Board meeting minutes
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Minutes
1. Chalice lighting and opening words
Allan led us in a "virtual" chalice lighting and opening words.
2. Introductions
Present were:
Ellen Wehrle (Unity Temple)
Karla Chew (Third Unitarian Church
Allan Lindrup (First Unitarian Church of Chicago)
Judy Ball (Countryside Church UU, Palatine)
Doug Erickson (Unitarian Church of Evanston)
3. Discussion and election of officers, and determination of related matters such as new mailing address
The following were elected:
(Moved by Allan, seconded by Doug, unanimous vote):
Ellen Wehrle and Karla Chew, Co-Chairs
Allan Lindrup, Treasurer
Judy Ball, Secretary
Contact information for all present was collected, and Allan agreed to send information for the remaining members to Judy for inclusion with the minutes (see attached).
4. Discussion and adoption of proposed budget, with designation of CMI Committee to work with Rev. Covell to close the gap between expenses for the radio show over the fiscal year and the current shortfall in paying for that expense
A proposed budget was posted by Allan, with discussion following. Yearly congregational dues remain at $1.00 per member, with congregational contributions to the Chicagoland Marketing Initiative (CMI) set at $2.00 per member. Allan moved to approve the budget, Karla seconded the motion and it was adopted by a unanimous vote.
Other income for the radio show includes that from a Chalice Lighter grant, from private underwriting and from the four churches currently involved. New participants will be asked to contribute $2,000 each, per year.
Allan, Ellen and Doug will work with Rev. Covell to determine ways to fund the radio show. To avoid a temporary suspension of the broadcasts, suggestions were made to motivate participation by congregations, including the following:
-- Those churches who pay dues to CAUUC and to the CMI will be allowed to submit one broadcast for the radio show.
-- Churches from other liberal denominations may be invited to join the network.
5. Setting deadline for seeing substantial progress in establishing the UU Action Network of IL (UUANI)
Past efforts to begin this network resulted in the raising of funds, now totaling $2,489.00, primarily from First Unitarian Church of Chicago. The last significant use of funds from this account was in the 2009-10 fiscal year. UUANI originally set up plans for a six person Board, with three to be from Chicago and three from downstate. Currently, four members of this Board are "on the books." The group has filed for non-profit status, but no action or strategizing has occurred in the past year-and-a-half.
Coordination of our UUSJ efforts with UUANI was discussed. Karla and Ellen will follow up with the four known persons from their Board to see whether there are plans to continue with this organization. It was decided by this Board (CAUUC) to expect action by that group by 4/1/13. Failing that, our Board will consider that group to be defunct and will recommend that the remaining funds be used for the general good of the UU Chicago area, purpose to be decided.
6. Designation of CAUUC Board member (or other CAUUC designee) to participate in UUSJ's 2012 Nominating Committee
Shirley Lundeen (Unity Temple UU) and Allan are already involved in this endeavor and are willing to continue. Doug volunteered to be the third person from our group. The first meeting of this group will probably be in September, following the UUSJ meeting scheduled for the last Sunday in August, to be held in McHenry.
7. Discussion of CAUUC organizing a leadership day for the fall of 2012 and planning decisions if we choose to proceed with such
Judy agreed to ask Dan Wiseman (Countryside Church UU and district consultant) to consider leading such a program. This would be a 4-6 hour day with a goal to "train the trainers" to take an outlined leadership session or program to their respective churches. This might be based on leadership development materials from the UUA and a "Coming Alive" year-long project just completed for the first year at Countryside. It was decided that a late winter session would be better, as the Countryside program is currently in refinement mode, anticipating the second year of its being offered.
8. Discussion to set a regular date for CAUUC Board meetings this church year
It was decided to hold meetings on the third Saturday morning of every second month, as follows, with rotating sites:
September 15, 2012, at Unity Temple, Oak Park (Place TBD for subsequent mtgs.)
November 17, 2012
January 12, 2013 (second Saturday, exception)
March 16, 2013
May 18, 2013 (possibly in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
July, 2013 - TBD by new Board
9. Other/New Business
None
10. Closing words and adjournment
Moved by Karla, seconded by Doug
Action Items:
Karla and Ellen: UUANI Board member contacts re: future plans
Allan, Ellen
and Doug: Meeting with Brian Covell re CMI fiscal issues
Judy: Speak with Dan Wiseman re leadership workshop
[**FYI, Dan agreed this would be something he would be willing to do and agreed with the timeline suggested.**]
Send minutes, budget and directory
information (see attached)
Allan: Update budget as per discussion/vote, send to Judy for inclusion with minutes
Arrange for updated financial information, i.e., change from former Treasurer as signatory for bank, etc.
