UUCGV Annual Congregational Meeting – June 2, 2019 Agenda:
Opening, Janet Cummings, Board President Minister's Report, Rev. Wendy Jones Staff-Congregation Relations Report, Richard Hyland and Joanie Leinbach o DRE Search Team report, Joanie Leinbach Green Sanctuary Update, Audrey Brainard and Elizabeth High Property Report, John Mayo The Slate – Vote, Leadership Development Team Budget Vote, Steve Watson, Treasurer Bylaws Update (SCR) - Vote, Richard Hyland Congregational Guidance to the Leadership Closing
2019 Annual Meeting Commences at 12:40 pm Members signed in and a quorum was established. Opening by Janet Cummings, Board President: Janet Cummings welcomed everyone to our Annual Congregational Meeting, then stated that in the spirit of moving closer to becoming a green sanctuary we have not printed out a copy of the agenda for each person so she read the agenda aloud. Brief review of the Board’s positive year. Janet wrote a report included in the 2019 Annual Report with details on the board retreat in December 2018, which focused on the role of the board and how to work well together, “surviving” Rev. Wendy’s sabbatical, and a good year of worship services. Janet thanked everyone for being at the meeting. Minister's Report by Rev. Wendy Jones: Rev. Wendy Jones thanked the congregation for her time on sabbatical and expressed her excitement for where we are this year. Rev. Wendy then reflected on how much time and energy over the past six years we have spent moving into our building, making it beautiful, and becoming rooted, by saying “Now that we are grounded it is time to expand who we’ve always been in a wonderful new way. This is the year we can keep our roots and expand our wings.” We will grow past the 100-member barrier, not by trying to get new members, but attracting them by living in our principles and in our faith. Rev. Wendy thanked everyone for being at the meeting and introduced Richard Hyland to speak on behalf of the Staff Congregation Relations Team.
Staff-Congregation Relations (SCR) Report by Richard Hyland: Richard Hyland defined the Staff-Congregation Relations Team (SCR) Role and Mission as being a committee which reports to the Board and oversees the hiring, evaluation and performance of the paid staff of the Church. It mediates issues among staff members, between staff members and supervisors, and between staff and members of the congregation on a confidential basis. It serves in an advisory role to the Minister in her role of staff supervisor. It seeks to achieve and maintain a healthy balance between the need for skilled professional staff and volunteer involvement in the growth and evolution of the Church. Richard introduced the members that are part of SCR: Richard Hyland, Joanie Leinbach, Carmine Nugent, and Monte High. SCR has interviewed every staff member, documented what they do, and learned through their own eyes how this congregation functions and how a settled church with its own building functions, learned their needs, and how the members and the staff communicate. This is an ongoing process that we continue to work on in the realm of confidentiality and trust. Three highpoints from the past year, stating we “Came of Age this past year”: 1. Understanding staff performance. Resolving staff / congregant relations. 2. Improved and standardized the compensation and benefit program for all staff working 20 or more hours per week. We currently have four staff members who do that. 3. Found and hired 3 new staff members, including a new Director of Religious Education, whom we will introduce and talk more about next month. DRE Search Team Report by Joanie Leinbach: Joanie Leinbach thanks the DRE Search Team: Jan Hyland, Nancy Banman, Peg Oswald, Kent Leinbach, Kathleen Hedlund, and Rev. Wendy Jones. “We are thrilled with our choice and eager to meet Chelsea next month.” Joanie also thanked the UUCGV Members for their input, in finding a DRE that is right for UUCGV. Green Sanctuary Update by Audrey Brainard and Elizabeth High: Audrey Brainard stated that she came from a UU Church in New Jersey that had completed the Green Sanctuary accreditation through the UUA. The Green Team has completed the Congregational Assessment which can provide us with many new ideas for green goals to embark on for the future. There are 5 copies available to review. Maya, the church administrator, will be emailing out this Green Sanctuary Assessment this coming week. Audrey thanked to everyone who has taken the Green Assessment and thanked the staff for their help in putting it together. Included in the Green Sanctuary Assessment is a summary of UUCGV energy, gas, electric, and water usage from data collected from Xcel and City of GJ utilities bills. Arrangements also have been made with the Discovery Garden next door to begin composting there. Details to come. They encouraged everyone to take a
