Congregation Beth David Board Meeting
MINUTES, February 24, 2010
C.Zeidman, D.Skilken, D.Hoffman, D.Adelberg, E.Lewis, J.Blumenthal, M.Burak, M.Schaffer, R.Raider, R.Gafter, R.Gordon, S.Schlosser, M.Rock, N.Abramovitz, S.Levin, R.Schonbrun, R.Ruebusch
Guest: T.Lorien
DRASH
Rabbi Schonbrun talked about the tradition of drinking on Purim. The texts say it doesn’t matter whether you drink a lot or little, as long as your thoughts are with God. The Hebrew word for drinking is different from getting drunk. Punchline: enjoy (follow halacha), but don’t go too crazy, because that’s prohibited.
GOOD & WELFARE
The board extends its sympathy to our members for the following losses:
- Svetlana Vekler’s father
- Bryan Ferguson’s mother
- Myrtle & Joel Schwartz’s brother in law
- Loraine and Eli Isaac’s brother in law
- Tim Schacher’s father
- Bonnie Slavitt-Moore’s mother
- Roberta Linksky’s father
- Joel Schwartz’s aunt
RITUAL
- High Holy Days cantor
- Committee wants to bring back Cantor Andres Levy, especially because Rabbi Schonbrun won’t be here.
- Cantor Levy is willing to accept the same terms: $10,500. We have a grant of up to $5K from the Fannie and Morris Skilken fund for travel expenses for him and his family.
- Motion: Allocate $10,500 from next year’s ritual budget for an honorarium and stipend, and accept the money donated by the Fannie and Morris Skilken fund.
- Discussion
- We always have to approve the expense for a High Holy Days cantor for next year’s budget. But this doesn’t seem to create any problems.
- Motion passed: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions
- Rabbi search
- Michael Leitner, Joanne Cornbleet, and Rabbi Pressman are in NY, interviewing for three days. They have identified four candidates.
- The Rabbinic Assembly specifies that no offers can be made before March 22.
- We’ve also identified a few candidates from the previous year’s graduating class.
- On March 6, 13, and 20, it is likely that some of the candidates will be leading services. The board is encouraged to attend services and interact with the candidates at the Kiddush luncheon.
TREASURER’S REPORT
- No major changes compared to last month.
- For Youth Education, budget is catching up to actuals. At the beginning of the school year, we always seem to be under budget because tuition is received up front.
- Receipts from Campaign are catching up to budget
- Dues are actually a little ahead of budget, contrary to our fears
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
- 561 current membership units
- 1 resignation, Sharon and Stephanie Factor moving to Dallas
- Gregory Pogrebinsky passed away
- New membership applications:
- Robin and Martin Rauschwerk, with two sons, 9 and 6. Moving from Pennsylvania.
- Susan Feinberg
- The board unanimously approved both applications: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions
ADMIN REPORT
- We’re researching our water usage. We received a very large sewer tax assessment, which is based on our water usage from 6-18 monoths ago.
- A board members suggested installing a separate meter inside the building to mitigate future assessments. If we separately measure water consumed inside the building, this will be excluded from the sewer tax assessment.
- Question: If Saratoga allows, can we used recycled water? Michael Rock will investigate.
- New telephone system
- Phone system is near the end, and is dropping calls from members: unacceptable.
- Technology leases not always favorable; might be better to purchase outright. We would need a personal guarantor for lease.
- We’ve been researching replacement voice systems since last March 2009. Have identified a vendor. Question is whether to lease or purchase.
- Vendor uses a finance company for leasing, and finance company’s lease says we would have to start paying even before the system is installed, and continue to pay even if the system is not functional.
- Total cost with installation, training, warranty, and hardware is $13.5K.
- Motion to allocate NTE $13.5K for new phone system
- Motion passed: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions
- Looping system to provide better auditory support for members with impaired hearing
- Program championed by Kinsey family and Cristel Sanders.
- Current CBD system for members with impaired hearing relies on individual headsets.
- The group is proposing is an induction loop system. 40-50 people sitting within a 20 x 20’ area would be able to pick up a signal with their hearing aid, if they have the right type (80% of hearing aids)
- We’d have two looped areas, one in the sanctuary and one in the social hall
- Costs: $2,200. Funds have already been donated.
- What about the 20% of people with other types of hearing aids? The frequency used with our existing headsets has been allocated for another purpose. That means people will not only hear content from the bima, but also other sounds.
- Motion: CBD shall sign a contract with Ideal Looping, to install a sound enhancing system compatible with many hearing aides, in two areas within the Sanctuary/social hall, using donated funds not to exceed $2,200.
- Discussion:
- How much more would it cost to do the whole sanctuary/social hall area? Or the entire sanctuary? What would be the difference if we did the smaller system now and later added the larger area?
- Mike Rock is preparing to improve acoustics for people without hearing aids. Increase amplification without feedback
- Motion tabled pending further information.
- We have moved the sukkah components into the new storage container, and Mike Rock built shelves. The board thanked Mike.
EDUCATION
- The Education VP wanted to know what information the board would like to hear about the Religious School and Hebrew High. The board was asked to send Norm an email with their response.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Changing the timeline for the annual meeting
- Our bylaws stipulate that annual meeting has to happen before December 10. Usually, there’s just one Sunday after Thanksgiving, and it’s often Chanukah. We’ll have the same conflict this year. Ron proposed having a discussion to change the bylaws, which will require a membership vote, to move the deadline to ~January 15, and to give a 30 day instead of 45-day written notice to the membership. That would give us the flexibility to schedule the meeting to not interfere with Chanukah activities.
- Discussion:
- Why do we give our annual report six months after the year ends? Answer: that’s when the new slate of board members is nominated.
- Problem with assembling a quorum during winter vacation time.
- If we have an outside CPA do a financial review, we’d be pushing up against High Holy Days (30-60 days to close books, and 30-45 days for the review. That’s already Thanksgiving.) But if we DON’T have outside review, we could have the meeting during summer. When we had a mortgage, we were obligated to have an outside audit. Now we’re not obligated.
- There will be a congregational meeting in spring, associated with a new rabbi. Why not put the new bylaw on the agenda then.
- Motion: Amend the bylaws to have the annual meeting happen no later than 15 January, with 45 day written notice to membership by bulk mail.
- Motion passed: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstentions
Calling members to wish them Happy Passover:
Some members only receive calls for fundraising. Should we call congregants to wish them a happy Pesach, and also ask for feedback? Would each board member commit to calling 30 members?
Discussion:
-
- Why not call 3-4 times a year, to establish a more personal connection
- We did call just to check in, last year. Some board members and congregants found it very gratifying.
- How about calling them in the next week, to invite people to come listen to new rabbi candidates. Might be too little time to get phone lists compiled.
- Perhaps we should start by calling twice a tear, before Pesach and Rosh Hashana.
- Tanya will send an email to the board with a list of whom to call.
- Important: If people give feedback, direct them to the right person, and make sure there’s follow up. We’ll put it on the agenda to discuss issues and feedback.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rhonda Raider
Recording Secretary
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On March 14, 2010, after the board meeting, the board voted by email to approve another membership application for the Flatow-Dickens family.