Splinters From The Board Archive
Board Highlights January 2020: A New Board Member and Prepping for the Pledge Drive
TREASURER AND STEWARDSHIP PREP FOR SPRING DRIVE
Say thanks to Larry Weiner for stepping up at a crucial time of year.
On January 14, the UUSM Board of Directors welcomed new Member at Large Larry Weiner. He replaces Nina Emerson, who resigned for health reasons. Attending board members took turns reading items from their new covenant, developed during their recent retreat.
The board did an initial run-through of the fiscal 2019–20 budget at a special meeting on January 7. At this early stage it was only possible to look at potential expenses. The income side awaits the results of the spring pledge drive.
The Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae reported that the sanctuary has on some Sundays exceeded capacity, and he is working with greeters and ushers to be sure seating is fully utilized. He was pleased with the reception of his “Jesus: The Radical” sermon, (email Sibylla Nash at oos@uusm.org to request a copy of the sermon $10) having received more requests for copies than any sermon he has preached (email Sibylla Nash at oos@uusm.org to request a copy of the sermon for $10). A safety plan was in place for the Christmas services, in order to coordinate responses in case of an emergency. Rev. Jeremiah instituted a more active staff appreciation effort around the holidays. He is currently working closely with the Stewardship Committee on the video portion of their pledge drive: they have already filmed a number of members’ comments.
UUSM Treasurer Vilma Ortiz reported that the Finance Committee will consider suggested changes to the proposed budget at its February 9 meeting. She proposed three motions: 1. to approve that the $30,000 from the estate of Ray Goodman be invested by UUSM in the Unitarian Universalist Common Endowment Fund (UUCEF), with earnings to go to the Minister’s Education Fund as per Ray’s wishes; 2. to approve that the pledge year be adjusted to match the church’s fiscal year, July 1 to June 30. Both these motions passed. Her third motion, to approve new procedures for rollover pledges (cases where Stewardship does not receive new instructions from a donor regarding their annual pledge), was tabled until February, so that President Jacki Weber could consult with staff at the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Member at Large Eileen McCormack, who is the board liaison to the Health and Safety Committee, reported the committee is well-staffed and actively working to develop a full-fledged safety plan.
Secretary Norm Richey presented a review of the first run of the nine-part Faith Forward membership-recruitment program. In general, it was well-received. He stated that, in addition to visitors, active members are encouraged to attend the next series of classes.
Board Highlights December 2019: Survey Says Single-Service Sundays Will Continue
The UUSM Board of Directors met on December 10, centered on a mission of fostering a culture of caring.
The board announced a new member, Rita deBoer, and encouraged congregants to welcome them on Sundays and to invite them into our work. In his Minister’s Report, Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae commented that November and December are particularly busy months. He is taking care that staff are not overextended.
With regard to Sunday services, Rev. Jeremiah contacted UUSM Minister Emerita Rev. Judith Meyer for her insight on two services. The congregational survey indicated that about half of us are happiest with one service at 10:00 am; the remainder spread over other options. The board determined that UUSM will continue with one service only on Sundays at 10:00 am, for the foreseeable future.
Jeremiah also reported that his 8 Elements of Effective Congregational Ministries has been well-received. The idea is for individual groups in the church to consider how to include each of the eight different elements in their ongoing work and relationships.
Our new-member program, Faith Forward, completed its first 9-week run. One of the best attended sessions included a conversation with the minister. Rev. Jeremiah reported that it was fun, and that he will start a practice of having a conversation with each prospective new member.
Rev. Jeremiah has been approached by We Are Uno, an outreach program committed to feeding the homeless. As part of their mission, they serve vegan meals and could potentially use our kitchen.
Taking a step toward fostering a culture of caring, Rev. Jeremiah is seeking a congregational chaplain, who may receive a per diem through ministry funds. This person would need to be knowledgeable in counseling and other pastoral care services.
In her treasurer’s report, UUSM Treasurer Vilma Ortiz stated that pledge income is up this month, as expected. She proposed three policies regarding 1. rollover pledges, 2. how to determine member numbers for UUA reporting and the UUSM Fair Share contribution, and 3. new member pledges. During budgeting, we give our best estimate of future pledge income, and instituting policies could help. After some discussion, the proposals were moved to the January agenda.
