Nebraska Bicentennial Commission
Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2004
Riverview Lodge
Mahoney State Park

Commissioners in attendance: Mitchell, Smith, Ruth,Hull, Wehrbein, Williams, Curran, and Sommer.

Staff in attendance: Swenson, Rhian, and Emanuel.

Special Guests/Advisors in attendance: Hastert, Hendee, Yates, Shunatona, and Bob P.

Commissioners not in attendance: Judy Johnson, Judi gaiashkibos, Gary Moulton, and Leroy Stokes.

A quorum was satisfied.

Chairman Hull called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m. and welcomed everyone.  Hull asked that the meeting minutes from August 19, 2004 be approved.  John Slader moved and Dick Williams seconded to approve the August minutes.  Approval was unanimous.  Hull stated that the Philip Glass concerto would be airing on NET on December 8 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.  Hull announced that the new tribal chairman for the Otoe-Missouria tribe is Michael Harwell.  He will travel to Oklahoma to meet with the new tribal council.  Hull also stated that the commission needs to meet in January to discuss what we want to do in 2006.  Some ideas include:

1.     Raise money to give grants to communities along the river.

2.     Restage concerto at Lewis and Clark Landing

3.     Work with the four Nebraska tribes and Native American Scholars.

Following the January meeting there will be a retreat at Mahoney State Park.

Larry Ruth explained the open meeting law.  He stated that there must be a quorum present and planning the meeting must be an open meeting.  He suggested making the discussion an agenda item.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Nebraska Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission, the Iowa Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission, and the Otoe-Missouria tribe must be amended to continue for the next two years.  The original MOU expired in September 2004.  The MOU should be modified by changing Article 2 to extend the date and change the wording in 2 & 3 to plan the return trip, and to extend the agreement to December 31, 2007.  Ruth moved and Dick Williams seconded to approve.  Swenson suggested June 30, 2006 to match the biennium budget.  Williams and Sommer suggested adding a termination clause in case of budgetary shortfalls.  Sommer, Williams, Curran, Wehrbein, Hull, Slader, Ruth, Smith, and Mitchell voted yes, motion passed.

Jim Swenson commented on the hat/shirt sales contract agreement between Game & Parks and Friends.  Merchandise is out in the parks along the trails.  Swenson discussed small grant programs to help facilitate small communities.  He also spoke of the Kiewitt program and their success.  Ron Hull asked Dick Williams if this could meet National Park Services (NPS) requirements.  Williams said no.  NPS wants a separate grantee.  Swenson asked if our money could be the match and Williams replied yes.  The Challenge Cost Share Program will continue to 2006 but will have a 20% budget cut.

Swenson also reported on Bismarck, ND Lewis and Clark events.  The turnout was fantastic.  The event coordinators were expecting 30,000 people, but 50,000 attended!  Good Circle of State Advisors (COSA) meeting; looking at the future.  National Park Service audits were discussed at Bismarck.  Williams stated that when money hits a set amount it triggers an audit.  Congress is watching us closely.  Swenson announced that Bob Pawloski works on the National Lewis & Clark Coordination Council's website.  Hull stated that we need to continue working with Pawloski, and asked Swenson to look into it.

Paula Rhian wrote a draft for the National Park Service application, and Jim will look it over and take it to the executive committee for review.

Make sure Aaron Gahega receives an expense reimbursement form.

Mary Ethel would like the new coordinator to measure inches of print that has been filed as well as lodging receipt (but they are not in yet).  These can be used as a measurement of success.  Also, attraction attendance will be in in January.  Ruth asked if Mary Ethel would be able to quantify by the January meeting.  Mary Ethel replied that she would bring what she has.  Ruth stated we should do a press release on our success.  Wehrbein agreed that it would be a good public relations piece to show what the Commission did.  Curran announced that Dave Hendee received the Tom Allan award at the Travel Conference.

Bob Pawloski talked to the Mouth of the Platte (MOP) and the National Parks Service about what we will do for the next 100 years.  PKI will continue to host the Otoe-Missouria website.  COSA wondered what would happen to sites along the trail.  Use the mapping of G-net and have Nebraska as the pilot and then extend it along the trail.  Will be applying for Challenge Cost Share.

Sommer reported that Ken Burns is doing a program on Saturday for the Nebraska Historical Society.  The event is sold out!

Curran stated that the Division of Travel and Tourism is still marketing for Lewis & Clark.

Jeanene Wehrbein inquired if the play would go on tour.  Hull stated that several other orchestras have commissioned a Lewis & Clark symphony.  He also stated that Phillip

Glass will record a Piano concerto in Washington.

John Slader announced that Dana College purchased the Turfus and that a check will go to the Friends account.  He also asked about getting more pins and having them for sale.  In addition, Slader stated that he found a script from 1954 of what the community did at Fort Calhoun.

Ruth asked about thank you letters.

Rudi Mitchell stated that the 2006 Discovery Corps would be back for an event with the Omaha tribe (exchange of flags).  The other three tribal chairs would probably not be involved, but Judi gaiashkibos can find a representative from each tribe.  We need to keep the momentum going.  With changing politics, it is good to have participation that stays constant.

Sommer declared that Ms. Kennedy, conservator on Otoe-Missouria documents, is leaving for Yale University Library.

Hastert inquired if the commission could ask Creighton musical to perform again in 2006.  He also mentioned that the Mouth of the Platte program in January is on icons along the trail and that February's will be on Pompey's 200^th birthday.

Bat Shunatona expressed appreciation for all the commission has done and hopes the mutual involvement continues.

Bob Pawloski stated that the educational technology, GEON project, is great with a good network of teachers.  Westward Waters out of Fremont ESU 2.

We have a request into the Omaha World Herald to archive articles, however, there has been no response.

Mouth of the Platte is interested in a potential Donald Jackson symposium.

John Slader tried to get footage from Channel 7.  Dan Curran said to ask for B-roll footage.

Ron Hull announced that the ETV tapes are done.  We will take a copy to Oklahoma and present it to the tribe.

Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.