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Executive Council Minutes
March 20, 2012
Wilsey Conference Center A/B, Grace Cathedral
The meeting was called to order at 4:35 PM by Lauran Pifke, Chair of Executive Council. The opening prayer was offered by Gabriela Strand Bruce.
I. Attendance:
Executive Council Members Present: Ade Adekunle, David Boone, Gabriela Strand Bruce, Matthew Burt, Dana Corsello, Gary Hunt, Bronwen Howes, Joe Jennings, Christopher Martin, Vice-chair, Donald Mullikan, Richard Patenaude, Brenda Paulin, Secretary, Lauran Pifke, Chair, Sylvia Vasquez, Leslie Watson, Earl Clinton Williams, Jr., Mary Jane Wood.
Conference Phone:Clay Jones, Jay Luther.
Bishops Appointees: Merry Chan Ong, Mauricio Wilson, Don White.
Ex-officio Members: Mary Vargas and AnnaMarie Hoos, Standing Committee co- representatives, Robert McCaskill, Treasurer of the Diocese, David Frangquist, Secretary of Convention, Christopher Hayes, Chancellor of the Diocese.
Diocesan House Staff: Jim Forsyth, Controller, Tom Ferguson, CFO, Michael Barlowe, Canon to the Ordinary, Julia McCray Goldsmith, Discipleship Ministries.
II. Approval of Consent Agenda: (Attached and filed)
The Consent Agenda including the following was approved:
A. Meeting agenda
B. Minutes- February 21, 2012 (Attached and filed).
C. Announcements:
- Information regarding June 2nd event was emailed to all congregations last week.
- All webinar materials have been archived.
- Training Events (similar to Equipping the Beloved Community, events) will now be done by deaneries. Thefirst event will be hosted by the peninsula Deanery in May.
- The Interim Communications staff position has been posted and resumes are being received.
III. Discussion: Governance--Led by Richard Patenaude (written attachment sent to council members).
The discussion centered on group norms. The group was divided into pairs to share positive and negative norms and their effect on the life of the group. Ideas from discussion:
More time needed for brainstorming;
Importance of timing of each element of a meeting (not using an open agenda, establishing and honoring time);
Consensus Building verses voting;
Actually giving time for questions to be asked ;
Respect time and need to flash out issues- take back to committee when necessary;
Make time for decisions.
The committee will consider these suggestions and bring back ideas for norms for Executive Council meetings.
IV. Finance Committee/February Financial Reports (February Financial Reports attached and filed with the minutes) Bob McCaskill offered the report.
A. The Finance Committee convened on March 13, 2012 and reviewed in detail the three statements included in the meeting packet for the March meeting. In the Income Statement the Assessments line shows that our assessment receipts through 2/29/12 are very close to budget. The YTD expenses are slightly below budget.
B. The Aging report shows that other than Ohlhoff Ministries, there are no other institutions with payroll or benefits over 60 days delinquent.
C. Union Bank line of Credit shows no significant changes since last month’s report.
D. Ohlhoff Receivables.
- The Ohlhoff Recovery Program has for many years owed the following delinquent amounts to the Diocese:
$343,148 of prior year payroll & benefits;
$91,500 borrowed under the line of credit.
- In February 2011 Joe Gough gave a presentation to Executive Council indicating that Ohlhoff was trying to sell its Marin building, and intended to use the proceeds to pay off the Diocese.
- Ohlhoff’s Marin property is now in escrow. Unfortunately, the net proceeds of that sale will be less than $100,000(vs. the $434,148 owed to the Diocese).
- Ohlhoff is still in need of operating capital, although discontinuing the Marin programs will help their monthly cash flow in the future. They have negotiated with the Diocese and agreed to pay the following amounts to the Diocese:
50% of the proceeds from the Marin sale (about $45,000)
$4,000 per month until the debt to the Diocese is paid off (can take as long as ten years).
- Christopher Hayes is reviewing and updating our lien against Ohlhoff’s San Francisco property, which now serves as our security on the amounts owed to the Diocese.
E.Lyon Street Improvements--The Finance Committee reviewed the recommended approval of the request from Standing Committee that $250,000 be used for the improvements to the Lyon St. property, as recommended by the Bishop’s Compensation Committee (committee members—Brenda Paulin , Gabriela Strand Bruce, Roulhac Austin, Bob McCaskill).
It was motioned seconded and approvedthat Executive Councilapprovesthe expenditure of up to $250,000 for improvements to The Lyon St. property as recommended by Standing Committee.
F. Other Projected Cash Requirements for 2012--There are a number of projects that will require cash investments this year that are not in the Diocesan budget for 2012.
Lyon Street Improvements--$250,000
Development Officer Position--$70, 000(approved last month)
Dougherty Valley initiative--$150,000
The above three projects total $466,000 which will utilize the entire cash surplus from 2011(about $470,000).
In addition to the above items, there are substantive improvements that will need to be made to St. James, Oakland’s property for its intended use as an East Bay multicultural center. These costs will likely need to be funded by a separate fundraising effort.
The Diocese is also faced with the probability of having to pay off the following debts of St. Michael’s and All Angels (which has now requested that it be converted to mission status):
$312,000 bank loan due later this year
$ 59,000 owed to Union Bank under the line of credit
The Diocese will be able to borrow funds from Union Bank to cover these loans when they come due, but will ultimately need to identify a source of funds to cover these costs.
