Minutes of the Board of Trustees
First Unitarian Society Madison, Wisconsin
Minutes
Board of Trustees
First Unitarian Society
Madison, Wisconsin
June 14, 2006 7:00 p.m.
Lower Meeting House
Present:
Officers:
Alan Knox, President
Pat Anderson, President-Elect
Tom Detmer, Secretary
Jim Jaeger, Past President and Acting Treasurer
Council Trustees:
Lorna Aaronson
Barb Avery
Kathy Luker
John Mathis
Ministers:
Kelly Crocker, Associate Minister
Scott Prinster, Associate Minister
Staff:
Susan Koenig, Church Administrator
Jim Christensen, Facilities Project Coordinator
Observers:
Laurie Joiner, President Elect
Nancy Kosseff, Trustee Elect
Ann Smiley, Friends Board
Visitors:
CALL TO ORDER
After an
opening and chalice lighting by Tom Detmer, Alan Knox
called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and reviewed the agenda.
CONSENT ITEMS
MOTION made to approve the following Consent Items:
- Approval of minutes from May 17, 2006 – Exhibit 1
- Susan Koenig requested changes in the financial report section.
- Motion CARRIED
RECOGNITION OF ALAN, JIM AND LORNA
The board offered its personal thoughts about how each of Alan, Jim and Lorna have contributed to the Board and its work.
NEW BUILDING PLANS UPDATE
To meet core priorities TKWA has redesigned the building addition in a scaled back version. Susan summarized the scaled back version. See Exhibit 2.
We need to determine what program areas to protect during our facilities construction. One likely possibility is to move our religious education program (but not childcare) offsite during the 07-08 year. There are other items to consider as well such as adult education.
We are looking into hiring an owner’s representative and a preservation consultant. We are learning more about the preservation projects and what is entailed. The decisions that are required are more involved that we thought. It is getting more unrealistic that we can get this done this summer. For example, do we add heating system weight into the roof after we replaster the ceiling and at that point likely damage the plaster? Do we go with the final and third choice finish on the wood last used or do we use the original first choice finish? Where will decision making authority be vested for this project?
There was a spirited discussion of who has the authority to make decisions on what must be done in order to get it done. One limitation is a lack of guiding principles. It could be done de facto or we could take time to develop it but it will take a long time. To make progress we need to delegate responsibility with the board backing the team up.
It was MOVED to delegate to the management team the authority to make decisions to carry out the parish resolution of May 7, 2006, with due consideration to the Historic Structures Report, our national landmark status, the historic preservation consultant and any covenants administered by the State Historical Society. Pat Anderson moved to pass the resolution and Barb Avery seconded it. The motion CARRIED.
TREASURER’S REPORT
A brief treasurer’s report was made. Refer to the reports in Exhibit 3. It looks like we may end the year at break even or with a smaller deficit than budgeted. The pledge campaign for the next fiscal year is currently at $1,012,000. There was a discussion of the allocation of interest on our credit line to capital projects so that it does not have to be carried as a current expense. These loans are for the capital improvements so this seems to be a reasonable approach. We began doing this with the May 2006 interest payment.
DISCUSSION OF ASSIGNMENTS OF AT-LARGE TRUSTEES TO COUNCILS
Barb Avery conducted a survey of the trustees affected and send around a handout of the results. Exhibit 4. The discussion centered on the respective roles of the liaison trustees and the management team with the councils. It was decided to develop a list of directed questions before the July 2006 Board meeting. This will be developed by Barb, who will send them out to the council chairs and the liaison trustees. Barb will compile the responses in preparation for further Board discussion on the role of the liaison.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by
to adjourn. CARRIED
Meeting was adjourned at 9:28 p.m. after a closing by Jim Jaeger.
Minutes by, Tom Detmer, First Unitarian Society Board Secretary with assistance by Susan Koenig, former Secretary.
EXHIBITS
- Minutes of May 17, 2006
- Revised facilities plans prepared by TKWA
- Financial statements
- At Large Trustee Survey
