Bob Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 OK Brenda, I know EXACTLY what you wanted to say! I think it would be most appropriate as well, under the circumstances! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Chuck, a few colorful words about the lady at the Getz. Brenda didn't see me or my Grandma Bryant in the back of the SUV Mrs. Bryant is a fine southern lady, in the truest sense of the word. Been alot of places, done a bunch of things, and wise enough to reserve opinion (Thank the Lord) past first impression... Please tell her for me, she is welcome to head for Bardstown any ol' time she pleases. I would love to take her to Dagwoods for lunch. I am so sorry about my language... Sometimes I get rolling, and it's like a runaway train... I was just so furious, I was literally seeing stars.. Not only had I been harassed, but I had to end up touring 3 gentlemen from out of state thru the Museum, before I left. She had left them standing in the foyer, shuffling and mumbling, thru our entire encounter (which included her calling someone, and talking for several minutes). They approached me on my way out. I love that Museum, and I believe it's very important to Bardstown's image. In the wrong hands, it gives out of towners a really bad impression of the type of town Bardstown is. Thanks for letting me vent. I'll get back down again... Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornsqueezins Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 She cannot conduct a decent tour of the Museum, and I have watched her leave guests standing in the foyer, wondering where to go first. How long has she been there? I've toured the Getz twice, the first time being in June of 2000. My wife and I entered the foyer and sort of wandered around for a few minutes expecting someone to welcome us or offer us a tour. Nobody even knew we were there. I wasn't offended....I just thought it was strange. We just made ourselves at home and decided to conduct a self-guided tour and had a good time looking around. I thought the museum was really cool, but I do remember thinking that the management was off track.-Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted September 26, 2003 Author Share Posted September 26, 2003 All I will say about the Getz is that I am concerned and saddened by the current state of affairs, and the individual who is the focus of most of the complaints isn't the problem. It's the people who put her in charge and their vision of what the museum should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonv Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Chuck,Very well put. The problem here is that the Getz Boardmembers are getting what they paid for and not anything more. It also points out how lucky they were when they had Flaget Nally and Mary Hite on the payroll and in charge. Their dedication and love of the museum and the history of the industry was well above the compensation they received.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Troy, How long has she been there? Ya know Troy, Bettye Jo would be able to answer with exact dates but, I'm pretty sure she was already there in 2000. I've often wondered why stuff hasn't just walked out the door . And for all we know, maybe some of it has... She's just very lucky that most Bourbon drinkers are decent, honest people. Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Chuck, It's the people who put her in charge You and Mike are exactly right. I really have been focusing on a symptom, rather than a cause. I'm not really sure how entangled the finaces are between the Getz and Spalding Hall, but something tells me that they're pretty tight for both entities. Without publicity and fund raising, I'd say the Getz is sucking financially. The only fund raising (that donations appreciated thing doens't pay the bills... ) thing I've seen done recently (I may be wrong here...) was put together by Jo Beam and Flaget. Yepper, you get what you pay for... Bj P.S. Sorry I din't get to say goodbye before you left. I had planned for months to try and get to spend some time with you during the Festival, talking video software, etc. By the time I got the chance, I had sampled myself into a chair on the gazebo lawn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 I am going to finish this post. I wish I could have put all of this on the origianal one but I needed to ask my Aunt Jo could I post it here on this fourm. She has given me permission.This response is from my Aunt Jo...Saturday, during Chuck's showing of his video (Made and Bottled in Kentucky) my Aunt Jo, Flaget my Mom and Daddy were present. They were a few of the lucky one's to have a seat. Thanks to some very nice folks who stood up, just to let them sit.Location--the Getz Museum---"The Beam Room". Not the actual name of it but it's where all of my Beam family history is located. During the show Aunt Jo turns around and looks at the Beam case. Two books are missing. She starts to panic. Oh my God, she is just about to go to pieces. After the showing of the video, Flaget and my Aunt Jo comb the room trying to find these two books---The Two Books---They are original documents,a collection historical fact about of my "branch" of the Beam Family---Joesph L. Beam--This is all the work that my Aunt Jo has gathered through research and years of hard work--- Aunt Jo found her and asks where are two books?---Mind you---there is not "one ounce" of kindess in either of their responses. She tells my Aunt Jo I don't know what you are talking about. Aunt Jo, tells her it's my family books. The first response was, I gave them back to you!....This went back and forth...She flat out asks this woman again, what has she done with those two books. This woman, said that this conversation has ended and leaves. My Aunt Jo is devastated. She is so shaken she strarted crying. She left the Getz in tears. A lot of folks saw her leaving the Getz crying cause they came to me and asked what happened...No response and no answer to the books wherabouts. Nothing, Aunt Jo has to call the board for a answer.Tuesday, the books re-appear--and guess what? They were in the Archives room---The acrchives room, is the office of the Curator. I wonder who removed the books from the Beam display a put them into the office of the curator? It was made clear that those books were never to be removed from the Beam display..A response from the curator about migraine headaches that have occured with this incident, along with signed copy of the Jim Beam story was sent to Aunt Jo in a act of....Hell far...like a signed book was going to undo the crap that has just happened to My Aunt Jo...The best part...My Aunt Jo said, she knows what she can do with that book...And "Yeah" I agree...This is one of many incidents that I know to be fact. Hey, you wont' be greeted by a tour guide any more (a dog will be there for ya). Really, I have opened those beautiful doors and there has been a dog there to greet me...That's a fact. If you were in attendance during the funraising concert that my cousin Daniel Mobbs (NYC Metropolitain Opera Singer) did for the Getz. You would have had to leave your coat on cause the temperature in the chapel was 54 degrees. Daniel had to insist that the heat be turned