Chapter Minutes

July 31,2007

Chapter Members Present:

Jessica Abell, Robert Black, Marianne Culver, Phil DeBush, Marcus Hall, Sharon Johnson, Richard Kelley, Cathe McEnerney, Ron Mui, Joy Rogers, David Stanford

Also Present:

Bruce Barber, George Culver, Peter Siwek, Emily Jane Knaus, Tom Patterson, Chip von Weise, John Bross, Elsa Vaintzettel, members of Redevelopment Steering Committee.

Chapter Members Absent:  Fran Holliday, John McNeill Anderson, William Persell

The meeting was called to order by Marianne Culver at 5:30. Opening discussion was a faith formation centered on a passage from Galatians; the group explored its impact on their thinking about the potential new building. The general feeling was that any conclusions drawn during the course of the meeting would be God’s work.

Discussion

Approval of the Building Proposal. Distributed to the Chapter members were a letter from TVR Rogers, a graph representing the go/no-go results for the potential build-out, and a draft resolution for the proposal. Marianne Culver read the draft resolution aloud for the benefit of those calling in to the conference. It would authorize work to renovate the undercroft, west end entrance, guildhall and narthex, up to a maximum spend of $6,369,508. It would further permit the Acting Business Manager or Provost to remit funds to pay for the renovation work up to that maximum figure, and would require the Acting Business Manager to monitor costs closely and provide monthly reports on progress and continuous access to redevelopment financial records to all members of Chapter. The work would begin in August and create a wide variety of spaces for Christian Formation, etc.

Richard Kelley moved to approve the proposal; Robert Black seconded. Tom Patterson then advised that the Steering Committee had chosen to unanimously recommend the work be approved. There followed a discussion of potential costs, how St. James might find the money for the project if the Canyon Ranch Living tower project did not close, and the need for a capital campaign, whether or not the work were approved.  It was confirmed that, at this time at least, there was no intention of invading the corpus of the Cathedral’s endowment to make up redevelopment costs, and that the $6,369,508 figure was indeed a maximum; costs in excess of that figure could not be incurred without further action by Chapter.

Sharon Johnson then asked when the question of the new building was discussed with the entire congregation. It was stated that the last full conversation took place in June 2006, and at the Annual Meeting 2007. Tom Patterson then outlined the challenges involved in explaining the budget at all, and then stated that to present financial concerns to the congregation would produce more confusion than good. Bruce Barber asked TVR Rogers what questions and comments, if any, she had heard about this subject from the congregation. Her response was that she found a surprising energy for which she was utterly unprepared, and even that many people suggested that more could be done.

Time was then taken to be sure that every person present had had the opportunity to speak on his or her observations and feelings concerning this project. Finally, the question was put to all members of Chapter, whether or not each felt he or she had been heard and could support any decision of the Chapter on the matter in hand. With that, the final vote was made and it was decided unanimously that the Chapter would approve the proposal.

Adjournment was at 8:00 p.m.