Congregation Beth David Board Meeting
MINUTES
September 23, 2009
PRESENT: Alex Baskind, Dan Skilken, Dave Graubart, Dave Hoffman, Davida Adelberg, Howard Fine, Jerry Bloom, Joanne Cornbleet, Lee Hirsch, Marshall Burak, Martin Sherman, Michael Leitner, Michael Schaffer, Nancy Newman, Norm Abramovitz, Rabbi Pressman, Rabbi Schonbrun, Rhonda Raider, Ron Ruebusch, Steve Schlosser, Tanya Lorien (guest).
Several congregants were present.
DRASH
Rabbi Pressman talked about “Appreciative Inquiry as Tshuva,” from an article by Yonatan Gordis. We can be more effective by identifying what went right in a process, and working to make it happen more often.
GOOD AND WELFARE REPORT
FINANCE REPORT
• Mortgage is paid off.
• We located an old safe deposit box containing the deed of trust. We will scan this document.
• Update on phone-a-thon
o From non-major donors: 223 pledges totaling $89,775. That’s up from last year, when these same donors contributed $74K. It’s not up from the prior year, when they contributed $95K. There is a good chance that we will reach $95K from outstanding donations because numerous members have indicated they would donate after we contacted them again, and we are in the process.
o 126 people declined to donate.
o The board congratulated the committee for achieving its goal to complete the phone-at-thon before High Holidays.
o We have sent thank you notes to everyone who has pledged.
• Update on major donors
o We identified 33 potential major donors. Last year these same people contributed $144K. As of today, we have received pledges and promises from 14 donors for about half of the goal. When all donors commit, we expect to meet or exceed last year’s total.
• Summary: We have pledges and promises totaling $170K. We expect this to increase to $240K. Our goal was $250K.
MEMBERSHIP
• Nine new members joined since the last board meeting!
• A motion was made to accept the membership application for Stephanie Ivler. Motion passed unanimously, with 18 yes votes.
• The Folk Collection, a musical group, will be performing at CBD on October 18, 3-5 p.m.
ADMIN
• A couple of families probably have H1N1 flu. A board member will purchase multiple bottles of hand sanitizer to be placed by the High Holidays machzorim and at the apple juice at the end of Yom Kippur services.
• We are running out of storage space. We can purchase a used 20-foot shipping container for $1,450 plus $300 delivery and sales tax. A donor will contribute up to $3K for two of these containers. We would place it near the kitchen. Two containers would cost $4,200.
• Motion: Authorize an amount not to exceed $1,200 from the general fund for the purchase of two 20-foot storage containers. Discussion:
o One behind the kitchen will contain kitchen supplies that are currently on the stage.
o The other one will be used for outdoor equipment, such as the sukkah.
o Both will also contain items that members are currently storing in their own garages or rented storage containers.
o Could we live with one? Large items would make it difficult to get to shelves needed for smaller items.
o Motion: 15 for, 1 opposed, 0 abstentions.
• In January, CBD applied for a federal grant administered by the Department of Homeland Security for improving physical security around the synagogue. We found out in mid-September that our application was accepted. The DHS will provide up to $75K in matching funds, and we need to provide $25K (three-to-one match). Grant would pay for:
o Access card readers for building entrances
o Intercom for back and front doors
o Video surveillance system so that office staff can see who is trying to gain entrance
o 8-foot fence by kitchen to replace the broken 5-foot fence.
o Motion-activated lights.
• Some members have offered in the past to make a donation earmarked for physical security. We do not have time to approach these donors because the DHS requires paperwork to be returned by September 30th. (We have only 10 days—during the High Holiday weeks—to complete the paperwork.)
• Motion: Set aside an amount of not more than $25K from the sinking fund for meeting the DHS Security Grant conditions, to be used only if CBD cannot otherwise raise funds from private donors. Discussion:
o Could the purchases be spread out across two fiscal years? Answer: It wouldn’t matter to the budget because we will tap the sinking fund, which contains money set aside for building maintenance.
o We don’t have to do all of the work at once. The grant stipulates that we only need to come up with the money as we spend it.
o We should get an IP-based video surveillance, especially since we’ll be getting IP-based phone system sometime soon. Then we will have one set of cabling for voice, video, and data instead of separate networks for each, reducing upfront and ongoing costs.
o Should we have a camera near the Torah?
o Will video surveillance allow us to increase coverage without increasing our costs?
o How much are maintenance costs? Don’t know yet. Tanya will check the cost of extended warranties.
o Important to be perceived as a hardened target. This can dissuade someone looking for an easy target.
o Sinking fund currently contains >$100K.
o Would adding a panic button on the bima be considered part of hardening? If so, good to have another panic button in Religious School office.
o Motion passed: 17 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstained.
o A motion was made that Tanya Lorien, Ron Ruebusch, or Steve Schlosser are authorized and directed to act on CBD’s behalf in all matters pertaining to this application. Motion passed: 17 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstaining
RITUAL
• Rosh Hashana services went smoothly
• Cantor Concert brought in $1,200 and cost $145 to put on. We will share some of the surplus with Cantor Levy, as agreed. CBD receives $551.
