Item

Discussion

Motion/Action

Agenda

The agenda provided prior to the meeting was reviewed.

No items were added to the agenda.

Minutes of July 11,  2006 meeting

The minutes of the July 11, 2006 meeting were reviewed.  No additions or corrections were offered.

The minutes of the July 11, 2006 meeting were approved without objection.

Treasurer’s Report

Margaret Leicach reported that we were able to meet current expenses over the summer and pay off most of last fiscal year’s unpaid bills without using reserve funds.  Remaining unpaid expenses from the last fiscal year include 2 months of pension contributions, the fund collected from Reverend Sutherland’s farewell, and the Information and Advocacy Sub-council’s line item for payments to various organizations.  The lack of minister’s salary for several weeks allowed current revenue to be 32% greater than current expenses through 8/31/06.  Revenue YTD is 9% under budget and current expenses YTD are 4% less than budgeted.  There are no updates to the 2006/2007 budget at this time.  Brian Mullen reviewed the Profit and Loss statement for August 2006.  Nancy Mandly asked for the addition of a column showing variances.  Margaret also reported on the recent meeting of the Finance Sub-council.  Increases in rental rates were approved.  The exact figures will be in the minutes of the Sub-council meeting.  Margaret estimates an approximate $3,000 increase in income assuming the same number of renters compared with last year.  Finally, Margaret reported that an error in transmission occurred with the recording of the budget for the current fiscal year.  $12,800 had been approved for section leaders in the choir but it was mistakenly recorded as $9,000.  She asked for a motion to restore the amount to $12,800.

Brian Mullen will work on adding a column for variances in the Profit and Loss Statement.

A motion was made by Margaret Leicach to revise the budget for the music program to include an addition of $3,800 for section leaders thereby restoring the total to $12,800 and to increase the projected budget deficit by said amount.  The motion was seconded by Nancy Mandly and approved unanimously.

Director of Religious Education Report

Ken Silberman-Bunn reported on staffing for religious education classes for the year.   Ken then reported on research he had done regarding religious education staffing ratios and the number of hours of DRE at various UU churches in our area based on their current enrollment.  Most of the churches he surveyed have a full-time DRE but have significantly higher enrollment.  He also showed the number of children enrolled based on review of attendance sheets for the past 6 years at the Meetinghouse, which has shown a steady decline from a high of 198 in 2002 to a recent low of 94.  Additionally he referred the Board to a memo that he had sent out to board members prior to the meeting stating his concern regarding the proposed reduction in the position of DRE to 20 hours per week in January 2007.  He submitted a letter of provisionary resignation to the Board effective January 1, 2007 if the position of DRE were reduced to 20 hours per week.  The Board considered Ken’s resignation letter at length.  The reduction in the DRE position was made at the time the current budget was approved in June in order to address a significant shortfall in projected pledge income and to bring the position in line with the size of the enrollment in the religious education program.  The Board determined that nothing has changed since June in the budget outlook or the size of the RE program that would allow a restoration of the DRE position to fulltime

The letter of resignation from Ken Silberman-Bunn effective January 1, 2007, was accepted. The Board will work with the Religious Education and Human Resources Sub-councils to initiate a search for a new, part-time Director of Religious Education.

Religious Education Program

The Board discussed the need to better define and articulate the role of the religious education program, especially in regard to the USH strategic growth initiative.  A task force was established with representation from the RE Sub-council, the Council on Spiritual Life, and the Strategic Growth Initiative along with the Minister to give focused attention to several key issues.

Motion was made by Charles to establish a task force to review the role of RE in the Society, the role of RE as it relates to the strategic growth initiative, staffing of RE in relation to enrollment and projected growth and the supervision of the DRE in relation to the RE Sub-council and the minister.  Proposed members of the task force are Nina Elgo, Marye Gail Harrison, Charles Huntington, Laurie Kelliher and Reverend Jamestone.  Motion was seconded by Susan and passed unanimously.

Rev. Jamestone indicated a desire for assistance from the Human Resource Sub-council in developing job descriptions and related performance evaluation tools for all staff positions.  Charles recommended that the HR SubCouncil roles, responsibilities and members be re-evaluated.  He will discuss this with the chair of the Council on Administration. 

Charles Huntington will contact Hugh Schweitzer, Chair of the Council on Administration, and ask that the Human Resources Sub-council be requested to assist Rev. Jamestone in developing job descriptions and related performance evaluation tools for all staff positions.

President’s Report

Charles reported that he plans on meeting with all Council chairs as a group in the near future.

Minister’s Report

Reverend Jamestone stated that the format of her monthly report is not yet determined.  At this time, she had 2 items to report to the Board.  Her day off will be Thursday.  Also, she stated that there will no longer be written announcements accepted for delivery from the pulpit on Sunday mornings.  She will notify the congregation of this change.