up. He could not believe that the heat was off. We (you all know who we are) know what is going on. This, is a refection on the "Getz Museum". People need to know some of the things that have been happpening there.There are absolutely amazing artifacts in that museum. Without a tour guide or someone who know's about bourbon in there folks miss a lot...A few of my personal favorites---a bung lock---yep, they had bungs that locked the barrel--The Booze bottle---and the story how alcohol got it's name from this man---George Washington picture etc. Maybe, if we make all this known things will change? Other folks, will remain silent. So be it. They are afraid of stepping on toes. This Getz will operate no matter what. But at the expense of a family that has built it? I have heard that $40,000 is donted from the Getz family every year to keep it above water.If "ALL" the folks were treated RIGHT and a good attitude is "applied" to "everyone" volunteers "will join", "just for the cause" and the love our "Great Heritage". It's a sad day. A really sad day. I will make this very public. The donation box at the front door, during the entire festival last year (2002) was $17.00. Yes, 17 dollars. Mind you, The Kentucky Bourbon Festival was rated the top 10 festivals of the year and the dontation box had $17.00 in it.I know that some of you recall me mentioning the fact that I had designed and created a Antebellum gown for the festival? Did you notice I didn't wear it? Reson being, I was going to greet folks at the front door. Attract media attention and get donations. I could have accumated mass amouts of funds through all the folks that I know and through telling the stories of our wonderful Bourbon Heritage...but you guessed it...I will turn the cheek once but not twice...Bettye Jo Boone7th Generation Jacob Beamgreat-grandaughter of Joseph L. BeamFirst original incorporator of Heaven HillFirst Master Distiller of Heaven Hill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted October 5, 2003 Share Posted October 5, 2003 Mize well...finish this one too...I've been waiting...saving this for a response in public...Did you wonder why Chuck's event was changed?...Wonder why I won't turn the other cheek?...Hmmmmmmmm...yep you guessed it...we were covering something...Let's lay some more out here so the rest of ya really know what in the hell is going on...I was making plans for Chuck to do his presentation during the Bourbon Fetival. I went to the Getz. I thought that everything was going smoothly?...I had this funny feelin'. Ya know, that something is wrong but you don't know what.... I always go with my instinct. I went before the board. I spoke with the president. I told him my plans and that could "I" conduct this through all the channels? He specifically told me "not to go over the curator's head" and to "let her handle it"...I honored his request...I went to her for all the details and we were making other plans for the Festival...I thought that everything was fine. I received a call from her, she said that everything is "set to go"...Alright, I went foward with everthing not knowing what was "not happening"...I get a email from Chuck. He asks about his presentation and that it is not listed in the KBF webpage...I check the page and sure enough it's not there. I call the KFB and ask why it's not listed. She told me that "SHE" had not gotten back with her and it was too late to do anything now...GOOD GRIEF...They said that it was discussed and that all she had to do was call back for a conformation and that confromation did not occur...Go FIGURE...I called the curator...I confront her...She told me she had nothing to do with it and it was up to "Me and Chuck". She said that she had nothing to do with it...NOW GIVE ME A BREAK SISTER... BLAH...BLAH...BLAH...(Had to run to my closet to get my boots on)...I told her that I had a "feeling" that something was going to happen...I told her that yeah right...It was left up to me and Chuck...Yeah right...I told her that I called the President of the Getz and asked permission to do it myself and he asked me not to go over your head...Ya know, you could have heard a pin drop on the phone when I told her that....I could not believe what was going on!...What a mess...To make a long story short. I had to go before the board...KFB board...pesent my reqest....ETC...ETC...wait for the entire board to approve it...reschedule everything....Explain this mess...re-do everything, stay on top of this and make sure that he was listed in the KFB web-page...GOOD GRIEF...Chuck's presentation nearly did not occur...If a "true Curator"---someone who really cares about the museum---and the history of Bourbon in our great state of Kentucky---Every effort would have been made to ensure that Chuck's presentation was a "Event of Events" during the festival...but as you can see...especially with the chair situation...no effort was made at all...If the president had let me handle it when I asked permission this turn of "awful" events would not have happened...So there it is "again"..."The Rest of the Story"...Bettye Jo Boone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Bettye Jo, a "true Curator"---someone who really cares about the museum---and the history of Bourbon in our great state of Kentucky--- If the Getz had such a person, they wouldn't have cancelled the Heritage Seminar either... Or closed At 5pm on Festival Saturday... Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonv Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Brenda,The situation is sad, but it still boils down to the fact that when a person can make more money and have better benefits working at McDonalds than being curator of the Getz Museum, your choices are limited. It would help if the museum had a trust fund to pay the employees, but just to give you an idea of the money involved - In good times with a strong stock market, it takes about a million dollars in trust to support one employee full time with benefits.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Mike, I understand the lack of money. However, even a person working at MacDonalds is held accountable for their screw-ups. There doesn't appear to be anyone minding the store here. Are they not aware? Or do they just not care? Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted October 7, 2003 Author Share Posted October 7, 2003 I suspect at least some of them care but they don't feel they have a better solution.One solution would be to form an independent "Friends of the Oscar Getz Museum" group that could raise funds and provide other support, but only in return for a meaningful voice in museum administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted October 7, 2003 Share Posted October 7, 2003 Chuck, Ya know, I think that's the most wonderful idea! We did a group like that for a lake in Jefferson County years ago. Just a bunch of folks that got tired of trash and green water... Thinking back, it was really effective. Bettye Jo, Flaget and Jo Beam have already done some fund raising (they had to fight like tigers to get it done... ). Really good idea, wish I had thought of it... What'daya think Bettye Jo? Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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