home | Governance | Board October 10, 2004
MINUTES
First Unitarian-Universalist Church of Detroit
Meeting of the Governing Board
October 11, 2004
ATTENDING:
Charlotte Allen, Incoming Trustee
Mark Bendure, Administration & Human Resources Trustee
Linda Darga, Social Justice Trustee
Colleen Dolan-Greene, Moderator
Jim Harvey, Vice Moderator & Strategic Planning Trustee
Alma King, UU Community Place Liaison
Bob Lauer, Treasurer
Carolyn Ludwig, Religious Education Trustee
Howard Malzberg, Guest
Rev. David Parke, Interim Minister
Irene Schultz, Incoming Trustee
Jon Schultz, Guest
Dan Secrest, Canvass & Finance Trustee
Ruth Seifert, Incoming Trustee
Kathe Stevens, Secretary
Arlene Teed, Guest
Dan Wiest, Incoming Trustee
Len Zettel, 1st UU Webmaster
Agenda attached (items in italics are attached to the original minutes filed with the Church Office).
CENTERING TIME: Rev. David Parke opened the meeting at 7:04, with a reading from Lewis Mumford, Americanologist and sociologist from the mid-20th century, “The City and History.”
REVIEW OF AGENDA: Agenda approved as presented.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Upon review, it was MOVED to accept the September 13, 2004 minutes as presented [Dan Secrest/Jim Harvey], CARRIED.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Statements September 2004; Accounts Payable September 2004; Quarterly Review: Treasurer Bob Lauer distributed Income and Expense Statement, General Fund, 10/9/04, Vendor Accounts Payable FY 2005, Revenue and Expense FYTD 9/30/04, Balance Sheet - Final at 9/30/04 and Prior Year End. Bob explained the variances on the financial statements: we are down $18,000 but $10,000 is the Veatch grant and $5,000 is the Enhancement Fund. The Enhancement Fund has not yet been billed. Insurance from Sledge came in at $22,000; $18,000 was budgeted. Moderator Colleen Dolan-Greene reported that she is getting dunning phone calls from UUA because 1st UU is eight months behind in the mortgage. She reminded the Board that the last time 1st UU was behind in the mortgage the UUA waived interest due. Now the UUA is threatening to collect that waived $2,000 interest if the mortgage is not paid up. Colleen asked: if the Trust is not getting 5% (the amount of the mortgage interest) on its investments maybe we should pay off the mortgage from Trust. The monthly payment is $725; the balance of the mortgage is $39,000.
It was MOVED to pursue PLAN A: if there is not significant difference in favor of income from the Trust, we request the trust to pay off the entire mortgage from the Trust. If there is a significant difference in favor of income from the Trust, PLAN B is: we ask for $20,000 to pay the past-due mortgage, to cover the lost Veatch grant, and to cover the $4,000 additional insurance. Repayment will roll into the Strategic Plan. Significant means more than 1% difference in interest. [Dan Secrest/Charlotte Allen]; CARRIED. Colleen asked the Finance and Building Task Force to bring a suggestion of priority on how to pay bills to the next Board meeting.
There followed discussion on how to pay back a loan from the Trust. Strategic Plan and Task Forces are to sort out at what rate do we balance what we need from the Trust and growing the Church so people contribute. We have to look to growth and need to resolve the issue before the next Board meeting.
C Dan Secrest will get the contact information to Rev. Parke so he can call the Veatch office to ask about the $10,000 grant
C Colleen will call Bill McKnight of the Trust.
C If it is possible to pay off the mortgage, Colleen will call the UUA and ask for a grace period so we don’t get charged interest.
C Dan Secrest will call Sledge to find out why the insurance has gone up. Linda Darga recommended John Park & Co. insurance to check rates.
Pledge Update: Dan Secrest reported that Janet Thompson sent out reminders to pay pledges. Rev. Parke noted that seven people have joined the church and asked that we pledge them.
MINISTER’S REPORT: Rev. Parke’s report is posted on the 1st UU website and Colleen emailed to the board. Rev. Parke reported on Adult RE. There will be an integrated curriculum. It is hoped to coordinate courses so that there will be an announcement later this fall in the newsletter and a separate brochure announcing renewal and revitalization of the adult RE program under the rubric “UUUniversity.”
