JOSEPH PRIESTLEY DISTRICT

JOSEPH PRIESTLEY DISTRICT


Approved

by JPD Board

Summer Retreat

Sunday,
July 10
, 2011



Board Members Present:


Carla Johnson (Secretary), Carol Carter Walker (At Large), Dennis Wellnitz (At
Large), Jim Hild (At Large), Lillian Christman (Vice President), Mark Hayes (At Large), Mike Harris
(President),
Russ

Savage

(At Large)
, Tom Reilly (Treasurer)


Absent
: Cather
ine Evans (At Large)


Also Attending:


Natalia “Natty” Averett (UUA Trustee

for JPD District
), Rev Dr Richard
Speck (JPD
District Executive)



Future Dates


JPD Board meeting

October 28
-
29
–

Cherry Hill

January 27
-
28
–

South or East
. Easton or Silver Spr
ing

April 13
-
15
–

Washington area
–

district assembly

July 13
-
15 retreat. Target Temenos

JPD
Conference
call

Sep
tember 15

December 1

February 16

May 24


CERG conference call



Fall


CERG meeting



May
-

tentative




Board
Motions

1.

Motion:

Authorize

finance and audit committee authority to
authorize DE

Richard

Speck

to
borrow up to $20,000.00 from restricted
funds to cover current cash flow to be repaid by the
end of the next fiscal year.

The board and finance committee will be notified by Richard i
f the
funds are used.

a.

Moved

–

Denis Wellnitz

b.

Seconded

–

Jim Hild



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2

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13


c.

Result

–

Motion carries. 7 approved, 1 abstained

2.

Motion:
The board d
irect
s

DE Richard Speck to investigate how $25,000 in expense reductions
can be made to the budget and report back to the
board
on

the September conference call.

a.

Moved
–

Denis Wellnitz

b.

Seconded
–

Jim Hild

c.

Result
–


Motion approved unanimously.

3.

Motion:
Adopt changes to board covenant

(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Tom

b.

Seconded
–

Lillian

c.

Result
–

Motion

approved unanimously.

4.

Motion: Recognizing the Unitarian Universalist Association ENDS, we adopt the following Joseph
Priestley District ENDS, which we belive to be consistent and complementary.
(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Jim

b.

Seconded
–

Mark

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.

5.

Motion: The monitoring schedule, page 5 of 27, Board
–

District Executive (DE) Linkage Policies,
II:,D.3 Monitoring Schedule.
(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Jim

b.

Seconded
–

Mark

c.

Result
–

Motion

approved unanimously.

d.

Add in schedule

6.

Motion: Amend Page 17, Section C
-
11 Governance policies to reflect the correct Monitoring
Schedule.
(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Jim

b.

Seconded
–

Mark

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.


7.

Motion:
Adopt work plan developed during the retreat
.
(See plan below)

a.

Moved
–

Tom

b.

Seconded
–

Lillian

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.

8.

Motion: to include diversity statement in
Governance Process Policies
:
Page 14, Section II.A
.3
Governance Process policies
.
(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Carol

b.

Seconded
–

Tom

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.

d.


9.

Motion: to include
diversity statement to D
istrict
E
xecutive (DE) L
imitations
Policy: Page 6.

(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Carol

b.

Seconded
–

Lillian

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.



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10.

Motion: Approve to propose to the JPD delegates at the next annual meeting

a change to the
JPD
By
-
laws Artic
le VII
–

COMMITTEES. Section 1, addin
g a diversity statement to nominating
committee practice.
(see below)

a.

Moved
–

Carol

b.

Seconded
–

Tom

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.

11.

Motion: Authorizing Carol to advise nominating committee by resolution of adopted
diversity
policy.

(See letter below
–

created post meeting)

a.

Moved
–

Tom

b.

Seconded
–

Dennis

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.

12.

Motion: Adjourn meeting

a.

Moved
–

Tom

b.

Seconded
–

Jim

c.

Result
–

Motion approved unanimously.



