Minutes 04/20/2010

First Unitarian Church of Cleveland

Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

April 20, 2010

Board Members Present: Esther Bockhoff, Kim Littell, Chuck Segall, Greer Jordan, Shelly Urdaneta, Tom Gibson, Laurie Albright, Frank Wardega, Barbara Bradley, Ray Gonzalez, Ann Millette, Deanna DiPetta, Maureen Harrington, George McGaughey

Staff Members Present: Rev. Daniel Budd, Doug Aubin, Rev. George Buchanan

Guests Present:  No Guests.

1.      Opening:        Kim Littell called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.  Shelly Urdaneta provided the opening words followed by a reading of the Board Covenant.

2.      March Minutes:  The March minutes were approved as amended.

3.      Open for Comment/New Business: No comments or new business.

4.      SLT Reports:  Doug Aubin presented the Administrator’s Report.  Rev. Daniel Budd presented the Parish Minister’s Report.  Rev. George Buchanan presented the Minister for Religious Education’s Report.

Highlights from Doug’s Report:  1) The insulation in the roof reduced the problem with ice buildup, but did not eliminate it.  Therefore, we will need the ice guard.  Doug recommended using a company called Durable Slate, which was the low bidder at $21,690.00.  We have approximately $17,000 left over from the small cheerful campaign from a few years back, and the balance can come from the Building & Grounds budget.

            MOTION:   Accept the roofing bid in Doug’s report.

            MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

2) Doug recommended hiring Socious to install the new computers and computer network.  The hardware costs are down to $9,000.00 and the installation cost is down to $1,000.00.  We can do this through the balance of the computer budget and the Building & Grounds budgets. 

            MOTION:  Accept the computer bid as presented.

            MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

Highlights from George’s Report: George will be attending General Assembly at the end of June.  He is working on submitting his Green Card papers and for additional permission to cross the border while this is being processed.   He will not be charging his legal fees to his expense account.

            Additionally, George reported on three (3) garden projects underway:  1) The Community Garden is going strong, with Paul McClain as the coordinator.  Almost all the plots are booked for this year, with a good mix of the congregation and interested gardeners from the community at large.  2) Permaculture as presented by Tom Gibson, is a plan to transform our grounds with this idea.  Tom and a team of classmates from his Permaculture class will be presenting plans for the grounds to the congregation after the Earth Sunday service on April 25.  Permaculture is an approach to land using complementary plantings and a long term outlook to create land areas producing food in a sustainable way.  Permaculture uses little or no tilling.  In our proposed landscape design, we envision nut trees such as walnut with ground cover plantings.  3) Blaine Ave. Urban Agricultural Education Garden is a garden project off our church grounds, near the public library in the Hough neighborhood.  This proposed garden is using several abandoned lots and offering community building and learning opportunities for nearby residents.  Our involvement would be volunteering to help with gardening and/or small fund-raising for additions to their facility.  There will be a meeting April 28 at 5:30 to discuss this with community leaders from Blaine Ave.

Highlights from Daniel’s Report: Since Daniel’s last report in March, he has lead the Spiritual Conversations covenant group, lead a mini-Orientation with members of the Membership Committee, attended a Growth & Development Task Force meeting, attended the meetings of the Committee on the Ministry and the Social Justice Ministries Council, planned the upcoming UU Ministry for Earth Sunday service with members of that committee, was “Principal of the Day” at John Raper School, and attended the auction. 

            In the larger UU community, he attended OMD Annual Assembly and made a visit with the congregation and Board of the UU Church of the South Hills as the Ministerial Settlement Representative.

            In our wider community, he gave an opening day blessing, along with a local Rabbi, at the North Union Farmer’s Market at Shaker Square.  He continues to be active with the We Believe Steering Committee and the InterAct InterReligious Affairs Committee.

            Finally, we have selected our Killam Fellow for the summer: Katie Norris.  Katie, a member at West Shore UU in Rocky River, is completing her ministerial studies.

                        Also, Daniel will be attending General Assembly, and will go early for training

for the UU Ministers Association, along with Rev. Kathleen Rolenz of West Shore UU, to facilitate the OMD Chapter of Ministries.  “Whose are We?” is a program to help ministers in their spiritual and theological reflections.

            There was a question about where the Raper kids are going, and per Daniel, they are being scattered throughout the district.

5.      Treasurer’s Report: As of the end of March, we have received 77.4% of our annual operating revenues.  To date, our expenses have totaled 71% of our projections.  We continue to accept pledges so that we can be assured of a balanced 2010/11 Budget.  The proposed budget will be posted May 13.  Be sure to attend the budget review on Sunday, May 23, at 12:30 in Fellowship Hall.

Esther proposed adopting three (3) recommendations:

1)      Consider drawing 4% from the Investment Fund instead of the 5% we have been taking.

2)      Remove Bequests from the Revenue category in the budget, because they are not part of the Operating Budget and skew the figures.  The congregation needs to be informed of all Bequests and note that they are put into the Investment Fund.

3)      Change the smaller Social Justice categories budget items from they are now to the Outreach category.  This will give us a more accurate figure of the true generosity of the congregation.

6.      Southwest Unitarian Universalist Church: Doug reviewed the documentation requested from SWUU in support of their loan request.  If the UUA approves their loan request for $100,000.00, SWUU would only need to borrow $27,000.00 from us.  Doug proposed lending the money, with payments over 36 months at 8% interest.  He decided on the 8% figure because, on average, in good years, we earn 8% on our investments.

MOTION: To loan $27,000.00 to SWUU at 8% interest.

MOTION PASSES 12 YES TO 2 NO.  THOSE WHO VOTED “NO” DID SO BECAUSE THEY FELT THE 8% INTEREST RATE WAS TOO HIGH.

7.      Presidents Report: Kim thanked all the auction volunteers, especially Tracy Segall and Claudia McCord for their work in setting up and running the auction, and Deanna DiPetta, Carol Gay, and Sam Copthorne for their fine work in the kitchen.  We will probably realize about $3,000.00 more from the auction than we did last year.

We will vote on the congregational delegates from First UU to General Assembly

at the May Board meeting.

            Nominees for the 2010-13 Board are Pam Gibbon, Roland Moore, Ron Price, and Cindy Taylor.  Don Stimpert and Ken Kuehm are the nominees for the Nominating Committee.

            Executive Committee for 2010-11 is:  Maureen Harrington-President, Laurie Albright-Vice President, Frank Wardega-Treasurer, and Ray Gonzalez-Secretary.

8. Investment Committee Discussion:  The Investment Committee needs direction.  We are right now at about 40% green investing, but where do we want to be?  Green, and socially responsible?  Do we, as a board, need to give the Committee more direction?

9. Healthy Congregations: We discussed Chapter 7, The Higher Medicines, and it “was comfortable.”  Grace is there for all of us, regardless of belief.  We must be willing to be present and be civil in discussing divisive topics.

George charged the Board to read Chapters 8 and 9 for the May meeting.

10.  Proposed 2010-2011 Budget:

$520K in pledges

$59K in rentals

$84K in other income

$702K in revenues

$702K in expenses,

Including UUA support being increased to $14,298.

InterAct Cleveland being increased to $1,200.

Administration and Building & Grounds have slight changes.

Kim and Esther reminded us we have to present a balanced budget, which we are, and the proposed budget will be posted by May 13, 2010.

            MOTION: To accept the budget as proposed.

            MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

11. Greer Jordan provided the closing words and Kim adjourned the meeting at 9:31p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Chuck Segall, Secretary, Bd. of Trustees, 2009-10