Pebble Hill Church
Council Meeting Minutes
February 13, 2013
Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm
Attendance
Council Members: Gary Schoenberg, Chris Florentz, Shaie Dively, Andy Wright, Sharon
Kerrick
Guest: Carolyn Penta
Minutes of January 9, 2013 Meeting
Minutes of January 9, 2013 Council meeting were approved with following comment:
$6,000 under operating fund, per Andy, reflects cash balance.
Action Items from Last Meeting
1. Chris and Andy will discuss and explore reestablishing the online community
forum.
 Status: Andy and Chris discussed; Andy is looking into recovering
password and will pass on to Chris, who will moderate forum when it is
reactivated. Chris will review email etiquette and draft rules for new
forum.
2. Send draft town hall meeting agenda to Celebration Committee and guidance on
how the meeting might be structured. Shaie will follow up on this.
 Status: Completed
3. 2013 Pledge Campaign to be included in February Council meeting agenda by
Gary.
 Status: Completed
4. Financial Task Force will meet next week and develop a first draft of the new
budget for Council’s review at the February meeting. Sharon will coordinate this
effort.
 Status: Completed
5. Council president traditionally drafts a pledge letter. Gary will do this.
 Status: Completed.
6. Sharon to send profit and loss budget vs. actual to Council members for review in
advance of the February meeting.
 Status: Completed
7. Gary will request the Capital Budget Task Force to submit a sketch of a five-year
plan to Council for consideration in the February meeting.
 Status: Per Carolyn, there is no Capital Budget Task Force
 Note: The Capital Budget Task Force had transitioned into the Building
and Sustainability Comittee.
8. Bill will develop an organizational structure for required reporting for the people
on the task force and submit draft to Gary in one to two weeks.
Status: Not done.
9. Andy to discuss making improvements in bookkeeping at next Budget Task
Force Meeting.
Status: Andy asked to speak with Financial Task Force; Sharon declined.
Carolyn stated that double entry is no longer used, and that “we can discuss
QuickBooks.”
10. Gary will request the Facilities Committee Chair to obtain another estimate to
repair the door.
 Status: Gary made request and was informed by Bob that it was not
necessary since Bill T’s bid was considered as fully acceptable.
11. Gary will follow up with Carolyn and see whether she has talked to Maylyn, and
how often Maylyn has the piano tuned.
 Status: Completed.
Council Meeting
Financial Reporting:
Fiscal and Pledge Updates: per Carolyn, $19, 276 contributed to date. We’re a little shy
of our goal as of today, per Gary.
Sharon gave overview of budget. Shaie asked that, given the flux of gallery, do we still
want to keep $400 in proposed budget? Per Gary and Carolyn, the Art Committee will
continue and the $400 proposed budget will be maintained.
Andy proposed Council consider holding a Dinner Night to raise money.
“Miscellaneous” line item has been removed from the budget. Chris suggested adding
more advertising to promote copy services, Sunday Celebrations, etc.
“Outreach” line item ($700) has been discussed. Carolyn suggested Pebble Hill should
reach out to help those in need outside the Pebble Hill community. Chris stated that this
is putting the cart before horse, and that the budget needs to be balanced before money
is allocated from the General Fund. Andy agreed with Carolyn that Pebble Hill should
reach out to those in need outside the community, but he also agreed with Chris that the
budget needs to be balanced first.
Friends of Heart: per Carol, there is no operating budget for the fund. Monies come in as
a donation, and go into the restricted account under Friends of Heart.
Telephone and Internet: Cost is $140 per month. Suggested this be researched to try
and find a better deal.
Cleaning services: Why has this increased so much? Sharon stated the amount shown
in the budget is a mathematical error, and that it will be corrected to $6,720.
Grounds (tree services): Per Carolyn, the quote may be $1700 rather than $1900. She’ll
check and correct. Carolyn also stated that going forward, we need to start planting
evergreen around perimeter of Pebble Hill’s property to replace trees that are old and
diseased.
Maintenance person: Sharon’s son Rob is hired to provide maintenance services. Gary
asked whether Rob can be asked to adjust the angle of the ladder to the tree house.
Carolyn said she would investigate this with Rob.
Downstairs room in Red Barn: Carolyn said the room is coming along nicely, and that
the addition of several standing lamps would be a further improvement in the room.
Yellow Barn: Andy stated that something needs to be done about electric and fuel oil
consumption, which has become an increasingly costly expenditure.
On a separate matter, Andy recommended holding a Council meeting after Celebration
on how to deal with “Friends From the Heart” requests, i.e., add language clarifying that
it is a one-time contribution so that the same individuals are not continually making
requests.
Other:
How do we get more people to attend Celebrations and other Pebble Hill events? Shaie
suggested holding a picnic in the spring and inviting not only members of the Pebble
community, but also rental groups that use Pebble Hill facilities and also the general
public.
Closing:
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm as the snows came down.
Action Items (02-13-13, 02-24-13)
1. Gary will email Dorothy about her intention to resign from Council, and ask her to
send a letter of resignation. Complete
2. Invite new Council members: Suggestions: Dave Perkins, Bill Mettler, Judy ____,
Susan Manning, Larry Hall, Bob (new member), Theresa (new member), et al.