Follow
-
up tasks

Task

Responsible

Due Date

Request number of chalice lighters for future
reports


Tom


Contact nominating committee about diversity
statement

Carol


Send out finance and audit committee job
description

Carol


Create “postable” print
-
out of
board covenant

Richard


Submit all expense reports to close out year

All

July 20

Submit metrics questions to Mike in preparation
for Sept conference call. At least one per board
member

All

Aug 15





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General
Meeting
Notes


Approve consent agenda


Treasurer’s report
–

Tom Reilly



Downward trend of available cash

o

Need to increase income
–

or decrease expenses

o

Will have a better idea for the October meeting if this turns around

o

Finance and audit committee will meet in August

o

Foreseen expenses that are
out of the ordinary

–

none in next two months. Primarily
staff and rent.



Request number of chalice lighters

for future reports



Chalice lighter’s program being more emphasized in the past year

o

Some momentum lost because of competition with Association
Sunday

o

Further activity in 2011
-
2012 staff strategic plan

o

Hard to get ambassadors


Discussion on motion for
borrowing money out of reserves



Friendly amendment to add note for repaying amount by end of next fiscal year



Friendly amendment to add
finance/audit and board notification if funds are used



Discussion on amount of money to be borrowed, and if we’re living beyond our means



Ask Richard to develop plan to reduce budget expenses by $25,000 as a backup plan

without
impacting services to congre
gations


Finance and Audit

report
–

Carol Carter Walker



Suzanne Marsh has left the committee



The board needs to appoint a new person to take her place.



Carol will send out job description



Reviewing APF as part of ongoing meetings



Committee is asking board
members to be liaison for JPD APF

for their congregation or one
other
. Some comments that it would be more effective
to have someone else do it. General
assent for this proposition.



Committee will collect the pledge forms as they come in, and will contac
t congregations if they
aren’t heard from.


President’s report
–

Mike Harris



Congregations come first initiative (earlier iniative)



Equitable funding task force.

o

What is best way to distribute funds to the districts?

o

Work continues. Additional meeting in
November



Task force proposed
–

Congregational Life may be looking at staffing



Linkage group looking at toolbox



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o

Includes
Lillian
as a proposed member of
this group



Request to Richard for postable version of covenant so that it can be recited at every meetin
g



Mike will be Out of town July 12
–

July 30


District Exective Report



Get GA and any other fiscal expenses in by 20
th

of July



One of three people planning evaluative process for CERG



Planning for fall



Dealing with a couple of congregations in crisis



Order
ed book #4 on forward thinking agendas

for all for continuous learning


Linkage Working Group
–

Lillian Christman



Two streams of activities

o

“
Gathered Here
”

Initiative



Working group is encouraging all board members to be

involved as an
interviewer or facili
tator.

The interviewer would go through questions and hear
the answers. Lillian will write it up and send out.



Initiative to begin in August



Lillian will be in touch with UUA contact

o

More immediate JPD questions
-




Congregational thoughts for borders,
thoughts on regionalization



Should the district role be a service role, or a prophetic voice



Full plan by October


Policies Working Group
–

Jim Hild


Motions for amending policies for monitoring schedule


Diversity working group
–

Carol Carter Walker



Motio
ns for policies and by
-
laws proposals



Notify nominating committee that the board recently a
dopted a policy change regarding
diversity. Carol empowered to do this.


Thank
-
yous.

to Catherine Evans for providing breakfast supplies

to

Lillian Christman for providing snacks

to Bob Johnsen for facilitating our retreat



Respectfully submitted,


Carla Johnson,

Secretary



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Board Goals
–

2011
-
2012 year

1.

Advocate and assist nominating committee and others to increase diversity on the
board,
nominating committee and other district leadership positions (7 votes
–

1
st

in tie
-
breaker)
Priority 1

a.

Board drafts a limitations and monitoring policy for Richard

b.

Board governance policy to accomplish this goal

c.

Look at by
-
laws language to accomplish this

goal

d.

Board resolution for advice to nominating committee

e.

Needs to be done by January meeting

f.

Carol, Dennis, Tom will work on drafts for Sunday
–

a,b,d

2.

Development of linkage strategic plan materials and launching

same

(7 votes)
Priority 2

a.

Working group
–

Lillian, Russ, Carla, Catherine

b.

Time table for implementing plan

c.

Board participation in gathered here initiative

3.

Engagement between (Quality and inclusiveness) (6 votes)
Priority 3

a.

D
istrict board and congregations

b.

District board and DE

c.

D
istrict board an
d
UUA

d.

Take advantage of synergy with linkage group

e.

D
evelop action plan to communicate with congregations
–

present tomorrow

f.

