CMM 2009-02-08

Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends

2nd Month 08, 2009

Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business at the Merrimack Valley Day Care Center in Concord, NH.  Friends present were Mark Barker, Alisa Barnard, Greg Heath (recording clerk), Ruth Heath (treasurer), Joni LaBombard, Bill Noyce, Jay Smith, Sara Smith (clerk), Kathy Urie.

2.1  Minutes of the January 11, 2009 meeting were reviewed and approved.

2.2  Minutes of the specially called meeting in January were not available for review.

2.3  Recorder.  Greg Heath agreed be the Recorder and fulfill responsibilities requested by the Yearly Meeting relative to membership and attendance statistical reporting.  Sara Smith will assist with the maintenance of weekly attendance data.

2.4  Memorial Minutes.  Ruth Heath reported that the committee working on memorial minutes for Roberta Nichols and Adelaide Nichols has met and will have minutes prepared for the March business meeting.  Greg Heath reported that the committee for Graham Chynoweth’s minute has not yet met, but will be ready for the business meeting in March.

2.5  Treasurer report.  Nine pledges have been received.  The treasurer will follow up with those who have not responded to see if pledges will total up to the $15,000 goal.

2.6  Housing Committee.  Ruth Heath reported that a misunderstanding with the Timber Framer’s Guild has come to light that would add an additional $40,000 to the project.  Rich Kleinschmidt will discuss how this could have happened with the Guild.  The committee is now looking at alternatives and presented 3 estimated costs.  These assume the Meeting provides $36,000 in labor as discussed at the last meeting:

  1. $428,000 using SIPs [Structural Insulated Panels] only and a square 32 by 32 foot worship room;
  2. $446,000 is the cost with a square 32 foot timber framed worship room;
  3. $477,500 is the cost with the octagonal timber frame.

Following discussion, the timber framing options were rejected as too costly.  The Meeting would like the worship space to have a special feel and plenty of light.  We recognize there is a tension between simplicity and visual appeal, and we desire to move ahead without sacrificing energy efficiency and the goal of carbon neutrality.  The housing committee is asked to further refine the options and estimates and bring back a plan for approval or further questions requiring Meeting input

Respectfully submitted,

Accepted as the approved record when signed,

/s/ Sara Smith, Clerk