Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia

                                                       Board of Trustees

                                         Minutes of June 19, 2013, Meeting

Attendance

Trustees present were: Ann Johnson (President), Robin Scherer (Co-President

Elect), Linda Brennison (Treasurer), Bob Whitaker (Secretary); Members at

Large: Caroline Eastman, Buzzie Kelly, Jerry Moore, Phil Turner; and Ex-Officio

Members: Barry Ahrendt (Past President), and Michael Sullivan (Finance

Committee Chair). Also present were the following 2013-2014 Board Members-

Elect: Regina Moody (President-Elect), Marc Drews, and Sandy Chubon. In

addition, Keitha Whitaker, Joan Watterson and Dean Smith were present

(partial attendance).

Call to Order and Establishment of Quorum

The meeting was called to order by Ann at 6:30 PM. She noted a quorum was

present.

Reading

Elizabeth read “To Be of Use” by Marge Piercy from the UU Hymnal Singing the

Living Tradition  #567. The reading appears in end note’.

Welcome of Incoming Board Members

Regina, Marc and Sandy were welcomed as incoming members effective July 1,

2013.

Recognition of Retiring Board Members

Barry, Elizabeth, Linda and Mike were recognized for their service as they

complete their Board terms June 30, 2013. Linda will be remaining on the Board

as an Ex-Officio member in her new position of Co-Chair, Finance Committee.

Approval of Minutes

On a motion by Phil, seconded by Buzzie, the minutes of the May 15, 2013,

Board meeting were unanimously approved.

Consent Agenda

The Minister’s Report and Administrator’s Report were received on the consent

agenda. The DRE’s report had not been received prior to the meeting. Ann will

ask Neal to have all reports sent to Board members earlier, no later than the Monday before the Board meeting, giving time to review them in advance.

Financial Matters

Linda provided a summary of the proposed mortgage loans worked out with

BB&T. BB&T is awaiting Board approval before ordering an appraisal to finalize

our application. Interest rates, repayment terms and closing costs were all

discussed in detail. The options were to refinance the current mortgage and line

of credit loans with a new mortgage, with either a 15 or 10 year term. BB&T also

offered a $10,000.00 Revolving Line of Credit at Prime + 4.25% with a 5 year

term.

Although the 10 year term mortgage would offer a lower rate, there would be no

significant change from the current mortgage payment. The 15 yr loan results in a monthly debt service savings of $327, while the 10 yr loan would exceed the debt service budgeted for 2013/14 by approximately $2040.  The difference between the two options is roughly $6000 per year.

It was noted that the 2013/2014  budget  provides for new loan closing costs in the amount of $1,000, and the estimated closing costs range up to $1,702. Robin moved, and Phil seconded, a motion that we proceed with the 15 year term loan (rolling closing costs in excess of $1,000 into the loan amount) and the Revolving Line of Credit loan. The motion was unanimously approved.

Linda distributed copies of her Treasurer’s Monthly Variance Report and

summarized it, explaining its use to the new Board Members-elect.

Mike and Linda presented the rationale for establishing a co-chair for the

Finance Committee. The chair position has proven to be a very challenging job

as the Committee has begun to carry out all of its duties as set forth in the

Congregational By-Laws and the Board has moved away from using volunteers

to run the annual pledge canvass, celebration of giving, and other fund-raising

efforts.  Jerry moved and Robin seconded a motion that Linda and Mike be

named Co-Chairs of the Finance Committee, with Linda to attend Board

meetings as an ex-officio member. The motion carried unanimously.

Mike recapped the reasons for the desire to include in the budget, for the first

time, all RE funding sources and expenses. Without showing $14,500 of RE fundraising accounts ($11,200 in various RE program registration fees and $3,300 for RE scholarships) in the budget, it appears that our emphasis on RE is not as significant as it actually is, and our budget appears understated by about 5%. He went on to explain that as a result of a June 11, 2013 meeting with the

Bookkeeper, Minister, President, Treasurer, Secretary, Finance Chair and DRE, a compromise has been struck whereby $14,500 of RE income and expense will be removed from the approved budget and accounted for by the continued use of restricted accounts due to bookkeeping convenience. Further, work will continue on the part of the Bookkeeper, DRE, Treasurer and others to find a means to bring these line items onto the budget. Mike moved and Phil seconded, a motion to remove the RE accounts from the 2013/2014 Budget.  The motion carried unanimously.

Hiring of New Nursery Supervisor

Dean Smith, Chair of the Personnel Committee, updated the Board on the results

of the search for a new Nursery Supervisor. After receiving no applications for

the position at $10 per hour, the Board approved an increase to $12 per hour,

and Dean, Neal and DRE Lisa Eason recently interviewed the applicant for the

position. The interview and review of her resume led the Personnel Committee to

recommend hiring. Caroline moved and Elizabeth seconded a motion to offer the

Nursery Supervisor position to the applicant. The motion was unanimously

approved. Dean was asked to contact her and have her contact Glenn White to

start the background check.

Safe Congregation Policy and Disruptive Behavior Policy

Keitha Whitaker, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee to Develop a Safe Congregation

Policy, recapped the work done by that committee in the past twelve months.

After formation of the committee the task for the committee was expanded to

include review of and recommendations for needed changes to the existing

Policy Regarding Disruptive Behavior, adopted by the Board of Trustees on

March 8, 2006, and the Guidelines for Involving Persons With a History or an

Accusation of Sexual Misconduct in the Congregational Life of the UUCC,

approved by the Board of Trustees on January 11, 2006.

Keitha stressed the extensive use of UUA templates, other congregations’

policies, and attendance at a Church Mutual webinar, and much work adapting

these to South Carolina law to produce the draft documents presented:

(1) UUCC Safety Policies and Procedures for Children and Youth Served,

(2) Sexual Misconduct and Abuse Response Team Policy,

(3) UUCC Safety Task Force Proposed Revisions (April 23, 2013) to the Policy

            Regarding Disruptive Behavior,

(4) UUCC Safety Task Force Proposed Revisions (April 23, 2013) to the

           Guidelines for Involving Persons With a History or an Accusation of Sexual

           Misconduct in the Congregational Life of the UUCC.

Much discussion followed as several members and members-elect raised

questions and voiced concerns about the lengthy Safety Policy, SMART Policy,

and revisions of existing policies. Several motions were made, amended,

discussed, withdrawn, or not voted on, until Caroline moved and Buzzie

seconded that the discussion be tabled until the Board can discuss these

matters at length and give the Ad Hoc Committee a “sense of the Board,” i.e., a

summary of the Board members’ suggestions for changes to the documents.

The motion was unanimously approved. Robin called a workshop for the

purpose of further discussion of the documents, such workshop to be held in the

sanctuary at 2:00 PM, Sunday, June 30, 2013. She asked that input from all

members and members-elect be forwarded via email to her. She will compile the

comments and forward to Keitha prior to the workshop.

Volunteer of the Year Award to be Presented June 30, 2013

The Board unanimously approved nominees for this award, compiled by Ann.

Nominees for the Shared Ministry Committee

The Board unanimously approved the list of nominees submitted by Neal to

replace Janet Swigler, as she rotates off the Committee.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:32 PM.

Respectfully submitted by Bob Whitaker, Secretary

______________________________

1

“To Be of Use”

I want to be with people who submerge in the task

Who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along,

Who stand in the line and haul in their places,

Who are not parlor generals and field deserters but move in a common rhythm when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.

But the thing worth doing well done has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.

Greek amphoras for wine or oil, Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums but you know they were made to be used.

The pitcher cries out for water to carry and a person for work that is real.

Marge Piercy — Singing the Living Tradition #567