Mark and Jim

i.

Denominational affairs representatives for each congregation to begin a
networking
–

to meet once or twice a year.

ii.

Mark

and Jim at October meeting discuss further in brainstorming
session.

4.

APF JPD strategy to ensure higher compliance. Objective for all to be full fair share. (4
votes)
Priority 4


a.

Support work of finance and audit committee

5.

Metrics
–

formulate and devel
op methodology (3 votes)
Priority 5

a.

What data do we need to capture
in addition to the data currently captured by DE
Richard Speck

b.

Ask committees to identify what data they may need.

c.

Example:
Outcome:
G
rowth


i.

Why people
come/stay/
leave

congregations

ii.

Growing congregations/declining congregations
–

what JPD/CERG

services do they use and how often?

d.

Suggestion: Ask UUA to lead with JPD help

e.

Suggestion: Mike check with Ian Evason (formerly of Alban Institute)

f.

September conference call with Ian.

i.

Questions

done ahead of time. Questions by August 15. Mike will
collate. At least one question per board member.

ii.

Also invite Therasa Cooley to call
–

because of possibility of funding need

iii.

Get ballpark of cost from Ian

g.

Comments

i.

Well designed surveys cost money



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ii.

L
eap of Faith has gotten funding for evaluative work. May be some
synergy there.

iii.

Methodist church did a similar survey

iv.

UUA
–

belonging
–

meaning of membership. All should read.


6.

Continue Oversight and review of monitoring reports (Routine)

7.

Practical impl
ementation of plan (Means)

8.

Monitor and support and actively participate in CERG (Routine)

9.

Continue learning and deepening best practices in doing church (Routine)


Amended policies

Motion #3

D.

Board Members’ Code of Conduct


The Board commits itself and its
members to ethical, businesslike, and lawful conduct;
consistent with the UUA’s principles; including proper use of authority and appropriate decorum
when acting as Board members. Therefore, members of the Board:

1.

Entering in trust,

c
ovenant with one anoth
er to:

a)

Remember the holy nature of our work,

b)

Be present and prepared for board meetings,

c)

Assume responsibility and follow through on our commitments,

d)

Listen carefully

and deeply to each other and assume that others have the
best interests of the district a
t heart,

e)

Recognize that disagreement is a part of Board life, pledging to respect our
differences, not letting conflicts fester,

f)

Respond to emails and other communications in a timely manner,

g)

Communicate directly,

h)

Commit to continuous learning,

i)

Handle
complaints brought to the Board with respect, but handle them at the
appropriate level, gathering accurate and complete information as necessary,

j)

Communicate
Respond

with candor and care,

k)

Treat one another respectfully,

l)

Move forward together,

m)

As the Board

speak with one voice.

Motion #4

Statement inserted prior to Global Ends Policy

Global Ends Policy

Recognizing the Unitarian Universalist Association ENDS, we adopt the following Joseph
Priestley District ENDS, which we belive to be consistent and complementary.

The Joseph Priestley District (JPD) exists in the Mid Atlantic region to inspire



Member Co
ngregations that are healthy, growing, and ever more diverse;



The creation of an environment where Unitarian Universalism is expanding;



Our congregations to help make Unitarian Universalism understood and Unitarian
Universalist values lived out;



At a cost

within the resources available to the JPD.



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Motion #
5

Page 5 of 27

3.
Monitoring Schedule:



All policies that instruct the DE will be monitored at a frequency and by a method chosen by the
board. The board can monitor any policy at any time by any metho
d, but will ordinarily depend
on a routine schedule. Non
-
compliance,
if applicable
, shall be reported at every board meeting.

Policy

Method

Frequenc
y

Board Mtg.

IIA Communication & Support of Board

Internal

Annual

April


Direct

Bi
-
annual

April, odd
yrs.


Strategic Plan

Internal

Annual

July

IIB Emergency DE Succession

Internal

Annual

April

IIC Treatment of JPD Congregations & Their
Constituents

Internal

Annual

October

IID Treatment of Staff

Internal

Annual

October

IIE Compensation & Benefits

Internal

Annual

February

IIF Financial Planning & Budgeting

Internal

Annual

February

IIG Financial Conditions & Activities

Internal

Bi
-
monthly

Board mtgs.


Audit

External

Annual

October

IIH Asset Protection

Internal

Annual

October

III Ends
Policy

Internal

Bi
-
monthly

Board mtgs.


