MINUTES OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday January 18, 2021
7:00 pm – 8:00pm
Attendees: Bob Blankenship, Beverly Byers, Richard Giltner, Mary Rosas, D J Schoneweis, Stacey Welch, David Gorman
Absent: Kenny Lee
Guests: Pastor Baker, John Barnes, Mara McGee, Karolyn Havener
Purpose of Special Council Meeting:
Extensive damage to the church building caused by broken water pipes frozen in the winter storm this week are to be discussed, duties assigned, initial actions proposed and appropriate initial motions made. Meeting intent to be mostly general discus-sions about specific areas and issues.
Plans for Services: Pastor Baker
Pastor indicated that only the pulpit and piano area need to be clear in the sanctuary prior to streaming the Sunday Service this week.
General Safety: Karolyn
A trip hazard exists due to exposed screws which attach the pews to the floor. Repair work is being done room by room. While work is being done in the sanctuary and CLC, items from there are currently stored other parts of the building, leaving little or no access to any of the remaining building.
Status Summary: Mary / Karolyn
At about 3:00 pm on Tuesday, February 16, water began coming in from a water pipe that had burst over Room #22. Water shutoff problem required three or four people to get the water shut off by 6:00 pm. A more timely shut off – ten or fifteen minutes – would have prevented most of the damage. Water went down the CLC ramp toward the CLC offices, across the sanctuary to the church offices, and also into the atrium and restrooms.
At 4:30 today (Thursday) Karolyn walked the site with Rocky assessing damage. There is no portion of the building that was not touched by the water. Due to infil-tration, all flooring in the building has to be replaced. Standing water damaged wallboard so the lower two feet of all wallboard has been cut out. Classroom #22 where the water main broke has been gutted to the studs as will be done in room #23 as well. Cabinetry is being removed as needed. The wooden base of atrium pil-lars were damaged with water and will probably have to be refinished. Water damaged pews will have to be refinished as well. Rocky estimates the end of March for completion.
If water, electricity, and plumbing are restored, the CLC classes can probably resume.
Timing will depend on what the rest of the work looks like at that point.
Generally, the church is a mess, so many more things will have to be ripped out, probably exposing more problems.
Plan of Action: Beverly
Project Management:
Beverly suggested that the process be managed going forward so that meeting are not necessary each time something has to be decided. A good job has been done so far getting things started, and this is a long term project so Council needs to focus on how to best get that done. A project team is needed, with Karolyn leading it for this part of the restoration. Three or four different people may be needed.
Karolyn stated that, based on past restoration experiences, the more people that are involved in decision making, the longer things take. Other than deciding day to day items like what flooring is wanted on the other side of the building, there aren’t a lot of things to be done by a project team. Someone needs to be available, but is not needed on site all the time since Rocky’s team is able to take instructions and complete the work.
Karolyn agreed to project manage with one or two people as backup to contact if a decision has to be made, with at least one from council. Jacquie Mikhailian, a CLC admin, will be Karolyn’s backup and will from time to time speak on her behalf.
Beverly suggested that Mary should be included due to her familiarity with most church matters, would know when to call for a decision, and could issue a weekly
email update instead of holding weekly meetings. Mary stated that she will keep John Barnes, as a property team member, involved.
Financial:
Beverly has asked our investment bank to free up cash to be more liquid in the in-vestment accounts, and has already asked them to move over funds next week in case up front costs are incurred before insurance takes over.
CLC tuition will be reimbursed for one of the last two weeks of February. The other week was declared an inclement weather week with tuition to be paid. Tuition will not be billed beginning in March.
MOTION: Beverly moved and Mary seconded that tuition be reimbursed as described and tuition not be billed again until CLC is able to be back in session. Motion passed.
MOTION: Beverly moved and Mary seconded that teachers be paid through the end of February. Motion passed.
Teacher pay going forward will be discussed at next week’s regular Council meeting.
Consensus was that putting additional reconstruction work out for bids would only delay the work since Rocky’s team is a known quantity, already available and committed. The option is kept open, long term, to later bid out certain parts if needed with Karolyn as project manager leading that decision.
With reconstruction work in progress in local schools, churches, and government facilities, other teams are already working elsewhere. Increased demand for materials may escalate costs.
Karolyn agrees that Julia Bessler should be asked to be the insurance coordinator again. Pictures that Karolyn has taken have been forwarded to Julia for insurance purposes.
Other Project Items:
Consensus was that the damaged coffee bar be removed so flooring can be installed and some replacement done in the future. Stacey, DJ, and Mary will empty contents.
Consistent flooring is recommended throughout with a different color in bathroom areas. Using the same flooring upstairs will be discussed at next week’s regular meeting.
Design decisions on this project will not require formal motions going forward.
Broken pipes were also found in the atrium men’s restroom so additional plumbing repairs are to be done. Replacing existing pipes that do not meet code will also be discussed at next week’s regular meeting.
MOTION: Beverly moved and D J seconded that Karolyn be the project manager with Jacquie as Karolyn’s backup, Mary as her Council liaison and Julia as her insurance liaison. Motion passed.
Services: Pastor Baker
Ash Wednesday service was pre-recorded. Sunday morning service will be done online like last week with Joe providing music. Future services will be online for the time being. Outdoor services ideas and online communion planning are to be dis-cussed at the next Council meeting with Pastor Baker making recommendations then.
Action Items:
Mara will update the Scout troops on the church site being unavailable.
Pastor Baker will notify the Spanish speaking congregation.
Weekly Council Chat to be resumed.
A summary congregational email should go out after the Council meeting next Thursday.
Electronic equipment needs to be moved from the Choir room.
Closing Prayer: Pastor Baker
Respectfully submitted,
Richard Giltner
Council Secretary