UCCOSSN
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Saturday, April 10, 2010

Minutes

I. Call to Order:
Meeting was Called to Order by Sharon Thomas, Chair, at 9:25 am. Linda Wagner led the opening prayer.

II. Roll Call:
Joan Garcia, Secretary, called the roll. Present were: Camale Allen, Liisa Analore, Virginia Arroyo, Angela Bolenbaugh, Allison Brown, Janelle Bunn, Linda Carter, Nikki Cassell, Bertha Condra, Joan Davidson, Tracy Diehl, Lettie Eager, Lorraine Elsen, Susan Faulstick, Susan Furness, Joan Garcia, Elizabeth Hosbach, Patrick Jourdain, Marita Karlisch, Nakita Lee, Denise Leighton, Susan Leonard, Tracy Lovejoy-Kitzweger, Carol Martell, Elaine McAdams, Helen McGlashan, Machelle Miller, Colleen O’Connor, Elizabeth Parker, Carolyn Pennington, Wilda Peters, Chris Rawson, Val Ruess, Kay Simons, Terri Sutton, Lynn Thomas, Sharon Thomas, Gerry Tilton, Linda Wagner, Christine Wantola, Susan Wilber, Veronica Wright, and Naureen Telsford-Siirboe.

III. Approval of the Minutes:
The Minutes of the April 25, 2009, meeting of the UCCOSSN were corrected as follows: spelling of Elizabeth Hosbach and adding Joan Garcia and Tracy Lovejoy-Kitzweger to “Present”; and adding election of Joan Garcia as Secretary to “Elections”. Gerry Tilton moved to approve the minutes as corrected. Lettie Eager seconded and the motion passed.

IV. Treasurer’s Report: (Attachment #1)
A. Chris Rawson, Financial Secretary, explained that the 2008 report shows a balance remaining after the Annual Meeting, but those funds have not been returned to the UCCOSSN. Other than meeting expenses, two scholarships and website maintenance were paid.
B. In 2009 Annual Meeting registration fees did not cover all expenses, and the Wisconsin Conference covered costs of over $1000 for the UCCOSSN. The only other expenses in 2009 were for one scholarship, website maintenance, and a deposit for the 2010 Annual Meeting. “Thank you” to the Wisconsin Conference for hosting our Annual Meeting and paying the overage!
C. Scholarship funds can be used to assist with the registration fee. They are not used for hotel or travel expenses. Scholarships may be provided to a person for up to three years in a row. Applications are available on the website.

V. Old Business:
The $100 registration fee no longer covers the expenses of those attending the Annual Meeting. Following discussion, Elizabeth Hosbach moved to establish the fee for 2011 at $125, and to allow an increase of up to $25 per year if needed. Denise Leighton seconded and the motion passed.

VI. New Business:
The Executive Committee has met and discussed several issues to bring to the Annual Meeting:
A. The Network needs to be more active and available year round in order to benefit everyone. The Executive Committee suggests collecting information on all members of the UCCOSSN by asking volunteers in each Region to work with Conferences and Associations in their area. The Conferences and Associations would collect information from local churches and pass it on to the Region organizers, who will then pass the information to the Network Connection Coordinator. Volunteers would also be asked to collect information from the National Church Offices and from other connected National organizations (Attachment #2). Each point person may alter the process as needed and is practical for their area. Point persons were established as: Great Lakes – Lettie Eager; Middle Atlantic – Tracy Lovejoy-Kitzweger; New England – Lynn Thomas; Southern – to be determined; Western – Lorraine Elsen; West Central – Marita Karlisch; National (700 Prospect) – Elizabeth Hosbach; National (Other) – Sharon Thomas. The Executive Committee will put together an explanation of the plan and a form to assist in collecting information, which will be emailed to each point person and which they should pass on to volunteers in their areas.
B. The UCCOSSN website needs to be updated. We would like to be able to share information about church and conference activities, provide a blog for questions and answers, and allow e-blasts. We need to find a new host and establish a secure website. Cost would be approximately $600 to start and $200 for annual maintenance. The Communications Team will research hosts and bring suggestions to the Executive Committee.
C. The Network has no income to use for a website or any other program expense. The Bylaws currently state that all UCC staff are members of the UCCOSSN, and various proposals to change the Bylaws and allow for levels of membership were offered. Following discussion, Tracy Diehl moved the changes below to the “Membership and Voting” section of the Bylaws. Val Ruess seconded and the motion passed.