UUSM Board of Directors President Jacki Weber reported that a Stewardship Committee is now reconstituted and energetic, thanks to the profound impact of the shared study of the book The Soul of Money. The pledge calendar and beginning budgeting will start on January 7. Likewise, Member at Large Eileen McCormack reported that the ad hoc Health and Safety Committee has six energized members and will begin its assignment to implement new policies.
Board Highlights for November 2019: Finding Alignment with UUSM Goals and Values
COMMITTEE AND TASK FORCE REPORTS
2019-2020 UUSM Board of Directors: Beth Brownie, VP; Barbara Andres, Member at Large; Abby Arnold, Member at Large; Vilma Ortiz, Treasurer; Norm Richey, Secretary; Eileen McCormack, Member at Large; Ron Crane, Past President; Nina Emerson, Member at Large (resigned); Jacki Weber, President.
Nina Emerson has resigned from the Board for health reasons. We send her our caring thoughts.
A new UUSM member was read into the minutes: Boo Domesmuth. Please greet her when you see her.
Bev Shoenberger presented the latest efforts on behalf of Adult Religious Exploration (ARE). ARE is the umbrella committee for all adult opportunities and they are working to increase awareness of the many possibilities at UUSM. To that end, they are developing a marvelous booklet that sorts opportunities to help people more easily find church activities in which they are interested. The booklet will also clarify how each activity is in line with UUSM values. The Board voted to encourage ARE in its restructuring of activities and publicity efforts. Eileen McCormack agreed to be Board liaison to the ARE committee.
In his minister’s report, Rev. Jeremiah stated his desire to have each church group and committee give thought to how they are in line with the fundamental goals of our church (for example, regarding spirituality or social justice). This goal relates to The 8 Elements of Effective Congregational Ministries explained in a separate article. How do our committees reflect these congregational goals and how might we come closer to them? The hope is that each group will have a chance to consider its relationship to the 8 Elements by mid-February.
If you are interested in having Rev. Jeremiah attend your committee meeting, he is willing. Please contact him by email or in person after a service.
Rev. Jeremiah mentioned that he has been receiving feedback on our current single service at 10:00 am. A non-scientific assessment suggests that having a single service is a good idea, but a few people have commented that the service is too early in the morning. Vilma Ortiz has put together a short survey and has been sending it to the congregation. If you have not already done so, please answer it online. The survey provides an opportunity to state your feelings, beyond the simple questionnaire.
The Board approved a request by Audrey Lyness to support a program offered on Martin Luther King Day entitled “Confronting Structural Racism within Traditionally White Spaces: A Facilitated Dialogue.”
As treasurer, Vilma Ortiz updated the Board on the new Generous Congregation appropriation. Half of non-pledge donations on Sunday will now go to the specified organization for that week (or month). This is an increase from the previous 40%. Our income and expenses are both down from what was budgeted, with the effect that the deficit is about as much as budgeted. Efforts to increase revenue from other sources, e.g., weddings of non-members, are underway.
President Jacki Weber reported that the Stewardship book-study group has regularly had ten attendees. In that group, three have agreed to be part of the Stewardship Committee. The committee is in the process of putting together a timeline for a February pledge drive. The working theme is “Igniting Our Faith.” During December, various congregants will be interviewed for a video. How do we nurture our beloved community? How do we engage multiple generations and display a culture of abundance? These questions are the framework for the video.
The membership of the ad hoc Health and Safety Implementation Task Force is almost complete. This is an important effort. Please speak with Eileen McCormack if you are interested in joining the Task Force.
The Membership Committee’s new program, Faith Forward, has been quite popular. The most recent session was a Q&A with Rev. Jeremiah.
Each month, before a Board meeting, documents that will be referenced are put online and made accessible through a link in Thursday announcements. Sometimes last minute changes are made to these documents that will be available to the Board, but not the guests. If you plan to attend the Board meeting and would like the updated documents, please email Norm Richey before the meeting and he will supply you with the latest information. He will send these automatically to the regular visitors.
Board Highlights for September 2019: A New Year and a New Minister Bring Change
A NEW YEAR BRINGS EXCITING CHANGES
After check-in and reading the Board Covenant at the board meeting September 10, one new member was welcomed into the congregation: Frances Tibbits. Please welcome her when you see her.