good look at the Green Sanctuary Assessment and share your thoughts with the Green Team Members. Elizabeth High explained the two paths UUCGV can take to becoming greener: 1. Detailed formal accreditation process (Option 1) to becoming a Green Sanctuary through UUA. This would take 2-3 years, an application process including a $100 application fee, and the completion of 11 projects, including: 1 environmental justice project, 3 worship projects, 3 RE projects, and 4 sustainable living projects. If we are to start the process of formal accreditation, the Green Team will need more members. 2. Detailed the non-formal accreditation process (Option 2): still moving towards becoming greener utilizing the information in the Green Sanctuary Assessment. Based on this assessment the UUCGV members would chose 13 projects / goals to complete over the next year. At the end of the year the Green Team would disband or we would decide to pick more projects. Elizabeth announces we will be handing the microphone around for five minutes to get people’s thoughts before taking a vote. Q – Duane Carr: What’s it worth to get the formal accreditation? A – Elizabeth: It might really energize us to get formal accreditation and something to feel good about. Q – Are there any costs associated with accreditation? A – Elizabeth: There is a $100 application fee. Q - Sandy Dorr: What are some the projects proposed and what are the estimated costs of completing the projects? A – Elizabeth: We haven’t gotten as far as costs of the projects. Either way the team would like to do the composting, while also being more vigilant on how we do our recycling and educating the congregation on recycling. Q – Mary Delbecq: We can spend the next two years unaccredited and move towards full accreditation the following year. Rev. Wendy: Back to Duane’s question, it’s a formalized commitment/being intentional about being green. Scott: Expressed an interest in joining Green Team. Offered to volunteer and take on some of the responsibility. Robin Cyr: Wants to commit and stay on the path for not just the church, but for the community.
Gary Poush: The heating/cooling is the biggest factor for environmental impact with this building, other than us all driving cars. What do we want to accomplish out of this? There is a cost to doing something and not doing something. Elizabeth: If we do complete the projects to become accredited, we will be making an impact upon the world and our community through the programs we would be working with. Robert McDonald: Signing onto becoming a Green Sanctuary is pretty comprehensive and it would push us in the direction to adopt as many things as we could to practice being a Green Sanctuary, which is doubtlessly good. There are a lot of members on the Green Sanctuary Team and we may not need to recruit more members. VOTE: In Favor of Formal Accreditation (Option 1): 28 In Favor of Non-Formal Accreditation (Option 2): 9
Property Report, John Mayo John introduced himself and stated that we’ve had a busy year with the property team, accomplished a lot of projects, and are in the process of completing others. Last fall the Property Team purchased and installed a new projector in the sanctuary. The video origination equipment is now in the podium, important to the renters -- especially New Dimensions. Mark McKenney has resolved some Mac compatibility problems. Purchased a new Windows laptop for the sanctuary and the renters. Requested an evaluation to see if we are able to put solar on our building. It would have been a huge expense and double the roof support, so it wasn’t practical. We could purchase renewable energy from the energy company. We followed a good process and came up with the only logical solution. We’d like to replace the front canopy ($20,000 long term goal project). The panels aren’t secure, wood is rotting and we want to project a better image to potential members and the community. Gary and the Property Team have presented some ideas to the board. Those ideas need to be worked out with a structural engineer ($2,500 has been budgeted for the engineering of this project). o For the short term a 21’ 6” canvas panel will be bolted to the aluminum frame, at a cost of $500-$600, still within our budget. Ideas for shade for the patio are still in the works as tents only work for short occasions. Some other options are an aluminum patio cover, pergola, canopy, and shade sales. Structural analysis is needed to determine what will work best. Playground: there has never been a consensus on the playground. We are waiting for the playground report. We’re open and interested in know how we can work with the Green Team.
