St. Vrain Mill Preservation and Historical Foundation Annual Report
The Saint Vrain Mill Preservation and Historical Foundation has released its annual report to its members, which provides updates on activities from the previous year, anticipated activities for the next year, and a financial overview of the project. At the end of 2019, there were 95 active members of the foundation. The St. Vrain Mill Foundation also invites the community to become members of the foundation. Annual membership fees are $25 for an individual or family, $10 for students, $20 for seniors, or $100 for a business or organization. Donations are always welcome, are tax deductible, and can be made through mail or online at www.stvrainmill.org. The following is the annual report from the board of directors:
Activity in 2019
Public Events:
Due to construction activity to replace the bridge immediately in front of the Mill, late summer events including weekend open houses were cut back considerably.
- September: Our annual membership meeting.
- October: The St. Vrain Mill again hosted a quilt show as part of Mora’s fourth Fall Fest.
- Memorial Day to Labor Day: The Mill was open for “drive by” visitors most weekends in early summer.
- December: The Mill was home to arts and craft Christmas market on the first floor for the three weekends (Thursday through Sunday) before Christmas.
Physical improvements:
- Built a walking path from the front of the Mill to the Historic Marker at the rear.
- Completed flooring of the first story platform.
- With a grant from the NM Historic Preservation Department (HPD), replaced the gables at each end of the Mill, including four third story windows.
- Had sashes built for the 11 first and second story windows, completed installation of the three first story windows.
Grants, Fundraising, and Loan Status:
- Our grant application to the to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for wall repair was not approved. We have resubmitted a much smaller application for rear entry stair and door reconstruction. Also, we were unsuccessful in efforts to receive a grant from the National Park Service (NPS) for wall and roof repair.
- In March, we received a $21,957 from the NM Historic Preservation Division for replacement and repair of both the East and West gables. The Foundation had to provide a 40% match.
- In August, the Foundation conducted a “Adopt a Window” fund raiser and raised $10,852 for the windows plus $3,000 for rebuilding the loading platform on the south wall.
- We paid $6,000 on the private party loan taken out in 2018. Outstanding balance is now $48,000. The pledged donations are earmarked for the loan repayment.
Opportunities for significant grants in 2020 appear to be limited. The annual HPD Historic Preservation grant will be focused on projects other than “bricks and mortar” reconstruction projects in 2020. We are not eligible for the NPS grants unless we are part of a larger, regional coalition, and so far, such a coalition does not appear likely.
Anticipated Activity in 2020:
- January-March: Complete second story window glazing and installation. Rebuild the loading platform. Install electrical breaker/junction box inside the building.
- May/October: The Mill will once again host an event, most likely another quilt show, for the Fiber Arts Crawl, and if the Fall Fest has another quilt show, the Mill will be the venue.
- Summer: Annual members meeting.
- Summer/Fall: If funding is available, build out the rear entrance stairs and doorway.
- We intend to again have the Mill open for visitors on weekends throughout the summer and participate with booths at Fort Union Days in June and the Cleveland Mill Fest in September.
- The proprietors of the Christmas market have expressed an interest in having similar events on several occasions during the summer and again repeating the Christmas Market in December.
Financial Overview: The Foundation took in approximately $57,678 in 2019. The sources were as follows:
Membership Dues $ 1,998
Addition Member Contributions $13,186
Pledged Donations $ 7,675
HPD Grant (Gable Repair) $21,957
“Adopt a Window” Contributions $10,862
In addition, we received two (unsolicited and anonymous) donations totaling $2,000.
Total expenses for 2019 were $68,655. Of that, $36,556 was for the gable repair contract, $12,722 for windows, $7,451 for professional fees and $8,100 for the loan repayment. Other expenses for the year totaled $3,826.
As of December 31, 2019, the Foundation had S12,188 in our savings account (construction reserve) and $4,104 in checking.
Certifications: The Foundation continues to meet all the requirements as a 501(c) (3) federal non-profit organization. We also are current regarding documentation required of charitable organizations by the NM Department of State and the NM Attorney General’s Office.
Respectfully Submitted by: The Saint Vrain Mill Foundation Board of Directors