities to have the FIRST EMT’s in New York State! The numbers were 900-906.

Communications

• An email was rec’d notifying us of the passing of Albert Leroy Wolfe on January 31, 2007. An old time resident of Wilmington, born Nov 31, 1917
  
• Bill Carr sent a letter encouraging us to form a list of all the Wilmington boys who served in the Military. This is long over due.
  
• Northern NY Library Network is holding a Roundtable “Getting Organized” on May 12, 2007 in Saranac if anyone is interested in attending.
  
• Catalogs and news articles rec’d from: Adirondack History Center Museum, Canadian Conservation Institute, AASLH – History News

Standing Committee Reports
Merri and Karen will sometime before the annual meeting in June to create forms for archives use, internet policy, ethics policy, and disaster policy.

Publications and Programs Committee
To begin in June, our new meeting date will be the 1st Wed. of the month at the Community Center - except for July 9 due to the 4th of July

Our Meeting dates and “Open Discussion” topics will be as follows:

• May 16 (Wed): “Wilmington Post Office History”
  
• June 6 (Wed.): "Area Hiking Trails & Conservation History"
  
• July 9 (Mon.): "Wilmington Family Histories” (i.e., Lawrence, Markham, Bliss, Everest, Winch, Warren, Huntington, Haselton, Partridge, Cooper, Peck, Hardy, etc.)"
  
• August 1 (Wed.): "History of the AuSable River, West Branch” (fishing, swimming, boating, ice skating, dam, industry, High Falls Gorge, Wilmington Notch)
  
• September 5 (Wed): "History of Social Organizations in Wilmington” (i.e., Rock & Mineral Club, Ski Club, Kiwanis, PAL, etc.)
  
• October 3 (Wed.): "Area Forest Histories ----logging, charcoaling, sugar maple production, pulpmaking, forest fires"
  
• November 7 (Wed.): "Wilmington Hunting Stories"

• Saturday, May 5 --- “Stephenson Range Historic Iron Mine Tour”--- Guy Stephenson 9 am
  
• Friday, June 15 --- “A History of North Country Railroads” ---Chris Brescia, Railroad Historian 7 pm, Wilmington Community Center
  
• Friday, July 6 --- “The History of Santa’s Workshop --- Part II: Wilmington and Beyond”--- Robert Reiss 6 pm, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Santa’s Workshop
  
• Friday, August 3 ---“Life of a Civil War Soldier” ---Matt George, former teacher and Civil War re-enactor 7 pm, Wilmington Community Center
  
• Friday, August 24 --- “CCC Camps in the Adirondacks: Their History & Lore”--- Marty Podskoch, author 7 pm, Wilmington Community Center
  
• Saturday, September 15--- “Wilmington Historical Society at the Festival of the Colors” 9 am to 4 pm, Heritage Park
  
• Saturday, October 13 --- “Introduction to Genealogy---Getting Started”--- Karen & Bob Peters 10 am, Wilmington Community Center

Membership ---103 paying members in 2007 so far.
A suggestion was made to possible entice younger members by providing a scholarship? And/or having them do some local research using our records and other sources. We should contact local teachers and schools.

Old Business-
Wilmington cannon: We have experts that have a great interest in our canon and gun and hope to visit our area this Spring or Summer. We are looking forward to getting all of our Military history in one place for experts to review and display!

Patrick McIntyre is doing a great job in keeping our website up and running!

New Business -

Nominations are now OPEN for President, Vice-president, Secretary, and ONE Trustee. Please call or email on of the board members with ideas for nominees.
The Wilmington Vision & Planning Committee has changed it’s name to Wilmington Community Enhancement Council. We are looking forward to meeting in the Community Center starting in June. There will be more room and our records will soon be moved there into new metal cabinets that are already on order!
We should check with the Town to update insurance, fire and safety codes for the protection of our historical records as well as all of the records being held at the Town Hall.
Our old photo day could include old artifacts to add interest.

The Proposed changes in by-laws were read, reviewed, and accepted by the Board of Trustees: (current in black underlined italics) (Proposed in red underlined italics) were read and accepted. Guy made a motion to accept, seconded by Doug, all in favor. THESE WILL BE VOTED ON BY THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP AT THE MAY 16 MEETING.

1)

ARTICLE II
Schedule and Quorum for Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings of the society and board of trustees shall be held on the third Wednesday of each month.

first Wednesday of each month.
(Reason: we are changing meeting place to the Community Center and need to change the day in order to accommodate all others who use the space.)

2)

ARTICLE III
Duties of the Officers and Trustees
Section 4. The treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of society funds, for maintaining adequate financial records, and for depositing all monies with a reliable banking company in the name of the society. Monies shall be paid out by numbered checks signed by any two of the four officers. The treasurer will collect dues, and shall render an annual report based on the calendar year.

signed by any one of the four officers
(Reason: having 2 officers sign for each check is impractical and cumbersome.)

ARTICLE VI
Amendment to the Bylaws
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided notice was given at the previous meeting. Or they may be amended at a special meeting called for that purpose, with previous notice and a two-thirds vote. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.

Guy made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Pete. All in favor!

Respectfully submitted –

Merri C Peck, Vice President