+JMJ
Dear Parishioners,
On Thursday, January 19, we had another finance council meeting. The following are some highlights.
= We reviewed the monthly balance sheet, profit and loss report, accounts payable report.
= One of the councilmembers gave a report from his internal audit (using standard diocesan forms) for the last couple of months. Everything seemed to be in good shape.
= We reviewed all the projects that were covered by the $100,000 anonymous donation several years ago. Everything has been accomplished, with the exception of the Payne parking lot. There remains $6,790 for this, although the project will require much more, which is explained below.
= We are registered for the Amazing Parish Conference March 13-15, 2017. The total cost will be about $5,361. Although we had not budgeted for this conference, when the diocesan Parish Life Department approached us several months ago, it seemed we should agree to attend, since some of the organization we have already begun in the parish fits so perfectly into the vision of this movement. We learned we might be getting a donation to cover this effort as well.
= The diocese has mandated that every parish use the same payroll service company, Data Services. We had been using Paycor, and we were very happy with it. But for the sake of uniformity and better overall management at the diocesan level, all parishes were told to switch. As of this bulletin letter, we had one payroll period to see the reports. It seems the transition has gone well. It will take some adjustment to get used to the format of the new reports.
= School financial news: In order to use remaining ASP funds, we are considering the purchase of many Chromebooks for the students, as well as charging carts for storage. That project is ongoing. Also, we received a grant from Walmart for a new border for the playground area. We are hoping to obtain a second grant as well. The playground area (where the swing sets and monkey bars are) is covered with pea gravel, which is up to code, state standards for playgrounds. But the gravel gets kicked around as the kids play, and then those playing on the smooth asphalt end up slipping more and having accidents because of the extra slippery combination of pea gravel and asphalt. The border will keep everything contained, hopefully.
= We reviewed the various large projects which have been completed in the last six months:
Antwerp Belltower repair
One new air conditioning unit for the Payne church
Major finishing of Paulding choir loft
One new air conditioning unit for DM School
Demolition of the Payne rectory
New gutter guards at Paulding church
New book racks at Payne
Sidewalk repair at Paulding (dangerous shifting)
New industrial refrigerator at Antwerp
New LED lighting at Paulding church
New LED lighting at DM School
New metal roof for garage at Antwerp
New chairs for choir loft at Antwerp
New keypads for after-hours entry at each campus
New air-conditioning for Paulding rectory
New risers and carpeting in Antwerp choir loft
Those are just the biggest projects. Much more has been done on a smaller level to maintain each campus. I’m so grateful that in addition to giving consistently each week in our Sunday collections, parishioners have stepped forward to meet the special needs, such as these big repairs. Taking care of the practical building needs is a pretty significant way of loving our parish! I remember a church institution I worked at in the past, about which it was said, “It needs somebody to love its very stones!”
= After the last two rainstorms in the past several weeks, I noticed water actively leaking into the basement of the Paulding rectory, in three rooms. We are seeking the means to repair. If we do not do this, there will continue to be damage. And we want to maintain “this old house” that belongs to the parish. So we are seeking quotes for repair, perhaps looking at a spring or summer job.
= There have been some complaints about the volume of the organ speakers in the Antwerp loft, now that there is seating directly in front of the speakers. That was never a problem before, because the old pipe organ took that space, and there were no chairs immediately in front of the speakers. So we are looking at the possibility of moving the speakers to a better place. The issue is being studied. There should not be much cost involved.
= If you smelled cats at the Antwerp church for the last few weeks, that is because one of the ventilation grates in the foundation rusted through, and some cats have taken up their home in the crawl space. The smell must have been coming up through the vents. Two cats were live-trapped, and the grates repaired, and a simple home remedy applied for the smell. Hopefully that takes care of things there. Again, very little expense involved.
= The parking lot at Payne is the last remaining project which had designated funds from the anonymous $100,000 donation several years ago. There remains about $6,790 for the project, but the parking lot really needs to be a total re-do. So we are looking at at least $70,000 to do it right. So far we have $22,241 donated towards the project. We have two bids, and we are seeking a third. This is a project that will also require diocesan approval, given the dollar amount.
= I would like to build a system of custom cabinets for the boys’ sacristy in Payne. This should make that sacristy much more user-friendly, much more efficient.
= The siding on the rectory in Paulding has many spots that are rotted through. The front porch also needs significant repair.
= I have heard nothing more regarding the possibility of some type of grotto (Marian?, Divine Mercy?) in the space where the Payne rectory was.
= Always remaining on our dream list of repairs is the belltower at each campus: Antwerp ($14,000), Paulding ($9,000), Payne ($17,000).
Have a blessed week!
In cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Poggemeyer
