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Board Minutes August 16, 2016

Board Meeting 8/16/2016

Present:

Board Members: Bruce, Barbara, D’On, Jane, Paul

Minister: Rev Craig Moro

Guest: Nancy D

●Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm

●Meeting minutes: The minutes of the board meeting on 7/19/16 were distributed by Barbara. Jane moved they be approved as submitted. Paul seconded. Approved unanimously.

●The Treasurer’s Report

○The June (end of FY15-16) and July treasurer’s reports were posted in Googledocs prior to the board meeting.

○We had a 2015-16 surplus of just over $20,000. Not really a surprise. In May we got an unanticipated sizable contribution.

○D’On distributed a “spread by month” worksheet giving anticipated monthly income and expenditures based on past years’ monthly patterns. She did not include data from last year because it was so unusual.

○We go into the fiscal year with a bit over $54,000 in the bank. The $6,395 in pre-paid pledges is slightly higher than normal. July numbers are $1,000 better than anticipated on the spread by month worksheet. The lower than expected expenses are probably timing

● D’On will renew our liability insurance policy with Church Mutual. She will have them raise the personal property coverage by $1,000 to cover what we expect to purchase for  HSC and Wee Works, but otherwise leave things as they are. (Done)

○Romalia at RCPP wants an update confirming the policy renewal (Church Mutual has been advised)

○Note that worker’s comp is separate.

  • The minister’s report was distributed via email prior to the meeting.
  • Craig brings our attention to his proposal to update the sources to make inclusion of Islamic teachings explicit along with Christian and Jewish teachings.
  • He needs 15 congregations to endorse the proposal.
  • D’On is concerned about bringing Ellie on board. D’On also reminds us that the bylaws say that the minister supervises staff, including Ellie
  • Barbara is concerned about the state of Religious Education. Things seem to have drifted a bit in the past year.
    • Craig has met with the RE committee.
    • Craig will approach Ellie about submitting a column for the newsletter.
  • Facilities report
    • The blind in the classroom at HSC facing into the main room will not open. This is a safe congregations issue.
    • Bruce has introduced himself to Amber as our new facilities contact person. He doesn’t want to bring up the issue of the broken blind right away.

●Tode reports that we took in about $2,200 at the rummage sale, which we are splitting 50-50 with the HSC.

●Pets at our activities policy:

○We have no policy at this time.

○Barbara moves that we adopt the policy that only service animals are allowed to attend indoor Wy’east activities. Bruce seconds. Approved unanimously.

○Barbara will submit something to the newsletter. (Done)

○Barbara will contact Anders about putting something on the web site. “Service Animals welcome” perhaps. (Done)

○Board members agree to talk to anyone who brings in an animal.

●Volunteer recognition and burnout

○Nancy D has had some conversations with people and is concerned about people who do too much and then drop out.

○Some kind of recognition might be in order.

■Team of the month? (setup, cleanup, RE, worship, …)

■Consider individual recognition for super volunteers.

■A good thing about recognizing a team is that you can enlist more members of the team.

○How do we help people not do too much?

○Paul would like a list of what needs to be done.

○Craig says that this is a common problem with congregations and it never hurts to express gratitude.

○Craig suggests that from time to time a board member do this recognition during the announcements portion of the service.

○We think this is a good idea and Paul will run it by the worship committee.

●Membership Committee

○Craig, Sarah S, Linda B (who has volunteered to chair the committee), Mabel, Chandra, Betty, and Jane met.

○Sarah asks what is the goal of the committee.

■Keep current members happy?

■Expand membership?

○Sarah noted that we are stuck at the transition from a family congregation to a pastoral congregation.

○Goals:

■increasing visibility of congregation

■support repeat visitors

■attract young adults, maybe with electronic visibility

■develop path to membership

■coordinate with other groups/committees

■folks should know who we are before they come in the door

●As a side issue that came up in the membership committee meeting, dissatisfaction was expressed with the very hands off stance of the board with respect to committees

●Sarah S suggested that a congregational leadership retreat may be in order. Jane would like us to do this sooner rather than later.

○Craig will contact Sarah about making a recommendation for someone from the Region to facilitate such a retreat. (Done)

●Oregon UU Voices Congregational Membership. Barbara moved and Jane seconded that Wy’east become a Congregational Member of Oregon Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice. The motion was approved unanimously

○Barbara will be our board representative to ORUUVfJ. She will recruit a Social Justice Committee liaison.

○Our financial commitment is the $60 line item in the budget, plus the regular preaching fee when Katie is in our pulpit in the spring.

●New potluck schedule

○D’On polled the congregation. There is no objection to moving our potlucks to the first Sunday of the month.

○We note that the first Sunday in September is Labor Day weekend. We’ll plan to have the potluck then in spite of an expectation of low attendance.

○We also note that the first Sunday in January is New Year’s Day.

●20th Anniversary Celebration

○The worship committee has been consulted. We have proposed either 4/2/17 or 4/9/17 for the celebration. They will discuss at their next meeting.

○Barbara has spoken with Tode, Sarah, and Mabel. Tode has suggested that he might be able to arrange for us to have an evening celebration at the same (Lutheran?) church at which the original celebration was held.

○Barbara will follow up with all the charter members who are currently associated with Wy’east: Jane, Jon B, and Joanne, in addition to the people listed above.

○The Seniors Group is interested in being involved in planning the celebration. They will talk about this on Sunday.

○Jane notes that I should talk with the Engagement Committee

●Order of service:

○Should I make a new set of generic OoS cards? No (see below).

○D’On will try to draft a new generic order of service to use as a backup. She will send the draft to the worship committee.

●Next meetings: Sept. 20 and Oct 18.

○Barbara will get something in the newsletter. (Done)

○Next meeting will be at D’On’s house

●Paul thanks Craig for his appearance at Wy’east above and beyond his scheduled Sundays.

●Meeting adjourned at  9:16 pm

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Barbara Smith-Thomas, secretary

 

 

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