Our new developmental minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, made his first Minister’s Report orally. In the future, he will also submit a written report. He mentioned his appreciation for the many welcomes he has received. He has meetings scheduled with numerous members already. He said that in his short time with us, he has gotten the impression that we are “over-functioning.” By this he meant that we are doing things with more urgency than necessary―but maybe it is his NoCal background.
In the Treasurer’s Report, Vilma Ortiz commented that pledge receipts so far this year are below projected levels. She also updated the board on efforts to create a texting option for Sunday donations. Soon, we will be able to donate quickly to Generous Congregation during the offertory: 40% goes to the selected Generous Congregation recipient organization, and 60% to the church.
UUSM Board President Jacki Weber reported on efforts to rejuvenate the Stewardship Committee, after it lost of some highly valued members. She received responses from nine people who are interested in a study group on money. Starting October 1, the group will discuss The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life, by Lynne Twist, in four parts―after Sunday services. If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Jacki.
On September 22 there will be a calendaring meeting, led by Board Member at Large Nina Emerson. The goal is to coordinate the timing of church-wide activities to maximize reach and success. All concerned committees are strongly encouraged to have at least one member attend.
One service continues through October
Jacki and Rev. Jeremiah put forward a proposal to keep with a single worship service each Sunday for a little longer this fall. (Previous Ingathering Sundays instigated the switch to two-service Sundays.) Rev. Jeremiah’s calculations of attendance suggest that we all fit comfortably within the capacity of the Sanctuary on almost all Sundays. The advantage this offers is to put the whole congregation in the same space, with the inherent combined energy and connectedness that offers. The board moved to support the minister’s recommendation to stay at one service through the month of October. The hours that the Music and RE staff work will not change.
The Safety Task Force is still forming. Eileen McCormack, board liaison for this activity, is hoping to get one person from each of several groups, for example ushers. If you are interested, please contact her.
Norm Richey was excited to update us on the first series of Faith Forward classes. The first group of nine classes is called The Enquirer Series and will start on October 6. The target audience is repeat visitors. Visitor Meet-Up on Sundays remains the first step in welcoming visitors; then they join the Enquirer Series. The order of classes is flexible, so someone can join at any point. The classes include subjects such as UU history, social action at UUSM, and a campus tour. Members will be able to attend, but future Enquirer Series sessions will be more geared toward members.
The exterior entrance to the sanctuary will soon have new doors and two new windows, thanks to a generous special donor! The board voted that the Facilities Development and Maintenance Committee will acquire and install the doors and hardware.
A new welcome class, a new entryway, and a united ingathering―all quite fitting for an exciting year ahead.
Board Highlights for August 2019: Beginning the Year with Several Initiatives
SAFETY, STEWARDSHIP, CALENDARING, AND MORE
ChaliceAt their first meeting of the new church year, members of the UUSM Board of Directors read statements from their new Board Covenant—developed during a June orientation. Because some members of the board are new, a quick orientation served to acclimatize them ahead of their upcoming retreat.
This past year, there were several calendaring snafus that could have been be avoided by improved church-wide calendaring. To that end, a Calendaring Session has been set for 12:30 pm, September 22, after second service. Nina Emerson will be inviting heads of committees to attend.
The new Finance Committee Charter was approved. It will be available on the UUSM.org website under “About Our Church.”
With the moving of Kit Shaw to Boston and the resignation of Gretchen Goetz from the Stewardship Committee, the committee is in serious need of new leadership. This call will be published in the Thursday Announcements. If you are interested in helping with this critical committee, please contact Jacki Weber, the board liaison to Stewardship.
Several members of our congregation attended a February workshop on Institutionalizing a Ministry of Generosity (IMG), focused on how organizations inspire generosity in their members—a willingness to donate their time, leadership, a welcoming spirit, money, etc. One way is to have well-defined volunteer roles. More specifics will be forthcoming as the board hears more from Developmental Minister the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae.
The board had a short discussion on the need for the church to use apps for communication and donations. A first question regarding apps is “What is the goal?” Nina Emerson is an IT person by day, and has expressed a willingness to help with development. This is another issue for Rev. Jeremiah.
