Board Meeting 4/23/2017
Board Meeting 4/23/2017
Present:
Board Members: Bruce, Barbara, D’On, Paul
Visitor: Harold M
Harold gave us an update on the pledge drive.
We went over the list of non-responders:
Many are visitors/friends. We shouldn’t take time following up with these people.
8-10 members haven’t pledged. Bruce suggested people who should be followed up on; he will send the list to Barbara Ross who has volunteered to make phone calls.
D’On distributed a revised budget with total expenses of $78,411. With today’s pledges we are $11,000 short. Bruce will send out a letter to ask people to consider increasing their pledges. The messages he will include in the letter are: we don’t have sufficient pledges to support a half time minister; we want to make up $7,000 of the shortfall. We’ll have hard choices to make next month.
Bruce will talk with Craig to update him on the current situation and on our planned actions.
We discussed places where the budget might be cut:
Terminate Craig or cut his hours
Cut professional RE staff
Cut denominational dues
(All unpalatable.)
Paul suggests we ask for donations from former members who came to the anniversary celebration. There was not a lot of enthusiasm for that suggestion from others.
D’On expects us to end the current fiscal year with approximately $38,000 in the bank. So we could fund the shortfall out of savings. However, we have to be on a path to a balanced budget. We are OK with a deficit budget, but it should be more like $4,000 (half of this year’s deficit) than $11,000.
Harold suggests we have a year round fundraising effort/stewardship committee.
We will keep in touch via email over the next two weeks. D’On will prepare 3 different budgets to present on May 7 as possibilities to the congregation.
We moved the potluck to the following week, May 14, Mother’s Day. Barbara will let Sharai and Emé know. Barbara will also contact Barbara R and Hank about the Seniors’ meeting on 5/21.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Smith-Thomas