V. Action: Confirmation of new appointments to Assessment Appeals Committee; Program & Budget; Finance Committee:
A. It was motioned seconded and approved to make the followingnew appointments to the Assessment Appeals Committee.
Malcolm Young-Chair, Mauricio Wilson- Representative from Executive Council;Lisa Striebing
B. It was motioned seconded and approved to appoint Bob McCaskill, chair of Program and Budget.
C.It was motioned seconded and approved to appoint Clay Jones and Lauran Pifke as representatives from Executive Council to the Finance Committee.
D. Committee Rosters:
Program & Budget
Joe Jennings (SF)
Clay Jones (Peninsula)
Mauricio Wilson (Alameda)
Gary Hunt (Contra Costa)
Jay Luther (Marin)
Lauran Pifke (So. Alameda)
Tom Ferguson
Jim Forsyth
Bob McCaskill, Chair *
Finance Committee
Betsy Munz
Gabriela Strand Bruce
Peggy Greene
Roulhac Austin
Shelton Ensley
Lauran Pifke *
Clay Jones *
Tom Ferguson
Christopher Hayes
Bob McCaskill, Chair
Assessment Appeals Committee
Bob Brooks
Gabriela Strand Bruce
Julie Wakelee Lynch
Bronwen Howes
Jay Watan
Lisa Striebing *
Mauricio Wilson *
Jim Forsyth (Note: Since Jim Forsyth has formally retired from diocesan staff, he may beformally appointed to the Assessment Appeals Committee)
Malcolm Young, Chair *
* New appointments to Committees.
VI. Bishop’s Report –Michael Barlow, Canon to the Ordinary and Julia McCray Goldsmith Discipleship Ministries (for Bishop Marc).
A. Michael Barlowe reported that Bishop Marc is attending the House of Bishops meeting at the Camp Allen camp and retreat Center in Navasota, Texas and will be back by the end of the month. Cn. Barlowe commented on the Diocesan day of Learning, Sharing, and celebration for the entire diocese on Saturday June second. Bishop Marc and the Church Vitality group of Executive Council will host this day with plenary speaker Donald Romanik, president of the Episcopal Church Foundation. The Day will conclude with ordinations at 3 p.m. in Grace Cathedral.
St. Timothy’s and St.Mary’s,(two of the largest congregations in the Diocese) and Christ Church Sausalito are interviewing Rector finalists. The Rector of Christ Church, Alameda has resigned.
The rector of St. Michael’s and All Angels retired before Lent. Cn. Barlowe told Executive Council that he has met with the vestry to talk aboutthe school which is structured so poor working families can attend. There is much tension and many questions. St. Michael’s has now requested that it be converted to Mission Status.
There are four small struggling churches in East Contra Costa that need assistance: St. Michaels, Concord, St. John’s, Clayton, St. George’s, Antioch, St. Alban’s, Brentwood. This is the fastest growing part of the Diocese and the growth is both multicultural and international.
B. Julia McCray Goldsmith offered the following report to be included in the Executive Council minutes.
There are many recent positive developments in ministry with young people.
20+ Kids from 4 parishes attended the diocesan conformation retreat (in its second program year)
28 kids at Happening 29
Just extended offers to 6 new interns for the 2012-2013 year of the Episcopal Service Corps program
Team which included Bob McCaskill, Richard Schaper, Tom Ferguson, Clay Jones and Julia McCray Goldsmith met on Tuesday 3/6 and began the conversation that should result in a job description which will include support for parish-based stewardship. This should be available for review soon.
Other positive stewardship-related efforts include the webinars (now all archived and available to anyone), the stewardship version of which will be featured in the upcoming TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship) newsletter. Also stewardship training will be offered as clergy continuing education at the upcoming (May) session of Fresh Start; and also at the Saturday May 5TH deanery- based “Equipping the Beloved Community” event, which will be hosted at Trinity, Menlo Park. Special thanks to Matthew Burt for his leadership in organizing this event for the Peninsula Deanery.
VII. Report from the Metrics task Force: Leslie Watson offered a brief report. There will be a written report in April.
VIII. Old Business:
A. 2013 Executive Council Retreat -The report was offered by Brenda Paulin. As a result of the second “doodle” sent by Brenda the 2013 retreat is scheduled for Wed. afternoonJanuary 9 through Fri. noon January 11. Brenda will check with the ranch to confirm that the dates are still open.
B. Saint Dorothy’s Rest:Christopher Hayes reported that the purchase of the property should close in about a month.
IX. New Business:
A. Executive Council members asked that a written report from the Standing Committee be placed on the consent agenda each month.
Mary Vargas offered a short report from the standing committee. She mentioned the meeting of Lauran Pifke and Christopher Martin with the Standing Committee and the decision to have a regular meeting between the officers of Executive Council and the Standing Committee along with a sharing of minutes between the two committees.
B. There was a short discussion and comments on the new format for the meeting. The following were discussed:
The attachments noted in the minutes are included in the meeting packet or distributed individually. A final copy of the minutes for each month with the attachments is filed in Diocesan House;
Please give a written copy of the wording of resolutions to the Secretary of Executive Council (also to the recording secretary);
Announcements will be included in the consent agenda, send them to Lauran two weeks before the meeting.
X. Closing Prayer and Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned in prayer by Gary Hunt at 6:30 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted
Mary Louise Gotthold
Recording Secretary
Brenda Paulin
Secretary of Executive Council
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