Before his departure, the Rev. Greg Ward submitted an 80-page draft Congregational Safety Policy from the Safety Committee. The board voted to establish a Congregational Safety Implementation Task Force and approved a charter for the group. One early step includes gathering information on training the appropriate volunteers. Dan Patterson has agreed to attend a meeting at Neighborhood UU that will include volunteer training. Eileen McCormack agreed to be board liaison for this task force and to write an article for the newsletter seeking applications for the three-person group.
Beth Brownlie will be the board liaison to the Lifetime Religious Exploration Committee. That committee will be meeting with DRE Cleo Anderson, to begin implementing directions developed at the LRE workshop June 2.
Norm Richey has been working with the Membership Committee. He enthusiastically presented information about a program developed by UU Dallas, called Faith Forward. It comprises several 1-hour “classes” over many weeks, designed to deepen our understanding of our faith and our connection to the church. The board voted to purchase the first 22 weeks ($750), using membership support funds. The goal of the program is to shorten the timeline as people transition from visitor to member to leader.
-- Rebecca Crawford
Board Highlights for April 2019: A New Endowment and Budget Decision-Making
BOARD TACKLES 2019-20 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET
The UUSM Board of Directors met April 10, with a 16 congregants in the gallery. After check-in, the board got right to business.
There is one new member this month: Suzanne Rainey. Please welcome her, as you greet unfamiliar faces. The $6,000 Website Team funding, from last month’s discussion, will come from the Capital Building Reserve.
The Rev. Greg Ward’s Developmental Minister’s Report covered, most notably, his decision to resign from ministry at UUSM. His last Sunday will be June 23. He had great praise for the cochairs of the Stewardship Committee, Kit Shaw and Gretchen Goetz, for their highly organized pledge campaign – and for the wonderful Connectors, who were critical to the success of the pledge drive. Kit and Gretchen hosted a “thank you” dinner for the Connectors to show appreciation for the many volunteers who stepped up. There were a significant number of people who increased their pledges this year, and these increases were matched based on an eligibility formula. This is great, but as a result, the Sustainability Fund is being used faster than expected. Currently, there are enough funds to make all of the anticipated matches, but more money will need to be raised to supplement the fund for future campaigns.
The charter for the Ray & Betty Goodman Ministerial Continuing Education Restricted Fund was approved: a restricted fund of $30,000. As specified in the bequest, interest generated from this fund will go towards continuing educational development of fellowshipped ministers associated with UUSM. The funds will likely be invested in the UUA Common Endowment Fund.
Our intern minister, Robin Stillwater, plans on more Me Too classes, because interest remains strong. She encourages people who have already taken her class to speak to those who might be interested. The Young Adults plan to have a retreat on May 4. She reminded board meeting attendees who are interested in being GA delegates to contact Church Administrator Nurit Gordon.
The Investment Committee brought a number of suggestions in investment strategy, which became motions that were collectively approved by the board. These motions included staggering CD maturity and transferring some funds to the UUA Common Endowment Fund. Consideration was given to the management of expenses from different brokerage firms where UUSM funds are held. Ultimately, it was decided that Merrill Lynch would remain our brokerage firm. Anyone who is interested in obtaining the full investment document may contact Steve White.
The majority of the meeting was devoted to examining the budget for 2019–20 church year.
A draft budget, as it was first presented to the congregation at a meeting on Sunday, April 7, showed a deficit of about $58,000. The consensus of the board that this amount of deficit would be unacceptable to the congregation. The board proceeded to review both income and expense line items to bring the deficit down. Concerning income, the board voted to impose a 4% contingency for unpaid pledges (an anticipated decrease of income of approximately $14,000) and to decrease projected Dining for Dollars fundraising income to $30,000, to be more in line with current expectations. Both of these amendments increased the bottom-line deficit.
On the expenses side, it was decided that the allotment for staff raises would be held to no more than $7,500, instead of the originally proposed $15,000 in merit raises and cost-of-living adjustments. Additional expense items, such as funding for guest speakers and minister support (for a professional membership/leadership consultant) were also reduced.
There was a very extensive discussion within the Board and comments from the guests present, regarding a proposal – first introduced at the April 7 meeting – to decrease the director of Religious Exploration position by 25%; essentially reducing the full-time position to three-quarter time. The was extensive discussion, at times emotional, concerning children and youth RE attendance, and the high demands on this position and RE volunteers. Ultimately, this decrease was approved by the board. This decision was based on the fact that, currently, UUSM does not have many children attending the RE program and that our level of staffing is not in line with other UU churches with similar RE attendance. Although the congregation will make the ultimate decision about the RE program at the May Annual Meeting, in light of the current proposed budget deficit, this cut seems a responsible approach.
