Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia

Board of Trustees

Minutes of September 17, 2014 Meeting

Attendance

Regina Moody (President), Sandy Chubon (Secretary), Bob Whitaker (Treasurer), Marc Drews (Co- President Elect), Patty Drews (Co-President Elect, Chair Membership Committee), Members at Large: Richard Culler, Caroline Eastman, Gareth Fenley, Janet Swigler, Tim VanDenBerg; Co-Past Presidents: Ivy Coleman, Robin Scherer; Dot Brown, Chair Finance Committee; Neal Jones, Minister; Keitha Whitaker, partial attendance.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Regina Moody at 6:35 PM.  A quorum was present.

Chalice Lighting

Carolina Eastman lit the chalice and provided a reading.

Board Covenant

We read together the Board Covenant developed by Janet Swigler based on ideas Trustees expressed at our annual retreat in August 2014.

We will show our mutual respect by practicing healthy communication and feedback, listening without interruption so all may be heard.  While we endeavor to be organized and stay focused on our agenda, we will do so in a positive, light-hearted manner.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the August 20, 2014 meeting were approved as written.

Treasurer’s Report

Bob circulated his Variance Report for August.  He has accurate data for revenues but information on expenditures is not available yet.  Ginny Verne (bookkeeper) had a lengthy vacation in August and is still working on the August expenditures.  It is clear that our income is too low, 14.6% below the anticipated amount for the months of July and August, 2014.  Rentals are strong for July and August.

Committee Reports/Housekeeping

The Leadership Development Committee has a vacancy; Kevin Meredith resigned.

Two committees still have no chairperson: Children and Youth Religious Education and Buildings and Grounds.

The role of the Board liaisons to committees: Richard Culler volunteered to develop a check list for committee liaisons.  He needs more time to complete the task.

Social Action Committee  –  Janet Swigler reported that the committee has noted that our congregation has no plans to contribute to the UUA Service Committee for 2014-2015.  UUSC was not selected by the congregation for the Share the Plate program and it is not included in our current budget.  The Social Action Committee is requesting that we take a collection at the November 2014 Committee Night and send it to the UUA Service Committee.  There was a brisk discussion.  Some Trustees thought the whole congregation should participate in the collection.  It was suggested that we hold the offering at more than one Committee Night.  Bob Whitaker moved that we take a collection at Committee Night in November and send it to the UUA Service Committee.  Richard Culler seconded.  The motion passed with 3 votes in opposition.  In 2015-16 the UUA Service Committee will be an automatic Share the Plate designee.

Personnel Committee   –  Patty announced that Kelley Freeman has resigned effective September 29.  The Personnel Committee is advertising and accepting applications for the position.

Dot Brown reported on how salaries for our employees were determined for the 2014-2015 budget.  The UUA provides guidelines and recommendations for salaries based on the size of the congregation and its geographic location.  However, their recommendations are published in June/July each year, so we are always working with recommendations that are a year old and will soon be updated.  The Finance Committee wanted to bring all our employees up to the mid-point of the recommended scale but we did not get enough pledges and raises had to be cut back before  the budget was finished.  This prompted a discussion about how to encourage members to give more to the church.  It was suggested that we need a congregational conversation about money to encourage members to fund our basic budget.  We have offered those opportunities to the congregation before we present our budget each year and they have been poorly attended.  Some Trustees feel that members of the congregation blame the board for the money shortfall when the Trustees are just making adjustments within the constraints of our income.

Dot Brown circulated copies of the changes the Membership and Finance Committees are recommending to the “Membership” section of the Bylaws.  It will be considered again at a later Board meeting.

Regina announced that the Memorial Garden Committee raised the money they need to finish construction.  Their fundraising exceeded the amount budgeted for the project.  The matching contributor for this fund requested that this excess money be used to assist in payment for shelves in the stage storage area.

Regina reported that a newly appointed ad hoc committee of Buildings and Grounds/Interiors has been asked to consider installation of a large screen TV in the social hall.

Policy Manual Update  –  Regina announced that Tim VanDenBerg and Buzzie Kelly are working on revisions to the 2006 Disruptive Behavior Policy.

OLD BUSINESS

              Picture Directory  Patty Drews announced that the directories have arrived and will be distributed soon.

Safe Congregation Policies and Procedures   Keitha Whitaker presented the final version of this document.  After correcting one typo and reviewing the changes suggested last month, Marc moved that we approved the document.  Richard seconded the motion.  It passed.  Regina will post it on our web page.  The Board will consider the Safety Task Force’s Suggested Action Plan at the October meeting.

UU Coffeehouse Policy  Marc circulated a copy of the latest version of this document.  Some issues have been clarified and some remain murky.  The folks who manage the Coffeehouse cannot get insurance for their equipment; equipment must be the congregation’s property in order to be considered for coverage by Church Mutual, UUCC Insurer.  David Roof, with the guidance of Greer Lawson, Chair of Interiors, is in the process of making an inventory of the equipment the Coffee  House has currently.  It was suggested that we might need a statement in the newly created policy about cleaning up after performances; for example,  garbage cans were not emptied after the Palmetto Sessions performance in August.   TimVanDenBerg has agreed to work with the Coffeehouse policy committee as they consider possible legal issues.  Marc said we want to integrate the Coffeehouse into the congregation in any ways that are beneficial to them and to us.  If the contract becomes too restrictive we could ruin a good thing.

NEW BUSINESS

Facilities Assessment Task Force    Gareth, Richard, Marc, and Robin have gathered many documents about work that has been done on the building since 2005.  That information is being stored in Gareth’s Google Drive in the Cloud.  They presented a draft of a Charge for the Facility Assessment Ad Hoc Committee.  Marc moved that the Board grant authority to the President to name a Facility Assessment Task Force using the recommendations and suggestions from the sub-committee.  Bob seconded the motion which passed.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.

Action Items

Below are the action items to be followed up at the next Board meeting.

1. A Trustee will volunteer to serve as liaison to the Caring and Hospitality, Denominational Connections, and Green Sanctuary Committees.
2. Richard Culler will continue drafting a List of Responsibilities for Committee Liaisons.
3. Marc Drews will continue work on the Policy on the Coffeehouse.
4. All Board Members will read Balancing Acts: Keeping Children Safe in Congregations and sign the book indicating they have done so.
5. We will discuss the Safety Task Force’s Suggested Action Plan at the October meeting.
6. Regina Moody will name the members of a Facility Assessment Task Force and draft a charge for the group’s work.

Minutes submitted by

Sandy Chubon, Secretary