Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 · 8/9/2014 · Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 • Budget presentations to deaneries — Mr. Cordonnier reported that the draft

Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014

Diocesan Officers 2012-2014 Clergy Members

2012-2014 Lay Members

The Rt. Rev. Martin Field, President The Rev. Joe Behen Mr. John Hornbeck The Very Rev. Steven Wilson, Vice President

The Rev. Ron Keel Mr. Thomas Stevens

Mr. Curtis Hamilton, Secretary Mrs. Elizabeth Trader Mr. Caleb Cordonnier, Treasurer Mr. Robert Walker Mr. Richard Wagstaff, III, Chancellor Mr. Skip Sage Mrs. Barbara Mountjoy Deans 2013-2015 Clergy

Members 2013-2015 Lay Members

The Very Rev. Evelyn Hornaday The Rev. David Kendrick Mr. Alexandra Connors The Very Rev. Pat Miller The Rev. Charles Uhlik (Mr. Curtis Hamilton) The Very Rev. Tom Punzo Mr. John Schaffer (The Very Rev. Steven Wilson) Ms. Meredith Seaton Mr. Walt George Bishop’s Appointment

(vacant) Standing Committee President President, Episcopal Church Women The Very Rev. Peter DeVeau Ms. Judy Turner Others in attendance: The Rev. Canon Steven Rottgers, Mr. Ron Weil I. CALL TO ORDER & COUNCIL EDUCATION The Rt. Rev. Martin Field called the meeting, held at St. Mary Magdalene’s Episcopal Church, Village of Loch Lloyd, at 10:04 am. He called on Ms. Meredith Seaton to deliver the devotion and opening prayer. II. REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF MEETING OF JUNE 14, 2014 Bishop Field then called on Mr. Curtis Hamilton to report on the minutes for the previous meeting of the Diocesan Council. Mr. Hamilton noted an item that was left out of the minutes as distributed to the members of council. The following should be added in the section headed “Report of Officers, Committees, and Commissions/Officers Reports/Treasurer’s Report/Additional Items”: “Mr. Cordonnier talked about the need for Josh Trader, Youth Ministry Coordinator for the South Youth Network, to have a diocesan credit card. It was determined that the Finance Committee would take action on this issue.”

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Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 A motion was made (Wilson) and seconded Uhlik) to accept the minutes of the June 14, 2014 meeting as corrected.

The motion carried. III. REPORT OF OFFICERS, COMMITTEES, AND COMMISSIONS

A. OFFICERS’ REPORTS

1. Diocesan Secretary’s Report

Mr. Hamilton made the following reports of items sent out and received since the last meeting of the council.

• Checks for the Millennium Development Grants approved at the last meeting

were sent with letters from Bishop Field. • A letter from Episcopal Relief & Development thanking the diocese for gifts

received was read. • A letter from Washington National Cathedral regarding historic, diocesan

kneeler cushions at the National Cathedral was read 2. Bishop’s Report

Bishop Field then made his report.

• Capital Funds Campaign Feasibility study — The consultants have completed

the first part of the study. They have also prepared a proposal about further goals and work toward a possible campaign.

• St Peter’s and All Saints’ Juncture—Work is moving along with positive spirit. • Church of the Resurrection, Kansas City, is in the midst of their 50th year

celebration and anniversary events. • Bishop Field has been nominated for trustee of General Theological

Seminary. The election will be held at the General Convention in 2015. This is a three-year term with possible renewal.

• The network at Diocesan Center does not have an adequate back-up system and there is a need for an offsite backup. The Bishop will make a proposal under New Business.

• Fr. Sid Breese is raising funds to teach at St Augustine Theological School in the Diocese of Botswana. Bishop Field noted that Fr. Breese is attempting to raise $4,125 to cover his expenses for this trip. The Bishop will ask for the council to act on this request in New Business.

• Navajoland — Budget cuts from DFMS has resulted in inadequate funding. That diocese is working to raise indigenous ministries. For the first time ever, all of the deputies to the next General Convention will be native Navajo.

• The Bishop reminded the council members of the names of the deputies to



the upcoming General Convention. • Minimum insurance requirements — The Bishop’s Staff, in conjunction with

Church Insurance, has created a recommendation for minimum property insurance requirements for all congregations, parishes, and the diocese, and has forwarded their report to the Property Council for review and recommendation to Council.

• Canon to the Ordinary — Bishop Field called upon Canon Steve Rottgers to augment the Bishop’s Report. o “In One Garden” will be held on September 27 (9:00 am-3:00 pm) at St

Paul’s, KCMO with a simulcast to Grace Church, Carthage. o “Small Church Summit” will be held on August 23 (9:00 am – 3:00 pm) at

Calvary Church, Sedalia (the plenary speaker’s presentation will be recorded for later use)

o Planning is being done for “Gathering” topics as part of Convention weekend. (Great Cloud of Tweets, St Mark’s Wall, etc.)

o Transitions St Mary Magdalene, Village of Loch Lloyd — The search for a rector

continues but is near an end. Good Shepherd, Kansas City — Fr. Galen Snodgrass has accepted a call

to be priest-in-charge. St Mary’s, Kansas City —The search for a rector is in process.

o Canon Rottgers and the rest of the Bishop’s Staff are working to further enhance lines of communication with congregations and members. The Bishop’s Staff has met to work on ways to make this happen.