The combined total of these changes brought the deficit in the proposed budget to approximately, $42,000; this was approved by the Board and will be presented to the congregation.
The meeting ran long and included several difficult decisions, as is typically the case when the budget is discussed.
-- Rebecca Crawford
Board Highlights for March 2019: Website Renovation and Support for LGBTQ Methodists
SUPPORT FOR THE PLEDGE DRIVE AND CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF "BIG ROCKS"
The UUSM Board of Directors met on March 12. After check-in, the board approved the consent agenda and discussed some of the changes to this Newsletter you’re reading. With the resignation of the Newsletter Editor-in-Chief Abby Arnold, after a 3-year term (many thanks, Abby!), the Newsletter Committee is proposing to name Pam Teplitz and Barbara Andres as co-managing editors. This change in structure would be part of new policies and procedures for the new online Newsletter format. The board asked that the Newsletter Committee submit a charter and revised policies to the board for review.
There are two new members from February: Todd Withers and Leo Forrester.
The board agreed that Faith in Action would be involved with raising funds toward a more-permanent Black Lives Matter/Siding with Love banner that would be hung in a safe place.
There was a long discussion regarding the ongoing stewardship campaign. Connectors have been reaching out to virtually all of the membership. Although continuing pledges (“roll-overs”) will still be honored, there is an effort to encourage pledgers to be more active in their commitment by turning in a pledge card. The Connectors are having many conversations with the “Connectees” they have been assigned. The one-on-one conversations gives each party a chance to know someone better and build community. The end of the campaign is Sunday, March 24, and on that day, following the 11 am service, there will be a financial update from the board. This meeting will inform about possible ways to deal with any shortfall.
We are getting closer to this year’s Pacific Southwest District Assembly April 26-28 in Long Beach, CA. The UUA General Assembly is in Spokane, WA, June 19-23. in mid-June. If you are interested in being a delegate from UUSM, speak with the Rev. Greg Ward. Offsite participation and scholarships are available.
Our treasurer reported that our current deficit is about $40,000 more in the red than predicted for this time in the year. The Ray Goodman bequest came up as a topic of discussion.
The board authorized up to $5,000 toward funding a new office telephone system, which will be drawn from the Capital Building Reserve.
As has been the case recently, there was a discussion involving ongoing, important tasks, “Big Rocks.” As charters and committee responsibilities have become clearer, it is apparent that some changes to policies are in order. There are also places where policies will require changes to the bylaws. This work will involve continued deliberation, as this step requires congregational approval.
Mission and Vision (Big Rock #2) is in a very early stage. It was proposed that board-sponsored quarterly congregational conversations would be helpful. Big Rock #3 relates to being a healthy congregation, where we become a “We” congregation, instead of an “I” congregation. This work requires moving from a “safe space” to a “brave space” by going beyond hospitality to being intentionally inclusive. Leadership development continues to be discussed; Beth Brownlie is piloting a leadership class. Toward the Big Rock dealing with safety, Rev. Greg has a draft document.
The Website Team has been busy developing a plan to renovate our website, in large part to make our online presence more appealing. Toward that end, they requested additional funding beyond the remaining Project Dazzle monies. The board approved $6000 from a fund to be determined. The Website Team expects to present more detail as the plan progresses.
The board voted to support a request from the local United Methodist Church to co-sign a letter to the editor supporting LGBTQ rights within their denomination. The letter was published in the Santa Moncia Daily Press.
-- Rebecca Crawford
Board Highlights for February 2019: Preparing for Stewardship Kickoff
BOARD FOCUSES ON PLEDGING AND COMMITEE STRUCTURES
The Board of Directors met on February 12. After individual check-ins, UUSM President Jacki Weber’s opening remarks concerned the monies the church collected in response to the call to help fire victims. About $1300 was raised. Jacki discovered in calling around, that it is rather difficult to find a place for such monies. If you have ideas as to how this could be arranged, please contact Jacki.