Rev. Parke explained his idea to pool resources and initiate joint projects which will get us into other [suburban] UU churches’ community of trust.
Rev. Parke distributed a 9/27/04 Detroit Free Press article regarding MOSES and MOSES brochures. There was a discussion on financial commitment. Linda Darga reported that Gene Perrin has been to MOSES meetings, and he reports that MOSES never stops a church because they cannot afford the dues. MOSES is much more interest in showing a commitment, getting churches into the fold. Rev. Parke believes we have to come in at a financial commitment we can defend and is willing to give $100 toward this significant contribution to MOSES. Further discussion on MOSES will be on the agenda next month; assigned to the Ministry and Worship Task Force.
MODERATOR’S REPORT:
Heartland District Fall Training Institute: Due to the Women’s Alliance donation of $700, Heartland scholarships of $150 for DRE and $150 for Growth, Charlotte Allen, Dan Wiest, and new members Kathy and Dan Fitzgerald were able to attend the Heartland District Fall Training Institute.
October 26 vigil at 1st UU about Proposal 2 with Coalition for FAIR Michigan: 1st UU will be the site of the vigil.
Recommendations for a new Board Secretary: None.
TASK FORCE REPORTS AND ACTION ITEMS IF NEEDED:
The Task Forces On-Line: Dan Secrest demonstrated the link from 1st UU’s website to Dan’s website for the Building and Finance Task Force and explained the online forum. There was a lengthy discussion regarding Detroit Summer. Linda distributed a proposed letter. The$30 for clean-up is an arbitrary amount. Dan Secrest will post the draft letter on the forum for discussion.
Dan Secrest demonstrated the link to the Building Use Collection Record form on the 1st UU website. After discussion, it was MOVED that this form be approved for use; AMENDED that Dan Kosmowski, developer of this form, is to add a column for assessed fees and comments. [Dan Secrest/Irene Schultz]; CARRIED. Wendi would maintain the form under Rev. Parke’s supervision.
Jim Harvey passed out Revised 2004 Schedule for Single Event Usage of the Church and Associated Facilities and there was a discussion on rates for 1st UU’s facilities.
A church group has made a proposal to use Memorial Hall on Sundays for a fee of $100. Pullman was counter-offered at $150. Rev. Parke is handling the negotiations after an update by Earl Harvey. There followed a discussion on the possibilities of sharing our sanctuary and it was noted that the$150 a week would pay our mortgage. An argument was made that regular rates should be charged because the group would have to pay higher rates somewhere else.
A target was set to come up with building use agreements by the first of the year.
There was a discussion on the Chalicelighter grant and history was given: two years ago 1st UU asked for a grant for a new sign, for publicity and a brochure, and for RE. Heartland did not allocate anything for RE but did give us $3,800 for a sign and $3,500 for publicity. Rev. Parke suggested we need a 21st century sign. Dan Secrest will look into signage; Kathy Rock had been working on this. The Buildings & Grounds Committee is meeting Monday, October 12, and they will discuss the sign.
Worship and Ministry: Carolyn Ludwig distributed Worship/Ministry Task Force, 10/11/04.
Growth and Outreach: Al Acker was working on a brochure. Ruth Seifert discussed the visitor’s packet and brochure. Ruth will get a “visitor’s packet” together for each Board member. Dan Wiest reported that at the Heartland Fall Training conference there will be modules on strategic planning for growth and budgets to make it happen; Dan will present what was learned at the next board meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Newsletter: Unauthorized pages were again added to the Church newsletter. Rev. Parke reported that he made it very clear to Wendi so this should have been procedurally impossible. Rev. Parke speculated that it must have been an end-run around Wendi. The inserted pages were authored by Gwen Winston and Jenny Teed. Rev. Parke will take this up with Wendi to get her perspective. Irene Schultz, as editor, agreed to accept Jenny Teed’s RE article by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, which is past the deadline. It was suggested that Jenny send her report electronically to Irene, so Irene can review and accept it. Rev. Parke will speak to Gwen. Mark Bendure will ask Carol Bendure, who assembles the newsletter, to not put in anything that does not come through Irene.
CLOSING/ADJOURN: At 9:21 P.M. it was MOVED to adjourn [Dan Wiest/Ruth Seifert]; CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathe Stevens, Board Secretary