- Holy Trinity Vestry Meeting –
Thursday, September 13,
2007
Church
Hall
Vestry Members Present: Cheryl Twiss (CT), Deb Pallasch
(DP), Larry Gadsby (LG), Mike Brogan (MB), Ed Adamowski (EA), Bill Lopes
(BL), Mike Zmich (MZ).
Vestry Members Absent:
Mark Gustafson (MG), Alan Locke (AL), Steve Horridge (SH),
Others Present: Rev. Alan Gates
Opening Prayer.
Rev. Alan Gates
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm
*******Core
Business*********
Previous Vestry Meeting Minutes.
MB. The August 9, 2007 special vestry meeting minutes were previously
approved via email responses.
Finances.
Because of computer issues, LG was only able to provide a 'Funds
Balance' report.
·
Mortgage. AG met with the Ron
Turnbull of the Diocese of Rhode Island this past week to discuss the mortgage
payment. Five (5) years ago HTC was granted a special interest rate on our
mortgage loan from the diocese due to the then financial position of the
church. The mortgage was a 5-year balloon, now expiring. Given the current
financial position of HTC, the diocese is now only willing to offer the
standard load arrangement of prime minus 1, this being equivalent to about 7
1/4%. We discussed paying off the mortgage in lieu of refinancing when the
balloon is due. This proposal was made into a motion (MZ/DP) and approved.
·
IRS Tax Update. The past due amount is now down to about $2300. EA and LG
will sit down with Roger to see if we can quickly get finalization and get this
issue past us.
·
Bank Accounts. LG will review what documents need to be changed to
include AG. We will also look at establishing specific policies about who can
sign checks, for what limits, and where it might be wise to require two (2)
signatures
Building and Grounds.
·
B&G Report for August 2007. BL provided the Buildings and Grounds report for
the month of August. It is provided at the end of these minutes.
·
Parking Improvements. Quotes are being sought to enlarge the current parking lot
by cutting back the earth where it slopes into the parking lot and building
walls to match the other walls on the north side of the lot. This will improve
the handicap parking area, the loading/unloading zone for the Trinity Trader,
and the width of the parking lot at the street, thus making it easier to
enter/exit when the lot is full. Some of the funding will be provided by the
Trinity Trader.
·
Space Utilization Committee. BL provided an initial mission statement for this
committee and has begun to form the committee by getting stakeholders to
participate. More information to be provided. The target is to put together a
plan which can be presented at the next annual meeting in January.
·
Maintenance Planner. BL introduced and displayed the maintenance planner he has
developed for HTC facilities. It specifies annual actions required to maintain
the facilities, and lists those suppliers we have used. This will be a living
document which can be changed and updated as necessary, and it provides a
written description of all the important periodic maintenance functions.
·
Fall clean-up Day. Date selected was October 14th, 2007 following 10 am
services. Thoughts are to include a hamburger/hot dog grill session following
the clean-up.
*******
Discussion Items and New Business********
Sunday Collection and Counting
Procedures.
There will be a meeting in the Victorian room following the 10:00 am service
Sunday 09-16-2007 for all those who have volunteered to be a participant in
this procedure. EA will host and review/explain the procedures that need to be
followed.
Software Programs. We discussed
various software programs that HTC could purchase to help track membership and
pledging. There are some simple and inexpensive programs available, but they
would not integrate with a larger management program that we may need to adopt
in the future to meet the growing needs of the parish. It was determined to
study this further, with a plan to have software and be ready to implement it
beginning with 2008.
Safe Church Policy. With the growing children's
education program and probable other children's activities that HTC may evolve,
it was discussed and determined that we should adopt a firm policy in regard to
children's safety. The Diocese of Rhode Island has such a policy,
"Policies for the Protection of Children and Youth", which was
distributed and reviewed. A motion was made (MZ/LG) and approved (DP
abstaining) to adopt this policy in its entirety for HTC, including the
acceptance of a $13 charge to have background checks made on all those who will
be involved in
Children’s programs.
Child Care and Godly Play. There were sufficient teacher
volunteers to make two, perhaps three, teams of teachers so that they may
rotate and attend worship service more often during the school year. This year
the Godly Play will begin at 9:30 am, and the children will be brought into the
worship service following the 'Peace'.
Phone System Upgrade. Various options were discussed,
and then the discussion evolved into the need for a coordinated office
management system which would include a phone upgrade and a computer network
system, possibly including one or more new computers. AG and EA will thrash
this out and develop a needs list.
Review and assignment of task list
for 2nd half of 2007 (Priorities). The list was reviewed and updated. It is attached to these
minutes.
This meeting was adjourned with a
closing prayer at 9:05 pm.
The next scheduled HTC vestry
meeting will be:
THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2007, 7:00 PM
*******Building and Grounds September 13, 2007
Report*******
August was a transition month, with a focus on Rectory exterior
renovation planning. The key activities were:
·
Completed the restoration of the Church rear storm
window covering the stain glass window- work was accomplished by the
Architectural Preservation Group of Warwick at a cost of $3136. The panes are
now unbreakable UV resistant Lexan which replaced breakable non-tempered window
panes which had been damaged.
·
Scheduled the Rectory garage door replacement for
Friday Sept 14th. Co-ordinated garage availability with the Rectory tenants.
·
General carpentry repairs were completed in August
on the Rectory window sills and door frames in preparation for pressure washing
and painting of the Rectory exterior late in September by Smitty’s Painting Co of Warren.($3850)
·
Received quotes from Horner for the Rectory garage
side door replacement @ $248 for a steel door with 9 lites (glass panels) and
brass hinges; and aluminum cladding of all window frames @$1365.
·
The new stainless steel grill was purchased by Larry
Gadsby for approximately $600 and assembled and located in upper level of the
backyard Patio- its first use was on Sunday Sept 9 after the 10AM Service- it
worked perfectly grilling hamburgers and hot dogs for all attending, and a
great time was had by all- hopefully the first of many welcoming Parish
gatherings.
·
The new solar powered fountain was installed and
operating late in August.
·
A Draft of the Space Utilization Committee mission
statement has been prepared.
******Holy
Trinity Church Project List*******
July-December
2007
Project Person responsible Date due
1) Audit- midyear letter - DP
2) Space utilization committee - BL
3) Summer Festival- CT (Done)
4) Christmas Fair- date/committee – AG
to find leader
5) Building safety & security - AL
6) Building use guidelines - AG
8) Rectory upgrade – BL
9) Newsletter - AG
10) Fall building & grounds clean
up – TBD
11) Stewardship campaign- chair - TBD
12) Broadband service - AG
13) Godly Play expansion and needs - MZ
14) Vestry retreat – Next Year 2008
15) Fire dept connect – BL (2008)