CONGREGATION SHIR TIKVAH
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
January 6, 2010

Present:  Alice Audie-Figueroa, Beth Isola, David Muscat, Edith Bernstein, Eileen Nowikowski, Erica Peresman, Harriet Silverman, JoAnne Levy, Joyce May, Len Redmond, Marv Rich, Mike Pytlik, Paul Blatt, Paul Lefkowitz, Rich Spitzer

(If you come in after the attendance sheet has been passed around, please see Beth Isola at the end of the meeting.  Thank you!)

Meeting was called to order by Peresman at 7:06 p.m.

D’Var Torah. 

• There was no D’Var Torah as Rabbi Arnie was out-of-town.

Consent Agenda Approval. 

• Exceptions – Levy mentioned we added a new member who joined on Tuesday.  Also wanted to mention about Mike Pytlik’s three-part education series he will be conducting on January 10, 24 and 30. 
• Motion to approve moved by Silverman; 2nd by Nowikowski.
• Consent Agenda unanimously approved.

 

Rabbi’s Report. 

• No Rabbi Report as Rabbi Arnie was out-of-town.

 

President’s Report.  Provided in Board Packet

 

Family Education Report.  Provided in Board Packet

• Audie-Figueroa asked about the role the Family Ed Council plays.  Wren Hack (Interim Family Ed Administrator) feels the Family Ed Council has been under-utilized and perhaps there needs to be some discussion about maximizing their potential.  Redmond feels this year the Family Ed Council lost some traction with the mid-year changes but is getting back on track.  There are also some members that have served on the committee for quite some time and may be looking to be taken off of the committee.  Unlike with other committees where congregants can join at any time, the members of this committee are appointed by the congregation President.  To that, Peresman is looking for volunteers to be appointed to the Family Ed Council.  Blatt asked about an Adult Ed Committee and their role.

 Treasurer’s Report.  Provided in Board Packet. 

 Exceptions to Consent Agenda.

• Exceptions – Levy mentioned we added a new member who joined on Tuesday.  Also wanted to mention about Mike Pytlik’s three-part education series he will be conducting on January 10, 24 and 30.

Recommendation Packages.     None

Discussion Items.

• Analysis of Membership Survey.  Isola distributed a hand-out bullet pointing some key findings in the results from the Membership Survey that went out to the congregation. 
• We received a high response rate (33%) and received high marks in many areas such as Spirituality and Community, but could use some improvement in Teen Social/Education Programming, and Adult Social and Education.  
• Various discussions arose on how to improve in these two areas.  We need a plan and need to immediately implement the plan.
• Peresman reminisced about former Gimel-Hey program that reached the “tweens” (6th-8th graders) and was very successful.  Do we try to re-implement this group?
• Peresman also posed the question about possibly hiring a part-time youth advisor.
• Youth Committee from the Board Retreat is working on a possible event in February.  Redmond is working with the Family Ed Council to assist with this effort.  J. May volunteered to assist as well.
• Discussions about timing of Adult Ed events brought about idea of offering a “cafeteria style” approach to Adult Ed – offering classes/lectures at various times and days to try and reach as many congregants as possible.
• Peresman will include results from the survey in her February Schrier report.
• Update on Family Education. 
• Peresman discussed that we are not quite ready to begin a national search for a new Director of FE as Wren Hack is new in the interim position and we’re still trying to determine what we really need and want from that position.
• Peresman feels strongly that we first need to do an internal assessment in terms of our existing program and what our needs are.  Peresman proposed keeping the current team in place through the 2010/2011 school year.  All team members (Wren Hack, Pam Spitzer, Leah Gawel, and Gail Greenberg) are all willing to continue serving in this capacity.
• Blatt mentioned concerns that continuing in this fashion confuses new families as to who is in charge of their childrens’ education.  He is also concerned that having the position filled part-time is sending the message that we aren’t investing in our children.  He also posed the question about funding from the Federation if we do not have a full-time person overseeing the Family Ed program.
• Pytlik asked for a synopsis of Federation’s involvement in the Family Ed program.  Peresman indicated the Federation monitors the program and they pay half of the Education Director’s salary up to $25,000.
• Consensus to approve allowing the current team to continue as is for another school year.  The Board will decide in November 2010 what next steps will be.
• Computer Security. 
• It was discovered that our former computer system was not secure at all.  David Muscat has been working with Kevin Adelson (congregant and IT expert) on a general upgrade on our overall system.  The past system had no firewalls and was accessible by anyone with any computer knowledge.  A network will be installed that will be more secure and provide more storage space.  Board approved committing Capital dollars to upgrade our system.
• Follow-up from Board Retreat. 
• Volunteer Development Committee – will present next month
• Financial Stability – Committee is moving forward with Stewardship Plan from Torah Alive campaign and will implement Tzedakah Box campaign.  Peresman is preparing a report to all Torah Alive donors that will go out at the end of January.  She will also meet with Rabbi Arnie about his numerous stewardship efforts.  J. May is overseeing Tzedakah Box program that will be kicked-off during Tikkun Olam Day on 1/17/10.  Nowikowski reminded us that volunteers are needed to step-up and take ownership of pieces of the plan to ensure the congregation’s financial stability.
• Chanukah Appeal Report.  Donations exceeded the budgeted income amount.
• Directory Ads Report.  Sales exceeded the budgeted income amount.

Good & Welfare

• Schmooze Cruise (winter celebration event and fund raiser) is taking place on Saturday, February 6, 2010.
• Cantor Yalda will be our Scholar-in-Residence the weekend of January 15 – 17.  There are a variety of events and worship services planned for the weekend.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Beth Isola,
Recording Secretary