From the Board of Business – October 2024

Well, a lot has changed since I wrote my last article for the newsletter. The Board of Business had a first draft of our 2025 budget, and all was looking good. However, that was written in mid-August, and since then we’ve received the Pathfinder Subcommittee report with its recommendations and Bromleigh has resigned effective December 31. By now a severance package will have been negotiated and leadership will be determining how to move forward with the other recommendations of the report.

The Board of Business has since produced a projection of the total revenue and expenses for 2024. This projection includes several assumptions.

1. Pledge income will be 97.5% of the amount pledged.
2. A Director of Programs and Development will have been hired at the same pay and benefits as the Director of Operations and Director of Communications.
3. Transfers from the budget to the Building Improvements Designated Account (f/k/a Capital Reserve) will be paused for the last 4 months of the year.
4. There will be 27 pay periods charged to 2024.  Per the biweekly calendar that are 27 pay days in 2025, but we will charge the first payroll from January 2, 2025, to the 2024 budget as it will represent work performed in 2024.

Given these assumptions, the current projection is that the 2024 budget will have a surplus (revenue exceeds expenses) of about $7,200.  Any surplus could be transferred to the Building Improvements Designated Account, or it could be used toward the 2025 budget.

Giving the timing of everything, you may have already received the proposed 2025 budget which will be presented for approval at the October 6 congregational meeting.  You should have already received my narrative explaining the budget proposal.

There are several givens in the proposed budget that was presented to church council on September 18.

1. Bromleigh will receive severance pay and continued contributions to her retirement, disability insurance, and health insurance for a period of months which will be paid with 2025 budgeted funds.
2. The church will ensure that Talia is fully supported as the one remaining minister who will also be on sabbatical during the summer of 2025.
3. The church will conduct a search and hire a transition minister as quickly as possible.  This position is budgeted to begin in the second quarter of 2025.
4. The church will continue to provide adequate funds for maintenance of and improvements to the building and campus and the normal operating costs of the church.
5. The cost of hiring an outside consultant per recommendations in the Pathfinder Subcommittee report will need to be supported by sources outside the normal operating budget.

Please take time to review the proposed 2025 budget and the associated narrative that should receive prior to the October 6 congregational meeting.  Hopefully all your questions will be answered in advance.  I will do my best to address any unanswered questions and concerns during my presentation at that meeting.