PRESENT: Norm Abramovitz, Dave Graubart, Joanne Cornbleet, Davida Adelberg, Marshall Burak , David Hoffman, Ricki Gafter, Alex Baskind, Rabbi Pressman, Eric Lewis, Michael Schaffer, Roland King, Martin Sherman, Michael Leitner, Steve Karel, Steve Schlosser, Ron Ruebusch, Dan Skilken, Lee Hirsch, Tanya Lorien (guest)
DRASH
Rabbi Pressman talked about the individual in the community and how this pertains to the Days of Awe.
MINUTES
Approved.
FINANCE REPORT
• Expenses were less than income in July.
• Discussed a memo of understanding (MOU) with the Endowment Committee. The Endowment Fund will retire the cemetery debt and handle the sale of cemetery plots.
• Motion to adopt draft 4 of the MOU between the Endowment Committee and the Synagogue. Discussion about the flexibility the endowment fund will have with the income from the plots. Motion passed: 15 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 abstention.
• Annual Campaign Phone-A-Thon Report. 180 congregants have donated $110K. If you subtract the top five donors, the remainder gave $71,650. We are seeing slightly higher donations compared to last year. 150 have declined to donate.
• Annual Campaign Major Donor Solicitation Status. The campaign is proceeding slowly. Some are giving more, some down. Many major donors have been affected by the downturn.
• We will continue to have an annual review of financial statements by an outside accountant. (The issue was raised at the July meeting.)
MEMBERSHIP
• 558 units in July
• Motion to accept the membership application from Sara and Mathew Ettus passed unanimously.
(The following are email votes taken after the board meeting)
• Motion to accept the membership application from Paul and Melissa Taylor passed unanimously.
• Motion to accept the membership application from Jim and Dorene Kastelman passed unanimously.
• Motion to accept the membership application from Steven Bogad and Sheryl Witlin passed unanimously.
• Motion to accept the membership application from Ron and Sue Maltiel passed unanimously.
• After database clean up and review in August, the total number of membership units is 552.
• We need people to greet at the door for our open house on August 30.
ADMIN
• High Holiday packets going out Friday
• Cantor concert is on September 13th.
• New website is in progress
• Courtyard is being painted
o Motion to allocate $1000 from the sinking fund to paint the upper part of the building. Discussion: We risk members’ safety (and expose ourselves to financial risk) if we have volunteers paint the portions higher than 15 feet off the ground. Motion passed: 16 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions
o The board acknowledged the hard work Steve Schlosser and his team of volunteers have done in painting the courtyard.
• Motion to spend $290 from the general fund for a recessed door handle for social hall wall. Discussion: This will enable the door to be closed from either side, to not disturb services [correct reason?]. as a safety issue as there are younger children playing in the tot’s area outside services. Motion passed: 16 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions.
• Parking lot has been refinished and restriped. A generous congregant has offered to pay.
• We are looking into some permanent outside storage facilities.
RITUAL
• Board members need to sign up to sit on the bima and usher during High
• Ascension Church will be set up on the morning of Erev Rosh Hashana.
• The main sanctuary will be set up on Tuesday, September 15th, from 2-5 pm.
• Need more board representation at minyans.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Motion: That Beth David form a pulpit committee consisting of Michael Schaffer (Chair), Lee Hirsch, Joanne Cornbleet , Rhonda Farber, and Yoram Rubin for the purpose of negotiating a new contract with Rabbi Aaron Schonbrun up to the maximum period of time allowed by the Congregation Beth David bylaws. Motion passed: 16 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions
• The Programming Committee is sponsoring a music concert featuring “The Folk Collection” on October 18th from 3 to 5 PM at CBD. Contact Nancy Newman and/or Joanne Cornbleet for more information.
• The September Exec Board meeting is on September 16th.
• The September Board of Directors meeting will be at 7:45 PM, September 23rd at Beth David
• Jewish Federation has allocated a grant to the synagogue of $7,063, to be paid in four quarterly installments. The grant includes a set of conditions, several of which were unacceptable to the board. ACTION: Ron will call Jyl Jurman to discuss a modification to the conditions that are mutually acceptable.
• Need suggestions for the nominating committee.
• A gift memorandum was presented in executive session. A motion to accept the gift memorandum passed, with 15 in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention.
• Under the terms of the cemetery mortgage, CBD is allowed to pay up to 20% of the outstanding balance within any five-year period without a prepayment penalty. Therefore, a motion was made to authorize a payment of $196,084.49 to be made immediately. Motion passed: 16 favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstentions.
• Another motion was made to pay off the remainder of the cemetery mortgage. Discussion: If we waited until the next time we would not have a prepayment penalty, the additional interest would far exceed the penalty. Motion passed: 16 favor, 0 opposed, and 0 absentions.
• We anticipate that the entire mortgage will be retired by the end of the High Holidays.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan Skilken, acting for Rhonda Raider, Recording Secretary