All persons currently serving as office support staff in a United Church of Christ local church, association, conference, seminary or national ministry, including UCC related bodies, have voting privileges are members of the UCCOSSN. As the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ have agreed to be in partnership for ministry, the office support staff of both denominations are also in partnership for ministry. Therefore, while this partnership exists, support staff serving in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are granted voting privileges when present at Annual Meetings may also choose to be members of the UCCOSSN.
Voting privileges and other benefits are extended to UCCOSSN members whose dues are current. Dues will be established at UCCOSSN Annual Meetings.
Alumni members of the UCCOSSN are those who choose to continue in fellowship with the Network following a job change or retirement. Dues for Alumni will also be established at UCCOSSN Annual Meetings. Alumni whose dues are current will have voice with no vote at Annual Meetings.

Denise Leighton moved that dues for voting members of the UCCOSSN be established at $10 per year and $5 per year for Alumni. Tracy Lovejoy-Kitzweger seconded the motion passed. In order to vote, dues shall be paid by December 31 of the year preceding the Annual Meeting.

D. The need for an active UCCOSSN Communications Team was discussed. The Team would design a new brochure, research possibilities for a new website, and make other suggestions for better communication within the Network. Members of the Committee would be appointed at each Annual Meeting. The following persons agreed to serve on the Communications Team: Tracy Diehl, Nikki Cassell, Sharon Thomas, Patrick Jourdain, and Lettie Eagar. The Team may add other members as needed.
E. It was also agreed that a Fundraising Team should be appointed annually. Lorraine Elsen, Susan Faulstick, and Chris Rawson agreed to serve on this Team, with other members to be added as needed.
F. The terms of UCCOSSN officers are generally considered to be too short to allow them to serve effectively. The Executive Committee proposed the following changes to the “Committees” section of the Bylaws:

The following standing committees shall exist to carry out the Network’s purposes. Additional committees may be created by the Executive Committee from time to time as the need arises.
Executive Committee:
The following people shall comprise the Executive Committee:
♣ Chair
♣ Vice Chair
♣ Secretary
♣ Financial Secretary
♣ Chair(s) of Annual Meeting Planning Committee(s)
♣ Communications Team Coordinator
♣ Fundraising Team Coordinator
♣ Most Recent Past Chair
Executive Committee Terms of Office
A term of office shall run from one Annual Meeting to the next.
♣ Chair shall serve a term of three years and is eligible for election to a second term. When the Chair’s term of office is up, he/she serves on the Executive Committee as Past Chair until the next Chair’s term of office is up.
♣ Vice Chair shall serve a term of three years and is eligible for election to a second term.
♣ Secretary shall serve a term of three years and is eligible for election to a second term.
♣ Financial Secretary shall serve a term of three years and is eligible for election to a second term.
♣ Chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee shall serve from the date of the appointment as chair until the date of the Annual Meeting he/she is overseeing.
♣ Communications Team Coordinator is appointed annually.
♣ Fundraising Team Coordinator is appointed annually.
♣ Most Recent Past Chair shall serve until the next Chair’s term of office is up.

For practical purposes, in order to stagger terms of office, the current officers of the UCCOSSN will serve in the following manner: Sharon Thomas was elected Chair in 2009 and will serve a three year term through the elections at the 2012 Annual Meeting; Helen McGlashan was elected Vice Chair in 2009 and will serve through the election at the 2011 Annual Meeting; Joan Garcia was elected Secretary in 2009 and will serve through the elections at the 2012 Annual Meeting; Chris Rawson’s term as Financial Secretary expires today and he is eligible for reelection. Following discussion, Carol Martell moved to approve the proposed Bylaw changes. Liisa Analore seconded and the motion passed.

G. The position of Financial Secretary is up for election today. Joan Garcia nominated Chris Rawson. Helen McGlashan seconded and Chris accepted the nomination. There were no more nominations, and Chris Rawson was elected by acclamation.

VII. Other Reports – there were no other reports.

VIII. Calendar
A. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place April 28 through May 1 in North Conway, New Hampshire. The Meeting is being hosted by First Church of Christ Congregational.
B. The 2012 Annual Meeting will be held in Cleveland. Joan Davidson volunteered to serve as Chair for that Annual Meeting Planning Committee.
C. Bertha Condra volunteered to hold the 2013 Annual Meeting in Chicago. Sharon Thomas encouraged members to begin thinking in terms of Regions hosting meetings as opposed to a single conference or church.

IX. Adjournment
Many thanks to Sharon Thomas and her Team for organizing and leading an excellent Annual Meeting – Elizabeth Hosbach, Camale Allen, Patrick Jourdain, Nakita Lee, and to Steven Rivera for setting up the registration program for this meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 am.

Joan Garcia
Secretary