CAUUC
Chicago Area Universalist Unitarian Council
www.uuchicago.org
Annual meeting, Saturday, June 16, 2012
Third Unitarian Church
Minutes of Annual Meeting for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2012
Location: This meeting was scheduled to be held at Third Unitarian Church. However, as Karla Chew was absent, and could not be reached by phone or visiting her home, and as no other arrangements had been made for the church to be made open and available for our meeting, we agreed to move the meeting to Erick’s Delicatessen, on Oak Park Ave., just north of North Blvd., in Oak Park. After carpooling to that location and ordering breakfast, Dave Karcher called the meeting to order at 10 a.m., 30 minutes later than originally scheduled. We began with introductions.
Attendance: Dave Karcher (People’s Church), Allan Lindrup and Finley Campbell (First Unitarian Church of Chicago), Gene Horcher (Second Unitarian), Margaret Shaklee and Doug Erickson (Unitarian Church of Evanston), John Halbeck (Hinsdale), Dave Segel and Debbie Caruso (UU Church of Elgin)
As representatives from only six congregations were present, it was agreed by all that decisions made at this meeting would be tentative, passed only upon the votes of agreement from representatives of two additional congregations.
The agenda, previously distributed by email, was approved with one correction.
Financial Reports: Treasurer Halbeck distributed a three page, handwritten, financial report for the fiscal year that began last July 1. (See CAUUC 2012 Annual Meeting attachments) There have been $22,037 in expenditures, $20,150 in connection with the Food for the Soul weekly radio show on WCPT. On the income side, membership dues were received from ten member congregations, while additional support for the radio programs came from John Rifis, a member of Unity Temple, UU, and a Chalice Lighter grant from the Central Midwest District. The checking account balance as of the June 16, 2012 was $10,568.86.
Margaret Shaklee provided a one page spread sheet showing proposed/budgeted and actual income and expenses for the three fiscal years ending this June 30 (See CAUUC 2012 Annual Meeting attachments), and provided some commentary on the items shown there.
Reports by organizations affiliated with or otherwise receiving support from CAUUC
UUs for Social Justice – Allan Lindrup said the three established task forces were continuing their activities, the Task Force on Economic Justice and Homelessness and the Environmental Task Force being quite active, while the Peace Task Force was less active during the past year. The major change was the emergence of a large Immigration Justice Task Force, which has been quite active this year, while the UU Multiracial Unity Caucus was recognized as a task force equivalent, focusing on racial justice matters.
UUMUAC – Finley Campbell reported on the successful Open Forum on White Skin Privilege vs. Multiracial UUism, held on March 24, plus the organization’s preparations for General Assembly activity related the Document of Discovery.
Chicagoland Marketing Initiative (CMI) – Margaret provided a brief history of CMI. The current, weekly, one hour “Food for the Soul” program has now been on the air, over WCPT, since March, 2011. Good Shepard Presbyterian church is now buying ads on “Food for the Soul” and there are possibilities of some other non-UU congregations also doing so. “Food for the Soul” refers listeners to the CAUUC website, where they can find out about the UU church(es) near them.
UU Advocacy Network of Illinois – Margaret said that not much progress has been made in developing UUANI. Ken Schug is still heading an effort and met with interested folks at District Assembly. There are about 60 names on the list of interested people, but not much desire/time among those folks to do the organizing.
Nomination of Board of Directors for the new CAUUC year
The following individuals either expressed a willingness to serve at this meeting, or those present had heard things that made them believe the following individuals were willing to serve on the new CAUUC Board.
Ellen Wehrle (Unity Temple, UU)
Doug Erickson (Unitarian Church of Evanston)
Allan Lindrup (First Unitarian Church of Chicago)
Dave Karcher (People’s Church)
Finley C. Campbell (First Unitarian Church of Chicago)
David Segel (UU Church of Elgin)*
Karla Chew (Third Unitarian Church)
Judy Ball (Countryside Church, UU)
John Halbeck (Hinsdale Unitarian Church)*
*agreed to serve for one year, whereas the usual term is for two years
Allan moved that the above listed individuals be elected as the new CAUUC Board of Directors. Finley seconded the motion. All present voted in favor.
By-Law Revisions: The updated By-Laws that the Transition Board had been working to update were distributed electronically in February, plus put on the CAUUC web site. (See CAUUC 2012 Annual Meeting attachments). Finley moved adoption of those revised By-Laws. Allan seconded the motion. Some discussion followed. When the vote was taken the revised By-Laws were approved by all.
Other: The new Board of Directors will need to meet this summer to 1) finalize its officers, 2) develop and approve a budget for the new fiscal year, and 3) begin work on a Leadership Development Day, which would bring folks like President, Treasurers, Membership Chairs, etc. together to share ideas. It would be combined with a program where a panel of individuals would present and debate the merits of moving from denomination to movement. Allan agreed to contact Karla Chew and Ellen Wehrle, who were believed to have expressed a willingness to serve as Co-Chairs of the new Board, to get the summer meeting arranged.
We adjourned at 11:40 a.m. Minutes by Allan Lindrup, Secretary for the meeting.