Galilee Church Vestry Minutes
Galilee Church Vestry Minutes 15 March 2016
Present Father Andy Buchanan Sally Kitchin Price Clarke John Parker Absent
Polly Altizer Richard Corner Page Lea Cindee Riordan
Debbie Brady Molly Rueger Jimmy Jordan
Jodie Berndt Archie Simmons
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 7:04 pm
Prayer
Offered by Father Andy
Approval of February Minutes The minutes of the February Vestry meeting were approved. Rector’s Report Student Ministry Father Andy has arranged for the student ministry leaders to present a vision/report at the Vestry retreat meeting on March 19. Lent Groups The Lent Groups were well attended with 220 people participating. A similar program, to be offered in the summer, is being contemplated. Holy Week Although Sunday service attendance was low this past week due to the scheduling of spring break for many private schools and to the switch to daylight savings time, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday are expected to be well-attended and to present parking challenges. The Shamrock Marathon takes place on Palm Sunday so sextons will be on duty to restrict the parking lot to parishioners attending services. On both Easter and Palm Sundays, weekend sextons will direct parking and possibly use carts to carry parishioners to and from the lower lot. The availability of off-site parking areas will be republicized to direct the anticipated increase in vehicles to alternate areas. Mark Riley St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hampton has extended Mark Riley’s contract. An ordination ceremony will be held at St. John’s on April 6, at 7:00 pm.
Rector’s Education Father Andy will be gone for three weeks in June to attend classes toward his degree. Reverends Kate and Nigel will be available for parishioners during the week at that time.
Senior Warden’s Report Liability Insurance Page Lea distributed a memorandum from Hugh Patterson regarding Vestry member liability. Both Virginia and federal statutes provide protection to Vestry members as volunteers and Galilee’s directors and officer liability insurance can provide funds for legal defense fees. Vestry Retreat The Vestry Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at Galilee Church with a pre-meeting dinner at 6:30 pm on March 18. Agenda items will include the following: responsibilities of Vestry; a discussion of an article concerning church size and dynamics; plans for the year from Father Andy and the ministry team; a roundtable on youth leadership with a presentation on the goals, vision, and progress from the children’s ministry, student ministry, and Montessori school. Ministry Liaisons In response to last meeting’s request for updates to the Vestry liaisons, the following changes were noted: John Parker will act as liaison and chair of the personnel committee; Archie Simmons, as Treasurer, with act as liaison on the finance committee; Jodie Berndt will join Polly Altizer as liaison for Christian Formation.
Junior Warden’s Report Cavalier Property Acquisition Richard Corner presented the Junior Warden’s report. The City has yet to approve the site plan for the re-grading of the property bordering the area to be acquired by Galilee for additional parking. All other requirements are in place to close on the property, however, the City timeline for approving the plan is not known. Plans are in process to rebuild the dumpster pad with an enclosure to recapture one parking space lost with the installation of the new larger recycle bin. Ocean Hills Drainage A drainage pipe on Galilee property that was plugged and covered with grass for the safety of the Montessori school children has resulted in ponding of storm water on Ocean Cut Lane in Ocean Hills. Jeb Britton has asked Galilee to allow Ocean Hills to reinstall the pipe and redirect the water to the retention basin. Hugh Patterson’s recommendation is that Ocean Hills should solve the problem properly and tie their storm water drainage into the city lines. Galilee’s granting of such a request would permanently encumber the property. Although the amount of storm water currently ponding is not significant, the question is open whether Galilee’s retention basin could handle the additional redirected water volume. As the Vestry is opposed to permanently encumbering the property with such an easement, Page will contact Jeb Britton at Ocean Hills and urge him to attempt to solve their problem through City channels first.
Treasurer’s Report Page Lea delivered the Treasurer’s report for February in Archie Simmons’ absence due to illness. The monthly revenues were significantly above budget due to one large pledge for 2015 completed in 2016 and to the January fifth-Sunday deposits made in February. Monthly expenses were 1% below budget, the year-to-date operating surplus is $89,381 above budget and year-to-date attendance was up over last year due in part to comparing 9 Sundays to-date in 2016 versus 8 Sundays in 2015. Given current market fluctuations, the Vestry had agreed to delay the second installment of the Diocesan Fund investment until the Foundation Board had met and could clarify the pricing of the investments. However, because the Board meeting was postponed due to weather and there is no issue on valuation at the end of a quarter, a motion was made, seconded, and approved to make the second investment installment to the Diocesan Fund on April 1, 2016.
Old Business Purchase Agreement As the closing date for the purchase of the Cavalier property is expected within 2-3 weeks, a resolution was made to authorize the Trustees, Richard Corner and Cindee Riordan, to enter into a purchase agreement with Cavalier Associates for the property known as the Cavalier Property. The purchase agreement is an installment agreement with a down payment of up to $80,000, with no prepayment penalty. The resolution was passed unanimously by the Vestry. A large portion of the $325,000 purchase price of the property has already been pledged by a group of Galilee parishioners, however, the opportunity to contribute to this effort will be announced to all members during Sunday services, with a letter to be mailed in April. In addition to the purchase price, it is expected that improvements, included $35,000 for paving, will total $75-100,000. Audio Enhancements and Assistive Listening Technology Jimmy Jordan, at the request of a parishioner, inquired whether any assistive listening technology has been considered to accommodate hearing-challenged parishioners. The effectiveness and costs of wireless systems with Bluetooth technology is being researched, however, further plans are on hold until the completion of the replacement of tiles in the balcony which is part of an acoustics plan to reduce noise confusion in the sanctuary.
Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 pm.