3. Treasurer’s Report

Bishop Field then called on Mr. Caleb Cordonnier to make the Treasurer’s report.

• Audit Report — Mr. Cordonnier spoke to the Independent Auditor’s Report

on Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2014. He highlighted the following items. o Note on page 2 regarding fixed assets—Mr. Cordonnier met with our

auditors on Friday, Aug. 1st. Fund balance information has been cleaned up. The auditors provided the suggestion that the diocesan financials be “segmented”, that mission congregations be treated as a segment of the diocese, and that, in the future, our requests for audit would only include auditing the “segment” that is the books and accounts of the Diocese, itself. This should enable us to obtain a favorable audit report without the excessive burden of carrying all mission congregation properties on the diocesan ledgers.

o Prior period adjustment—This is a classification error in fund balance by the prior auditor. There was no change in the amount of money available; this change just speaks to the use of funds.



A motion was made (Wilson) and seconded (Trader) to receive the 2013 Auditor’s Report.

The motion carried.

• Elaine Gilligan (of the Bishop’s Staff) has worked with Church Insurance Group and has gotten a lower rate for our worker’s compensation insurance.

• Mr. Cordonnier asked Ron Weil (of the Bishop’s Staff) to speak about some work the Finance Committee has requested regarding transferring the Diocesan Commingled Fund to the Commingled Fund of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS). Mr. Weil noted that the DFMS fund has had a higher rate of return that our diocesan Commingled Fund over the last 10 years. If such a transfer is done, the diocese will communicate to participants in our diocesan Commingled Fund the issues involved in such a transfer. Mr. Cordonnier stated that he would recommend migration unless monies will be used for operations within 12-24 months. The DFMS Fund has a quarterly draw, similar to our diocesan Commingled Fund.

• Mr. Cordonnier noted that dioceses at the United States border with Mexico have been providing crucial, basic humanitarian needs to the wave of immigrants, mostly children, flooding in from Central and South America, and that Province VII and the General Church have made an appeal for funds.

4. Chancellor’s Report

The Bishop then called on Mr. Richard Wagstaff to make the Chancellor’s report. Mr. Wagstaff noted the following items: • St Peter’s and All Saint’s Juncture — Mr. Wagstaff is working to take legal

action after each parish votes to merge (mid to late September); a majority of each parish’s membership must vote in the affirmative for the merger. All Saints’ has voted to sell the property and has received the consent of the Standing Committee and the Bishop with the preference that it remains a “Church of God.” The following was moved (Wagstaff) and seconded (Trader):

RESOLVED, that The Right Reverend Martin S. Field, Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri, and other officers of this Diocese, are hereby authorized and empowered on behalf of this Diocese to authorize, direct and facilitate the corporate consolidation of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church of Kansas City and All Saints Church, Episcopal in Kansas City and to provide said parishes with the terms and conditions of such corporate consolidation and to direct the disposition of necessary real and personal property prior to the corporate consolidation, with the



sale or other disposition of said personal and real property as the Bishop, Diocesan Treasurer, and the Chancellor shall approved.

The motion carried. • St Michael’s, Independence Cell Tower Lease — Mr. Wagstaff gave a brief

history concerning an option held by a cellular phone company to install a tower at St. Michael’s. The following was moved (Wagstaff) and seconded (George):

RESOLVED, that the acts and actions of The Right Reverend Martin S. Field, Bishop of The Diocese of West Missouri, in entering into an Option and Ground Lease Agreement between the Diocese of West Missouri and Palmetto Tower Company, LLC for the option to install and operate a cell tower facility on the real property commonly known as St. Michael’s Episcopal Church located at 4000 Lee’s Summit Road in Independence, Missouri, with an initial option term of twelve (12) months (commencing on July 25, 2014) and with one (1) extension term of an additional twelve (12) months and with a fee of $1,500 for the initial option and a fee of $1,700 for the option extension; further, upon exercise of said option to lease said property by Palmetto Tower Company, LLC, the initial term of the lease shall be five (5) years at a rental rate of $1,300 per month and with a renewal right to extend the lease for nine (9) additional and successive five (5) year terms with a ten percent (10%) increase in the rental rate with each extension, are hereby ratified, confirmed and approved.

The motion carried.

• While attending a conference about not-for profit law, Mr. Wagstaff noted that the diocese operates as a pro forma corporation. Because of that, phone-in votes are not allowed. When the Diocesan Council is taking action.

• Sale of former Trinity, Marshall property—The asking price has been lowered. There are repairs required that would cost between $5,000 and $10,000. The property committee is monitoring this situation and will report as needed.

• Columbariums/Constitutions and Canons Committee work is still in process. • During discussion, a member of the council suggested request a review of the

diocesan policy on firearms on church properties in light of recent election results in Missouri.

B. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES OF CONVENTION AND COUNCIL

1. Finance Committee Report

Bishop Field then called on Mr. Cordonnier to present the Finance Committee’s Report.



• Budget presentations to deaneries — Mr. Cordonnier reported that the draft of the 2015 Plan for Ministry (aka the budget) was presented at the meetings of all four Deanery Councils. Ron Weil, Diocesan Finance Administrator, did some research on two questions that came back from these meetings and provided answers to the interested parties.

• Financial Statement Review — Mr. Cordonnier reviewed financial statements through July 2014. He noted the following items: o Slow payments from EChO, NERM, and St Thomas a Becket, Cassville o Cash Flows statement — The decrease in cash balance is largely due to transfers

to the Commingled Fund; there is a cash increase from operations. • Designated Funds — The Finance Committee has worked on the funds designated

or reserved by Council and brings a proposal to council for action. For each of the identified funds one of three actions is proposed: add to another already designated fund, combine into a newly designated fund, or undesignated the funds. (A copy of the specific proposal to the council is attached to and made a part of these minutes.)

A motion was made (Cordonnier) and seconded (Trader) to allow the Treasurer and the Finance Committee to take the actions on designated funds per the plan presented to Diocesan Council.

The motion carried. 2. Assessment Review Committee Mr. Cordonnier reported that the committee has meet with nearly all of the churches that had requested a review. The committee will make a recommendation in October.

3. Property Committee The Bishop shared and e-mail from Mr. Skip Sage highlighting issues at the Diocesan Center. There is no action needed at this time; Ron Weil is working on bids for the items listed.

4. Human Resources Committee The Bishop reported that a recommendation regarding compensation standards for next year would soon be presented. 5. Constitutions and Canons Committee The committee is forming for action.

C. REPORTS OF DIOCESAN COMMISSIONS AND CONSTITUENT BODIES

1. 125th Anniversary Committee


Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 Ms. Meredith Seaton reported that this committee is looking at how to make part of the focus of this celebration a look at how our ministry will continue through the next 125 years.

2. Episcopal Church Women Ms. Judy Turner, Diocesan ECW President, reported that the ECW would be hosting a presentation on Human Trafficking at Grace Church, Carthage on September 6, 2014.

IV. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. V. NEW BUSINESS

A. CONVENTION OFFERING The following motion was made (Punzo) and seconded:

The Diocesan Council stipulates that the offering to be collected during worship at the upcoming Annual Convention be designated to be remitted to Province VII for the purpose of relieving the humanitarian crisis on the United States’ border with Mexico. The following amendment was moved (Connors) and seconded (Cordonnier): After the words “Annual Convention be designated to be remitted”, insert the words “fifty percent (50%)”, and at the end of the motion add the words: “and fifty percent (50%) to be evenly divided and remitted to the discretionary funds of those ordained at convention.”

The motion to amend carried. The motion now reads: The Diocesan Council stipulates that the offering to be collected during worship at the upcoming Annual Convention be designated to be remitted fifty percent (50%) to Province VII for the purpose of relieving the humanitarian crisis on the United States’ border with Mexico and fifty percent (50%) to be evenly divided and remitted to the discretionary funds of those ordained at convention.

The motion carried.

B. US/MEXICO BORDER HUMANITARIAN CRISIS



The following motion was made (Wilson) and seconded (Hamilton): The Diocesan Council designates $2,000 from Account 3-100-03-08 to be immediately remitted to Province VII for the purpose of relieving the humanitarian crisis on the United States’ border with Mexico.

The motion carried.

C. DIOCESAN SERVER BACKUP

• The following motion was made (Wilson) and seconded (George): The Diocesan Council allocates a maximum of $1,200 to setup and subscribe to an offsite backup service for the Diocesan Center’s computer network.

The motion carried.

D. REQUEST FROM FR. SID BREESE

• The following motion was made (Wilson) and seconded (Hamilton):

The Diocesan Council designates $2,000 be remitted Account 3-100-0285 to be remitted to The Rev. Sid Breese to assist his upcoming teaching ministry in the Diocese of Botswana.

The motion carried.

(A copy of the funding request from Fr. Breese is attached to and made a part of these minutes)

E. NATIONAL CATHEDRAL DIOCESAN CUSHION

• The following motion was made (Walker) and seconded (Trader):

The Diocesan Council designates $1,200 be remitted to Washington National Cathedral for the restoration of the Diocese of West Missouri’s cushion in the Great Choir of the Washington National Cathedral.

The motion carried.

(A copy of the request from the Washington National Cathedral is attached to and made a part of these minutes).

F. CAPITAL/FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FEASIBILITY STUDY FEE PROPOSAL

Upon the Bishop’s recommendation, the Council took no action on this item.



VI. ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made (Uhlik) and seconded (Trader) to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:25 pm

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Curtis D. Hamilton Secretary of the Diocese


Approved Minutes with Attachments -- Page 10 of 12

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Documents

Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 · 8/9/2014 · Diocesan Council Minutes of August 9, 2014 • Budget presentations to deaneries — Mr. Cordonnier reported that the draft