Growing Congregations

Internal

Annual

July


Ends Review & Monitor


(Ends monitoring report due May 31)

Internal

Annual

July


Hea
lthy Congregations (1
-
3)

Internal

Annual

October


Healthy
Congregations (4
-
7)

Internal

Annual

October


Ends Monitoring DE
–

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Review & monitor DE Limitations policies


(Reports due 2 weeks prior to meeting)

Internal

Annual

January


UUism is expanding


UU Principles are known and lived out

Internal

Annual

April


Review & monitor Governance policies


(Reports due 2 weeks prior to meeting)

Internal

Annual

April


Motion #
6

Page 17, Section C
-
11 Governance policies to reflect the correct Monitoring Schedule.


Throughout the year, DE monitoring will be included on the agenda if monitoring reports show
policy violations or if policy criteria are to be
debated.


In Summary:

Month
(Deadline)

Task

July

Consider Governance and Ends education for the Board

Annual conflict of interest review/disclosure

Ends Review & Monitor


(Ends monitoring report due May 31)

October

Development of agenda for the year

October

Determine and arrange ownership input

Ends Monitoring DE
–

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Motion #
8

Page 1
4
, Section
II.A.3

Governance
Process policies


I.

Global Governance Process Policy


The purpose of the Board, on behalf of the congregations of the Joseph Priestley District, is to see to it
that the
JPD of the Unitarian Universalist Association achieves what it intends to and avoids unacceptable
actions and situations.


II.

Governance Process Policies

A.

Governing Style


The Board will govern with an emphasis on outward vision rather than internal preoccupat
ion,
encouragement of diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership more than on administrative detail,
a clear distinction of Board and District Executive roles, collective rather than individual decisions,
future rather than on past or present, proactivi
ty rather than reactivity, and viewing all actions with
an anti
-
racist and anti
-
oppressive lens. Therefore, the Board will:


1.

Cultivate a sense of group responsibility. The Board, not the staff, will be responsible
for excellence in governing. The Board
will be the initiator of policy, not merely a reactor
to staff initiatives. The Board will use the expertise of individual members to enhance the
ability of the Board as a body rather than to substitute individual judgments for the
Board’s values. The Bo
ard will allow no officer, individual, or committee of the Board to
hinder or be an excuse for not fulfilling Board commitments.


2.

Direct, control, and inspire the organization through the careful establishment of
broad written policies reflecting the Board
’s values and perspectives about ends to be
achieved and means to be avoided. The Board’s major policy focus will be on the
intended long
-
term effects, not on the administrative or programmatic means of attaining
those effects.


3.

Model its anti
-
racist and anti
-
oppressive aspirations by working with the Nominating
Committee, other Committees, the District Executive and other district entities to ensure
racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, generational and disability/ability stat
us diversity in
selection of Board members, committee members, volunteers and other leaders in the
district.


4.

Enforce upon itself whatever discipline is needed to govern with excellence.
Discipline will apply to matters such as attendance, preparation,

policy
-
making principles,
respect of roles, submission of expense vouchers, ensuring continuance of governance
capability, and adherence to the agreed upon Code of Conduct (see Governance
Process Policy II.E and sub
-
policies). If at any time any words or

actions of any Board
member cause concern to any other Board member, that concern regarding possible
violation of the Code of Conduct will be addressed in the following steps:




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a)

A member whose behavior seems inconsistent with the standards in the
Code of C
onduct should first be cautioned by a colleague through friendly
remonstrance.


b)

If the colleague feels uncomfortable or uncertain about speaking to the
member, the President or other trusted member can be called in for assistance in
communicating personall
y.


c)

If this action fails, a grievance or complaint may be made in writing to the
President of the Board, who will then provide a copy of the complaint or
grievance to the person against whom it is directed. (In all cases, the first action
in response shal
l be to approach those involved in a pastoral manner, seeking a
fair and sound collegial resolution. If it is determined that additional fact
-
finding is
needed, the President or other designated member of the Board may have to
question the person, or perso
ns, involved, or seek documentation, always within
the limits of confidentiality.)


Motion #
9

District Executive (DE) Limitations Policy

I.

