Finance Council Minutes - January 26, 2023

Mary, Mother of God Parish  
Finance Council  
Meeting Minutes for 01/26/2023
St. Ita Jubilee Hall – 7pm​

Attendance 

• Members present: Father Robert Cook, John McCarthy, John Kryl, Ed Stranc, Jim Muss, Carol Hanson, and Magali Duvivier
• Members Absent: Andrew Welling, Don Haider, and Joe Jacobs
• Ex Officio Members Absent: Christine Boyd
• Staff Present: Stuart Boldry, Dorothy Julian, and Yasmin Hernandez
• Staff Absent: Mark Franzen

 
Before meeting, Council members received agenda, minutes of the December meeting and financial statements and reports via email.
 
The meeting began at 7:01pm with Father Bob leading us in prayer. 
 
Meeting Minutes
John Kryl motioned to approve the minutes and was seconded by Magali Duvivier. The minutes were unanimously approved.
 
Updates from Father Bob
Conventual Franciscans own a basilica in Milwaukee. The new provincial assigned Fr. Bob there as rector. Fr. Alejandro Lopez will become the new pastor at Mary, Mother of God. He is currently the pastor of their most diverse parish in Australia.
 
Fr. Bob will remain on the St. Gregory’s Hall board and will be here during Fr. Alejandro’s transition. The Director’s management committee is developing a pastor transition plan to ensure a smooth changeover. The team plans to meet every two weeks.
 
Pastor terms last anywhere between 7 to 8 years, and Fr. Bob has been here for 7 years. Leaving is one of the hardest things a pastor confronts. A new pastor brings the opportunity for new leadership and vision, and now might be the best time for a change.
 
Fr. Bob Sprott, OFM is part of SGH staff. The same number of friars and the staff will remain in place during this transition. Fr. Alejandro will be well cared for since we have a great staff, finance council and parish pastoral council.
 
Financial Report July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022
Operating Revenue and Expense Results

• Net Operating loss: $155,000, versus a $40,709 gain in the previous period.
  • Revenues declined by $69,047 or 6.56%. Impacted by lower Sunday & Holiday Collections-$24,774, Interest & Investment Income-$27,644 loss, Miscellaneous Income-$17,786. Declines partially offset by higher Tuition-$9,642 and Lease & Rental Income-$56,760.
  • Expenses increased by $127,152 or 12.56%. Impacted by higher compensation related expenses (influenced by raises, staffing configuration, comparison period differences, timing for hires and terminations, and Food Rescue Ministry-reimbursed by benefactor as a grant), Transportation expenses (reimbursed by benefactor as a grant), and Heating Fuel-$33,606 (higher prices). Expense increases partially offset by lower Maintenance & Building Repairs, which decreased by $20,990 (which includes an erroneous charge totaling $32,115).

 
Operating and Extraordinary Revenue and Expense Results-Net Loss for the period totaled $80,152.
 
Cash and Investments on Hand-$4,668,006.
 
Long-Term Debt-None.
 
Buildings and Grounds Report
The SGG Gym project was completed.
Heating-related issues at all our campuses:

• The boiler at one of the residential houses failed.
• One of the STC school boilers flooded and leaked. It is currently being repaired. Ms. Boyd asked for estimates for replacing both school boilers. The anticipated cost exceeds $500,000. She is looking into donor funding.

 
The Building & Grounds subcommittee continues working with a small group of parishioners and staff on a plan for renovating Jubilee Hall. They are targeting June 2023 to complete a plan for proposal.
 
Another Building & Grounds subcommittee is developing a plan for a preventative maintenance system.
 
New bases are being built for the reconditioned bronze lanterns in front of St. Ita. The existing bases are not strong enough.
 
Upcoming Projects: replacing the kitchen cabinets and counters in SGG Social Hall, installing panic bars on emergency door exits at all sites, replacing failed windows at the St. Ita rectory and sacristy, repairing SGG garage, roof repairs at all sites.
 
Cultural Center Update

• Events: Fr. Bob Sprott will be teaching a class on St. Augustine. Forty people have signed up. Sarah Crowe continues offering her drawing classes and church tours. Kevin Allen plays at the SGG 9:30am Mass and continues developing a new choir. Upcoming is the Candlemas Mass on February 2nd.
• Organizational Changes: St. Thomas of Canterbury House will now become part of SGH. Deacon Gerry Keenan is a new board member for SGH. The use of SGG Church by the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter is in process.

Stewardship Report
The 2022 Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) tripled the parish goal. Pledges totaled $152,000. $149,000 has been paid, which is 98% payment rate. We have received the first rebate of $58,000 and should receive another $40,000 rebate in March. The 2023 ACA is approaching. The parish goal is $56,800.

The Christmas collection totaled $66,000. The second collection for outreach was approximately $300 per Mass.

The Parish Fundraising Committee has started meeting, with the goal of developing short- and long-term fundraising strategies. Jeff Fizer is a recent addition to the committee.

Old Business
None.

New Business
An additional Finance Council meeting has been added for April 20 at 7pm.
 
The meeting ended at 7:59 pm with Father Bob leading the council in prayer.

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