The OUUC Board of Trustees met in July and discussed several important matters that we want to share with you. Please check out our video update below from Board Secretary Barry Zickuhr or read the text below.
As many of you know, Kari Kopnick, our Interim Community Life Coordinator during this challenging time, will soon move on to her next endeavor. We are very thankful for her service; she will be missed.
Part of Kari’s role was to help Rev. Mary consider the staff positions and duties that would best meet the needs of our church now. Staffing updates are operational decisions under the leadership of Rev. Mary. In the executive session at the July board meeting, Rev. Mary shared the staffing plan that she soon will share with all of you. We’re very excited about these changes as they address both short-term and long-term needs at OUUC. The changes require a $6500.00 expenditure from OUUC reserves. The board felt this expenditure was an acceptable risk given the strength of our pledges, the successful auction, and the likelihood that the Payment Protection Program loan will lead to an excess of operational funds that will back-fill this reserve expenditure.
The board has several subcommittees that continue to make progress on strategic congregational matters. The capacity planning committee is refocusing its efforts on planning for a safe re-opening of the church when we finally overcome the pandemic. The bylaws committee continues to meet to make changes that enable the board to meet the ever-evolving needs of this pandemic situation. Changes being contemplated will be brought to all congregants for a vote at our next congregational meeting in December, likely to be held via Zoom. Finally, a revenue enhancement committee will identify options for expanding church revenues, researching options, and recommending strategies to the board. The board is strategically repositioning itself to focus more on policy, revenue generation, and OUUC ends.
The board has revised the “Disruptive Behavior Policy” and renamed it to the “Non-Covenantal Behavior Policy”. This policy has been substantially updated with feedback from across the congregation. The board will review this newly updated policy in full at the August meeting and may adopt it for congregational use. We will communicate the adopted policy when it is final, and we thank everyone who has helped refine this document.
The board continues to examine our effectiveness by evaluating our performance and reviewing the use of executive sessions to clarify expectations. We will continue to focus on improvements to enhance our performance and service to you.
Wishing you all good health. Stay safe and stay connected.