Board Update – October 2019

The BVUUF Board of Officers and Trustees held two meetings in October.  On October 7, Board President Marky Lloyd chaired a Special Board Meeting via teleconference to consider two time-sensitive issues.  At this meeting, the Board:

-Authorized the Building Committee to spend up to $2,000 to complete the infrastructure for an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station at our new building.  This infrastructure will allow BVUUF to install an EV charging station in the event that we decide to go forward with the purchase and operation of such a station.   

-Approved a construction project change order that increased the cost of parking lot paving for the new building by $35,200.  The increase resulted from several issues. Paving costs change often, partly based on oil prices and season. Paving contractors charge more in the fall because many clients want to complete paving projects before winter.  Weather and Xcel issues have delayed the building schedule so that the paving needs to be done later in the year than expected, and our requirements for paving have changed. The contingency fund for the building project is sufficient to cover the cost increase.

Then, at its regular meeting on October 17, 2019, the Board:

-Completed the delegation of five special-purpose funds formerly managed by the Board to the Committee on Shared Ministries (CoSM).  These funds were set up for specific purposes related to worship, scholarships, and School of the Spirit. In February 2019, the Board delegated spending authority for four of these funds to CoSM.  The October action delegated to CoSM the one remaining similar fund. This delegation gives responsibility to the elected congregational leaders who know the most about the needs that these funds support.  The Board also rescinded a requirement that CoSM submit regular reports to the Board on spending from these funds. Since fund expenditures are included in the monthly Treasurer’s report, the reporting requirement was deemed unnecessary.  

-Approved and signed a resolution congratulating First United Methodist Church of Lafayette on its 125th anniversary. 

-Approved two Charters, one for the Board and one for the Preparedness Committee.  The purpose of the Preparedness Committee is to assure that the BVUUF facility is safe and secure from fire and other natural and human-caused dangers, and to address what to do in case of medical and cybersecurity emergencies.

-Approved a request to co-ordain Emily Conger and to fund half of her estimated ordination expenses. Emily currently serves as the minister for the Longmont UU Presence (LUUP), a collaborative project supported by BVUUF and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder.  The two congregations will co-ordain her and contribute to ordination expenses.

In addition, the Board discussed a number of additional topics, including aspects of white culture that may unwittingly alienate other ethnic groups. These included perfectionism, strong reliance on the written word, fear of conflict, and emphasis on quantity over quality.  The discussion, led by Rev. Lydia, was part of an ongoing effort to draw our congregational circle wider. Throughout this year, the Board will seek to identify processes, structures, and practices that unintentionally exclude people on the basis of race, ethnicity, disabilities, socio-economic status, family status, and other factors.

If you would like to know more about any of these topics, please contact Gloria Pearlstein at secretary@bvuuf.org.