**Oral History
Subcommittee**![](media/image1.png){width="1.198611111111111in"
height="1.2034722222222223in"}

**Friday, December 7, 2007, 4 p.m.**

**DOE Information Center**

+------------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| **[Committee Members               | **[Others                       |
| Present]{.underline}**             | present]{.underline}**          |
+------------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Kathy McNeilly, Oak Ridge Public   | Spencer Gross, Spectrum         |
| Library                            |                                 |
|                                    | Pat Halsey, Department of       |
| Luther Gibson                      | Energy-Oak Ridge Office         |
|                                    | (DOE-ORO)                       |
| Norman Mulvenon                    |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| Steve Stow, Lead                   |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| **[Absent]{.underline}**           |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| Rhonda Bogard                      |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| David Bradshaw                     |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| Donna Campbell                     |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| Hubert Gibson                      |                                 |
|                                    |                                 |
| Susie Stooksbury, Oak Ridge Public |                                 |
| Library                            |                                 |
+------------------------------------+---------------------------------+

**[Steve Stow Report on meeting with Dave Allen, DOE-ORO]{.underline}**

Mr. Stove reported that he and Ms. Halsey met with Dave Allen, Director
of the ORO Environmental and Quality Management Division, on Monday,
November 26. Also attending the meeting were Dave Adler, DOE-ORO
Environmental Management (EM), Katatra Vasquez, DOE-ORO Cultural
Resources, Pam Gorman, Y-12/National Nuclear Security Administration.

Mr. Stow said Ms. Halsey briefed Mr. Allen on the oral history workshop
held in October, explained the purpose of the workshop and the goal to
create an oral history program for Oak Ridge, and the selection of an
advisory committee to guide the oral history program. Mr. Allen
preferred the use of a term such as 'advocacy committee' instead of
advisory committee, because 'advisory' has a connotation of a group
similar to ORSSAB, which provides recommendations to DOE. A final
designation for the group is being considered and may be chosen by the
group itself when it meets. Ms. Vazquez and Ms. Gorman were asked to
serve on the advocacy committee.

Mr. Stow said the result of the meeting was that permission was given to
approach Gerald Boyd, the ORO manager with a proposal for an oral
history initiative through Steve McCracken, DOE-ORO Assistant Manager
for EM.

During the meeting, Mr. Allen expressed concern about taking
responsibility of doing oral histories away from the American Museum of
Science and Energy as noted in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
Regarding Site Interpretation at East Tennessee Technology Park. Mr.
Stow told Mr. Allen that the museum management has little interest in
administering oral histories and that the MOA would have to be revised
soon anyway because of changes in milestones noted in the MOA.

Regarding funding for oral histories, Mr. Stow asked Mr. Allen if ORO
could 'tax' some of the various programs to fund the initiative. Mr.
Allen said he would check on that idea. Ms. Halsey said ORO EM has money
available that can be accessed for startup funding for initial
cataloguing, indexing, and storage of existing tapes.

Mr. Stow said he, Ms. Halsey, and Mr. Adler need to prepare some
materials for Mr. McCracken to make his case to Mr. Boyd on the oral
history initiative.

**Review Members of Advisory Committee**

Mr. Gross reported that everyone invited to be part of the advisory
(advocacy) committee had agreed to participate, with the exception of
Patti Simmons of the DOE Office of Science and Technical Information.
Ms. Simmons has yet to respond to the invitation.

The representatives include:

Ken Mayes - American Museum of Science and Energy

Mary Ann Damos - Children's Museum of Oak Ridge

Kathy McNeilly - City of Oak Ridge

Katatra Vasquez - DOE-Oak Ridge

D. Ray Smith - Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association

Steve Stow - Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

Gwynn Thayer - Tennessee State Library and Archives

Pat Ezzell - Tennessee Valley Authority

Cynthia Tinker - University of Tennessee Center for Study of War and
Society

The committee decided to try to convene the group for its first meeting
on Thursday, January 17 at 9 a.m. at the DOE Information Center. Mr.
Stow asked that even though Patti Simmons had not responded to include
her on the invitation. He also asked that invitees provide suggested
agenda items for the meeting.

Mr. Gibson asked if East Tennessee Environmental Business Association
should be included in the group for a corporate perspective on the
project. Ms. Halsey suggested convening the group as is and see if there
is interest in including a corporate representative. The committee
agreed to ask David Bradshaw to facilitate the meeting.

Some possible agenda items include:

-   funding,

-   naming the two at-large citizens to the group,

-   deciding on a final name for the group.

**Discuss Possible Recommendation to DOE Supporting an Oral History
Project.**

The committee discussed if it would be worthwhile to formulate a
recommendation asking DOE-ORO to support and help fund an Oak Ridge oral
history program. The committee agreed that if DOE-ORO responded
favorably to such a recommendation that it would give the program more
legitimacy. Mr. Stow said such a recommendation would note that the
ORSSAB would have no role in the program, except to have a board member
on the advocacy committee.

Staff will work with Mr. Stow to develop a recommendation. Mr. Stow said
the timing of submitting a recommendation would not be contingent on the
briefing Mr. McCracken will provide Mr. Boyd.

The meeting adjourned at 5 p.m. The committee did not set another
meeting date.

**[Action items]{.underline}**

*Closed*

1.  Ms. Halsey will set up meeting with Dave Allen, Dave Adler, Mr. Stow
    and herself. **Complete.** The meeting was held on November 26 and
    reported in these minutes.

2.  Staff will send press release on Oral History Workshop.
    **Complete.** News release sent on November 1, 2007.

3.  Staff will send work shop summary to meeting participants.
    **Complete.** Summary sent on October 31, 2007

4.  Committee will contact organizations identified for the oral history
    advisory committee. **Complete.**

*Open*

1.  Mr. Stow, Ms. Halsey, and Mr. Adler will prepare briefing materials
    for Steve McCracken to present to Mr. Boyd in support of an oral
    history program.

2.  Staff will notify advocacy committee members about working group
    session on January 17, 2008.

3.  Mr. Stow and staff will develop a recommendation to DOE-ORO asking
    for support of an oral history program.

rsg