IOWA CONFERENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING June 10, 2011

Transcription

1 IOWA CONFERENCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING June 10, 2011 Members Participating: Absent (with prior notice): Sharon Guffey-Lewis, James Altenbaumer, Byron Henn, Larry Hanon, Mary Stonebraker, Joyce Fisher, Laura Lof, Tammy Ebensberger, William Howie, Karl Whiteman, Ryan Brooks, Brian Wohlhuter, Marilyn Sargent, Deb Gage, David Nelson, Joel Love, Paulette Upton, Lynette Spicer John Noer, Carl Vass Absent (without prior notice): None Also Present: Robert Deranleau, CM Pleva, ACM Stoik The Board of Directors met in Room 254 of Scheman Hall on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The Chair, Laura Lof, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. CM Pleva began the meeting with a discussion of the ministry and writings of the prophet Jeremiah and opening prayer. The Chair introduced Robert Deranleau, the assistant moderator designate. Approval of Minutes BOD Nelson/Whiteman to approve the minutes of April 2, 2011 as presented. Appointment of Assistant Moderator BOD Guffey-Lewis/Fisher to appoint Robert Deranleau as assistant moderator. Nomination Report CM Pleva delivered the report of the Iowa Conference Nominating Committee (a copy of which is attached to these minutes). BOD Wohlhuter/Spicer to appoint the following person to the position indicated: Mayflower Home Board of Trustees: Class of 2014 (3-year term) Joyce Hertz, Ames, UCC Congregational BOD Deranleau/Ebensberger to approve the report of the Iowa Conference Nominating Committee and to recommend to the Annual Meeting that the persons nominated thereby for June 10, 2011, Page 1

2 offices requiring election by the Annual Meeting be so elected. Annual Meeting Agenda CM Pleva presented the proposed agenda for the Annual Meeting. Several proposed additions to the agenda were discussed and it was the consensus of the Board that the agenda with the proposed additions be approved. BOD Upton/Nelson to adopt the agenda for the annual meeting as amended. Approved unanimously. Carstensen Fund CM Pleva presented a memorandum concerning the use of the Carstensen fund to be presented to the annual meeting. A copy of the memorandum is attached to these minutes. BOD Whiteman/Guffey-Lewis that the memorandum be approved and that it be presented to the annual meeting. Term of Treasurer CM Pleva presented a recommendation for modification of Board organizational policies nos. 1.1a, 1.3a, 1.3d and 1.3f. BOD Howie/Spicer to amend Board of Directors Policy 1.1a as follows: Policy 1.1a Amend sentence following the 4 bullet points on the first page to read: Therefore, the Board of Directors will organize itself with officers and into Work Teams as described below. Then insert this section: OFFICERS In addition to those officers established by the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws, the Board will annually select from among its members a Chair and a Vice Chair. The Chair will preside at all meetings of the Board. In the Chair s absence, the Vice Chair will preside. Each will be eligible to serve no more than three consecutive terms in their respective office. The Treasurer will be selected annually by the Board as described in the Conference bylaws. The Treasurer will be eligible to serve four consecutive one year terms and then not be eligible for election until at least one year has passed. WORK TEAMS Modify the introductory paragraph beginning with the sentence Each team will be June 10, 2011, Page 2

