Tidbits, 11/2004
UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS
Joan Lund, November 2004
What a time our beloved peninsula suffered in August and September! The hurricanes affected all of us when they slammed into Florida over a six week period and took a heavy toll on communities and individuals. UUs from all over our country have connected with us by sending their prayers and money. This overwhelming display of care has reminded us of the healing power of human connection and love, and the Florida District Disaster Relief Fund is being wisely administered and used for Florida?s ?injured? UU congregations by our dedicated, hard working District Executive, Rev. Mary Higgins. In addition, Florida UUs have been helping the hard-hit congregations. I do not know many of them, but wish I did, so that they could be personally THANKED with the sincerest of words. There is a letter to all Florida UUs from UUA President Rev. Bill Sinkford at www.uua.org, addressing our weather disasters and I hope all of you have, or will read it.
I would like to be writing a column on the UUA Board of Trustees October meeting but unfortunately because of the mid-month timing of the meeting I cannot get it to some editors to make the deadline. So perhaps I will comment in the December column.
November is often the time when congregations hold their annual canvass and determine the budget for the next year. I am not one to tell folks how the congregational canvass should be conducted but I do have some strong thoughts about fiscal responsibility. Revenue should be budgeted conservatively, not optimistically, and it is very important that the budget includes a contingency fund for a ?rainy day? or catastrophe, perhaps 1% of the annual operating budget. Sometimes the first thing that gets cut if the canvass comes up short is funds for preventive maintenance and the ?rainy day? happening. We have learned from our recent ?weather experiences? this is not a good idea. I recommend a congregational bylaw be created that mandates money be set aside for preventive maintenance. Fund balances or reserves must be sufficient to absorb unanticipated financial setback.
Periodic projections of revenue and expense, based on timely and reliable information, should identify problems early enough to be remedied before deficits occur. I know of one congregation that, after replacing a roof, went a step further. It developed a 10-year preventive maintenance plan and then added a preventive maintenance line item to the budget. Each year at the annual meeting the congregation votes on a list of proposed projects for the coming year. Another group (UU Church of Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a membership of 135), after paying off its mortgage continued its savings habit by putting $150 a month into a building contingency fund.
We need to take care of ourselves. I always enjoy hearing from you at jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. May you enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving with loved ones.
Joan Lund, November 2004
What a time our beloved peninsula suffered in August and September! The hurricanes affected all of us when they slammed into Florida over a six week period and took a heavy toll on communities and individuals. UUs from all over our country have connected with us by sending their prayers and money. This overwhelming display of care has reminded us of the healing power of human connection and love, and the Florida District Disaster Relief Fund is being wisely administered and used for Florida?s ?injured? UU congregations by our dedicated, hard working District Executive, Rev. Mary Higgins. In addition, Florida UUs have been helping the hard-hit congregations. I do not know many of them, but wish I did, so that they could be personally THANKED with the sincerest of words. There is a letter to all Florida UUs from UUA President Rev. Bill Sinkford at www.uua.org, addressing our weather disasters and I hope all of you have, or will read it.
I would like to be writing a column on the UUA Board of Trustees October meeting but unfortunately because of the mid-month timing of the meeting I cannot get it to some editors to make the deadline. So perhaps I will comment in the December column.
November is often the time when congregations hold their annual canvass and determine the budget for the next year. I am not one to tell folks how the congregational canvass should be conducted but I do have some strong thoughts about fiscal responsibility. Revenue should be budgeted conservatively, not optimistically, and it is very important that the budget includes a contingency fund for a ?rainy day? or catastrophe, perhaps 1% of the annual operating budget. Sometimes the first thing that gets cut if the canvass comes up short is funds for preventive maintenance and the ?rainy day? happening. We have learned from our recent ?weather experiences? this is not a good idea. I recommend a congregational bylaw be created that mandates money be set aside for preventive maintenance. Fund balances or reserves must be sufficient to absorb unanticipated financial setback.
Periodic projections of revenue and expense, based on timely and reliable information, should identify problems early enough to be remedied before deficits occur. I know of one congregation that, after replacing a roof, went a step further. It developed a 10-year preventive maintenance plan and then added a preventive maintenance line item to the budget. Each year at the annual meeting the congregation votes on a list of proposed projects for the coming year. Another group (UU Church of Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a membership of 135), after paying off its mortgage continued its savings habit by putting $150 a month into a building contingency fund.
We need to take care of ourselves. I always enjoy hearing from you at jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. May you enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving with loved ones.
