Minutes of the Vestry MeetingEmmanuel Episcopal Church Present: Father Robert Salamone, Father Edwin Beckham, Absent: Joe Clements, Nancy McDuff Guest: Katrina Evans Fr. Robert called the meeting to order at John Becker gave the devotion sharing a personal story of his own transformation from thought to believing. Emmanuel is at a transition point and the Vestry and communicants need to believe to get to the next step. Information/Discussion Items: Katrina Evans, the architect advisor for the planning committee, presented the results of the Building Program to assess the space, functionality, and square footage that Emmanuel currently has and what is needed. Cost estimates were included. The project can be broken down into components and phases. Fr. Robert noted that both needs and dreams were represented in this plan. Earlier plans showed no room for growth. Fr. Robert gave an update on the Stewardship Campaign. Pledge cards had been mailed and he gave statistics on the early pledges received. For the Vestry Nominating Committee, Naomi presented the slate of eight: Butch Bush, Brian Freese, Sean Hogan, Matt Humphrey, Sandy Jarrett, Mary Moore, Bekki Sizemore-Wagner, and Carter Stanfield. Five will be elected and the other candidates will be given leadership roles for 1 year. The slate will be introduced on Sunday, November 1, at the Vestry Forum. The candidates will be urged to make comments. Their statements will be published in a special edition of the Tower in mid-November. Marty reported on the Capital Campaign consultant interviews. The committee researched and spoke to eleven firms, conducted interviews with The James Company, RSI Company, Generis Company, and Cox Curry Company. They narrowed the field to The James Company and RSI. Marty will call the two firms for dates in November for interviews with the Vestry. It is important for all Vestry to attend. Naomi requested that if anyone on the Vestry had a strong need to have a certain question answered in the consultant interview, the question should be sent to the ad hoc Screening Committee; she gave the Committee the list of all questions submitted by Vestry members. The committee will choose a set of 4-6 common questions to be asked of each firm during the interviews.
Naomi updated the Vestry on the activities of the Ad Hoc Planning Committee and presented a bid from AS-Built CAD, a firm recommended by Katrina Evans, to prepare drawings of our current facilities. This is an important preliminary step to a building campaign. Vince and Lisa presented the proposed list of grants from the Thrift House. The total of the recommended grants was $11,800 (with a balance remaining of $0.26). The Thrift House was commended by the Vestry for their willingness to award all their funds. Matthew and Chuck gave an update on the Huddle House property. Since the last Vestry meeting Matthew spoke with Robin Smith, owner of the property, and realtor Charlie Upchurch. Smith is willing to sell now, but the Huddle House has a lease to remain in their current lease of the property until June 2011. Chuck spoke with two companies about doing a phase one environmental site inspection and a pre-demolition asbestos assessment. These are precautionary routine procedures and the estimated cost is approximately $3000. According to the land lease with Robin Smith Emmanuel has the first right of refusal if someone else offers to buy the property. Matthew suggested Emmanuel offer $185,000 to $195,000 to purchase the Huddle House building with two contingencies: if any environmental problems are discovered on the site that the tenant created, the owner would be responsible for fixing them; and that the Huddle House would have to relinquish the property at the end of their lease (6/2011). Naomi introduced the idea that there be developed a policy on hiring parishioners by Emmanuel. There is no policy now and she asked the question, “Should there be?” John said he can forward information on non-profit organizations and this issue. Matthew will survey other Episcopal churches and/or dioceses about their policy and will report back at the November meeting and, perhaps, present a draft policy. Naomi also presented the question of changing the size of the Emmanuel Vestry. The General Convention recommended that a seat on the Vestry be reserved for a youth (age 16-18). Fr. Edwin said a seat for a youth fits well with Emmanuel’s philosophy on youth formation. Any change to the size or make-up of the Vestry requires a By-Laws amendment. There was a unanimous vote to pursue these issues. Dee and Matt will prepare a proposed change in our bylaws on these issues at the November meeting. Junior Warden’s Report: John announced that key codes would be changed on November 2. A final walk-through of the roof repair – roof, slate, gutters, and flatwork – had been completed. John talked to the contractor, Todd Zirk, about the patina that was supposed to be applied to the gutters and downspouts. It should have been applied before the final painting and stone work. If applied now, it could get on the wood and stone. John will talk to Todd Zirk about applying the patina medium on the copper and about getting Zirk to warrant that he will be responsible for fixing any “damage” to wood or paint that may result from his failure to have applied the patina before installing the copper. John also recommended to future junior wardens that pressure washing not be used on paint on the outside of the buildings. Senior Warden’s Report: In the interest of time, Naomi referred the Vestry to her written report. She reminded the Vestry that they are scheduled to serve as greeters on November 1 and 8. Action Items: Motion: Vince moved to accept the slate of the Vestry Nominating Committee: Butch Bush, Brian Freese, Sean Hogan, Matt Humphrey, Sandy Jarrett, Mary Moore, Bekki Sizemore-Wagner, and Carter Stanfield. The motion was seconded and passed. Motion: Naomi moved to approve the hiring of As-Built CAD for the sum of $2123.55 to document the floor plans and the three main elevations as described by Emmanuel’s representative, Katrina Evans. The motion was seconded and passed. Motion: Lisa moved to approve the recommendations of the Thrift House as submitted in the MEMC report for grants totaling $11,800. The motion was seconded and passed. Motion: Matthew moved to 1) charge Matthew with offering the sellers of the Huddle House building an amount not to exceed $195,000, with the contingencies that the Huddle House operators must relinquish their right to renew at the end of the lease period (June 2011) and that Emmanuel receives satisfactory environmental studies reports and 2) to hire Geo Hydro at a cost of $3,000 to complete phase 1 environmental studies and Pre-demolition Asbestos Inspection and Universal Waste Inventory on the Huddle House. The motion was seconded and passed. Financial Review: In In reviewing the draft of the 2010 Budget, Naomi requested that each commission chair place their budget request for Closing Items: The Vestry members provided the dates each is available for interviews of the two firms for consultant in the Capital Campaign. Marty will determine the dates after contacting the firms. Good of the Order: Lisa thanked Janie Price and Priscilla Golley for their work in reorganizing and reenergizing the Thrift House. Fr. Edwin shared that the Young Adults Retreat at Marty said that a friend visiting Emmanuel was “blown away” by the whole experience at Emmanuel including the Adult Forum on the stewardship topic, “Why Emmanuel?” Marty also commended Naomi’s article in the Tower sharing her feelings and ideas on “Why Emmanuel?” Matthew reported that the fundraiser for CASA raised $10,000 for the cottage renovation and $10,000 for operations. The meeting was adjourned at Respectfully submitted by Lee Albright, Clerk of the Vestry Approved by: Absent: Joe Clements, Nancy McDuff
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