3 staffed. to read:..each team will be staffed by a member of the Program Staff of the conference, as assigned by the Conference Minister. Each team will select from its members a team leader to convene meetings of the team and report to the whole board.. Under the composition sections of the Program and Planning Team and the Financial Development Team eliminate the sentence The Team will be staffed by an ACM assigned by the Conference Minister. The other policy change recommendations were discussed, but no action taken on them at this time. Approval and Ratification of Investments Treasurer Hanon and CM Pleva discussed the investments they have made to date of Iowa Conference funds and the investment risk attendant to such investments. Treasurer Hanon requested that the Board of Directors approve and ratify these investments. BOD Hannon/Nelson to approve and ratify the investments of Iowa Conference funds made to date by CM Pleva and Treasurer Hanon. Approved with all voting Aye except for Hanon, who abstained. Election of Board Officers BOD Nelson/Fisher to elect the following officers of the Iowa Conference Board of Directors to serve one-year terms beginning June 11, 2011 and ending at the conclusion of the June 2012 meeting of the Iowa Conference Board of Directors: Chair William Howie Vice Chair Joel Love Treasurer Larry Hanon Peggy Bronson Bequest CM Pleva recommended that the bequest from the Peggy Bronson estate be allocated to the Conference Operations Endowment Fund. BOD Guffey-Lewis/Whiteman to approve the recommendation of the Conference Minister and allocate the Bronson bequest to the Conference Operations Endowment Fund. Youth and Young Adult Delegate Amendment At the April 2011 meeting, the Board approved amendments to the Articles of Incorporation and June 10, 2011, Page 3

4 Bylaws for submission to the Annual Meeting. ACM Havelka requested that the proposed provisions of Article I, Section 2(b) of the Amended and Substituted Bylaws be changed to read as follows before the amendments are submitted to the Annual Meeting: Section 2. *** (b) Youth or Young Adult Delegate: Every member church may send one youth or young adult voting delegate to any conference meeting. As used herein the term youth or young adult shall mean any person 13 through 29 years of age by the beginning of the meeting they are attending. BOD Ebensberger/Gage to approve the requested change to proposed Article I, Section 2(b) of the Amended and Substituted Bylaws. Bylaw and Articles of Incorporation Amendment Memorandum CM Pleva requested that the Board approve a memorandum explaining the amendments to the Articles and Bylaws and that the memorandum be presented to the Annual Meeting. A copy of the memorandum is attached. BOD Deranleau/Sargent to approve the memorandum and authorize its distribution to the Annual Meeting. Iowa Thank Offering BOD Altenbaumer/Henn to approve the Policy for Making Grants from the Thank Offering Fund, a copy of which is attached. Standing Rules for Annual Meeting The Conference program staff charged with planning Annual Meetings have recommended that the standing rules pertaining to time limits for debate on matters other than proposals for action and resolutions be limited one hearing per speaker for no more than two minutes, alternating insofar as possible between pro and con, until all others desiring to speak are heard, and then a second hearing allowed for no more than one minute. BOD Whiteman/Nelson to approve the standing rule debate limits as proposed and to recommend their adoption to the annual meeting. Financial Reports Treasurer Hanon presented the financial reports for the Conference year-to-date. The Board thanked him for his work in straightening out these reports. Endowment Policy CM Pleva presented a proposed endowment policy to the Board for their consideration. It is hoped that action can be taken on this policy at the August meeting Meeting Dates The Chair reviewed the planned dates for Board meetings for : June 10, 2011, Page 4

5 August 26-27, 2011 October 29, 2011 January 21, 2012 March 31, 2012 June 7, 2012 Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp, 1203 Inwan Street, Wahpeton, IA New member orientation at 3:30 p.m. on August 26. All members dinner at 5:30 p.m. on August 26. Adjournment/closing at 2:30 p.m. on August 27. Des Moines, Plymouth Congregational UCC, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA Meeting time: 9:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. WebEx invitation will come from the Conference office closer to the date of meeting. Meeting time: 9:30 a.m. noon. Des Moines, Plymouth Congregational UCC, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA Meeting time: 9:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Grinnell College - 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting (Precise date/time uncertain) There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:55 a.m. Mary Stonebraker, Secretary June 10, 2011, Page 5

