| Public Release Date: January 20, 1995 | No. 95-03 |
The Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Minnesota, Laws 1849, Chapter 44, created the Minnesota Historical Society. The Society is an independent, nonprofit corporation. The Society is governed by its officers and Executive Council, composed of 30 members elected for three-year terms. The Executive Council is responsible for establishing major policies and monitoring the quality of the Society's programs and services. The Executive Council appoints a director who serves as the chief administrative officer and has the responsibility of directing the Society's professional staff in accordance with its policies. Ms. Nina Archabal is the current director of the Minnesota Historical Society.
The Society receives significant support for operations from the State of Minnesota in the form of State appropriations and grants. Other support is derived from the federal government, memberships, grants, admissions, publications sales, bequests, gifts, and endowments. Our area of review included operating appropriations, fiscal agent appropriations, state grants and contracts, and the State History Center construction.
The Society spent its state appropriations within its appropriation authority. The Society returned to the state $183,711 in unencumbered state appropriations for fiscal years 1992 and 1993. In addition, it has returned $116,188 in interest earned on state appropriations deposited to its accounts during the audit period. The Society properly distributed fiscal agent appropriations and reviewed fiscal agent reports. The Society properly billed for its contractual services to state agencies.
