St. Joseph Catholic Church & School

Together We Will

 

The Planning Our Future Together Team is pleased to provide everyone with a progress report on parish/school planning efforts and information about steps to be taken during the next phase of our parish/school development plans. In keeping with preferences expressed in our parish/school survey, efforts are being undertaken to study and investigate the feasibility of relocating parish/school facilities to a new site.

 

New Name/Theme

The theme of our next phase is Together We Will.   We believe this reflects the essence of what we are all about, i.e. by the entire parish/school community working together we will be successful in addressing our parish and school facility needs for many years to come.

 

Organizational Structure

With guidance and direction provided to us by the Archdiocese, a Building Steering Committee has been established composed of members of the Planning Our Future Together Team and several others to be appointed by Father McGuinness. The Archdiocese has also appointed a Project Manager, Mr. Steve Larkin, to work with this committee to develop a preliminary overall development schedule that includes selecting an architect, raising funds, selecting a contractor, and developing a construction budget and schedule. 

 

Several task forces will be established to implement the tasks necessary to pursue the project, these are:

 

• Architectural Design Task Force responsible for the following:
1. Sending out Architect’s Requests for Qualifications (this has already been done) and  Architect’s Requests for Proposals
2. Identifying architects to be interviewed
3. Submitting a recommendation for an architect to the Building Steering Committee, Father McGuinness, and the Archdiocese (who will have the final say on architect selection)
4. Participating with Father McGuinness, parish/school administrative staff, parish ministry leaders and others to develop a Phase I Design to meet identified parish/school facility needs

 

• General Construction Task Force responsible for the following:
1. Sending our Requests for Qualifications and Requests for Proposals to qualified contractors
2. Evaluating and recommending the best qualified and most competitive General Contractor (The Archdiocese will have final say on general contractor selection)
3. Reviewing an itemized construction budget

 

• Property Task Force responsible for the following:
1. Identifying  property being considered for purchase
2. Working with Father McGuinness and the Archdiocese in purchasing property
3. Determining the maximum sales price for existing church property

It should be noted that the Archdiocese will also have the final say on both the purchase of new property and the sale of existing property.

 

• Capital Campaign/Fund Drive Task Force responsible for the following:
1. Selecting a professional fund-raising organization to assist in raising funds (this has already been done)
2. Developing a plan and conducting the fund raising campaign. It is anticipated that the Capital Campaign schedule will soon be confirmed and disseminated.
3. This Task Force will have representation from the Finance Committee of the Parish and also representatives from the School.

 

• Communications Task Force (An existing committee) responsible for the following:
1. Ensuring that timely and informative communications are maintained so that everyone interested and involved in the Together We Will initiative is advised and kept informed about what is happening

 

Project Management

As has been indicated, Catholic Construction Services has appointed a Project Manager, Mr. Steve Larkin, to work with the parish/school community throughout the remaining planning/implementation processes.   He will be in Athens regularly to meet with the various Committees and Task Forces, the architect, general contractor, etc.

 

Liaisons to Task Forces

A member of the Building Steering Committee will be appointed to each Task Force to serve as conduits through which information is shared and discussed.

 

Decision-Making Process

As in the past, members of the Building Steering Committee will continue to serve in an advisory capacity to Father McGuinness who, in turn, will submit his recommendations to the Archdiocese after they have been shared with our parish/school community.

 

Parish/School Participation in the Together We Will Initiative

Membership on Task Forces will be limited to 7 – 10 members whose knowledge, experience, expertise, and interests suggest that they would be working and contributing members of these task forces. Anyone interested in serving on one of these task forces is asked to submit his/her name  to the Parish Office (548-6332) as soon as possible.  Please note: If not selected to serve on a Task Force, Father McGuinness and the Building Steering Committee want everyone to know that ample opportunity will be provided for all members of our parish/school community to have input into whatever decisions are  made about our parish and school future.

 

Many volunteers are needed to serve on the Capital Campaign Fund Drive Committee.  Please call the parish office if you are willing and able to serve on this very important committee.

 

Additional Information

It is anticipated that additional updated information about Together We Will will be disseminated through the parish web-site, bulletin inserts and pulpit announcements.  Feel free also to contact  members of  the Building Steering Committee with your comments and questions.

Their names will soon be posted on our parish web-site and on the bulletin board in the church vestibule.

 

Thank you for your interest in and support of Together We Will.   It is truly needed and appreciated! Please complete a Volunteer Form, if you have the skills we require, during this phase and would like to share them with our parish community.