Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees

of the

Nevada Judicial Historical Society

March 13, 2015

Carson City, Nevada

The meeting was called to order at 12:15 by Chairman Michael Fondi. Present and constituting a quorum were Susan Southwick, Secretary, Janette Bloom, Treasurer, Jeff Kintop, Vice-Chairman and trustees Clinton Case, Robert Johnston, Dennis Myers, The Honorable Thomas Perkins, The Honorable Mark Gibbons, Jim Smith, Peter Smith, and Karen Baggett, as well as members Christine Timko and Terry Rankin.  Also present was guest Don Southwick.

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Board, September 19, 2014 were approved as mailed. (Meyers/Johnston)

Treasurer Janette Bloom reported a 2014 ending balance of $6,931.60.  With $75.00 in new memberships and $27.88 in expenditures, the current balance is $6,978.72.  Gibbons moved to approve, seconded by Smith; approved.

There were several reports on different aspects of the Joint Oral History Project.  Jeff Kintop reported that Silver State Industries (the Prison print shop) had given an estimate of $1,099 to print and bind 7 copies each of the 12 oral histories already completed.  Although it was possible to save some costs by combining several of the shorter narratives into one volume, the consensus was that the price was reasonable as presented.  A technical glitch is that the narratives are currently formatted as double-columns on 8 ½” x 11”, while the desired bound format is to be octavo with no columns.  Janette Bloom took a CD copy of the on-line version and said she would work on the formatting.  Judge Perkins then moved to accept the price of approximately $12/apiece to print and bind with a 20% margin.  Second by Jim Smith and approved.

Peter Smith reported that he had a transcript (in both print and digital formats) of an oral history of Judge John Mendoza which had been done but not published by the UNLV Oral History Program.  He wants to use the publication of this narrative by NJHS perhaps to open up cooperation with the UNLV program, since UNR no longer is actively pursuing oral histories.  Judge Mendoza’s transcript lacks a release, so before he proceeds with any details, he hopes to have obtained a release from the family in April.

Susan Southwick reported that she had got the rough transcription of Judge Fondi’s 1994 partial history edited by Patricia Cooper-Smith.  Judge Fondi has reviewed it made corrections and signed a release.  Both she and Judge Fondi felt that more was needed to make a full oral history and that both his life through law school and his activities after 1994 should be added.  Peter Smith asked Judge Fondi who he would like to have interview him for the additional segments, and he said he thought someone with experience as a professional interviewer would be best.  Mrs. Southwick will work with Brad Williams on how to proceed.

Susan Southwick reported that she had written a letter to the acting director of the Nevada Historical Society for permission to publish Russell MacDonald’s Biographical Sketches of Nevada Judges.  The Historical Society is the repository of MacDonald’s papers, but the family donated a computer with several files to the Judicial Historical Society and wrote several letters expressing their desire that NJHS edit and publish the Sketches.  There was no response from the Nevada Historical Society and Jeff Kintop said he had started addressing the issue with Peter Barton, the Museum director.  Mr. Kintop related his familiarity with the files and said they needed a great deal of editing, including providing attribution to the many sources Mr. MacDonald relied upon.  He said that in addition to the manuscript, there are hundreds of biographical files in boxes at the Nevada Historical Society and he has at least compiled a listing of them.  The upshot is that an attempt at publishing the Sketches will require some serious scoping as to how to limit the project.  He suggested that interested members review some of the Sketches to get an idea of what needs to be done.  He said he had converted the file to Word and had got as far as Cradlebaugh in preliminary editing.

Mrs. Southwick polled the Board as to who wished to continue on the ballot in September.  She said Don Klasic had declined to run again, leaving an opening on the Board for at least one new trustee.  Michael Bowers, Michael Fondi, Jeff Kintop, Karen Baggett and Peter Smith said they would like to remain on the Board, as did Mrs. Southwick, although declining to run for another term as secretary.
Jim Smith reported that the State Bar did consider the proposed check-off donation from membership dues to the NJHS, but that there was concern that it would open a floodgate of similar requests, costing the Bar too much.  Peter Smith suggested the NJHS provide more submissions to the Nevada Lawyer so that the Society would get more notice.

Susan Southwick submitted several suggested revisions to the By-laws, requesting the Board’s input and approval before putting them to the membership for a vote.  Robert Johnston moved that the language “shall be mailed or e-mailed” be used where “sent” is used for notice.  Second?  Approved.
Jeff Kintop then reported that he can now obtain a digital reader for the audio portion of the 10 Cases exhibit which will include all ten of the audio recordings.  It will have numbered buttons wired to existing speakers.  A new panel for the exhibit cabinet will cost about $800, with the reader at about $2,000.  He requested  $3,000 to get the exhibit up and running again and said funding could perhaps be obtained from the 150th Anniversary Commission remaining monies.  Jim Smith moved, Peter Smith seconding, that Mr. Kintop draft a letter to the Chairman of the Commission requesting funding and that it go out under the name of NJHS Chairman Michael Fondi.  Approved. {note: the Board approved $2,000 for this project in March 2013.}

Jim Smith then added that Judge David Hardy of the Second Judicial District is very interested in Nevada Territorial and Washoe County judges.  Susan Southwick noted that Judge Hardy had joined NJHS for 2015, and Supreme Court Justice Hardesty was also interested in becoming a member.
Peter Smith moved to adjourn, there being no further business, seconded by Susan Southwick.

Adjourned at 1:50.
Respectfully submitted:

         - - - Draft - - -
Susan Southwick, Secretary