MEETING MINUTES
Regular Board Meeting
April 22, 2026
Art Pick Council Chambers, 3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92522 Board Members Present Museum Staff Present Luz Negrón Bermo , Chair Robyn G. Peterson, Museum Director Claudia Rodriguez, Vice-Chair Toni Kinsman, Sr. Office Specialist Julie Bjork Jennifer Dickerson, Curatorial Svcs. Mgr.
Mary Carter Chantal Downing, Institutional Advancement Coord.
Anna Gaissert Steve Mandeville-Gamble, Archivist
Jennifer Gamble
Paula May Horychuk City Staff Present
Cynthia Zdilor Ruthann Salera, Sr. Deputy City Attorney Board Member Absent
Sharon Tennell
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 3:01 p.m. by Board Chair Negrón Bermo.
PUBLIC COMMENT
1. This is the portion of the meeting specifically set aside to invite your comments regarding any matter within the Museum of Riverside Board’s jurisdiction.
No public eComments were received by the 1:00 p.m. deadline. No callers or Zoom speaker requests. One in-person comment card was received in Chambers from Natalie Komuro from the Harada House Foundation.
CONSENT CALENDAR
2. Minutes – February 25, 2026
3. Minutes – March 25, 2026, cancelled
4. Record Museum of Riverside Board member Peggy Barnhart, Mary Carter, Luz Negrón Bermo ,and Claudia Rodriguez absences from the February 25, 2026, regular meeting as excused.
Motion to approved consent items 2-4.
Motion: Board Member Zdilor
Second: Board Member Bjork
Ayes: All
PRESENTATIONS
5. Receive and file a presentation from the Museum of Riverside’s Archivist Presentation given by Steve Mandeville-Gamble, Archivist. Report was received and filed.
6. Update on Museum of Riverside proposed budget for Fiscal year 2026-2027 and Fiscal year 2027-2028 Presentation given by Ann Lovell, Museum Operations Manager. Report was received and filed.
DISCUSSION CALENDAR
7. Recommends to the Museum of Riverside Board to recommend to City Council the deaccession from the permanent collection of one (1) lot of Indian Wells archaeological materials including ancestral remains (A744) one (1) Palm Springs olla (A5-234), one (1) Desert Hot Springs mano (A513-1), and one (1) collection of Palm Desert archaeological materials (A688-21(2), A688-25, A688-25(1), A688-27(1-3), A688-28(1-7), A688-31) associated with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
A motion was made to recommend to City Council the deaccession from the permanent collection of one (1) lot of Indian Wells archaeological materials including ancestral remains (A744) one (1) Palm Springs olla (A5-234), one (1) Desert Hot Springs mano (A513-1), and one (1) collection of Palm Desert archaeological materials (A688-21(2), A688-25, A688-25(1), A688-27(1-3), A688-28(1-7), A688-31) associated with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
Motion: Board Member Zdilor
Second: Board Member Horychuk
Ayes: All
8. Discuss, receive, and file the Strategic Plan status report for the quarter ending March 31, 2026 This report was received and filed.
9. To recommend that City Council approves a five-year Strategic Plan for Museum of Riverside operations for the fiscal years 2026-2027 through 2030-2031.
A motion was made to recommend City Council approve the five-year Strategic Plan for Museum of Riverside operations for the fiscal years 2026-2027 through 2030-2031.
Motion: Board Member Zdilor
Second: Board Member Gaissert
Ayes: All
COMMUNICATIONS
10. Director’s Update regarding the main museum renovation, historic houses, collections, exhibitions and programs, budget, staffing, advisory teams, volunteer and support opportunities, and marketing and communications.
In addition to the submitted written report, Director Peterson reported that due to underground discoveries & demolition phase delays, the public opening of the main museum has been delayed to spring 2028. The Harada campus project is also delayed by two months due to code changes for soil testing. The Insect Fair event is this Saturday at the main library. May 17th will be the annual Ice Cream Social event at Heritage House with special America 250th anniversary features. Via the Riverside Museum Associates, the Harada documentary project received a $25,000 grant from the JA Community Foundation.
11. Board Chair/ Vice-Chair update
Board Chair Negrón Bermo provided an update on community activities.
12. Brief reports on conferences, seminars, and meetings attended by Museum of Riverside Board members Board member Gaissert plans to attend the Nights with the Museum this week.
Board Chair Negrón Bermo attended the JACL annual membership luncheon, Boards/Commission training by City Clerk, and an event at Sherman Indian Museum. They plan to attend an upcoming program offered by the Save Our Chinatown Committee and the UCR Pow Wow on May 22nd.
13. Items for future Museum of Riverside Board consideration as requested by members of the Board. Only items that fall within the powers and duties of the Museum of Riverside as set forth in the City Charter and/or the Riverside Municipal Code will be agendized for future discussion.
Museum staff will consider a request from Chair Negrón Bermo.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:09 p.m.
The next regular Museum of Riverside Board meeting is scheduled for May 27, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in the Art Pick City Council Chambers Museum Board Minutes 4-22-2026
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