Two years ago, the Richmond Hill Historical Society was running the Richmond Hill Museum on a bare bones budget, said Sarah Volker, the president of the society.

“We were barely keeping our heads above water,” she told the Richmond Hill City Council during its regular meeting last week.
Last year, the society, which is supported by donations and membership fees, asked the city for financial support. Without it, they would have had to further reduce the hours of the museum, Volker said. In early 2010, the city gave the historical society a $7,000 check, she added.

With that contribution, the society has been able to increase hours of operation of the museum from three to five days a week, Volker said. She also gave each council member, the mayor and two copies for city hall staff, a CD of oral histories recorded by past residents of Richmond Hill as a token of appreciation.

Volker said the histories were recorded in the 1990s and some of the tapes were starting to deteriorate. The society was able to save most of the tapes, she added.

Mayor Harold Fowler also said the council appreciates what the society does for the city and gave them another check during the meeting Feb. 1. Volker said this week that this year’s contribution was $8,000, which will go toward museum operations.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the city council approved the 2011 board members of the Richmond Hill Convention and Visitors Bureau. Fowler said a chairman of the board will be appointed later.

Members of the 2011 CVB board are Danny Patel, John Reynolds, Jody McIntyre, Danny Boulanger, Brianne Yontz, Kiran Swami and Paige Glazer.

In other actions:
• Stephen Weiss was unanimously appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission. He replaces Rob Conner, who is resigning because he is moving, Melton said last week.
• Council member Marilyn Hodges was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Georgia Municipal Association during the Mayor’s Day Conference on Jan. 23 in Atlanta, officials announced.