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Council restructures management of Methodist Church restoration; annual ball game fundraiser paused
Summary
The council approved a split-management approach for the historic Methodist Church restoration with the mayor overseeing construction and Councilmember Karen Caldwell handling fundraising and public relations; the traditional ball game fundraiser is paused while the committee explores lower-effort alternatives like a 5K and a pet contest.
The city council said it will split management of the historic Methodist Church Museum restoration project and shift fundraising plans for 2025.
Councilmember Karen Caldwell told the council that ‘‘beginning immediately, the management of the historical Methodist Church Museum restoration project will be split in 2 areas’’ with Mayor Baynton taking responsibility for construction priorities and bids while Caldwell will oversee donations, volunteer coordination and public relations. The council also agreed to change formal reporting on the project from monthly to quarterly, with ad hoc updates brought as needed.
Caldwell said the restoration committee decided not to hold the annual ball game fundraiser this year because only a few volunteers remained and donation support had fallen. ‘‘We just can’t do it by ourselves,’’ she said, describing repeated last-minute volunteer dropouts and increased competition for local grant money. Committee members proposed several lower-effort alternatives, including a 5K run/walk, a pet contest (referred to in the meeting as a ‘‘pet mirror of the day’’), a fishing tournament and a rubber-duck race.
The council did not adopt a new fundraising plan at the meeting but asked staff and volunteers to check feasibility and return with more detail. Mayor Baynton’s construction role and Caldwell’s business-management role were announced as operational changes intended to separate bidding and construction decisions from fundraising and community outreach.
Next steps: the council will accept interim updates between quarters if an issue needs prompt attention; the restoration committee will report details of any new fundraising proposals before events are scheduled.