Note: no final decision was made about this action item, i.e., when to proceed
and with which prospective council members. Some, it was noted, had either
previously declined or served, such as Bill and Susan. Not Done
3. Gary will ask Allen to put message in the Announcements about the approaching
end of the Pledge Year, so, get your pledge monies in! Done
4. HU Meditation: Let them know that they should let us know in March if they want
to come in April, but we can’t reserve for them. Wendy to let them know this.
Done
5. Research reducing telephone and Internet cost. Wendy to do this. Not Done
6. Change out/fix ladder to tree house. Note: no final decision was made as to
when, and who. Not Done
7. Remind Larry to turn in receipts as the fiscal year’s almost over. Shaie will do
this. Not Done Re: Assign to Sharon
8. Special Council meeting after Celebration on Sunday, Feb. 24 to finish this
meeting’s agenda. Done
9. Pledge letter will be published on Pebble Hill website and be distributed through
email list. Pledge card needs to be updated (2013-2014). Gary will handle.
Done
10. Explore developing policy around how funds should be tracked, good accounting
policy, etc. Sharon and Allen to explore. In Process
Minutes submitted by Chris Florentz, Council Secretary
Distributed Documents
Council Agenda for February 13
Minutes of the January 9, 2013 Council Meeting
Fiscal 2013-2014 Budget
Balance Sheet
Summary of Bank Deposit
Pledge Status Report
Draft Annual Pledge Letter
BASC Committee Report
Air Lock Summary to Date
BASC Project Funding Glitch – Proposed Solution
Property Report to Council 1-9-13
Pebble Hill Church Red Barn Doorway Upgrades by Bill Talvitie 12/28/12
Memo in Response to Red Barn Doorway Upgrades by Carolyn Penta 1/8/13
02-13-13 Meeting Resumed 02-24-13 at 1:00pm Closed Meeting
Meeting called to order at 1:00 pm
Attendance
Council Members: Gary Schoenberg, Chris Florentz, Andy Wright, Sharon Kerrick
Guest: Allen Dench
Council Meeting
2012 Pledge Drive:
Allen reported that the drive has gone over the top with a $1,000 pledge from an
anonymous pledger. Pebble Hill is now at 103% of $20K. The pledge goal for the 2013
drive is $21,000. Gary read draft pledge letter and Council suggested edits.
Action items: Gary indicated the pledge letter will be posted on the Pebble Hill website,
and be distributed through the email list. Pledge card also needs to be updated to reflect
current pledge year (2013-2014).
Buildings and Sustainability Committee:
Gary opened discussion of Bob’s letter about how to proceed with regard to the airlock
project. Chris asked for clarification of how BASC was formed. Gary said that Carolyn
suggested creating the BASC and that Council agreed at the time. He added that the
question is whether we want to support BASC, disband it, or involve people from the
committee, as needed, for opinions and guidance around buildings, renovations, etc. He
also stated that when we ask people for their expertise, there is a certain trust level that
the people who advise us are providing informed answers, and that maybe we need
more than one bid.
Gary stated the airlock will enhance the sustainability of the Red Barn, and that the only
question is whether it’s a priority. “There’s been a lot done,” he pointed out, “and we hit a
wall; airing people’s feelings in an email exchange caused conflict.” Gary recommended
developing a process for addressing issues respectfully, but that as a Council, we need
to first decide if this is an initiative we want to pursue. “What I basically wanted was a
good solid door,” he said. “An airlock is icing on the cake.” He posed a further question:
how do we maintain integrity? Andy pointed out that we have the 16 Principles. How
then, Gary responded, do we enable communications among people where they
respectfully disagree and allow information to be presented. He indicated that the
organization where he works brings in contractors and gets bids from several or more.
Next, the matter of no receipts being received since August for Africa Fund withdrawals
totaling $1,700 was discussed. It was agreed that Council needs to further investigate
the matter before giving Bill Talvitie any additional work.
Gary asked what kind of receipts do we typically get for Africa Fund disbursements?
Andy responded, Money-gram transfers. Gary then stated that we need to stop sending
additional funds to Africa until the receipt situation is resolved. Chris suggested asking
Bill to produce receipts for all withdrawals from August on. Gary added that checks and
balances are needed.
Andy proposed holding a Council session to address the subject without focusing on Bill.
Gary reemphasized that Bill must be asked to produce receipts. Sharon pointed out that
Bill has not been responsive to her requests, and asked someone step in and add
weight to the request. Gary said that he will send Bill an email asking him to produce
receipts so the Africa account can be reconciled. Sharon pointed out that comingling is a
problem, and that each receipt should correspond to a withdrawal.
Gary recommended Council develop policy and procedures around structures for how
people who want to be consultants are to be paid. The BASC is disbanded, although
Bob wants it to continue without Carolyn and Ken.
Sharon suggested that once we get past these trust issues, having two committees, one
for buildings and grounds, one for sustainability. Gary suggested that community input is
indicated. Andy advised Sharon that if there’s any accounting work he’s needed for while
he’s away, he can do via remote.
Gary reiterated that we need to write a policy, and asked Sharon and Allen to explore
developing policy around how funds should be tracked, a good accounting policy, etc.
Closing:
Meeting adjourned at 3 pm.