March 2021 Splinters
During its March 2021 meeting, the Board reviewed and discussed the proposed by-law revisions. The Board focused on specific revisions for which individual Board members had questions or wished to seek further clarification regarding the proposed change or new addition to the by-laws document. Particular areas addressed included the role and structure of the Finance Committee, the renaming of the Nominations Committee to Leadership Development Committee, composition of the Board, and ability/authority to take a public position or public statement on behalf of the church.
Judy Goth-Owens reported that she attended a session for congregations from the Mid-America Region that addressed plans for reopening congregations. There is not a specific plan or recommendation from the UAA with regard to reopening. The Board passed a motion charging Rev. Neal to work with the church’s existing COVID-19 Task Force to develop a plan for reopening and returning to in-person worship.
Michael McClellan reminded the Board of the meetings with consultant Laura Park on April 6 and April 8 to continue the process of adopting a policy governance model. The individual Board member work assignments need to be completed ahead of those planned sessions.
The Board was informed by the Stewardship Committee that a family within the congregation has offered a matching gift of $5,000 and is inviting members of the congregation to make gifts totaling an equal amount for use in paying down the congregation’s mortgage. In addition, the Stewardship Committee is planning to do a special spring ask to reach a goal of $15k to support work needed to upgrade the floor in the kitchen and to support the church’s ability to live stream services. Stewardship is also reviewing proposals for a variety of other small fundraising events to be conducted over the course of the year.
The Finance Committee reported to the Board that it appeared the church would be able to close the 2020 financials in March. The Committee estimates there will be a $43k budget surplus for the 2020 fiscal year. The Committee shared that it is also exploring ways in which it can better clarify the documentation and tracking of the reserve fund accounts.
The Nominations Committee requested some additional time to develop the slate of candidates prior to the congregational meeting. Given the current schedule and acknowledging the ordination of congregant Kristy Stuart scheduled for April 24, the Board is recommending the congregational meeting be held on Sunday, May 2, 2021. The Nominations Committee will be prepared to present a slate of candidates to fill the anticipated vacancies on all congregational committees and the Board.
Bill Arnold shared that he will be resigning his position on the Board as he is unable to completely fulfill his obligations as a Board member. He will remain in his position until a replacement is appointed to fulfill the remainder of his term.