Coral Gables Merrick House Governing Board

Police and Fire Headquarters, Community Meeting Room

Agenda — 27 items

1. 1 The Merrick House Governing Board will be holding its Regular Meeting on Monday, December 9, 2024, commencing at 8:30 AM EST. Members of the public may join the meeting via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83315833193. ====================================================
2. 2 PAGE BREAK
3. I. CALL TO ORDER
4. II. ROLL CALL
5. 4 OPENING STATEMENT December 1920 was a particularly busy month for George. On December 17th he and Eunice with their friends, John and Anna Graham, took a trip to Cuba via Key West. This was both his and Eunice's first trip tot he island country and was also the closest to ever come to viewing the type of architecture he envisioned for Coral Gables. He had now seen the real thing, and his ideas no longer grew simply from pictures and books. He absorbed Cuba's rustic, often decaying colonial buildings with their interior patios, painted tiles, and ancient red clay barrel tiles. He walked through town gates to the central plazas with their picturesque wells and heard the ringing of the bells at the Marriott Bell Tower. He marveled at the tropical plants and the riot of bright colors calmed by the tropical scene. For George, the beauty of Cuban architecture transformed what sometimes seemed like his impossible dream into concrete future possibilities.
6. III. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
7. 6 This meeting was Called To Order at 8:35AM.
8. IV. NEW BUSINESS
9. V. OLD BUSINESS
10. VI. CITY COMMISSION ITEMS
11. VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS
12. VIII. ITEMS FROM THE SECRETARY
13. 12 Ms. Meagher read the November 2024 House Report. The report was shared with the Board in advance of the meeting and is included as an attachment to the minutes.
14. IX. ADJOURNMENT
15. 2. Maintenance Schedule - Board Members would like Public Works to maintain the House on a regular schedule. Staff requested Board Members come up with a list of tasks for Public Works. - Conservator work on the exterior of the chimney is complete, roof permit was issued last week. Roof work is in progress and must pass waterproof test before any interior work begins.
16. 14 NOTE
17. 3. Holiday Open House - Each Board Members will provide 4 dozen cookies for this event. There will be 17 vendors / 22 tables. Public Works is arriving at 11:30AM. Staff to confirm if City of Coral Gables Economic Development Department will be participating to sell the city's Christmas ornaments.
18. 4. Merrick Minute @ City Commission - Board Member Meagher is waiting for the final approval for the board members to make a brief presentation at the City commission monthly. Board Member Meagher will read in January, Board Member Burke will read on February 11, 2025, and Board Member Orr will read in March 2025.
19. 1. Poetry Books - Board members have been able to clean and remove mold off of the covers of 10 books. The book will be returned to the house.
20. 2. English Brochures - Staff is requesting a deep dive into these brochures to update the informaiton.
21. 3. Staff Tours - These tours will resume January 2025. Family tickets were created by the Board Members and will be distributed to departments. Board Members would like the tickets offered as part of the Human Resources on-boarding process.
22. 4. Althea's Garden Brigade - There were no volunteers for November. Board Members will update flyer with new dates. Board Member Orr requested rakes, clippers, etc.
23. 5. Antique Doorknobs - Board Member Burke returned 3 boxes of antique doorknobs to the garage. Staff will try to return the doorknobs to the Boston Historical Society.
24. 6. Garden Club Event - Staff will invite Susan Rodriguez, President of the Garden Club, to the next Board Meeting in order to get more information and logistics of this event.
25. 7. Defibrillator - Staff will make arrangement for all docents to be trained on the defibrillator.
26. 8. Volunteering Hours - Board Members would like to implement having everyone that volunteers at the Merrick House complete a log of hours worked. The number of volunteer hours can be included as part of the Board's annual report to the City Manager.
27. 29 This meeting was adjourned at 9:37 AM.