MonthlyOperations Report

to FUUCA Board of Trustees

November 12 – December 20, 2011

Office & Staff

  • Weekday Volunteers –Ann Edwards, Nancy Groblewski, Mary Ann Stafford,Kathryn Govier, Joseph Hunt, Mary Patrick, and Mary Jane Ford continue helping us regularly in the office during the week.
  • Monthly Staff Workshop– At our November staff workshop, Meg led a session on the Myers-Briggs personality test.

Finances & Data

  • Stewardship Support – I provided direct support to the fall canvass through activities such as data analysis. Now the fall canvass is complete.
  • Internal Audit Committee – Our IAC has scheduled their first document review with us. They will begin this portion of their work, focusing on our personnel records and procedures, beginning on January 5th.
  • Schwab change of agents – We have completed the Schwab change of agents process. I can now access our accounts (as can our other authorized individuals). I have used this opportunity to perform clean up on donated stock (which our policy states must be sold shortly after receiving).
  • Donate Now Button – We now have online giving capability. We’ve set up, through our credit card processing vendor, a webpage to take online gifts. Andi Windham, from the webteam, has added the link to our website.
  • Adobe Creative Suite – Jane Parsons has arranged for the donation of Adobe software to the church. This powerful software tool is one of the best on the market for graphic design. We’re looking forward to putting it to work.
  • Internet hiccups – the internet went down for a couple of days during our remodeling project (below). David Matthis and Dale Whiteaker-Lewis provided critical support to solving the issues that coincided with (but don’t seem to have been caused by) the remodel.
  • Quickbooks Cleanup – Jamie has dedicated a good deal of time this past month, and will dedicate more next month, to polishing a few rough edges in our accounting system.
  • 2012 Budget – Meg and I spent a great deal of time working on the 2012 budget. We were pleased that the congregation voted overwhelmingly to prove it on December 18.

Facility & Hardware

  • WelcomeCenter Remodeling – On Dec 15, we began a remodeling project to create a welcome center. The congregation will have a space where everyone who visits during the week can receive a warm welcome, where lively conversations can happen without disrupting vital office functions, and where callers can reach a live person during the day. This is another step towards our mission and ends of gathering in community, being more welcoming and hospitable, and finding connection in fellowship. During the next few weeks of construction, with its noise and dust, we will focus our energy on ensuring that the basics and mission-critical activities get covered. Throughout construction time, and during our catch up period once its complete, our response time will likely be slower than usual.John Payne has provided a good deal of support and good advice during this process.
  • Hallway Lighting – John Payne has been adding covers to the hallway lights. This improves esthetics in the main hallway (no more exposed florescent bulbs.
  • Custodial Uniforms – Our custodial team now sports polo shirts with their names and the name of the church on them.
  • Parking Signs – we have added signs to the parking lot to clearly designate where Lauterstein-Conway students can park. This will facilitate the effective use of our limited parking.

Other

  • Vacation – I will travel with my family to Costa Rica March 13-27 where we will stay with my wife’s family.
  • The AlmostChurch Revitalized – I’m reading this book together with the board. It provides an incisive analysis of the things that have held UUism back for many decades. It then provides persuasive recommendations on what we can do for our churches and denomination to flourish in the 21st century.
  • Congregational Meeting – I provided direct support to the board in preparation for the December congregational meeting and the pre-congregational meeting in November.
  • Capital Campaign Lessons – at December’s meeting of the Austin Financial Non-Profit Leadership Group, I learned about the impact of capital campaigns on non-profits from the Austin area Boy Scouts Staff, which just completed a $12 million campaign and construction. Among the highlights: 15% of the cost of a capital campaign is fundraising related (and you have to budget for it), the organization has a $5 million annual budget (so they raised about 2 ½ times their annual budget), and that we should budget an increase of about 15% of staff time to deal with the direct impact of this kind of project.
  • Marketing – Meg and I have been meeting with Pat Evans and beginning the development of a marketing plan. Pat is a long-time member and marketing professional.
  • Nominating Committee – Meg and I attended a Nominating Committee meeting in order to coordinate our roles in identifying and recruiting future church leaders.

No Update this month

  • Keys & Alarms
  • Memorials & Staff
  • Main office configuration
  • FORTH Taskforce
  • Metrics Taskforce
  • Mozy
  • Staff Calendars
  • Internal Audit

Some of my other regular activities (Reports for these usually appear elsewhere)

  • Finance Committee Meetings
  • One-on-one meetings with direct reports
  • Board of Trustees
  • Board Agenda-Planning Committee (formerly known as the Executive Committee)
  • Volunteer recruiting and coordination
  • Management Team Meetings
  • Church Council & Congregational Meetings
  • Office Staff Meetings
  • Monthly Staff Training
  • Background checks for new employees, special volunteers
  • Monthly Financial Reports
  • Monthly follow up on bounced pledge autopayments
  • Bimonthly meetings of the Austin Non-Profit Financial Leadership Group
  • Board retreats and special meetings (average twice annually)

Respectfully submitted by Sean Hale. December 22, 2011.

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