• CBD will host Thanksgiving Interfaith service this year. Many non-Jews in the community will attend, attracted by the opportunity to see a synagogue and because of our reputation for great food! All members are strongly encouraged to attend.
• We need help assembling the sukkah. Also, our usual source of palm fronds can’t come through this year, and we need twice as many fronds because of our larger sukkah. Rules: detached from the ground, doesn’t smell, looks good. A congregant has already come forward and might be able to supply us.
• Pulpit committee report: Will meet for first time after High Holidays to begin discussing Rabbi Schonbrun’s contract.
• The board thanked Wendy Glasser and Sandy Mayer for managing Cantor Levy’s concert and making sure he was comfortable, and to Rabbi Pressman for sharing his home.
• The board also thanked congregant Mike Rock, who provided the audio equipment and services.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Exec board meeting on October 14 at 7:45 p.m.
• General board meeting on October 28 at 7:45 p.m.
• Annual meeting on Sunday, December 6 at 10:30 a.m.
• Will move installation date for board from first Shabbat in February to last Shabbat, January 30. Why? a) Rabbi Pressman will return from sabbatical on that day to share the 50th anniversary of his bar mitzvah b) Rabbi Schonbrun has a family commitment the following week.
• Ron proposed a new element for general board meetings to support our goal of organizational excellence. Each board meeting will include a 30-minute session on one of three topics, alternating:
o First month of each quarter: committee reports, approx. 5 minutes each
o Second month of each quarter: board training
o Third month of each quarter: questions and comments from members, limited to 3 minutes for each person so that up to 10 people can contribute
• Board members are strongly encouraged to come to minyan, perhaps 1-2 times monthly. Tuesdays are especially difficult.
EDUCATION
• 87 students are enrolled in the Religious School. The plan was for 95 students.
• Currently, teacher salaries are below the budget. We do not yet have signed contracts for some teachers. Even when all contracts are signed, it is likely that we will still be under budget. We will know soon.
• Irene Swedroe will serve as the chair of the Religious School committee. She has indicated that she will not serve for the next term, so we need another volunteer. Norm is compiling a list of candidates.
• The $7K grant we received from Federation is intended for the Religious School. After the last general board meeting, Ron spoke with Jyl Jurman of Federation, who waived the requirements for the grant that were not acceptable to the board.
• Iris has been running 5th grade in addition to serving as principal, but has concluded that she cannot do both jobs well, simultaneously. Hazak has offered to directly fund one half a teacher’s salary, or $4,500. Next month Norm will bring a motion to fund the other half. Discussion:
o We provide a lot of individualized instruction, which increases teacher prep time.
o We should confirm that our principal and teacher salaries are comparable to other synagogues similar to CBD.
o It is important that the Religious School principal be available during class time (and not teaching), to deal with discipline issues, meet with parents, etc.
o Finance committee will review the motion first, and then it will be brought to the general board.
o Hebrew High is starting October 8
o Candle fundraising has started, and toy drive fundraiser will start soon
EMAIL VOTES AFTER BOARD MEETING
Welcome new members: On October 8, a motion was made to approve four new membership applications: Patrice and Steven Adler, Revital and Mordechay Beck, Gavriela (Gaby) and Ilan Kasan, and Susan Gould and B. Rami Tabibian. The motion passed with the majority of board members voting, all in favor.
Repair leaky roof: On October 16, a motion was made to allocate $1,700 from the sinking fund to pay for roof repair to address leaks in the Sanctuary from the recent (October 13, 2009) storm as well as other areas of leakage. Some are not yet apparent inside the building but are apparent from the roof and most likely to result in further damage this winter season.
• Background: This week’s storm created a leak from in the Memorial Alcove wall on into the sanctuary. The leak does not appear to be caused by the solar installation. It appears to be caused by a very old roof, and seams where two joints meet, which needs patching.
• Motion was approved with a majority of the board voting, all in favor.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhonda Raider
Recording Secretary