Global Executive Limitations Policy


The DE shall not cause or allow any practice, activity, decision, or
organizational circumstance that is
either unlawful, imprudent, in violation of commonly accepted business and professional ethics or
applicable UUA codes of professional conduct and ethics; or inconsistent with the UUA’s principles and
sources.


A.

Communica
tion and Support to the Board


The DE shall not permit the Board to be uninformed or unsupported in its work. Accordingly, the
DE shall not:

1.

Neglect to submit monitoring data required by the Board (see policy on Monitoring
DE Performance) in a timely,
accurate, and understandable fashion, directly addressing
provisions of Board policies being monitored.


2.

Let the Board be unaware of relevant trends, anticipated adverse media coverage,
and material external and internal changes, particularly changes in th
e assumptions upon
which any Board policy has previously been established.


3.

Fail to advise the Board if, in the DE’s opinion, the Board is not in compliance with its
own policies on Governance Process and Board
-
DE Linkage, particularly in the case of
Board

behavior that is detrimental to the work relationship between the Board and the
DE.




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4.

Fail to marshal for the Board as many staff and external points of view, issues, and
options as needed for fully informed Board choices.


5.

Present information in unnecessa
rily complex or lengthy form or in a form that fails to
differentiate among information of three types: monitoring, decision preparation, and
other.


6.

Fail to provide a mechanism for official Board, officer, or committee communications.


7.

Fail to deal with t
he Board as a whole except when fulfilling individual requests for
information or responding to officers or committees duly charged by the Board.


8.

Fail to report in a timely manner an actual or anticipated non
-
compliance with any
policy of the Board.


9.

Fail

to supply for the consent agenda all items delegated to the DE, yet required by
law or contract to be Board
-
approved, along with the monitoring assurance pertaining
thereto.


10.

Fail to work with the Board in planning and convening the annual meeting and
con
ference.


11.

Fail to operate with a strategic plan that specifies how the ends are to be realized
and outcomes to be attained for specific periods of time.
This plan will be integrated with
the multiyear plan specified in II.F. Financial Planning and Budgeti
ng.


12.

Fail to seek racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, generational and disability/ability
status diversity in appointments/selection of volunteer and paid staff.


13.

Fail to report immediately any fiscal misconduct to the Board.


Motion #
10

ARTICLE VII
–

COMMITTEES


Section 1
. A Nominating Committee of five (5) persons shall be elected at each Annual
Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall present at least one nominee for each office to be
filled at the next Annual Meeting, and at least five (5) nominee
s for the Nominating Committee,
one of whom shall be a continuing member and shall be designated as chair.
The

Nominating
Committee shall take steps to ensure racial/ethnic, gender, generational and ability/disability
status diversity of candidates for the

Board and Nominating Committee.

The report of the
committee shall be submitted to the Secretary at least forty
-
five (45) days prior to the Annual
Meeting, and copies shall be included in the call and notice of said Annual Meeting. Additional


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nominations may be made by petition signed by not less than five (5) legal members of not less
than two (2) member societies of this District, and filed with the Secretary prior to the opening of
the Annual Meeting.


Section 2
. At least six (6) months bef
ore the Annual Meeting, the Board shall appoint a
Credentials Committee which shall be responsible for the collection of credentials of voting
members and the supervision of elections and balloting procedures at the Annual and special
meetings of the Distr
ict, and which shall make such reports to each meeting as the meeting or
the Secretary may prescribe.


Motion #
11

Letter to Nominating Committee

The Gobal Governance Process Policy for the Joseph Priestley District Board (“Board”) includes the
statement,

A.

Governing Style


The Board will govern with an emphasis on outward vision rather than internal preoccupation,
encouragement of diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership more than on administrative detail,
a clear distinction of Board and District Execu
tive roles, collective rather than individual decisions,
future rather than on past or present, proactivity rather than reactivity, and viewing all actions with
an anti
-
racist and anti
-
oppressive lens.


The Board wishes to strengthen implementation of the anti
-
racist and anti
-
oppressive policy by
advocating and promoting racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, generational and disability/ability status
diversity on the Board, Nominating Committee, other
Board
-
appointed committees and in other leadership
positions of the District.


Therefore the Board asks the Nominating Committee to take the steps necessary to provide a diverse
slate of candidates for presentation at each Annual Meeting. The JPD Board wil
l be proactive in assisting
the Nominating Committee in identifying and recommending candidates to accomplish this goal.