Next Meeting
19 April 2016
Present Father Andy Buchanan Sally Kitchin Price Clarke John Parker Absent
Polly Altizer Richard Corner Page Lea Cindee Riordan
Debbie Brady Molly Rueger Jimmy Jordan
Jodie Berndt Archie Simmons
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 7:04 pm
Prayer
Offered by Father Andy
Approval of February Minutes The minutes of the February Vestry meeting were approved. Rector’s Report Student Ministry Father Andy has arranged for the student ministry leaders to present a vision/report at the Vestry retreat meeting on March 19. Lent Groups The Lent Groups were well attended with 220 people participating. A similar program, to be offered in the summer, is being contemplated. Holy Week Although Sunday service attendance was low this past week due to the scheduling of spring break for many private schools and to the switch to daylight savings time, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday are expected to be well-attended and to present parking challenges. The Shamrock Marathon takes place on Palm Sunday so sextons will be on duty to restrict the parking lot to parishioners attending services. On both Easter and Palm Sundays, weekend sextons will direct parking and possibly use carts to carry parishioners to and from the lower lot. The availability of off-site parking areas will be republicized to direct the anticipated increase in vehicles to alternate areas. Mark Riley St. John’s Episcopal Church in Hampton has extended Mark Riley’s contract. An ordination ceremony will be held at St. John’s on April 6, at 7:00 pm.
Rector’s Education Father Andy will be gone for three weeks in June to attend classes toward his degree. Reverends Kate and Nigel will be available for parishioners during the week at that time.
Senior Warden’s Report Liability Insurance Page Lea distributed a memorandum from Hugh Patterson regarding Vestry member liability. Both Virginia and federal statutes provide protection to Vestry members as volunteers and Galilee’s directors and officer liability insurance can provide funds for legal defense fees. Vestry Retreat The Vestry Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at Galilee Church with a pre-meeting dinner at 6:30 pm on March 18. Agenda items will include the following: responsibilities of Vestry; a discussion of an article concerning church size and dynamics; plans for the year from Father Andy and the ministry team; a roundtable on youth leadership with a presentation on the goals, vision, and progress from the children’s ministry, student ministry, and Montessori school. Ministry Liaisons In response to last meeting’s request for updates to the Vestry liaisons, the following changes were noted: John Parker will act as liaison and chair of the personnel committee; Archie Simmons, as Treasurer, with act as liaison on the finance committee; Jodie Berndt will join Polly Altizer as liaison for Christian Formation.
Junior Warden’s Report Cavalier Property Acquisition Richard Corner presented the Junior Warden’s report. The City has yet to approve the site plan for the re-grading of the property bordering the area to be acquired by Galilee for additional parking. All other requirements are in place to close on the property, however, the City timeline for approving the plan is not known. Plans are in process to rebuild the dumpster pad with an enclosure to recapture one parking space lost with the installation of the new larger recycle bin. Ocean Hills Drainage A drainage pipe on Galilee property that was plugged and covered with grass for the safety of the Montessori school children has resulted in ponding of storm water on Ocean Cut Lane in Ocean Hills. Jeb Britton has asked Galilee to allow Ocean Hills to reinstall the pipe and redirect the water to the retention basin. Hugh Patterson’s recommendation is that Ocean Hills should solve the problem properly and tie their storm water drainage into the city lines. Galilee’s granting of such a request would permanently encumber the property. Although the amount of storm water currently ponding is not significant, the question is open whether Galilee’s retention basin could handle the additional redirected water volume. As the Vestry is opposed to permanently encumbering the property with such an easement, Page will contact Jeb Britton at Ocean Hills and urge him to attempt to solve their problem through City channels first.
Treasurer’s Report Page Lea delivered the Treasurer’s report for February in Archie Simmons’ absence due to illness. The monthly revenues were significantly above budget due to one large pledge for 2015 completed in 2016 and to the January fifth-Sunday deposits made in February. Monthly expenses were 1% below budget, the year-to-date operating surplus is $89,381 above budget and year-to-date attendance was up over last year due in part to comparing 9 Sundays to-date in 2016 versus 8 Sundays in 2015. Given current market fluctuations, the Vestry had agreed to delay the second installment of the Diocesan Fund investment until the Foundation Board had met and could clarify the pricing of the investments. However, because the Board meeting was postponed due to weather and there is no issue on valuation at the end of a quarter, a motion was made, seconded, and approved to make the second investment installment to the Diocesan Fund on April 1, 2016.
Old Business Purchase Agreement As the closing date for the purchase of the Cavalier property is expected within 2-3 weeks, a resolution was made to authorize the Trustees, Richard Corner and Cindee Riordan, to enter into a purchase agreement with Cavalier Associates for the property known as the Cavalier Property. The purchase agreement is an installment agreement with a down payment of up to $80,000, with no prepayment penalty. The resolution was passed unanimously by the Vestry. A large portion of the $325,000 purchase price of the property has already been pledged by a group of Galilee parishioners, however, the opportunity to contribute to this effort will be announced to all members during Sunday services, with a letter to be mailed in April. In addition to the purchase price, it is expected that improvements, included $35,000 for paving, will total $75-100,000. Audio Enhancements and Assistive Listening Technology Jimmy Jordan, at the request of a parishioner, inquired whether any assistive listening technology has been considered to accommodate hearing-challenged parishioners. The effectiveness and costs of wireless systems with Bluetooth technology is being researched, however, further plans are on hold until the completion of the replacement of tiles in the balcony which is part of an acoustics plan to reduce noise confusion in the sanctuary.
Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 pm.
Next Meeting
19 April 2016
