St. Joseph Parish Council Meeting

                                   Sunday, June 12, 2005

 

Attending: Fr. David McGuinness, Jim Altmiller, John Benca, June Compton, Susan Gearhart, Maxine Guerrera, Pete Konenkamp, Marty Ledenham, Evelyn Tejada, Todd Storey and John Timmons; (excused absences included Dana Moody, Rosemary Risse and Margarita Tejada).

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Father McGuinness opened the meeting with a prayer.

 

Minutes of May meeting were approved.

 

June prepared the council for election of officers by reading the job descriptions of president and vice-president. She also advised us that the vote for the parish council liaisons for the various committees was a vote for representatives who would be non-voting members of these committees. Father suggested that the voting might be deferred since the new members were not well acquainted with the council and since three of the council members were absent. However, it was decided that since Pete Konenkamp had been recommended at the last meeting the voting should proceed, with the following results:

President, Pete Konnenkamp; Vice-president, Todd Storey; Secretary, Marty Ledenham.

June clarified that the vice-president is not automatically  ‘promoted’ to president when the president’s position is vacated She added that following the parish council elections, the new member,John Timmons, had promptly been designated  as the liaison for the Planning Committee . The Council  agreed that he should remain our representative to that committee. June stated that she would assume a regular membership in the Planning Committee as she stepped down from office. The Council then thanked her for her dedicated work as president and she left, with Pete Konenkamp assuming direction of the meeting as president.

 

 COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

FINANCE: Jim reported that the weekly collections were stable and were exceeding the expenses by approximately $3000/week.We were doing well keeping expenses down .He added that with the initiation of the envelope program for the 7:30 PM mass we had doubled collections and were receiving approximately $600/week. The RE envelope collections are approximately $2500/week. He noted that the money earmarked for RE goes into the budget as before but it is still is not enough to cover the entire RE bill. Last year the RE expenses were $180,000 and only $40,000 was collected. Our fiscal year ends 6/30/05. Last year we had an  excess of about $100,000. This year we anticipate an excess of $200,000. He noted that we have sent $207,000 to the Atlanta Archdiocese this year. Father clarified for the new members that the money earmarked for RE is not included in the archdiocesan assessment. 

 

MAINTENANCE: Todd noted that there has been no work done on the back retaining wall. Jim added that there were trees to be removed before the work could commence.

 

STEWARDSHIP: Sue said there was no report; there had been no meetings.

 

COMMUNICATIONS: Pete said that the Communications Committee would be working with the Campaign Development Committee. He reported that a Catholic Photographic Service, Busson, of Ohio would begin scheduling photo sittings for September for the parish directory. This would be of no cost to the parish. The company works only with churches and is using digital technology.The representative is in South Carolina. The Communications Committee continues its work on new bulletin covers and church refrigerator magnets.

 

LITURGY: No report.

 

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SEARCH COMMITTEE: Pete reported that Steve Spellman who has worked with the school  superintendant and with Father David continues to advertise for a candidate for the ‘second round’. The committee will not meet until the number of candidates increases; they are hoping for four to five. Father does not have an interim candidate at this time.

 

SITE COMMITTEE: John Benca reported that the committee continues to work with Gerry Whitworth, land developer looking for viable options.          

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE: John Timmons said that the committee has had five or six meetings since May. One included diocesan representatives who advised of the protocol required to build churches ie:  the ‘plan’ is approved only if the finances ‘work’. On May 23rd the committee met at a lot adjacent to Iris Place on Epps Bridge. This land is not visible upon entering Athens and has significant development costs. On May 24th they met with The Pulaski Heights-Boulevard Neighborhood Association to better establish relations with our present neighbors. At the June 2cd meeting they attempted to establish a time line for definitive planning; their target date is Nov-Dec 05 but they are limited by lack of a site. On June 7th they met with representatives from the Donovan High School Board. The Board showed a plan including a plat. They expressed their desire for unity and wished to be linked to the parish. They acknowledged willingness to move the high school to a new site and sell the present property and thus avoid competitive fundraising. At this point Father interjected that he had met with five members of the High School Board ,   four parish representatives and the finance director of the Archdiocese. At this meeting the archdiocese clearly recommended that St. Joseph’s parish should focus on the needs of the parish and of St. Joseph’s School.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

NURSERY: Todd reports that Dottie has noted no leakage today in spite of the rains. Jim added that the previous leaks were related to a defective sump pump that has since been replaced. The nursery has been painted by the teens.

