Board of Trustees Meeting
Mount Vernon Unitarian Church
November 1, 2005
Board Members present:
Ric Sears, Chair
Joanne Masterson, Vice Chair
Raleigh Romine
Wendy Burns
Jim Potter
Hal Holtzclaw
Doug MacCleery
Jane Nelson
Katie Tyson
Nance Cedar
Board Member absent:
None
Others present:
Rev. Louis Schwebius
Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson
Donna Bledsoe
Al Erickson
Barbara Stoddard
Gioia Chilton
Lisa Napier
The minutes of the September 6th Board Meeting were approved and those of the October 4th BOT meeting were approved with correction of a couple of typos.
Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson reported from the Social Action Committee about the five social action task forces that had been recommended at recent open MVUC meeting under the Dick Gilbert process the church had established. The task forces include: Affordable Housing, Women’s Reproductive Rights, Green Sanctuary, UCM Coordination, and Social Witness. These task forces will be proposed for formal approval by the congregation at meeting to be announced in the fall.
Lisa Napier reported on the status of the search for the new MVUC Director of Religious Education. Things are well on schedule for an application deadline of March 1, 2006 and a formal offer by May. The RE Search Committee will be requesting a maximum of $4000 to cover possible travel expenses for interviewees. Ric Sears asked that the request be made to the Finance Committee. It was also strongly suggested that the YRUU be consulted at appropriate steps in this process.
The Board approved an amendment to the Letter of Agreement with the Fort Hunt Preschool (FHP) that eliminated the existing termination date in June 2006, while also giving MVUC flexibility to address issues of safe operation during the upcoming Meeting House construction project. The Board also approved a committee to address MVUC/FHP relations. A committee charter was approved dealing with both short term issues of safety and risk during construction and the long-term relationship between FHP and MVUC. The BOT approved Wendy Burns as Chair. Committee members include: Joanne Masterson, Bill Clontz (Construction Task Force member), Ron Brandt (Coordination of Communications and Administration and Finance Committee Member), Jeff Gauger (RE Council Rep, with Tamara delaCamp as alternate), Donna Bledsoe (Business Administrator Liaison-non-voting member), Gioia Chilton (FHP Liaison-non-voting member). The BOT approved $1000 to initiate legal review of risk to MVUC associated with operation of FHP during construction.
The BOT asked for tentative budget requests from the Program Council by December 1st.
The Board also approved a rental policy and heard and discussed reports
from the Minister, Director of Religious Education, and the Business
Administrator, and Treasurer.
Written Reports were received from the Minister, Interim Director of DRE and Business Administrator. Rev. Lou noted, in particular, that he had recently received a letter from the UUA Department of Ministry informing him that he had attained Final Fellowship the category of Parish Ministry. He also noted that he had had a telephone interview with Don Skinner, Editor of Interconnections magazine regarding his Ingathering Water Communion service. Donna Bledsoe noted that the financial situation of MVUC is sound and normal for this point in the fiscal year.
Ric Sears mentioned that he would call members of the Nominating Committee requesting that they begin searching for replacements for BOT members whose terms are expiring.
Plans were made for the BOT dinner meeting with the Program Council on November 4th.
Douglas MacCleery
Secretary