6 Iowa Conference Nominating Committee Report The Iowa Conference Board of Directors has determined that the Nominating Committee should provide a single slate to the annual meeting for election, with the opportunity for nomination from the floor. Should delegates to the annual meeting choose to nominate someone from the floor, the nominee must be aware of the action and have agreed to have their name placed in nomination and biographical materials available for distribution to the delegation at the time of nomination. Slate of Nominees for Election by the Iowa Conference Annual Meeting 2011 Presented by the Iowa Conference Nominating Committee Board of Director Officers: Moderator: Robert Deranleau, Creston, Congregational UCC (lay) Assistant Moderator: Jane Willan, Burlington, Zion UCC (clergy) Secretary: (2 year term) Gregg Buchanan, Algona, First Congregational UCC (lay) (1 st term) Board of Directors At-Large Members: Class of 2014 (3-year term) Ryan Brooks, Ankeny, Ankeny UCC (lay) (2 nd term) David Nelson, Des Moines, Plymouth Congregational UCC (lay) (2 nd term) Board of Directors Association Representatives: Class of 2014 (3-year term) Central: Adam Dirks, Urbandale, Urbandale UCC (lay) (1 st term) Eastern Iowa: Tammy Ebensberger, Clinton, Community Congregational UCC (lay) (2 nd term) Northeast: Lynne Busch, Clarksville, Immanuel UCC (clergy) (1 st term) Northwestern: Joyce Fisher, Sioux City, First Congregational UCC (lay) (1 st term) Mayflower Home Board of Trustees: Class of 2014 (3-year term) George Drake, Grinnell, UCC Congregational (lay) (2 nd term) Steve Langerud, Grinnell, UCC Congregational (lay) (2 nd term) Our Sacred Space, Inc: Jeff Nobel, Muscatine, Faith UCC (lay) Continuing to Serve: Board of Directors Associations: 2012 Central Joel Love, Reinbeck, Union Congregational UCC (clergy) 2012 Northeast Marilyn Sargent, Tripoli, Faith UCC (clergy) 2012 Northwestern Karl Whiteman, Milford, Union Memorial UCC (clergy) 2012 Southeastern Carl Vass, Danville, Olds UCC (licensed) 2013 Eastern Iowa Byron Henn, Marion, First Congregational UCC Cedar Rapids (clergy) June 10, 2011, Page 6

7 2013 Northeast Deborah Gage, Osage, United Church of Christ (licensed) 2013 Northwestern Bill Howie, Manson, UCC Congregational (licensed) 2013 Southwestern Brian Wohlhuter, Minden, The United Church of Christ (clergy) Appointed Treasurer Larry Hanon, Tipton, First UCC (lay) Board of Directors At Large: 2012 Southwestern Sharon Guffey-Lewis, Anita, UCC Congregational (clergy) 2013 Central Lynette Spicer, Ames, Ames, UCC Congregational (lay) 2013 Southeastern Paulette Upton, Burlington, Zion UCC (lay) Mayflower Home Board of Trustees: 2012 Elected Marlene Hunt, Hiawatha, Hope UCC (lay) 2012 Elected Don Schild, Grinnell, UCC Congregational (lay) 2012 Appointed Joseph Deal, Burlington, Zion UCC (lay) 2013 Elected Marjorie Grove, Webster City, First Congregational UCC (lay) 2013 Elected Bill Hedlund, Des Moines, Plymouth Congregational UCC (lay) 2013 Appointed Christopher Burtnett, Schleswig, United Church of Christ (clergy) 2014 Appointed Joyce Hertz, Ames, UCC Congregational (lay) General Synod Delegates: Class of 2011 Class of 2013 Pamela Cook, Decorah, Congregational UCC Elizabeth Dilley, Red Oak, First Congregational UCC Ben Ewert, Harlan, Congregational UCC Hannah Filkins, Hartley, Trinity UCC Robert Koepcke, Donnellson, St Paul s UCC Christopher Portero Paff, Council Bluffs, St John s UCC Jim Ritters, Burlington, Zion UCC Marilyn Sargent, Tripoli, Faith UCC Jess Thomason, Lake View, First Congregational UCC Ken Wells, Onawa, First Congregational UCC David Boogerd, Ackley, St John s UCC Liz Colton, Oskaloosa, St Paul Congregational UCC Bob David, Cedar Rapids, First Congregational UCC Joyce Fisher, Sioux City, First Congregational UCC Samantha Fistler, Eldora, First Congregational UCC Linda Hanson, Ames Paul Johnson, West Des Moines, Urbandale UCC Jake Joseph, Des Moines, Plymouth Congregational UCC Elizabeth Manning, Maquoketa, Maquoketa UCC Beatrice Rendon, Urbandale, Urbandale UCC June 10, 2011, Page 7