 

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH RECOGNITION: Todd reports that the Red Maple Tree given to the First Baptist Church in recognition of their 175th Anniversary was planted this week.

 

SAFTEY AND SECURITY: Pete said that a lock and key system has been installed to control power to the electric lock on the front door of the church.  He stated that the $11,000 system has already targeted two thefts. Father stated that a man was found taking money out of the collection basket. He continues to have concerns about the dangerous people that roam into the church from the neighborhood.

 

STEPHENS MINISTRY: Father reported that we presently have two parishioners in Florida in training for the Stephen’s Ministry.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS: Jim listed the committees. New liaisons were appointed as follows:

Stewardship: Sue Gearhart. She will contact the committee to clarify their status.

Finance: Jim Altmiller will continue as representative.

Maintenance: Jim Altmiller. Todd reported that there is no regular group or committee.

                       Jim says that he oversees maintenance and will continue to do so although

                       He recommends that a group needs to be formed (seniors etc.)

Communications: Pete Konnenkamp. Other members noted were Louise Benjamin,

                            (former council member) and Benedicte Milward.

Liturgy: Rosemary Risse

School Principal Search: Pete Konnekamp will continue as representative.Other members

                                        Noted from the school were Glassman, Shouse and Mitchell.

Planning: John Timmons. Maxine Guerrera was added as a second representative to this

                Committee in anticipation of its future growth and divergence.

Site Committee: John Benca. John requested clarification that this would be called Site

                           Investigation vs. Site Selection. He had questions re: the extent of the                          mandated mission of the Planning Committee; when do they issue a final report?             It was decided to continue having the Planning

                           Committee involved in site investigation and in site selection.

Capital Campaign: Sue Gearhart was appointed to represent the parish council on this

                               Committee during this time of need.Frank Milward has been directing

                              The progress of the fundraising campaign which should be launched in

                               November.

St. Joseph School: Maxine Guerrera suggested that we form a new liaison position to

                               Coordinate with the school including the PTO, the advisory board and

                               Principal. She was appointed as this liaison.

Spanish Community: Evelyn Tejada was willing to begin to develop a liaison position

                                  That would coordinate with the activity of the Spanish Community.

 

BYLAWS: Jim Altmiller will head a committee to study the bylaws and recommend revisions as needed. The committee will include John Timmons, Dana Moody and John Benca.

 

ADDENDUMS:

 

Maxine Guerrera said that the St.Joseph School PTO president had asked her to seek support from the parish for the school’s fundraiser (magazine sales) in the form of announcements etc.The Coucil members gave their support for the fundraiser and the logistics are to be worked out with Father David.

 

Jim Altmiller noted that the church needs another display board that shows the song numbers to be sung during masses and other celebrations in the church.The current is visible only in limited areas.

 

Father closed the meeting by reminding us that we have two parishioners in training for Stephen’s Ministry, that there will be reorganization of the St. Joseph’s School Board and Advisory Board and that he is in favor of a Catholic high school in Athens but that the priority of the parish church is it own immediate and future needs and those of St. Joseph’s School.

 

Todd said in defense of the high school that our greater challenge comes from the Catholics at the Catholic Center who do not support either the Archdiocese or St. Joseph’s School.

 

Father suggested that we organize a social for the fall that coordinates the school and the church.Marty Ledenham will contact the Social Committee as such.

 

Pete announced that the next meeting will be on the 3rd Sunday of July. July 17th at 7:30.

 

The meeting was closed with Father leading us in the Hail Mary.