A discussion on the preparations for the stewardship campaign ensued. Our intern minister, Robin Stillwater, is planning a Sustainability Fund dinner to encourage matching funds for 2019-20 pledge increases. There is a focus on a “ministry of generosity.” The Board voted to seed the Sustainability Fund with another $5000 from the Minister’s Equity Sharing fund.
There were no new members last month. Carl Hoppe was ratified as the third member of the Investment Committee; the others are Steve White and Garland Allen.
In terms of the “Big Rock” goals, the board is working on, #1 – clarify committee goals and purposes. There has been significant progress and many committees have responded to inquiries. The next Big Rock is #4 – developing the Membership Committee more along the lines of Worship and Pastoral Associates.
There was considerable discussion around the still unfinished effort to have a “Safety” document. This will not only include appropriate resources for those in need, but also how our volunteers might be trained to deal with unusual, perhaps hazardous situations.
December 11, 2018 Board Meeting Highlights
The meeting began with the president’s message expressing a feeling of shared leadership and ownership.
The Rev. Kikanza Nuri-Robins asked for church sponsorship in becoming fellowshipped as a UU minister. The board was happy to approve.
We heartily welcome one new member, Julia Barnett. Two members have resigned, Ruth and Allen Potts. We are sad to see them leave.
The board approved a short term “interim treasurer” job description, with slightly fewer responsibilities, for January through May of 2019. If you are interested, please speak with someone from the Nominating Committee. Intern Robin Stillwater presented her Financial Mapping Report, based on her 16 interviews with people from past and present finance committees. Both of these items are available through the board link in the Thursday announcements.
Church member Beth Rendeiro expressed a desire that the Right Relations Covenant be mentioned more from the pulpit and be thought of as a living document.
Rev. Greg has been working with several committees to generate a timeline for budget creation, including key roles. This is not so much a new system – more a compilation in one place of the process.
The Board continued a “Big Rocks” discussion begun at its fall retreat. The Mission and Vision section related to procedures for the Membership Committee charter, e.g. having a more frequent “New Members Welcome.” Other sections of the discussion included a Leadership Task Force and the Stewardship procedures and goals for this year. Your can read the full goals document here: https://archive.uusm.org/about-our-church/governance/board-of-directors/board-goals.
The Humanist banner is ready. An installation ceremony was held during the service on December 16. It now hangs in the sanctuary.
A first pass at a document on congregational safety was presented. This document has become more necessary as more religious passions have made the news. The Board will review it again in February. Once approved, training and implementation will follow.
-- Rebecca Crawford
Board Prepares for Annual Retreat
The UUSM Board of Directors met on Tuesday, October 9.
After check-in, the business meeting began with the unsettling news that our treasurer, Kim Andres, has resigned. The Nominating Committee will be looking for a successor. Some of the circumstances leading to this news will be a subject for the board retreat.
Some of the additional topics for the retreat will include what Rev. Greg refers to in his report as “Big Rocks” – institutional priorities that rise above day-to-day management issues. Many of these are related to leadership development.
There was a discussion/review of the Board Development Day. This included exercises in trust and relationship development. One notable comment was to realize that we are not alone in our challenges. A presentation at the event that was quite useful concerned the elements of trust from Brené Brown. For those who are interested, the presentation is available online as “Braving.”
(If the above video doesn’t play, please view on the www.oprah.com website at http://www.oprah.com/own-supersoulsessions/brene-brown-the-anatomy-of-trust-video)
Our intern minister, Robin Stillwater, is working toward establishing/reactivating a Young Adults Program and setting up a restricted fund to help with its activities. A discussion of the specifics was delayed until next month, when Robin can attend the board meeting. Meanwhile, if you are in the 18-35 age group and are interested in being involved with this program, please talk with Robin.
Pledge receipts are generally doing well, but reflect a need to have less reliance on large donors. A discussion on the topic also included some clarifications as to how the Sustainability Fund is reflected in the operating budget vs. the balance sheet – available to members in “Board Documents” on the church website.
The board ratified the recommendations of the Nominating Committee for additional members for the Investment Committee: Steve White and Garland Allen. NomComm is looking for an additional Investment member. This committee will be developing an investment plan for submission to the board and finance committee.
There were no new members in September.
Attempts to decrease the amount of paper associated with board meetings are a work in progress. The board is wrestling with how to make all board documents available online to interested parties, and intends to resolve this soon.