8 Iowa Conference United Church of Christ Memo To: From: Delegates to the 2011 Iowa Conference Annual Meeting Iowa Conference Board of Directors Date: 11 June Re: Carstensen bequest Attached to this memo you will find the Board of Directors Policy for use of funds generated by the Jens A. Carstensen Family Endowment Fund. You may find this background helpful: In 2009 the Iowa Conference learned that Inga Carstensen, a member of the Schleswig UCC had died and bequeathed a substantial portion of her estate approximately $l.7 million to the Iowa Conference to establish a permanent endowment 1, the proceeds of which should be used "for the purposes of the ministries of the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ as the governing officers and directors of said conference deem most appropriate." At last year's Annual Meeting a motion was made to direct the conference board to share the proceeds of the endowment with the national setting of the church at the same sharing rate as applied to basic OCWM from conference churches. The motion was tabled resulting in no action being taken, and the motion therefore remains on the table. After consideration of the Board's understanding of Ms. Carstensen's intentions and the ministry needs of the conference, the Board adopted the attached policy for use of these funds. As you will see, it directs that the proceeds be shared with the national setting of the church, but at the level of a tithe (10%) rather than at the rate applied to basic OCWM. We cannot know Ms. Carstensen's thinking with any degree of certainty all we have are the directions of her will. Nonetheless, these two points are clear Ms. Carstensen could have left some or all of her estate to the national setting, but she did not. In fact, she left a part of her estate to the Schleswig UCC, and another part to the Iowa Conference. Additionally, she stipulated that the proceeds of the endowment established be used for "the ministries of the Iowa Conference... The Board believes that the policy adopted earlier this year is consonant with the intentions of Ms. Carstensen and does not recommend that motion made at last year's annual meeting should either be taken off the table or adopted. The board also recognizes the right of the meeting to provide direction to the Board and we have asked the planners of the meeting to provide opportunity for discussion of the use of this gracious gift. 1 A permanent endowment is a fund of money consisting of principal which may not be expended, but which generates income which may be expended according to purposes named by the donor. June 10, 2011, Page 8

9 Iowa Conference of United Church of Christ Title: Carstensen Family Endowment Date adopted: April 2, 2011 Category: 1.3d Introduction: In 2009, Inge Carstensen, a member of the Schleswig UCC, willed a significant portion of her estate to the Iowa Conference, to establish the "Jens A. Carstensen Family Endowment Fund." Ms Carstensen's will directs that the proceeds from the endowment should be used "for the purposes of the ministries of the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ as the governing officers and directors of said conference deem most appropriate." This policy establishes the policies and procedures by which the Board of Directors of the Iowa Conference will honor the intentions of Ms. Carstensen. Policies: The Board of Directors of the Iowa Conference will use the proceeds from this permanent endowment to fund projects and proposals which, in the considered opinion of the Board, hold promise to enrich the life and vitality of the Iowa Conference in our common expressions. Starting in 2012 and every year thereafter, the Iowa Conference will pay a tithe of the proceeds of the annual draw from the endowment as an additional contribution to national OCWM. We intend that this act of sharing serve as a model for our churches and clergy encouraging sharing within and among the various settings of the church. In order to allow the fund to build some excess to cover future variations in investment experience, we will not draw on the fund's proceeds during 2011 except to cover the expenses of a staff-wide planning process during the summer of Starting in 2012 we will entertain proposals which hold promise to enrich the life and vitality of the Iowa Conference in common expressions (rather than accrue mainly to the benefit of any one local church or small group of persons). The Board will give particular priority to projects which are forward looking and designed to better equip the church to relevant witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These proposals may originate with any group of three or more local churches or authorized ministers having standing in an association of the Iowa Conference. To be considered for funding, the grant proposal must be intended to move the conference into a more relevant and robust future. Grant proposals will ultimately be authorized and approved by the Board of Directors. Initial screening will be conducted by a Screening/Recommendation Committee made up of program staff, one or two Board members and one or two at large members. The Screening/Recommendation Committee will be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the Iowa Conference. The size of the annual draw from the Carstensen Family Endowment will be according to the Investment/Endowment Policy of the Iowa Conference. The Board will annually and widely publicize the procedures for making grant applications for the proceeds from this fund. June 10, 2011, Page 9

