The Role of the Board Trustees
The Trustees currently led by John Roberts are a standing board of the church and concentrate their activities on church property management, property maintenance and preservation, property upgrades, and the Church’s finances. They manage our facilities usage by outside groups. They are the reporting board for the annual Stewardship campaign. The Church Treasurer reports the status of the Church’s investments and all bank accounts on a monthly basis.
Any actions that require approval by the whole congregation are written up and presented by the board at the quarterly meetings.
The Church Treasurer
The Treasurers and assistant Treasurers handle the continuous accounting of the church’s finances. They make sure all incoming monies are tabulated, bequests are processed and they work with the Union Trust bank in investing designated income from bequests as well as existing long-term investments.
The church’s employed personnel receive their pay issued from the church’s financial income and the Treasurer, Charlie Ferden, completes required state and federal tax reports. All invoices received from outside sources are paid by the Treasure’s staff. An annual audit is prepared at the end of each year. Annual budgets are prepared yearly to establish the coming year’s needs.
2008 Has Dealt With Continued Facility Improvements, Necessary Repairs, Maintenance And Planning Future Improvements
At the end of 2007 the front of the sanctuary was re-configured to provide better working space and to improve the ability to move larger items such as the piano without having to call movers.
The area now supports many functions with the larger floor space. The sanctuary aisle and stair carpeting were also replaced with new matching carpet.
The trustees contracted out the second floor meeting/classroom renovations. We are happy to announce that this effort has been completed. At the same time this enhanced area has been renamed the Dolly Fisher Room in honor of her long term nurturing of the early Congregational Church here in Blue Hill and the nurturing of her family and friends that helped form this Church.
The trustees have taken the initiative to support the continuation of the maintenance of the Stained Glass windows in the Sanctuary. One window is completed and reinstalled. The second window has been removed and is undergoing refurbishment. The remaining four windows were completed some time ago.
A more mundane project that eliminates potential flooding of the furnace room has been completed. The drainage pipe that removes water from below ground level has been rerouted and the back of the parking lot has been shored up.
Whats next??
Our Kitchen is getting tired!
The next major project planned is to renovate the Kitchen area. The project is in its infancy at this point. Planning is underway but as yet there is not sufficient detail to fully cost out the activity. Jane Garfield is leading the subcommittee to establish the concept and the budget estimates. Initial fund rainsing is proposed by offering dinners periodically for the community. A cookbook of Local Favorite Recipes has been published and is being sold as a longer-term fund raiser. Additional fund raisers will be defined as the project moves forward.
Facilities Usage
The Board processes facility usage requests form groups not directly associated with the church. Rentals and room use are contingent on groups meeting established Church nonprofit requirements.
Other Highlights
the Rev. Jonathan Fisher,
on loan to the Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
The board has worked with theFarnsworth Museum in Rockland to have one of the original oil paintings by Reverend Fisher on display at the museum on a two-year loan basis. This is loan is renewable every two years. The board has decided to take this approach since it provides maximum protection from the environment safety against theft. The Church may borrow the paint for special events.
