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Historical Records Commission
County Of Sonoma › Administrative Support & Fiscal Services › Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters › Historical Records Commission › Calendar › Historical Records Commission Minutes August 10 2023
Historical Records Commission

Historical Records Commission Minutes August 10, 2023

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Members present:
Margaret Purser (Chair)
Michael Mueller (Vice-Chair)
Robert Chase
Seana Gause
Steven Lovejoy

Members excused:
None

Associate Members present:
Amanda King, Secretary
Deva Marie Proto, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor & Registrar of Voters
Erika Thibault, Director, Sonoma County Library
Eve Goldberg, County of Sonoma Library Commissioner and Liaison to the Historical Records Commission

Guests present:
Zayda Delgado, Supervising Librarian, History & Genealogy Library
Mark DeBacker, Landmarks Consulting, LLC

  1. Call to order 4:05 pm
  2. Introduction of Guests
  3. The July 13, 2023 minutes were approved
    1. Motion by Seana Gause
    2. Second by Michael Mueller
    3. Approved
    4. Abstain Robert Chase and Steven Lovejoy
  4. Budget Discussion
    1. Balance is $3,796.07
    2. Business cards have been ordered and provided to Seana L. S. Gause; they do not reflect in the balance as of 8/10/2023.
    3. Secretary to submit order for business cards for Robert Chase.
  5. Continuing Business
      1. HRC Commissioners Report
        1. Margaret's report:
          • No report
        2. Michael's report:
          • No report
        3. Robert's Report:
          • No report
        4. Seana's report:
          • No report
        5. Steven's report:
          • Had an email from Katherine Rinehart to volunteer with Eve Goldberg and Don Silverek to do a video about the Archives.
      2. Library Commissioner Liaison Report
        1. Update from Eve Goldberg:
          • The Commission was inundated with public comment regarding Drag Storytime.
      3. Library Report
        1. Library Director Report
          • Update from Erika Thibault:
            • No commission meeting in August due to a recess
            • New Deputy Director, Dara Bradds, starting in September.
            • Bibliobus - scheduling stops in Cazadero, Monte Rio, Bodega Bay, Geyserville.  Expanding our mobile library service.  We will be hiring a Community Engagement Division Director after the Deputy Director arrives.
        2. History and Genealogy Library Report
          • Update by Zayda Delgado:
            • Launched the Sonoma County Playback Memory Lab on July 15. Had over 140 people attend and receive tours.  Appointments through December are booked.
            • Working through backlogged materials and processing collections
            • Upcoming programs
              • Event August 18 - Slavery in Sonoma County an Untold Story - Findings of research by NAACP and SSU with support from the H&G Library
              • September 1 - Roseland Library - Introduction to Mexican Genealogy in Spanish. Partnered with Lara Gonzalez for a Spanish Mexican Genealogy Program.
      4. Archives Activity Report
        1. Update by Zayda Delgado:
          • Two (2) county requests in July from two different departments; no public requests. 
          • Continuing to work on ArchivesSpace and the ETA is still Fall 2023.
      5. Collections & Archives Recognition Awards
        1. Margaret to follow up with Ray Johnson regarding the date and location of the Sonoma County Historical Society Luncheon where the awards are presented.
        2. Discussion on updating the Nomination Form and Information document.
      6. Outreach
        1. “Researching the History of a Sonoma County Property” pamphlet update:
          • The Library has had a website server transition so some of their links havev changed.  Secretary has received updates from the Library and will make those updates and notify interested parties when the updated document is available.
          • Margaret chose to not send the email to the Heritage Network to request testimonials on the use of the pamphlet to include in future versions.  She will wait until the links are corrected to send the email.
          • Commission to review pamphlet for March 2024 for updates to be published in June 2024.
        2. Other California County Historical Records Commission
          • Steven has received the spreadsheet from Gretchen.
        3. Finding History Day, October 21, 2023, 10:00AM-2:00PM, Finley Community Center, Santa Rosa
          • Secretary submitted an application to Ray Johnson for an 8' table for HRC and County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor combined. Ray Johnson has confirmed it has been received.
      7. County Recorder update on the status of the Restrictive Covenant Modification Program
        1. Evaluation process is still underway.
      8. Legislative Updates pertaining to public records
        1. Federal bill S.2340 “Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2022” aka “Daniel’s Law” was passed
          • The bill was inspired by the death of 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who fell victim to a senseless act of gun violence allegedly committed by a man posing as a FedEx employee but who had compiled a dossier of personal information about Judge Salas, including her home address.
          • The law prohibits disclosure of the residential addresses of certain persons covered by the law (“Covered Persons”) on websites controlled by state, county, and local government agencies. The community of Covered Persons includes former, active, and retired judicial officers, prosecutors, and members of law enforcement and their immediate family members residing in the same household.
          • County Recorders will be meeting with their Legislative Committee to discuss the impacts this may have.
          • County Assessors had a discussion on how they will be handling it.
          • Question from Mark DeBacker – Do deceased judges and law enforcement information get restored after death?
          • Send questions to ClerkRecorder@sonoma-county.org.  Secretary to send out request to Heritage Network regarding questions.
    1. New Business
      1. Secretary requests moving future meeting dates due to availability:
        1. Based on conversation at the last meeting, the following proposals are made for moving the following meeting dates:
          • September 14, 2023 to September 7, 2023
          • October 12, 2023 to October 5, 2023
          • December 14, 2023 to December 7, 2023
          • Secretary to update website with new dates.
    2. Public Comment
      1. Library Commission meeting, there is no meeting in August for a recess.  The next meeting will be September 6, 2023, 6PM, Rohnert Park Branch Library
      2. Sonoma County Heritage Network Meeting, October, 2023, 10AM-12PM, location TBD
      3. Museum of Sonoma County Exhibits:
        • Nature Abstracted, June 17, 2023-November 5, 2023
        • 2023 SoCo Clicks, August 16, 2023-September 24, 2023
        • Sonoma County Stories, Grand Opening on September 9, 2023
    3. Meeting adjourned at 5:08PM


    Next Meeting - September 7, 2023 - 4:00PM

    • In Person: County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, Sonoma Room, 585 Fiscal Dr Rm 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
    • Virtual: Guests may also join virtually. Please see the meeting month’s agenda for login information.