10 MEMO To: Iowa Conference Annual Meeting From: The Board of Directors Date: 29 April 2011 Re: Recommended amendments to the Iowa Conference Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws The recommended changes to the Conference Articles of Incorporation are many and do not all require commentary. Many small changes are suggested which serve to clarify ambiguity, eliminate redundancy, or remove items that are more related to policy than to governance and do not belong in the Articles or Bylaws (for example, the requirement that communion be observed at all Annual Meetings of the conference). Please note these more substantive recommendations: 1. The quorum requirement for meetings of the conference is changed to a number related to the number of churches. The current quorum requirement (100 delegates) has not been changed for many years, even as the number of churches has declined. If adopted, the quorum requirement as of now would be The language around extinct churches is changed to closed churches and it is made clear that the conference cannot unilaterally assume the remaining assets and property of such a church, unless the church has made no other arrangements on its own. 3. The language authorizing churches to send an additional youth or young adult delegate is modified for added clarity. 4. The changes make clear that the Treasurer of the conference is a full member of the Board of Directors. 5. The process of nominations for the Board of Directors is changed from one where a majority of the members are nominated by associations without necessary consultation with the Board itself, nor with any assurance that those persons nominated actually bring the experience, gifts and temperament most needed by the board at any given time, to one where the Conference Nominating Committee nominates all members of the Board of Directors. The number of directors from each association is unchanged. The selection of and makeup of the Nominating Committee is also altered. The Annual Meeting continues to elect all directors. 6. The authority of the Board of Directors to amend the conference s budget, if necessary, is made explicit. 7. Lengthy sections on apportionments and selection of General Synod delegates are removed. We believe these are important and helpful changes and strongly urge their adoption at the Annual Meeting in June June 10, 2011, Page 10

11 IOWA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Title: POLICY FOR MAKING GRANTS FROM THE THANK OFFERING FUND Date adopted: June 10, 2011 Dates of revisions: None Category: 1.3d From time to time, the Iowa Conference receives funds from local churches designated for inclusion in the Iowa Thank Offering Fund. This is a temporarily restricted fund and grants may be made from the Fund only to Iowa entities. Grants are awarded annually. The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for use awarding grants from this Fund. Requirements for Grant Requests Applications for grants from the Iowa Thank Offering Fund shall be in writing and shall, at a minimum, contain the following: 1. A statement of the purpose for which the grant is sought and the uses to which the funds from the grant shall be put. 2. The amount of the grant requested. 3. The names, addresses, phone numbers and addresses of the responsible parties for the administration of the grant. 4. Such other information as the Conference Minister may request. The Conference Minister is authorized, from time to time, to establish such further procedures and requirements for grant applications as he or she shall deem necessary or helpful to the administration of the Fund. Purposes for which Grants May Be Awarded Grants from the Iowa Thank Offering Fund may only be made to help support social service or community service projects which further the ministry of one or more of the local churches that are members of the associations of the United Church of Christ within the boundaries of the Iowa Conference. Decisions Concerning the Award of Grants The Conference Minister shall review all applications for grants from the Fund and shall make recommendations concerning them to the Administrative Team of the Board of Directors. The Administrative Team shall have sole and exclusive authority to determine what action shall be taken with respect to all grant applications and the amount, terms and conditions of any grant that is made from the Fund. June 10, 2011, Page 11