The Property Team is also interested in seeing a safety and security issues team in the church, and to establish an incident team in the case of accidents, emergencies, and negative attention. The Slate – Vote, Leadership Development Team Duane: We need someone to take hold and run with the Safety Team. If anyone is interested in this, sign up for the team. Robert: There is a lot of background info already available. Wendy can provide that info. Duane: If anyone is interested in this, sign up for the team. Duane: There is no stewardship under the slate because we’ve had good canvassing, and now we have instituted a year-round stewardship program. Andrea Tanner has volunteered to fill that role. Incoming Leadership Slate: Board: President Vice President Past President Treasurer At Large At Large At Large
Elizabeth High Laurel Carpenter Janet Cummings Steve Watson Richard Hyland Herb Feinzig Duane Carr
Team Leadership Circle (TLC): Worship Team Miranda Richardson RE Jan Highland Membership Bill Conrod Celebrations Kathleen Hedlund At Large Laura Jefferies At Large Mary Delbecq Leadership Development Team (LDT): Robin Cyr Melissa Humphrey Stan Scott
VOTE: Unanimous Budget Vote, Steve Watson, Treasurer The end of the fiscal year is June 30, 2019. When we propose the budget, we determine the numbers from the previous year. The biggest part this year was
added staff, about 60% of our budget. We raised the salaries on 3 positions. We had a budget surplus from this year, however now we’ll have a budget deficit. We’re in great condition as of 2019 fiscal year, but will have some issues to face during the 2020 fiscal year. 2019 ends with $15,000 – 16,000 surplus. 2020 projected deficit of $8,400 Vote: Unanimous Bylaws Update (SCR)-Vote, Richard Hyland A new Article 10 which formally states the SCR function in the church. UUCGV Bylaws containing the proposed change on page 16-17: Article X: STAFF-CONGREGATION RELATIONS (SCR) COMMITTEE The Staff-Congregation Relations (SCR) Committee reports to the Board and oversees the hiring, evaluation and performance of the paid staff of the Church. It mediates issues among staff members, between staff members and supervisors, and between staff and members of the congregation on a confidential basis. It serves in an advisory role to the Minister in her/his role of staff supervisor. It seeks to achieve and maintain a healthy balance between the need for skilled professional staff and volunteer involvement in the growth and evolution of the Church. The Staff-Congregation Relations Committee shall: (UUCGV Bylaws June 4, 2017, Page 17 of 17) 1. Be made up of voting members of the Church chosen by the Board and the Minister. If there is no Minister, the Board will select the SCR members. 2. Develop and update a Personnel Policy Manual to serve as the governing document for all staff-related actions and decision-making of the Church. 3. Develop and update staff job descriptions on a regular basis to ensure that job expectations and performance align with job requirements and scope of responsibility. 4. Develop and update staff/supervisor chain-of-command relationships so that all staff members and supervisors understand their roles within the larger Church organization. 5. Develop and update a formal organization chart for the Church depicting staff and volunteer team roles, reporting relationships and communication flows. 6. Hire new staff (permanent and contract) using the procedures and guidelines provided in the Personnel Policy Manual. 7. Evaluate the job performance of staff on a regular basis using performance criteria based on the job description and discussed with the staff member. 8. Monitor and ensure that staff compensation rates and benefits are fair and accurately reflect the quality of the work performed. 9. Monitor and ensure Church compliance with all staff-related local, state and federal laws and regulations. 10. Educate the Church congregation on both the role of the SCR and the roles
played by staff in the operation and growth of the Church. Vote: Unanimous
Circle Suppers: Ellen Mayo This is great way to meet people at the church and learn who our community is. Groups of 6 to 8 people get together once a month for a meal and conversation at the host of the month's house. The host provides the main course with the others bringing a salad, veggie or dessert. It is up to your group if you want to do breakfast, lunch or supper. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. If you are unable to host at your house, that's ok -- you are still welcome to be part of the group. Wendy also mentioned that a meal could happen here at the Church as well. When everyone has had a chance to be a host, then a new group is formed. A new Circle Supper organization is starting. Email ellenmayo@yahoo.com for more info. Congregational Guidance to the Leadership
Bill Conrod: I can pledge directly from IRA to a charitable organization Sign up for Amazon Smile Solar panels on/as the shade structure Stronger partnership between us and the Discovery Garden Different groups are using our outdoor patio & garden Fund-raising events can happen by working in proximity with local events happening in our area. Example: During the International Fair at the library happening this coming Saturday, we could offer a international concert here after Speak with other congregations our size and get ideas on fundraising Offer a film series on social justice issues, asking for donations Thanks to Robert for his years of work in the Social Action Team. Notice of his concert on June 22, 2019 at the church.
Closing Meeting Adjourned 2:03 pm