Mount Vernon Unitarian Church

Board of Trustees Meeting

March 30, 2004

Members present:

Daria Bergen-Hill

Nance Cedar

Jack Hinman

Linda Jemison, Chair

Doug MacCleery

Jim McGovern

Ric Sears

Betsy Stephens

Karen Tyson

Member absent:

Will Jernigan

Also present:

Alan Bunner

Al Erickson

Rev. Lou Schwebius

Carolyn Slenska

Russ Stumpe

Linda Walton

Joan Wamsley

The Board approved a proposal from Our Larger World to hold an essay contest to award a $1500 scholarship to a youth in the church to attend the General Assembly of the UUA from June 24-28 in Long Beach CA. The money was donated by Betty Baran (see Minutes of the March 2 Board meeting), and the Board had instructed Our Larger World to recommend an appropriate expenditure of the funds. The official name will be the Betty & Saul Baran Youth Scholarship Essay Contest for General Assembly. The essay should be between 700 and 1000 words and participants are limited to those in 9^th to 12^th grades. Rev. Schwebius and two judges from outside MVUC will evaluate the essays.

The Board approved the hiring of Donna Bledsoe as Business Administrator. Donna was the unanimous choice of the Business Administrator Search Committee. She comes to us with 14 years experience as administrator of a church with over 1000 members.

Alan Bunner and Carolyn Slenska reported on Mark Zimmerman’s exit interview. Mark raised a number of valid issues regarding the relationship of the Music Director to the Minister and to the Board. Alan and Carolyn also said that it might be desirable to have the option to fill the positions of Music Director and Choir Director separately. In any case, all these questions need to be aired before embarking on a search for a new Music Director. The Board appointed Carolyn Slenska (Chair), Mike Gillespie, Alan Bunner, Katie Tyson, Ron Brandt, Sharon Roberts, and Leila Goodman to a Music Director Search Committee. The Board charged the committee to form a subcommittee to make recommendations regarding the position description(s) for Music Director/Choir Director before starting the search process.

The Board also approved the hiring of an Interim Music Director to finish out the church year. The sole duties of the job will be to rehearse the Choir on Wednesdays,

direct the Choir on Sundays, and choose the music together with Rev. Schwebius.

Russ Stumpe reported on the status of major repair, renovation, and capital improvement projects underway and pending. The Board approved the withdrawal of $200,000 from our recently approved line of credit to pay for completed projects.

Linda Walton, Chair of the Religious Education Council, presented some options

for the management of Religious Education until a new permanent DRE is hired. The Board then passed a motion authorizing Linda Jemison, Karen Tyson, and Linda Walton to recommend an Interim DRE to the Board, after consultation with the RE Council.

The Board appointed Tamara De La Camp, Lisa Napier, Michael Hentges, Kristin Calhoun, and John Henrehan to a DRE Search Committee.

The Board approved a motion to hire a Nursery Caregiver at the rate of $75 per Sunday during the regular church year and $50 per Sunday during the summer months. It was felt that this is the market rate needed to assure the dependable presence of a fully qualified nursery caregiver.

The Board received a Program Council Meeting Report. Much of the discussion concerned options for the future in our RE and Music programs.

The Board briefly reviewed drafts of materials for the Annual Meeting on April 25.

Jim McGovern, Secretary